How do we fan into flame the gift of God?

[ByTheSpirit]

2 Timothy 1:6, "for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..."

How do we fan into flame God's gift that is within us?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

2 Timothy 1:6, "for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..."

How do we fan into flame God's gift that is within us?

What translation are you quoting from? The NKJV says no such thing.
Blessings.

 

[Unqualified]

By using it and then getting better at it.

 

[bèlla]

Have you ever watched someone start a fire? Notice what happens when they stoke the flame or introduce air. It usually grows. That's the point. Dormancy will dampen the spark and your zeal. Fervency has an opposite effect. In other words, you want to use the gift and feed it too so it will grow and sharpen. You do that through a combination of prayer, fasting, reading, training, service/activity and likeminded fellowship.

Accountability is an important facet of spiritual growth. If you want to remain ablaze you need a combination of immersion--intentional practices and activities--coupled with edifying feedback from others pursuing the same (including those with similar gifts).

See if your local library has this book. I finished it recently and he covers your question thoroughly.

~bella

 

[Pioneer3mm]

What translation

He is using..ESV.
---
I like NKJV translation..
- "stir up the gift of God which is in you.."

 

[ARBITER01]

My 1881 Revised Version has this,...

2Ti 1:6 For the which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands.

And in the margin it has this extra reading: "Stir into flame."

To address the question, it revolves around your prayer life. If you do not actively have a prayer life with GOD each and every day, and multiple times throughout each day, your gift of The Holy Spirit inside becomes somewhat dormant. It is up to us to keep things on fire.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

He is using..ESV.
---
I like NKJV translation..
- "stir up the gift of God which is in you.."

Thank you. I don't like that translation. I prefer NKJV. Fanning fire metaphorically is not a good representation when we have "Living Waters" dwelling in us. John the Baptist made it clear who fans that fire additionally, in John 7:37-39, Jesus Christ of Nazareth said that those who believe in him will "flow rivers of living water from within them."

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Anyhow, sorry just needed to get that out. Now using the correct translation, " stirring up the gift" of His Holy Spirit is simply not quenching the work He continues to do in the believer. Gifts of the Holy Spirit are different and not necessarily represetative or proof of this stirring. The only proof are the " fruit of His Holy Spirit".

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”

– Galatians 5:22-23

 

[Always in His Presence]

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. NIV

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.​

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. NASB​

​

2 Tim 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, NKJV

2 Tim 1:6 For which cause I remind thee to stir up the gift of God that is in thee through the putting on of my hands, 7 for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind; 8 therefore thou mayest not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but do thou suffer evil along with the good news according to the power of God, 9 who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages, YLT​

​

Vines describes it like this:​

​

Stir, Stir up (Noun and Verb):

denotes "to kindle afresh," or "keep in full flame" (ana, "up," or "again," zoos, "alive," pur, "fire"), and is used metaphorically in 2Ti 1:6, where "the gift of God" is regarded as a fire capable of dying out through neglect. The verb was in common use in the vernacular of the time.


It tells me to tend to the gift - use it often - don't let that fire for the things of God go cold. Praying, praising and reaching the lost.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Ephesians 5:18-19 KJV
18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

A Student of Greek told me that these two verses should run together, and to understand it the word "by" should be between them.
"Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit (by) speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody in your hearts to the Lord."

 

[Blade]

2 Timothy 1:6, "for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..."

How do we fan into flame God's gift that is within us?

"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

What comes to mind is Peter and John after set free went back to there own. Seeing this done as of late "through the laying on of hands"? Still happens today praise God by those used of the lord.

Maybe look at it in the natural. There are with in each of us things we are really good at and we once did it all the time but let other things grab our attention. Some of us...lord I need a gift. God is like I gave you one already that you are not using stir it up. That fire so to speak is already there not dead just needs a good breeze.

The great thing I believe is we tend to think we missed it.. its to late. No never.. even after this life KNOW what He started in you .. what He wanted you to do you still will in the age to come. Nothing is impossible with our God

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Ephesians 5:18-19 KJV
18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

A Student of Greek told me that these two verses should run together, and to understand it the word "by" should be between them.
"Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit (by) speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody in your hearts to the Lord."

So honoring, praising and worshiping the Lord basically?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. NIV

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.​

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. NASB​

​

2 Tim 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, NKJV

2 Tim 1:6 For which cause I remind thee to stir up the gift of God that is in thee through the putting on of my hands, 7 for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind; 8 therefore thou mayest not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but do thou suffer evil along with the good news according to the power of God, 9 who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages, YLT​

​

Vines describes it like this:​

​

Stir, Stir up (Noun and Verb):

denotes "to kindle afresh," or "keep in full flame" (ana, "up," or "again," zoos, "alive," pur, "fire"), and is used metaphorically in 2Ti 1:6, where "the gift of God" is regarded as a fire capable of dying out through neglect. The verb was in common use in the vernacular of the time.


It tells me to tend to the gift - use it often - don't let that fire for the things of God go cold. Praying, praising and reaching the lost.

But say someone were to let that fire die out due to neglect or what not. Is it possible to rekindle it? And if so how?

Is that the bit there in your last statement? Pray, praise, and evangelizing?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

My 1881 Revised Version has this,...

2Ti 1:6 For the which cause I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my hands.

And in the margin it has this extra reading: "Stir into flame."

To address the question, it revolves around your prayer life. If you do not actively have a prayer life with GOD each and every day, and multiple times throughout each day, your gift of The Holy Spirit inside becomes somewhat dormant. It is up to us to keep things on fire.

I tend to like most the answers given this far, and they all seem to revolve around prayer and praise. Practicing and maintaining God's presence I'm hearing.

Thanks for your input!

 

[SavedByGrace3]

During actual ministering, I think love is the key. By love I mean:
See the needs of the suffering. By "see" I mean to empathize and be touched by them.
Allow compassion (empathay) to well up from within you.
Speak forth out of that compassion and minister that which is needed.

I believe this is what 1 Corin 13 is all about. Love ministers the best gifts.

 

[ARBITER01]

I tend to like most the answers given this far, and they all seem to revolve around prayer and praise. Practicing and maintaining God's presence I'm hearing.

Thanks for your input!

The next line on that section of scripture is this,...

2Ti 1:7 For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.

The laying on of hands was used for people to receive the filling of The Holy Spirit, of which this set of passages must be talking about, and how we stir Him up is through praying by The Spirit.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

Allow compassion (empathay) to well up from within you.
Speak forth out of that compassion and minister that which is needed.

Good point.
- I agree..
- from my experience.
---
Matthew 20:34
"Jesus had compassion on them.."
- NIV

 

[Gregory Thompson]

A lot of translations use the phrase fan into flame

2 Timothy 1:6 - Patience in Persecution

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

biblehub.com

 

[Gregory Thompson]

2 Timothy 1:6, "for this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..."

How do we fan into flame God's gift that is within us?

The wind that breathes life into the flame is the Holy Spirit, so developing trust or faith over time is important.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Here's a thought that came to mind today about this topic, "How do we fan the gift of God" into flame? Or rekindle, however your preferred translation reads.

It's taking action and being bold in our faith!

The surrounding context of this scripture 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul talks about believers not having a spirit of fear... and not being ashamed of our Lord. When we read accounts in the OT, people are described as being full of the Spirit when they were set to begin a work God gave them. In Acts we see multiple times during distress that believers were full or filled with the Spirit, Peter in front of the Sanhedrin, Stephen as he was being stoned, etc.

So I wonder if that is key here, not sitting idly by, but taking action for the gospel and being bold while doing it.