Kindle afresh (329) (anazopureo from ana = up, back or again + zoos = alive + pur = fire) means to to keep in full flame. Stir up the fire. Add fresh fuel. Cause something to begin again, to reactivate or to cause to begin to be active again. Anazopureo was in common use in the vernacular of the time this epistle was penned and would have conjured up a vivid metaphor in young Timothy as he read these graphic words. The present tense conveys the sense of progressive, continuous action. Keep kindling the gift afresh or make it your aim to continually keep it at full flame. A T Robertson says to keep blazing (continuous action, present time) (Word Pictures in the NT) D. Edmond Hiebert notes that... It is an unwarranted inference to conclude from these words that Timothy has allowed his spiritual flame to die down. Such a view is inconsistent with Paul's statement in verse 5. It also overlooks the force of the present tense of the infinitive which means rather that Timothy is to keep the flame blazing at white heat as he has been doing. It is not an implied rebuke for neglect but a fatherly appeal bravely to continue in the face of serious difficulty. The appeal is preventative rather than corrective. The appeal is timely and pertinent in view of the development of imperial hostility to Christianity." (2 Timothy by D. Edmond Hiebert) (Bolding added) Marvin Vincent writes that anazopureo was used.. "In Classical Greek, in Euripides work "Electra" (where he records) "you are rekindling old strifes". From ana = again + zoos = alive + pur = fire. "To zopuron" (zoon = living creature + pur = fire) is a piece of hot coal, an ember, a spark. Plato calls the survivors of the flood "small sparks of the human race preserved". The word is, therefore, figurative, to stir or kindle the embers. Ana combines the meanings again and up, rekindle or kindle up. Vulgate only the former, resuscitare... It is not necessary to assume that Timothy's zeal had become cold (Ed note: There’s no reason to believe that Timothy’s fire had gone out—you can’t rekindle a fire without at least some residual live coals!)." (Greek Word Study) (Ed note: Vincent's original note has been slightly modified to make it more readable). Clarence Jordon translates this verse I’m reminding you to shake the ashes off the God-given fire that’s in you. John Wesley says this verb is Literally, blowing up the coals into a flame. (John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible) The only other use in Scripture is from the Septuagint translation of Genesis where anazopureo is used to translate the Hebrew word for "revived" which describes old Jacob's reaction as he became convinced that his son Joseph was really alive... "When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. (Lxx = anazopureo - News of Joseph cause Jacob to be rekindled in his spirit, to have the old flames stirred up to full blaze. This revelation of Joseph added "fuel" to the dying embers and he became "active" again!)" (Genesis 45:27) A related word zopuron (zoon = living creature + pur = fire) refers to a piece of hot coal or a live coal, an ember or a spark. This word was a favorite metaphor in Classic Greek and meant either ‘to kindle afresh’ or ‘to keep in full flame’. Amy Carmichael (biography) caught Paul's vision... Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire. Let me not sink to be a clod; Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God. Jim Elliot (bio) (Resources from the Plymouth Brethren) asked... Am I ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things'. Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be a flame. Robert Murray M'Cheyne (who died at age 30) said that The oil of the lamp in the temple burnt away in giving light; so should we. Richard Baxter made a similar statement... What have we time and strength for, but to lay out both for God? What is a candle made for, but to burn? Spurgeon adds that... God deserves to be served with all the energy of which we are capable. Samuel Chadwick said that Men ablaze are invincible. Hell trembles when men kindle. General Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, once sent this message to those under him The tendency of fire is to go out; watch the fire on the altar of your heart. Anyone who has prepared a campfire for warming or cooking is fully aware that the coals need to be stirred up occasionally. As long as the coals are glowing, they can be stirred up into a full blaze. Gary Demarest rightly comments that every fire needs repeated stirring and rearranging to keep it burning brightly. Here is a powerful insight into a reason why so many Christians are more like smoldering ashes than dancing fires. How do you rekindle the fire? Make some changes. Do some rearranging. If your devotional life is dull, try some different approaches. If your joy in Christ has cooled, try getting closer to someone else to renew the flame. I find small groups that meet regularly are the most helpful in shaking off the ashes of lethargy and self-pity. Don’t be surprised or alarmed when the flames go down—just shake off some ashes and get some new kindling!" (Briscoe, D. