(2 Timothy 2:1-26, John 16:8-15)
Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
A) Desiring to know the truth.
If you want to know the truth you must submit to the Spirit of truth-the God Holy Spirit. The Bible says the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. We cannot pursue truth on our own because the flesh is a servant to lie but it is the Holy Spirit that helps and moves us to pursue the truth. This is exclusively the office of the Holy Spirit. If we have not so much keyed into this, now is the time to do so. When the Holy Spirit wants to take us to the truth He starts by a conviction in our mind. He convicts us of the unrighteousness in us. This conviction moves us to a change of heart. He moves us to seeking to know the truth that will help us. Then He carries out some critical changes in us that will gives us a new nature which accepts and accommodates the truth we receive. The Holy Spirit puts the desire for the truth in us but we must yield to Him for Him to be able to work in us and on us.
Example of people in Bible who committed themselves to the truth were David, Daniel, Josiah, Hezekiah, the Apostles etc.
B) Knowing the truth
You must first know the truth because you cannot be committed to the truth you do not know.
We must seek to know the integrity of the truth we come across in line with the authority of the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Choose the good part of what you come across as you take the truth in but throw away that which is bad. In seeking to know the truth you will come across the truth and the falsehood. The truth is what you are actually seeking for which will build you correctly but the falsehood is there as impurities in precious stones that are just being mined. In mining for precious stones, we come across impurities as we come across the precious stones but it is for the miner to separate the impurities as deem fit. So, put every truth to the litmus test of the word of God while submitting to the leading of the Holy Spirit before accepting it. If there is a need to separate the falsehood from the truth then we must do it diligently. This is for us to gain the truth while we lose (throw away) the falsehood.
Verse 16 But shun profane and vain utterances: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
If we do not do that separation of truth and falsehood rightly they will make us to increase unto ungodliness instead of godliness. It is the devil’s tactics to sow or pour falsehood into truth waiting for a careless truth seeker who will not do his separation correctly.
Verse 17 And their word will eat as does a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Some of the word false religion are formed not from a deliberate act but they are formed from careless separation of the truth and falsehood discovered in their search for the truth. May the Lord help us so that we do not sell out our hearts and souls to the devil, in Jesus name!
Verse 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Verse 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
C) Manifesting the truth and helping others with the truth
Please, to be able to manifest the truth we must be in continued and increasing relationship with God. It is a journey of doing only the will of God faithfully. In manifesting the truth, we will also come across those who have departed from the truth because of careless separation of truth and falsehood. As we try winning their souls for Christ, let us consider these Bible verses
Verse 23 But foolish and ignorant questions avoid, knowing that they do produce strifes.
Verse 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient
Verse 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose them; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Verse 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Please in doing these, let us also remember the following:
Verse 1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
For each new phase of our Christian race we need more grace. We should not be too confident in ourselves that we stop asking for more grace. The stronger we are in grace the more faithful and diligent we will be in doing what the Lord apportions to us. We must not rely on our strength but only on the grace of the Lord available for us. We must only hold on to our Lord’s grace because our strength will (not can, but will) fail us if we rely and hang on it. Only the grace of our Lord will sustain us. The more we rely, hang on and ask for more grace the stronger we become in it. May abundant grace be released upon us for greater exploits in the Lord in Jesus name.
Verse 2 And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
This is the “principle of multiplication”. There is no much good in a service that cannot be multiplied through others. The potency of the truth we know can also be reflected in this manner, if we can commit to faithful people.
Verse 3 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
This is where many back out from acting out the truth they know. A soldier is always prepared for every possible difficulty he can come across so as to be able to endure it when it comes. That is being prepared to be able to stand firm in the face of difficulties. The word of God in Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”
Verse 4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
Verse 5 And if a man also competes as an athlete, yet is he not crowned, unless he strives lawfully.
We must always remember this, that we are truth seekers in Christ Jesus and not pleasure seeker. However, this is not for us to put ourselves in harm’s way (where we can be harmed or hurt) as this will amount to foolishness in service and not faithfulness in service because we are bless with sound mind in Christ Jesus. However, we must not put pleasure before truth in our lives. So, let us live as those who are committed to the word of truth in Christ Jesus.
Prayer Points
1) Lord, I thank You for Your word of truth sent to my life.
2) Lord Jesus, please forgive me for not being committed to Your word of truth faithfully.
3) Holy Spirit, work in me, in my life and lead me into all truth in Jesus name.
4) Father, give me grace to be fruitful with the truth You committed to me, in Jesus name.
5) Lord Jesus You are the Truth, do not let me depart from You forever.
