120 | Have You Ever Felt Unsure? Leading with God-Breathed Truth (2 Timothy Bible Study)

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The ground feels like it’s moving, but your soul doesn’t have to. We open 2 Timothy and step into Paul’s final words from a cold Roman cell—tender, urgent, and laser-focused on courage formed by grace. Timothy’s weight mirrors our own: culture confusion, leadership fatigue, and the ache to stay faithful when the noise swells. Through Paul’s fatherly voice, we find a roadmap: fan into flame what God already placed within you, receive the Spirit’s power, love, and a sound mind, and anchor your life to Scripture that is truly God breathed.

Across the letter, Paul sketches three unforgettable images that recalibrate how we live and lead. The soldier models focus without entanglement, refusing distractions that drain the mission. The athlete shows disciplined training when applause is absent, choosing steady formation over quick wins. The farmer teaches patient endurance, tending unseen roots long before fruit appears. These metaphors are not theory; they’re a practical rule of life for modern disciples who want resilient faith in an age of hurry and hype.

We also press into the heart of biblical authority: all Scripture "is inspired by God," θεόπνευστος (theopneustos)—alive, warm, and life-giving. When trends shift and preferences tug, truth becomes an act of love as we handle it carefully, preach it in and out of season, and let it correct us before we correct anyone else. Paul’s closing charge—fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith—turns from a eulogy into a rallying cry. You don’t have to feel strong to be strong; grace is strength received, not performed.

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:00):
Have you ever had one of those seasons where it
feels like the ground under yourfeet is shifting faster than
you can regain balance?
The kind of season whereyesterday's courage feels a
little wobbly today?
That's exactly the kind ofmoment 2 Timothy steps into.
Paul is writing this letterfrom a Roman dungeon, not house

(00:21):
arrest, not a temporary holdingcell, a hole in the ground,
cold, dark, damp, forgotten.
He knows his time is short, andTimothy, his beloved spiritual
son, feels the weight ofministry, culture, confusion,
and persecution pressing in.
If 1 Timothy was a handbook forhow to lead the church well,

(00:42):
then 2 Timothy is aheart-to-heart conversation
about how to lead your own soulwell.
It's personal, it's emotional,it's urgent, and it's incredibly
grounding for Christians todaywho want to live purposefully in
Christ, even when the worldfeels chaotic.
This is Paul writing from a coldprison cell.

(01:02):
This is Paul chained up like acriminal.
This is Paul knowing hisexecution is near.
This is Paul handing the batonof faith to the next generation.
And tucked into these pages isencouragement for every woman
who feels the stirring of God'scall in her life, but sometimes
wrestles with fear, hesitation,or not feeling like she's

(01:26):
enough.
Yes, Paul was speaking directlyto Timothy, but make no
mistake, the Holy Spirit knewyou would one day open this
letter, hear these words, andfeel a spark ignite inside of
you.
And friend, if you stay with meuntil the end of this episode,
I'm going to invite you to hangout with us in our Facebook
group where you'll findencouragement, community, and

(01:49):
free resources to help you keepgrowing.
You know, there's nothing quitelike preaching in a small rural
church to keep you on your toes.
Picture this.
I was passionately delivering asermon, feeling on fire with
the Holy Spirit when suddenlythe sanctuary doors swung open,
and in sauntered an unexpectedguest, a goat.

(02:10):
Yes, a live, bleating goat,trotting right down the center
aisle as if it owned the place.
Now, being a city girl, I wasquite proud of myself for
instantly recognizing it wasn'tjust a furry visitor.
Nope, I triumphantly proclaimedto the whole congregation, it's
a goat.
Meanwhile, the poor trusteechair sprang into action,

(02:32):
bravely chasing the audaciousgoat around the pews and
eventually escorting it out thefront door.
It was one of those churchmoments you just can't make up.
A fitting reminder of theunpredictability of life and the
importance of staying rooted infaith and where God is leading
you, come what may.
In life's unpredictablemoments, whether it's a goat

(02:55):
trotting down the center aisleor the chaos of daily routines
pulling at your spirit, it's soeasy to feel disconnected from
God.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula, and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.