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. The Preacher's Commentary Series, New Testament. 2003; Thomas Nelson) Albert Barnes writes that anazopureo was originally used to denote... "the kindling of a fire, as by bellows, etc. It is not uncommon to compare piety to a flame or a fire, and the image is one that is obvious when we speak of causing that to burn more brightly. The idea is, that Timothy was to use all proper means to keep the flame of pure religion in the soul burning, and more particularly his zeal in the great cause to which he had been set apart. The agency of man himself is needful to keep the religion of the heart warm and glowing. However rich the gifts which God has bestowed upon us, they do not grow of their own accord, but need to be cultivated by our own personal care." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible) Vine writes that in the present context anazopureo... "suggests the possibility of decline in the exercise of that which we have received spiritually from God. Not that this was actually so in Timothy’s case, though there was doubtless a natural shrinking from the full discharge of his responsibilities owing to their difficult nature." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson ) Paul is saying in essence "Timothy you can’t be passive and expect the effects of your spiritual gift to just happen. Keep fanning to flame the 'coal' which is already glowing. It's your responsibility to keep rekindling your spiritual gift." John Gill writes that the apostle puts him in mind to "stir" it up: there is in the word (anazopureo) used a metaphor taken from coals of fire covered with ashes, as if almost extinct, and need to be blown up into a flame, and a very apt one it is; since the gifts of the Spirit, especially his extraordinary ones, such as ministers in those times had, are compared to fire...and these may be re-inflamed or increased, when they seem on the decline, by reading, meditation, prayer, and the frequent exercise of them." (John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible) (Bolding added) Guthrie adds that "There is no necessary suggestion that Timothy had lost his early fire, although undoubtedly, like every Christian, he needed an incentive to keep the fire burning at full flame.” Another reason that Paul's statement does not necessarily convey censure is that fire in the ancient world was never kept at a continual blaze but rather kept alive through glowing coals which were rekindled to a flame by a bellows whenever the situation demanded flame. Paul's "flame" was almost ready to go out, so Paul begins his exhortations in this letter with a general one "FAN YOUR FLAME TIMOTHY!" Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn. --John Wesley Wiersbe writes that "Timothy did not need any new spiritual ingredients in his life; all he had to do was “stir up” what he already had. Paul had written in his first letter, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee” (1Timothy 4:14). Now he added, “Stir up—stir into flame—the gift of God.” The Holy Spirit does not leave us when we fail (Jn 14:16); but He cannot fill us, empower us, and use us if we neglect our spiritual lives." It is possible to "grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30) and to "quench the Spirit" (1Th 5:19). (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) John Calvin wrote... This exhortation is highly necessary; for it usually happens, and may be said to be natural, that the excellence of gifts produces carelessness, which is also accompanied by sloth; and Satan continually labors to extinguish all that is of God in us. We ought, therefore, on the other hand, to strive to bring to perfection everything that is good in us, and to kindle what is languid; for the metaphor, which Paul employs, is taken from a fire which was feeble, or that was in course of being gradually extinguished, if strength and fame were not added, by blowing upon it and by supplying new fuel. Let us therefore remember that we ought to apply to use the gifts of God, lest, being unemployed and concealed, they gather rust. Let us also remember that we should diligently profit by them, lest they be extinguished by our slothfulness." (2 Timothy 1) Vance Havner once remarked that we need... "a ministry of exhortation, a stirring ministry... Paul admonished Timothy to stir up the gift of God within him. If ever God's people needed to be awakened and aroused and shocked and alarmed into a sense of their holy privilege and solemn duty, it is today. It is not enough to be orthodox: we must awaken to action. We have more apologists than apostles. Too many fundamentalists are sound‑sound asleep! Our theology needs to go up in doxology. We have the facts but not the fire. If we had as much vitality as we have had vocality, we would have set the world