2 Timothy 2:13-14
"Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us."
While Paul's words in this text were meant as an encouragement to his protégé in the preaching and pastoral ministry, spurring Timothy to remain committed to the work, serving in the power of the Spirit, this principle likewise applies to every believer. We too have received a good thing from the Lord and are encouraged to keep it by the Spirit who indwells our lives.
In the larger sense, every believer received a good thing by the Spirit's touch at the point of our conversion. We came as one no longer living apart from Christ to one following after Jesus in faith. We received the new birth, and while we cannot revert back to the old nature, since we're transformed, we still need to keep our new birth fresh by the Spirit.
Whenever a believer pushes down the presence of the Spirit in us, we will fall away from being a committed and effective disciple of the Lord. In a sense, we are not keeping the good thing. It is no longer at the forefront of our desires, and relationship with Jesus suffers.
Likewise, every believer has received spiritual gifts by the Spirit, all for the building up of the body of Christ. In the same way, we are liable to lose the effectiveness of these gifts whenever we fail to exercise them for God's glory in the kingdom, or when we go use apart from the empowerment of the Spirit.
These gifts are more than just natural talents, but supernatural abilities God gives for the benefit of the kingdom. While they may appear as talents, when used of the Spirit, they further the kingdom for God's glory. Often times, their effectiveness comes even apart from the outward success of what we've done, for they are an instrument of our Lord within the church.
In light of Paul's words to Timothy, every believer needs to regularly ask the Spirit to help us keep the good thing which God has given us, both in making our salvation fresh and in using our spiritual gifts within the church. By coming to the Lord with this request, we're once again reminding our hearts that we are nothing without the Lord, and we're in complete submission to the working of the Spirit with us.
LORD JESUS
Lord, I thank you for the Spirit who brings about a good thing in my life and the church through the new birth. I also thank you for your Spirit's gifts in my life. I ask you to keep these fresh in my life and to use them when surrendered to you in a powerful way within your church. Amen.
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