(03:18):
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
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(03:38):
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(04:42):
connected you.
All right, let's get started.
Grab your coffee, open yourBible, take a deep breath, and
let's walk through thistogether, chapter by chapter,
heart to heart.
Paul starts with affection, realaffection.
He calls Timothy his dearlyloved son.
You can almost feel Paulreaching across generations,

(05:02):
across miles, across prisonwalls, saying, I'm with you, I
see you, I believe in you, andwhat God put in you is still in
you.
Timothy is discouraged, notbecause he's weak, but because
he's human.
He's tired, he's overwhelmed,and he's been pushed into
leadership during a time whenChristianity wasn't cute,

(05:24):
trendy, or safe.
It was costly.
And Paul tells him, fan intoflame the gift of God, not start
a new fire, not find adifferent calling, not try
harder.
No, fan the flame you alreadyhave.
Sometimes our calling doesn'tneed a renovation, it just needs

(05:47):
oxygen.
And Paul reminds Timothy wherethe oxygen comes from.
God has not given you a spiritof fear, he says, but of power,
love, and a sound mind.
A spirit of power, not a momentof power, a spirit of love, not
a fleeting emotion, a spirit ofsoundness, not perfection, but

(06:12):
steadiness.
And from there, Paul moves intothe first real theme of the
book, faithfulness underpressure.
He invites Timothy to join himin suffering, not as a
punishment, but as aparticipation in Christ.
Now, this is a soft nudge forall of us who want to live on
purpose.
Faith doesn't become real whenlife is easy.

(06:35):
Faith becomes real when we keepwalking, even when life is
hard.
The second chapter has some ofthe richest imagery in the
entire New Testament.
Paul gives Timothy threepictures of ministry: a soldier,
an athlete, and a farmer.
Each one carries its own lessonabout endurance, discipline,

(06:56):
and focus.
But before we get into those,there's a phrase in verse one
that deserves to be highlighted.
Be strong in the grace that isin Christ Jesus.
Paul does not say be strong inyourself or be strong in your
gifting or be strong in yourexperience.
No, he says, be strong ingrace.

(07:18):
Meaning your strength isn'tsomething you produce, it's
something you receive.
Grace is not passive.
Grace is fuel.
Paul then moves into a series ofimages to help Timothy
understand the kind of grit,focus, and inner strength
ministry requires.
The first image he reaches foris the life of a soldier, not a

(07:43):
harsh, militaristic one, but acommitted one, a purposeful one,
a soldier who knows why he'senlisted and who he's serving.
And then Paul gives this linethat often gets misunderstood.
He says, A soldier does not getentangled in civilian affairs.
Now he's not telling Timothy towithdraw from everyday life or

(08:05):
to avoid people.
Ministry is people.
Instead, Paul is zeroing in onthe soldier's focus.
A soldier does not getentangled in civilian affairs,
not because he avoids them, butbecause he refuses to be
distracted by anything thatpulls him off mission.
Paul isn't telling Timothy toignore everyday

(08:27):
responsibilities.
He's teaching him to stay freefrom the kind of entanglements
that tie your hands, drain yourfocus, and dilute your calling.
That's the kind of clarity Paulwants for Timothy.
Stay engaged with the world Godplaced you in, but don't let
the world hook into you in a waythat slows you down.

(08:48):
Keep your feet light, keep yourattention sharp, keep your
heart aligned with the missionJesus entrusted to you.
And then from the image of asoldier, Paul shifts to the
image of an athlete, becausesometimes the Christian life is
less about battle and more aboutdiscipline, training, and the
quiet, unseen choices that buildstrength over time.

(09:10):
Finally, Paul brings in thefarmer, hardworking, patient,
and enduring.
Farmers don't see fruitquickly, and most of the work
they do happens undergroundwhere no one can see it.
It's a beautiful reminder forthose of us who serve Christ in
hidden ways.
God sees what's underground.

(09:31):
Paul ends this chapter with acontrast.
He says, God's word standsfirm, but false teaching spreads
like an infection.
He names names, which mightfeel harsh to us today, but in
Paul's mind, protecting theflock from destructive teaching
was an act of love.
He tells Timothy, do your bestto present yourself to God as

(09:53):
one approved.
That phrase can soundperformance-based, but Paul's
heart isn't about pressure, it'sabout posture.
Be the kind of person whostudies God's word faithfully,
handles truth carefully, anddoesn't get swept away with
every argument that floatsthrough culture.
Paul now turns Timothy'sattention to something we all

feel deeply in our generation: the instability of the world. (10:14):
undefined
People will be lovers ofthemselves, boastful,
ungrateful, and withoutself-control.
The list is long, and honestly,it reads like today's
headlines.
Paul is not fear-mongering.
He's helping Timothy understandthe landscape of ministry.

(10:36):
I'm telling you this, Paulseems to say, so you don't lose
heart when you see it.
And in the middle of all ofthat, Paul lifts Timothy's
spirit and points him right backto Scripture itself.
In chapter 3, verse 16, we learnthat all scripture is inspired
by God.
The Greek phrasetranslated into English as "inspired by God," theopneustos (θεόπνευστος),

(10:58):
literally means Godbreathed, theopneustos (θεόπνευστος).
It's a wonderfully rich phrase.
It doesn't just mean scriptureis inspired like a poem or a
painting.
It literally means the breathof God, His very Spirit fills
these words, not mechanicallydictated, not stiff or
impersonal, but breathed, warm,alive, and life-giving.

