Jan 22, 2025 1 min read

(2 Timothy 1:7) God did not give us a spirit of a coward.

Many translations of 2 Timothy 1:7, unfortunately, read “spirit of fear,” but the Greek word specifically means timidity, cowardice, faint-hearted, spineless, no confidence, wimpish.

When we are born-again, we receive the Holy Spirit of power and strength. If this is true, and it is, then why are Christians often spiritual cowards and timid in their lives? Because the power of the Holy Spirit lives within us, a central characteristic of Christian living is courage (boldness).

When we are truly born-again by the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for us to live lifestyles of a coward. I am not saying we should portray ourselves as spiritual John Waynes, tough as leather. Christian John Wayne types are often simply attempting to be strong out of their own will- power. They often just want to be noticed as being tough.

The bottom line is this: Christians filled with the power of the Holy Spirit persevere; they are faithful through life’s difficulties and overcome the spiritual conflicts they face in this world. Empowered Christians keep going even when the spiritual battle in life are hardships. We stay in the fight. We keep standing. We are durable. We might get wounded, but we press on.

The apostle Paul summarizes the characteristics of a Spirit-empowered life best in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

When we put our total trust in the salvation of Jesus Christ, God gives us the Holy Spirit of power and discipline. Let’s all live in the Spirit’s strength—persevering, faithful, overcoming—and reject all temptations to live like spiritual cowards.

Yes, hard pressed, but not crushed. Amen!