There may be times in our walk with the Lord where we have let things get in the way of the calling of God for our lives. These are called distractions that come to choke the word of God. They may be the cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches or the lust of other things. And the purpose is to get us off track and off what God has for us. Without doubt, it’s a plot of the enemy that we have allowed to come in and deceive our hearts to be led astray from the plan and purpose of God.
So God tells us in II Timothy to stir up the gift that is in us. He doesn’t say He is going to stir it up for us, but we have to stir it up. We always have a part to play in the things of God. It is putting our faith to work because even though Jesus accomplished everything for our life, we have to receive everything He did by faith.
In II Timothy 1:6, Paul is admonishing and putting Timothy in remembrance to stir up the gift of God that is in him. He goes on to tell Timothy that God has not given him the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. So Timothy could have possibly had fear and fear will paralyze faith quicker than anything.
Back in I Timothy 4, Paul was saying how in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils and then he goes on telling how this will happen (which is a teaching for another time). But this shows us you can start out in faith, but end up departing from it. This is why Paul is warning Timothy to stir up what’s on the inside of him. Paul continues on to tell Timothy that if he puts the brethren in remembrance of these things, he shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ. Paul gives more instructions and then in verse 11 he tells Timothy to command and teach these things and give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. In verse 14, he tells Timothy not to neglect (not make light of, not disregard, not to be careless of) the gift that is in him, but to meditate upon these things and give himself wholly (entirely) to them, that his profiting (progress) may appear (be evident) to all.
The other day when I was praying and asking the Lord what to share, I heard Him say ‘stir up the gift’ that is within you. So as I looked this word up, it means to rekindle, to kindle afresh, keep ablaze, keep in full flame, fan into flames.
An easy way of thinking of what this might look like is with a campfire or even a wood burning fireplace you may have in your home. After you build that fire, if it is neglected for long, those embers will start to die down and eventually completely die out if they aren’t stirred up. They have to be rekindled or fanned or blown on to get the embers ignited again. And once that happens, those flames will suddenly become brighter and brighter.
Likewise, if we let the flame or fire of God inside of us be neglected, the gift inside of us will be just like that fire – not good for anything because it was neglected and died down to where it’s not doing what it’s purpose was originally for.
I’ll list a few things of what might be causing the flame within you to die down (and there may be other things that God shows you, so be sensitive to the Spirit of God and what He says):
Being focused on self and not on God (focused on your problems instead of on God)
Unanswered prayers – unmet expectations
Discouragement and disappointments
Not knowing your God given purpose
Fear – Like Paul mentioned to Timothy
And then some things you can do to stir up (rekindle) the gift within you:
Cooperate with what the Holy Spirit wants you to do with your life
Be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer, deceiving yourself (James 1:22)
Giving God thanks for all He’s done for you and where He’s brought you from (in other words, thank Him for previous victories)
Thanking Him for His goodness, His faithfulness, His unconditional love, the truth of His Word, etc
Worship and praise Him – He inhabits our praise
Pray in the Spirit (Jude 20) – Build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit
These things will get your focus back on God, back on His purpose and plan for your life.
I Corinthians 15:34 tells us to awake (arouse oneself out of a stupor) to righteousness and sin not. The righteousness we are to awake to is the righteousness of God which is by faith in His blood. It is not our own righteousness, which is of the law, which is self righteousness, which is as filthy rags.
When we walk by faith in the righteousness of God, that gift that is on the inside of us will be alive and burning within us and people will see it. It will be a light that shines brighter and brighter unto the coming of the Lord. It will be a flame on the inside of us that that won’t go out.
We have been given everything we need in this life as a born again believer. But we must stir up what’s on the inside of us and not neglect it. Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we ought to give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip (or drift away).”
There are probably numerous people who are born again – have asked Jesus to come live inside of them, but they never go any further with God. They know they are going to heaven now, and they either have no clue (are ignorant) thinking that this is all God has for them and then go on doing their own thing in life. Or they see that there is more, but neglect what God has for them because of cares and distractions and never get discipled in the things of God. Being being born again (accepting Jesus into your life) is just the very beginning step of this walk of salvation. It is not a one time thing. God has so much for us as believers, but we must not neglect it or let it slip away. We must keep that flame of fire burning on the inside of us so that we can be bold and courageous people of God doing His will from the heart.
Another example I’ll give that may help about stirring up what’s on the inside of you is when you bake a cake, you put everything you need to bake this cake inside of a bowl – all the ingredients. But if you just leave those ingredients in the bowl and neglect to stir them up and put it in the oven, you are not going to have a cake – you’re going to have a mess! Those ingredients have to be stirred up to get the results of what you’re wanting it to be – which is a cake. Likewise, we must stir up the gifts inside of us. We must stir up everything God has placed in us and not neglect it. Otherwise, we will not experience all that God has for us to see our God given purpose and destiny come forth to it’s fullest.
So I would encourage you to not neglect what all God has placed on the inside of you – but stir it up and let it become a flame of fire that will shine brighter and brighter until the coming of the Lord. And it will benefit the lives of others that God wants you to impact for the Kingdom of God. When He becomes alive on the inside of you through the gifts He has placed in you, there will be such a satisfaction and fulfillment of His will being performed in your life.
In closing, James 4:8 says to draw near to God and He will draw near to you. In doing this, you will be kindling the flame inside of you for His glory!