Marbaniang, Domenic

2 Tim.1:3-7 Fear is the mega killer. Fear cripples, paralyses, torments, kills. Gary Whetstone: False Evidence Appearing Real Roosevelt : The most fearful thing to fear is fear itself. Timothy might have been a timid person (1Cor.16:10-11; 1Tim.4:12) Reasons to be Fearful 1. Background: Acts 16 (Cf. Judges 6. Gideon had the same problem) 2. Age: Timothy was a youth (1Tim.4:12). Such was the problem also of Jeremiah. 3. Loneliness: Timothy was alone in Ephesus. (Cp. Elijah’s loneliness, Moses’ loneliness) 4. Context: Ephesus was a big city. There was the huge Diana’s Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the world. Timothy was from a small town. Reasons to be Fearless 1. A Legacy of Faith (2Tim.1:4-5). He had the heritage of saints. He was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb.12:1). 2. Gift of God Inside (2Tim.1:6). 3. Spirit of Power , Love, and Self-Disciplines (2Tim.1:7). Enemies of Courage 1. Immediate Perception. What we see, hear, sense. Threat, Panic. (e.g. The Anakites) Cond...

Rev.2:8-11 Smyrna was a Persecuted Church. It was where Polycarp was leader and was martyred in 155 AD The Letter exhorts Smyrna Church to be Courageous The Bold Get the Crown The Kingdom of God is Taken by the Aggressive Courage is the Virtue of the Warrior. He Never Turns Back. There is no armor for the back. Matt.11:12; Dan.11:32; Prov.28:1; 2Tim.1:7 7 Reasons Why We Must Be Courageous 1. He is the First and the Last: A & Z Your beginning and your end are in Him. The battle belongs to the Lord. He is in control 2. He Conquered Death and Came to Life Death shall not have dominion: Where is your sting, power, O Death? 3. He Keeps a Record of Your Suffering ("I Know....") (Ps. 56:8; Job 23:8) 4. He Keeps a Record of What You're Going to Suffer (Rev.2:10) (Acts 9:16) 5. He Wants Us to Pass the Tests (TESTED) Don't give up midway (Heb.10:32-39) 6. He Wants to Give Us the Crown of Life  Second Death Can't Hurt. 7. It's His Command (Eph.6:10)