Faith over Fear

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

Fear is something I believe most, if not all of us, have dealt with in the last few years. In moments when I would personally feel fear, this scripture often came to mind. God has not given us a spirit of fear (fearfulness, timidity, cowardice) but rather a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Let’s break each one of those down.

Power in this scripture can also be translated as “dynamis.” According to Strong’s Concordance, dynamis means “force, miraculous power, ability, abundance, meaning, might, power, strength, violence, mighty work. In my mind, this translates as the complete opposite of timidity, a spirit beyond what we as humans can accomplish.

Love translates to “agapē.” Agapē love means affection, goodwill, benevolence, and brotherly love. This type of love is fueled by compassion, selflessness, and charity. It is overflowing with kindness, gentleness, and a genuine love for others.

A sound mind translates to “self-control, moderation, and discipline.” This is not what I always thought “a sound mind” meant in this scripture. God has given us the spirit of a sound mind, but it requires some effort from us as well. We must set boundaries and stay within them, and we must be diligent and self-aware. We must become students, humbly willing to accept correction and always yearning to learn.

Fear is not from God, but He did give us every tool and weapon we need to overcome it. Supernatural, miracle working power, brotherly love and self-control. We are more than conquerors!