⏱ 9 min read

• We end with 2nd Timothy today, and we are going strong! Be super blessed by this word! 📖🔥🤗
• We continue with Titus tomorrow on our 50 Days Quiet Time journey (Why don’t you join in?) 📖🤍
• As iron sharpens iron, may we continue to sharpen one another with the Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God 🔥

Loneliness

What should you do when you go through a season of loneliness? One answer to this is illustrated in the life of Paul in 2 Timothy 4, when he was in prison and awaiting his execution:

“When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers.” ~ 2 Timothy 4:13 (NLT)

• When you go through a season of loneliness, please do well to make the most of your time.
• That means making the best of a bad situation. Resist the temptation to do nothing.
• Take some action—any kind of action. Try to think of creative ways to take advantage of the seasons in which you are alone.

Paul wrote to Timothy from prison and told him, “When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers”. 

In a season of loneliness, Paul wanted to be productive. Even though he was lonely, he didn’t throw a pity party. He didn’t complain or give up.

• Paul is one of the greatest Christians who ever lived; he’d won countless people to Christ, and yet he was completely alone in his final days.
• He made the best of the situation by deciding to utilize his time. This verse records him saying two things:

1. “Bring my coat.”

The Roman prisons were damp, dark, and cold. As such, Paul, in his season of loneliness, did what he could to take care of himself.

• When we are lonely and depressed, we don’t always take very good care of ourselves—physically or emotionally.
• We don’t exercise. We don’t rest well. We don’t eat right.
• Just because you’re lonely doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of yourself.

What practical steps can we take today to better care for ourselves? (I’m looking for a nutritionist by the way… lol)

2. “Bring my books… and my papers”

Paul was a people person. He didn’t like to be alone; it wasn’t the way God wired him. Being in solitary confinement in a Roman prison was the opposite of where he wanted to be.

• Yet he did the best he could. He wrote letters that today are included in the New Testament, and we are reading in this season.
• Maybe the only way God could slow him down was to put him in solitary confinement. Could God be trying to slow you down?
• Over 2,000 years later, we’re still benefiting from how Paul used his time when he was lonely.

What is something beneficial or helpful that you can do now, when you’re lonely, that would be difficult to do with others around? One day, people could benefit the most from what you have learned and did in a season of loneliness.

Final or Last Words

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: PREACH THE WORD! BE READY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST, FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ~ 2 Timothy 4:1-6

At the very end of his life, Paul shared “these last words” with his son Timothy. So this is also the Great Commission according to Paul! How do we know that these were Apostle Paul’s last words?

• Because they are in the last chapter of his letter to Timothy.
• Also, because as soon as he said, “Do the work of an evangelist,” he informed Timothy that he was ready to die:

“I am now ready to be offered” and “…the time of my departure is at hand" (2 Timothy 4:6).

What exactly were the last words of Paul to Timothy? THE GREAT COMMISSION IS A COMMISSION TO:

1. PREACH THE WORD OF GOD:

Paul gave a commission to Timothy to preach the word of God. God is calling you and I to become sound preachers of the word of God. Let us stick with hard, true scripture.

2. PREACH IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON:

In season and out of season speaks of preaching at all times. There are only two possible times to preach; in season or out of season. Preaching out of season is preaching when it seems inappropriate.

• The time must come when preaching must be continuous and persistent. Jesus said He taught the word daily in the temple (Mark 14:49).
• Preaching only on Sundays seems to be an old tradition. God has taken us way beyond once-a-week preaching.

Preaching must go on every day. How? You can start by using your social media to preach the Gospel!

3. GIVE SOUND DOCTRINE:

Sound doctrine speaks of things that are based on the Word. A lot of preaching is not sound. Please stay with sound preaching and avoid false teachers. False teachers look just like good teachers.

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Cor. 11:14-15).

False teachers are real otherwise they would not be mentioned in the Bible. May you and I teach sound doctrine only, and may the Lord deliver us from false teachers. You can check out a previous post for more on this.

4. ENDURE AFFLICTIONS:

The concepts of sacrifice, suffering and losing have been thrown out of the church. Paul, in his last words to Timothy, asked him to endure difficulties, afflictions, and sufferings.

He did not tell him to enjoy a good life, pleasant times, pleasant days, nice experiences, and nice services. He warned him to endure and go through the sufferings that he was destined to go through.

• Serving God will involve affliction and suffering of various kinds.
• Church planting and mission work may involve living in difficult towns and villages.
• Soul winning may involve risking your life, dignity, money, time, status, etc., to preach the gospel.

5. DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST & MAKE FULL PROOF OF THE MINISTRY:

The last words that Paul spoke to Timothy were “Do the work of an evangelist” and “fulfil your ministry!” (2 Timothy 4:5, NASB). These are truly great last words from a great person who walked with God.

DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST! DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST! DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST! DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST!

These are the last words Paul declared before he informed Timothy of his impending death. Last words are the most important words: they contain the most important things of all. You will notice how Paul did not speak to Timothy about:

• a good marriage being the most important thing for a minister; or about his business ventures;
• nor about having a good life or having nice times, nice experiences, and nice friends.
• Paul did not seem to emphasise human happiness and human achievements.

His very last words were “do the work of an evangelist” and “fulfill your ministry.” This must be the most important thing!

Care for the perishing souls! Think about these people screaming in agony in hell! Think about the drowning multitudes!

• Become an evangelist to the lost souls in the dark ocean of sin and wickedness! Share God with someone.
• God is real! He is alive! We shall all see Jesus one day, and we shall know that telling people about Jesus was the most important thing a man could have done with his life!

Hey, you're blessed and highly favoured and dearly loved! Do share your lessons from 2 Timothy 4. Remember to tag us and your friends on 📲:
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Disclaimer: this post contains portions of messages and text originally shared by Ps Rick Warren and Bishop Dag Heward-Mills (both of whom are my mentors in the faith).