Sometimes I think we approach ministry completely backwards.
Let’s say you are a minister, and you are invited to preach at someone’s church. The average guy or gal will pray, “Lord, what do you want me to preach on?” Don’t you agree that is what the average minister will ask?
What about if you asked this question: Lord, where do you want the people’s hearts to be when I am done preaching or ministering?
Perhaps He will answer, “I want the nicely dressed couple on the second to back row on the left to get saved, and the rough guy in front also. And, I want sixteen people to get filled with the Holy Spirit. But first, minister healing to the lady in the red blouse with the crutches.”
Then the next question to ask would be, “Ok Lord, how do we do this?”
He responds by telling you what verses to share, what stories to tell, how long to preach, and perhaps even specific actions to take, like going up and greeting the rough guy before you ever start preaching. You go into that service knowing where the Lord wants you to end up at, and a plan to get there.
This approach could work in ministering to sick people, witnessing, and in almost any circumstance. You are sitting on an airplane, or a bus, next to someone…where does God want that person to be in their hearts when that plane lands, and how do you help Him get them there? Revelation can, and should, be so clear and precise as to enable us to demonstrate the relevancy of Jesus Christ wherever we go.
Start by asking where God wants it to be when you are all done, and walk backwards in your planning from there. How much more effective could you be if you used this approach?
THE GOOD THING
That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. 2 Tim 1:14 NKJV
What is the ‘good thing’ that the Apostle Paul is referring to here? Whatever it is, it is something that was committed to, or deposited ( PARATHEKE: to deposit ) into Timothy. It can’t be the gift of eternal life, because that gift cannot be lost, once you have received it from the Lord Jesus. And, whatever it is, it is to be watched over and guarded ( PHULASSO Grk. ) by the Holy Spirit who dwells in our spirits.
In talking about the good thing, it is perhaps important to note that the word ‘good’ also means ‘beautiful.’ It is a beautiful thing!
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matt 5:18 NKJV
The good thing is not the gift of eternal life, nor is it the Word of God. Some people think that they have to defend the Word of God. No! God defends His Word. And, He will perform His Word down to the very smallest detail. This is why I do not engage in the arguments that so many have with or about the Word of God. You can’t ruin or destroy God’s Word! You might as well try throwing mud at the sun, because you will get the same result.
What was deposited into Timothy? What was he entrusted with by the Lord? Look up in the context…
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Tim 1:6 NKJV
What was in Timothy, that was imparted to him by Paul in what we would call the sacrament or ministry of ordination?
The word for ‘gift’ is the word CHARISMA, meaning a gift of God’s grace, an anointing for service or ministry that comes by the grace of God. Every born again one has at least one CHARISMA gift through which they are to serve the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:4-6). Everyone has a ministry, but not everyone has a ruling ministry of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher. But each born again one has a ministry, or multiple ministries by which they can serve the body of Christ. What you have done unto the least of these My brethren, Jesus said, you have done unto Me.
Now, I want to show you something. Many times in the ministry of ordination there is personal prophecy, which comes from the Lord to the individual being ordained. Many scholars believe, and I do too, that the Apostle Paul wrote out the prophecy that he had spoken over Timothy here in the context, and I will show you why. First, the prophecy…read it out loud!
…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Tim 1:7-12 NKJV
I believe Paul was ordaining Timothy as a bishop over the work in Ephesus and the surrounding area that Paul had planted. I can just see the tears running down Paul’s cheeks as he spoke these words over his beloved spiritual son Timothy! I see the fire in his eyes, the flame is his soul, the Spirit of God burning in him as he spoke. He is telling Timothy by the Spirit of God to suffer with him, not be ashamed and that God would sustain him! What a moment that must have been…
I believe it is his personal prophecy because of what he says next…
Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me… 2 Tim 1:13 NKJV
When did he hear those words from Paul? When Paul prophesied to him at his ordination. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:18, that the prophecies spoken over him would enable him ‘to wage a good warfare.’ Paul wrote it down for him to have for encouragement in times of need.
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I if it be already kindled? Luke 12:49 KJV
Three key verbs related to the ‘good thing’ from verses six through fourteen: stir up ( ANAZOPUREO ), hold fast ( ECHO ) and keep ( PHULASSO ). Stir up is translated from a compound word, ANA meaning ‘up,’ ZOA meaning ‘life, living being,’ and PUREO meaning ‘fire.’ Verse six is saying, ‘stir up the living fire of the gift of God which is in you!’ Ohhh! I can hear the preachers among my readers saying, ‘THAT’ll preach!’
Verse thirteen says, Hold fast the pattern of sound words. It does not say, hold fast sound words. What does it mean, ‘hold fast the pattern’? The word pattern is the word HUPOTUPOSIN, which means a blow that leaves a mark under, like an oldfashioned typewriter. Timothy’s prophecy is a RHEMA word to him. In all RHEMA words, you may not remember every word, but there will be truths that leave a blow, an impartation of faith, a mark on your soul. These RHEMA marks, coming from sound words given by the Holy Spirit, are what you are to hold fast to!
Are you enjoying this teaching? You will never read 2 Timothy chapter one the same way again!
Interestingly, ECHO, hold fast, is also used of ‘having’ a demon, which for comparison could be considered an ungodly anointing. You can hold fast to godly anointings, or ungodly anointings. What are you holding on to?
Finally, in verse fourteen, Timothy is told to guard or keep ( PHULASSO ) the ‘good thing’ by the operation of the power of the Holy Spirit that is IN him.
Now, this is critical for you to understand!
The operation of the power of the Holy Spirit refers to the nine gifts of the Spirit from 1 Corinthians 12. Of those nine, eight of them only operate when the Spirit comes UPON you. Only one of them operates entirely at your freedom of will because it comes from the Holy Spirit being IN you. That gift that operates at your discretion once you have received it is speaking in tongues. Do you see that?
Praying much in tongues guards the ‘good thing’ by empowering the gift of God, the calling upon your life.
Dear one, the ‘good thing,’ the beautiful thing, is the gift of God, the calling of God on your life, which you are to stir up into a living flame, which is accomplished by holding fast the RHEMA marks on your soul, and praying much in tongues. That’s the GOOD THING!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…