(11:21):
Just as God breathed life intoAdam, he breathes life into the
scriptures.
When you read the Word, you'renot reading stale ink on ancient
paper, you're encounteringsomething alive, something Holy,
something that carries the verybreath of God Himself.
The Greek phrase,theopneustos (θεόπνευστος),
reminds us that the Bible doesnot just teach truth, it imparts

(11:44):
life.
It bestows upon the reader apresent power.
And when life gets confusing,when culture feels overwhelming,
when personal strength fades,the God-breathed Word steadies
the soul.
Paul wants Timothy to have thisconfidence because a leader's
strength comes from scripture,not personality.

(12:07):
Paul ties the truth directly toTimothy's upbringing, how
scripture shaped him sincechildhood.
For us today, it's a reminderthat scripture grounds us, forms
us, and equips us for everyseason we walk through.
Paul says Scripture is usefulfor teaching, rebuking,
correcting, and training inrighteousness so God's people

(12:27):
can be thoroughly equipped forevery good work.
This is what Scripture does.
It shapes you, molds you,challenges you, strengthens you,
and prepares you.
As leaders walking with Christ,it's vital to fully embrace
God's Word, honoring itscomplete authority without
twisting it to fit what we, orculture, thinks is best.

(12:48):
Now, I know that may soundcounter-cultural these days, and
indeed it is.
Leaders in God's church arecalled to a higher standard.
Distorting the Truth foundthere can mislead those who we
are called to serve, pullingthem away from God instead of
drawing them near to Him.
Therefore, make it a priorityto let the inspired Word of God

(13:12):
mold your soul first, allowingthe Holy Spirit to work deeply
within you.
Paul urges Timothy and each ofus to build on the firm
foundation of Scripture in itspure, God-breathed form.
This alone is the bedrock fromwhich true leadership flows,
helping us lead with integrityand grace.

(13:32):
Next, we hear Paul tellingTimothy to preach the word
boldly and with confidence.
This is Paul's final chapter,his final recorded words.
If you've ever sat by thebedside of a loved one who knew
their time was near, you knowthose moments become weighty.
People say what matters most.
Paul tells Timothy, preach theword, be ready in season and out

(13:57):
of season, meaning whetherpeople want it or not, whether
it's trendy or not, whether it'seasy or not, stay faithful.
He warns that a time is comingwhen people will prefer teachers
who tell them what they want tohear.
Again, very familiar in ourday.
But Paul's point is not tocreate anxiety, it's to create

(14:21):
commitment.
Stay true, stay steady, stayanchored.
And then Paul says one of themost moving lines found in the
Bible.
He says, I have fought the goodfight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith, notperfectly, not painlessly, not
effortlessly, but faithfully.

(14:41):
He looks ahead to the crownthat Christ himself will give,
not just to Paul, but to all whohave loved His appearing.
That includes you, thatincludes the people you minister
to, that includes Christiansnavigating work-from-home
routines, noisy schedules, andthe desire to live purposefully
in Christ.
The end of this chapter feelslike a personal journal entry.

(15:04):
Paul misses Timothy.
He feels the sting ofabandonment from some, the
comfort of others, and the hopeof Christ above all.
Second Timothy is not theletter of a defeated old man.
It's the roar of a faithfulone.
So what does this mean for ustoday?
Well, 2 Timothy calls us into alife of spirit-filled courage,

(15:29):
a life of focus withoutentanglement, a life of
disciplined endurance, a lifeshaped by the God-breathed Word,
a life that stays faithful evenwhen the world feels unsteady.
This letter tells us you don'thave to feel strong to be
strong.
You don't have to feel brave tochoose courage.
You don't have to feel ready tostep forward in faith.

(15:52):
God's Spirit equips you.
God'sWord grounds you, God's faithfulness
sustains you.
And like Timothy, you have apurpose, one that the world
cannot cancel and the enemycannot steal.
If today's episode stirred yourheart, strengthened your
courage, or helped you feel justa little more grounded in

(16:13):
Christ, I'd love for you to keepgrowing with us.
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(16:34):
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I can't wait to see you there.
Thank you for tuning in today.
And remember, just like settingbiblical boundaries, it's okay

(16:56):
to say no to things that don'tserve you well, like that third
piece of cake at the churchpotluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
listeners like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.

(17:16):
Until then, keep leaning into Him and walking in His wisdom.
See you next time.