Threshing Floor Tabernacle

Part 2: Death Through Neglect 

Timothy had a heritage of unfeigned faith. Paul first observed it in Timothy’s grandmother, Lois; and then in his mother, Eunice. From what he had observed in Timothy, he was convinced that Timothy had it as well – unfeigned faith. It is not enough just to have faith – which James, the half-brother of our Lord pointed out. Faith is an act! The evidence or proof of faith is the act or manifestation of the thing hoped for. Faith is the substance of everything we hope for and the proof of everything we do not see. However, the proof of faith is the act or manifestation of what we believe for.

Although Timothy had the faith he still needed to be encouraged to stir up the gift or fan into flame the gift he had received through impartation when Paul laid hands on Timothy. As believers, there are things that we must do ourselves and not depend on others to do it for us, because they can’t. We must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” because “God is working in us (you and I) BOTH to WILL and DO of HIS good pleasure” (Phi. 2:12, 13). While others can pray for us, we must live a life devoted to prayer ourselves. While others can read to us, we must study to show ourselves approved to God. While others can preach to us, we must preach to ourselves so that the Word and Name of God are not blasphemed.

In some things in Christ, we must be dependent while in other things in Christ we must be independent, but, we are never to become codependent as that would cripple and make us of little or no effect. Codependent or codependency is defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as: “a psychological condition in which someone is in an unhappy and unhealthy relationship that involves living with and providing care for another person (such as a drug addict or an alcoholic). A psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition (as an addiction to alcohol or heroin); broadly: dependence on the needs of or control by another.”

As a Believer, anytime you come under the control of another or manipulation of someone you are subjecting yourself to the spirit of witchcraft and/or sorcery. To depend on others to keep you going or growing strong in Jesus apart from applying yourself to the things you’ve learned, seen, and received in Christ is a trap for failure. The goal is to get you from step 1, to step 2, to step 3, to step 4, and so on…. To go from step 1 to step 2 then back to step 1 again is neither the pattern nor course for you. “Well, we all make mistakes.”  Yes, but mistakes can be lessons not to be repeated but to learn from! To continue to make the same mistake over-and-over again is not a mistake – it’s a habit that must be broken. And, if the habit is sin, it must be repented of from the heart. Let’s keep the fire of the Holy Ghost in full flame in our lives. To be continued…