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Answer
“Stir up the gift” is a phrase written by the apostle Paul to Timothy, his young disciple in the faith: “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” «Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. », (2 Timothy 1:6, NKJV). The phrase “Stir up the gift” also appears in the King James Version of this verse, but other translations read “fan into flames the gift” (ESV, NIV, NLT), “keep ablaze the gift” (HCSB), and “rekindle the gift” (CSB, NRSV).
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from prison while awaiting his execution. He only had a short time left before his death, so he penned this profoundly personal letter full of intense affection and concern for his beloved companion and protégé. Paul knew that Timothy faced an enormous responsibility in leading the church, and he wanted to encourage the young man to stand firm in safeguarding the gospel and spreading the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.
The Greek word translated “stir up” denotes the kindling of a fire, as by bellows. Anyone who has ever tended a campfire knows that stirring up the glowing embers of a dying fire can cause those embers to flame up again and burn more brightly. Timothy was to see to it that his spiritual gift did not grow cold through disuse; he was to “stir it up” and keep the fire going.
All believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit at salvation. The Holy Spirit brings other gifts with Him, and Timothy had received certain spiritual gifts to enable him to be an effective minister. The gift had come to Timothy through the “laying on” of Paul’s hands—that is, the apostle had imparted this gift at the younger man’s ordination, when Timothy was being appointed to the ministry «Neglect not the gift that is in the
He, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” , (cf: 1 Timothy 4:14).
Paul was deeply interested in Timothy’s life and ministry, and he desired to ensure that Timothy utilized the gift he had received effectively, for the glory of God. It’s not that Paul believed Timothy’s faith was weak or fading, but that he wished for Timothy to fully experience God’s gift. The gifts we receive from the Lord through the filling of the Holy Spirit are not bestowed upon us fully developed but require strengthening and maturing through use.
The gift that Timothy was encouraged to stir up was most likely the gift of pastoral administration or the gift of preaching, essential for the bold proclamation of the gospel. Paul connects his instruction to stir up the gift with Timothy’s reserved nature. Immediately after reminding Timothy to kindle the spiritual gift God had given him, Paul states, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”, (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT). The Holy Spirit may not necessarily transform a timid person into an extrovert, but He will supply the necessary resources for every circumstance (Luke 12:11-12;Acts 1:8;Romans 8:26). God grants us His power when we are weak, His love to handle those who may seem unlovable, and His discipline for times when we lack self-control.
Furthermore, Paul was not implying that Timothy should keep the Spirit’s flame burning through his own human effort. Instead, Paul understood that the Holy Spirit requires our willing cooperation to fill and empower us (Colossians 3:10,12-15;2 Peter 1:5-8).
How can we collaborate with the Holy Spirit to activate the gift?
We activate the gift by utilizing the gift we have received. We activate the gift through righteous discipline, which yields the fruits of God’s character in our lives: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). We maintain the gift’s fervor by preventing our spiritual selves from growing cold or, even worse, lukewarm, as the church in Laodicea had become (Revelation 3:15-16). We nurture the flames of faith by continuously “walking in line with the Spirit,” adhering to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction in all aspects of our lives «If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. », (Galatians 5:25). We activate the gift by not stifling or disregarding the Spirit of God, but by allowing Him to flourish within us like a living, burning fire (1 Thessalonians 5:19;1 Timothy 4:14).
