“Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” (2 Timothy 1:3-8, 13-14 NLT)
Paul had to write this letter to Timothy because Timothy had let some things creep into his life. As a matter of fact, five things. The same 5 secret agents that the devil is still using in our day. You will find, as a Christian, that many times the devil will not try to destroy you with open sin. He’ll try to get you with little things in order to wear you down. I call these his secret agents.
Carelessness (vv, 13-14): Paul had committed the message to Timothy, and it was Timothy's responsibility to guard it and to share it with others. Obviously, Timothy had become careless with it because Paul had to remind him to hold fast to the words he had spoken to him; to hold on to the pattern of teaching that he had learned from Paul. Still today, satan uses carelessness as a great weapon in his arsenal. If he can get Christians to become careless in their Christian life, he can get a foothold into their life. We must not get careless in our prayer life, our Bible reading, our church attendance. We must hold fast too.
Self-Pity (v. 4): Timothy was having a hard time in Ephesus and wanted to leave. Perhaps that caused his tears. When you start feeling sorry for yourself, remember that others are praying for you. Self-pity is a devastating weapon in the devil's hands. He will use it to make you feel sorry for yourself and throw yourself a pity party. And when that happens, he can zap your victory from you. Timothy was a great young preacher, but he allowed the pressures of his local church to wear him down and through that weariness it caused him to have self-pity. You never have to feel sorry for yourself whenever the Lord God Almighty is on your side.
Neglect (v. 6): Timothy had neglected his spiritual life, and the flame was low in his heart. No wonder he needed to exercise himself in spiritual matters. According to 1 Timothy, 4:7-8, if Satan can get you to neglect the gift of God within you, he knows you will eventually become powerless, and that's when he's got you. Timothy was so busy about the church business that he had neglected the gift of God that was inside of him. His flame had grown low. But Paul was reminding him to stroke that flame hot again.
Timidity (v.7): When Paul told Timothy in verse 7 that “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline,” that was a powerful reminder to his young son in the faith to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. In the King James Version it says “God hath not given us a spirit of fear.” The word fear here means timidity or cowardice. Timothy was not enthusiastic in his witness or his ministry. He had become weary in well doing. Paul was letting him know in no uncertain terms that he was not supposed to be timid in his Christian walk, but rather to live it in power and in love and with a sound mind, with self-discipline. Satan still today is using this agent against Christians. He tries to keep us in fear and timidity so that we won't attack against the forces of darkness. He tries to fill us with cowardness.
Shame (v.8): Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he didn't want Timothy to be either. There are many today who are ashamed of who they are in Christ. The enemy has used this agent against us many, many times. It is time, though, to rise up and not be ashamed of who we are in Christ. We are the redeemed of the Lord. And it is time for the redeemed to say so. We are not ashamed of Jesus. We are not ashamed to be called Christians. We're not ashamed to be blood bought, blood washed children of the Most High God.