Look: “For this reason [Timothy’s sincere faith and the tears he has shed because of his work for the gospel] I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7)
These verses are highly encouraging to me and, I would think, could be encouraging to any believer in Jesus, whatever their calling in life.
This is a message of encouragement written to the young pastor Timothy. The encourager is the apostle Paul, then in prison for preaching the gospel of new and everlasting life through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus. Paul might seem an unlikely person to be encouraging Timothy to keep faithful in sharing Jesus with others despite the persecution: Paul’s perseverance landed him in prison!
But Paul insists that persecution, hardship, and even death aren’t the end of the story for those who remain faithful to God Who blesses us with eternal life through faith in Jesus. I need to always remember this!
Paul remembers the faith of Timothy and urges him not to allow anything to cause either his faith or his assurance that God has called him to go cold. Instead, Paul says, “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands…”
He then reminds Timothy that the Holy Spirit imparted to Timothy with the laying on of hands is “not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” I love that reminder!
Listen: As I read Paul’s words, I remember that the Church, Christ’s people in the world, uses the “laying on of hands” in many ways.
When a person is baptized, the pastor makes the sign of the cross on the forehead and says that this person has been marked with the cross of Christ and, by virtue of what God has done in their baptism, sealed with the Holy Spirit forever.
When a person is confirmed, the presider will place hands on his/her head or shoulder and pronounce a blessing.
When a person is ordained, clergy will join in the laying on of hands, invoking God’s name to bless the ordained person.
These verses are highly encouraging to me and, I would think, could be encouraging to any believer in Jesus, whatever their calling in life.
This is a message of encouragement written to the young pastor Timothy. The encourager is the apostle Paul, then in prison for preaching the gospel of new and everlasting life through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus. Paul might seem an unlikely person to be encouraging Timothy to keep faithful in sharing Jesus with others despite the persecution: Paul’s perseverance landed him in prison!
But Paul insists that persecution, hardship, and even death aren’t the end of the story for those who remain faithful to God Who blesses us with eternal life through faith in Jesus. I need to always remember this!
Paul remembers the faith of Timothy and urges him not to allow anything to cause either his faith or his assurance that God has called him to go cold. Instead, Paul says, “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands…”
He then reminds Timothy that the Holy Spirit imparted to Timothy with the laying on of hands is “not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” I love that reminder!
Listen: As I read Paul’s words, I remember that the Church, Christ’s people in the world, uses the “laying on of hands” in many ways.
When a person is baptized, the pastor makes the sign of the cross on the forehead and says that this person has been marked with the cross of Christ and, by virtue of what God has done in their baptism, sealed with the Holy Spirit forever.
When a person is confirmed, the presider will place hands on his/her head or shoulder and pronounce a blessing.
When a person is ordained, clergy will join in the laying on of hands, invoking God’s name to bless the ordained person.
When Christians pray, often groups will gather around the one for whom they pray and place their hands on their heads and shoulders.
At the conclusion of worship, the presiding minister will pronounce a benediction with a hand over the congregation, figuratively “touching” those being blessed. “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.”
These aren’t mere gestures. The laying on of hands is connected to God’s Word. And what God sets His Word out to do brings results. Isaiah 55:10-11 says: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
At the conclusion of worship, the presiding minister will pronounce a benediction with a hand over the congregation, figuratively “touching” those being blessed. “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.”
These aren’t mere gestures. The laying on of hands is connected to God’s Word. And what God sets His Word out to do brings results. Isaiah 55:10-11 says: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
When Christians lay hands on others, invoking the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, something actually happens.
Paul apparently recalls ordaining Timothy with the laying on of hands and reminds Timothy that the younger man had received the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. (All Christians do at baptism.)
He then tells Timothy to fan the gift of the Holy Spirit within him into flame. I don’t believe that Paul is telling Timothy to “get psyched” or “get woke,” or as my grandparents’ generation would have said, “work himself into a tizzy.”
On the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the praying Church on the rush of a mighty wind and then “divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:3-4) The fire of the Holy Spirit empowered the first Christians to be disciples and to make disciples, to live in the confident hope of life with God no matter what, without timidity, but with power, love, and self- control.
Sometimes let my life, not just its adversity, but things like the next item on my to-do list, my agenda, my inborn indifference to God and others--to get in the way of the fire of the Holy Spirit. I fail to repent for sin and trust in Jesus. I fail to spend time in God’s Word. I run from accountability to God or to others in Christ’s Church. The flame can become a flicker. When that happens, even little things can overwhelm me.
So, I need--I need today--to fan the flame that God has already set within me, at my Baptism. It’s His fire, His flame. I need to open up the flues so that He fills my life more fully. The furnace will do the world; I need to open up the vents.
My experience makes pretty clear how that needs to happen: I come back to Christ and His Word. I spend time in His Word. I spend time in prayer in Jesus’ name. I ask God, in Jesus’ name, to keep me walking close with Him and to watch for opportunities to honor Him and help others in His name. I make regular time to meet with others around His Word beyond Sunday worship.
Fanning the flames of the fire of faith is about turning back to Jesus. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
I fan the flames of my faith and the gifts of the Holy Spirit within me when I turn to Jesus with helplessness and trust. When that happens, whatever my call may be in life and whatever challenges I may face--even imprisonment for Jesus’ sake or death--I can face them (including possible persecutors) with power, love, and self-control: Without fear and with the confidence that nothing can separate me from the love of God given to us in Christ Jesus.
I turn to Jesus. He fans the flames.
Respond: In all the things I face today, Lord--and you know them better than I do, help me turn to you. Fan the flames of my faith and the Holy Spirit You have already given to me so that I can bring You to others: my family, fellow church members, people I encounter as I go about my day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
[I'm the pastor of Living Water Lutheran Church in Centerville, Ohio.]
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