The letters of 1st and 2nd Timothy were written at a time when great tribulation was rising against the church. The city of Ephesus, where Timothy was pastoring, just happened to be the seat of the Roman proconsul. New “religious” ideas were beginning to surface, and there were those who, through persecution and the introduction of false doctrines, were being swayed away from the Gospel of the Truth. Paul wrote to encourage Timothy to stand strong, and exhorted him to embrace his God given inheritance and be a light and example of a strong leader to those who were beginning to weaken.

Greed, self-serving, striving for prominent status, chasing after worldly gain and notoriety as well as extreme and lustful fleshly pleasures were running rampant at this time in Roman culture. Extreme pressure was coming against the church from all areas as religious persecution was beginning to mount. It was beginning to become unfavorable to be a Christian in Ephesus during these troubling times.

In response to this, Paul wrote some strong encouraging statements in 1 Timothy 6:11-12 - “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Paul was telling Timothy -  this is where the rubber meets the road! Take a strong stand against the urgings of the flesh and upon your emotions and recognize who you are in Christ (O man of God.) Wow, I love it - have you ever thought of yourself in that light? That you are a man or woman of God?

This statement means one who belongs to God, who is in His family, who has been redeemed, bought, purchased having been born-again and washed clean in the shed Blood of Jesus Christ and is now a child of God, a Kingdom recipient - one with Christ and one who is seated with Him in heavenly places! Paul was reminding Timothy - you are a new man in Christ, a new creation, AND you now have your identity in Him and in His Kingdom! You are anointed and empowered by His Spirit and more than ready, more than equipped for whatever can come your way.

In a sense he was saying to him: Pursue the covenant benefits, pursue your identity in Christ, pursue those strong attributes that have been deposited into your spirit by the Holy Spirit - for they are the victorious weapons of your warfare. Stand and fight against the wiles of the devil and the twisted, perverted onslaught that is rising against the knowledge of the Truth. Know who you are and whose you are and fight the good fight of faith and aggressively LAY HOLD UPON ETERNAL LIFE daily as if your life depends upon it - because it does! Take heed to all that has been made available to you through His shed blood - He’s given you everything - recognize it, internalize it and refuse to let go of it - for it is a rich treasure and inheritance. Timothy - it’s worth everything because He’s given you everything, cherish it and refuse to let it go.

Then at the end of the letter of 1 Timothy 6:20, Paul exhorts him once more, ever so strongly, by stating -“O Timothy!” (As if to say - are you paying attention??? Listen up and take heed to what I’m about to say because it is EVER so important) GUARD WHAT WAS COMMITTED TO YOUR TRUST!!!

This word “Guard” in the Greek is a very strong word. It speaks of guarding against something from becoming violated or corrupted. Notice that which was committed to us has been given into OUR trust, for us to preserve, nurture and watch over, realizing and recognizing the preciousness of this divinely deposited treasure. It should come as no surprise that there is an enemy out there that hates and despises this trust, and would love to sway the church away from this understanding.

Do you realize what has been committed to YOUR trust??? Are you talking steps DAILY to guard that precious, pure deposit that's been made available to you? Are you guarding your faith, anointing, Love and the purity of the Truth that’s been placed on the inside?  We need to let go of the petty wranglings of the mind and the superficial things the enemy would like to entangle us with and begin to gaze intently, with clarity of mind, at that which the Lord has committed to our trust for such a time as this! It’s time to realize that all creativity, all knowledge, all power, all understanding is in us NOW. There is absolutely NO lack.

Become aggressive and lay hold on eternal life with all of the Kingdom rights, privileges and responsibilities. Possess it with your entire being, wrap your arms of faith around it and refuse to let go. Embrace and expect the quality of life He gave His all for - His life that is deposited within, His life that has secured and is backing all of the precious promises within His Word.

Be that light, be that anchor, be that refreshment, be that miracle for those who are so needful and desperate around us. Don’t let ANYTHING corrupt or invade your thinking that will dull or diminish that trust. Don’t fall for the traps of the enemy - he is only seeking to lull God’s powerful people away to sleep through the narcotic of lust, greed, complacency and indifference.

If you have lost hold of this trust and have lost your focus, then repent according to 1 John 1:9, then receive and accept His forgiveness and begin to move forward once again. Know this: you ARE the object of His affection and He sees you through the filter of the Blood of Jesus as victorious and effective! It’s time to rise up and take your rightful place in Him.

Dan Downey
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Dan Downey 2020