on fire long ago. We have talked much farther along than we have walked. We need to let our feet catch up with our tongues. We defend the truth, but we do not demonstrate the truth. We ponder it instead of proving it. We preach a dynamite gospel and live firecracker lives." (Bolding added) On another occasion Vance Havner commented on stirring "up the gift of God"... "Paul advises Timothy to kindle the sacred flame within him.... There come times in our experiences when the fires of God burn low and we must stir up the heavenly flame within our hearts. Timothy was not exhorted to stir up himself. It is not our fire but God's that we are to kindle.... It is stated in another verse: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery" (1Ti 4:14). It was the gift of the Spirit for his peculiar ministry, the supreme qualification for preaching and witnessing and service. And in application it represents the fire of the Spirit in each and all of us believers...If for any reason the fire has become coals, stir up the gift of God! Keep aglow at any cost! No price is too great to pay to be a "burning and shining light" for Him! Better go to lengths that may seem absurd to others to keep the fire blazing!...We have a lot of dear folk, today, who are either in a state of cholera morbus or St. Virus's dance. The thing for us to do is to get going for God. Faith has no value in itself unless it connects you with God. The Bible is constantly trying to wake us up. "Stir up the gift of God." "Break up your fallow ground." "Gird up the loins of your mind." We need to take ourselves by the nape of the neck and make ourselves do the thing we know we ought to do, whether we feel like it or not. A lot of dear people are waiting for a lovely feeling. You have a Bible there; read it. Pray whether you feel like it or not. Go to God's house to pray. March yourself to the place where prayer is wont to be made. Get one foot in front of the other and walk down that church aisle and do the thing you ought to do. "There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of God." These things in the church today hinder the visitation of God. Our sinfulness, our self‑righteousness and our sluggishness hinder the ministry of the Spirit. Whatever your trouble is, apply the means of grace and do something about it. God will visit you. He will do it again!" Finally Vance Havner summed up Paul's exhortation to Timothy... We must stir up the gift of God within us, that we may be burning and shining lights. But it is the dynamic of the Spirit, not human enthusiasm‑old Adam worked up to a high pitch. Stir carries the idea of kindling the flame‑doctrine that we may believe, discipline that we may behave, dynamic that we may burn! That is the true New Testament Timothy, believing, behaving, burning! God’s gifts must be used if they are to reach and maintain their full potential. Are you using your spiritual gift? Do you even know what your spiritual gift is? (Click here for chart summarizing "Spiritual Gifts". Also you might consider taking the Precept course on Spiritual Gifts - click here to download lesson 1) F B Meyer writes that... MOST YOUNG people are fond of athletics, and the Roman and Greek youth were specially addicted to them. The Divine Spirit does not under-value any of these means for keeping our physical health vigorous. But if we pay such earnest attention to these things we ought, all the more, to give attention to godliness, which disciplines the soul for Eternal Life. We all know what it is to discover and bring into play certain muscles of the body which we had not previously used. Are we equally keen to discover the hidden properties and resources of the soul and spirit? Timothy was gifted in various ways, but specially for public ministry; and in this Epistle and the next, the Apostle bids him stir it up, i.e. stir into flame (marg.). The fire may be well provided with coal, the heat and light may be present, but the poker needs to be used to let in the air. We may have gifts, but we must carefully practise the duties in which they can be used for the benefit of others. It becomes us all to give ourselves to the duties which lie immediately to our hands, not shirking or scamping them. We must not give part of our thought and care to our appointed tasks, but give our whole selves. What our hands find to do must be done with our might. Just as men build arches of brick over slight structures of wood, and when these are taken away the substantial Material remains, so on the passing duties of an hour we are building up habits and character which will live for ever. What we do is comparatively unimportant, but how we do what we do is all-important. We must always be on guard, always on the alert, for we have in our hands the interests of others as well as our own (1Ti 4:16). The grace of God can so reveal itself in a young man or girl, that he or she will become an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1Ti 4:12). PRAYER - Prosper us, O God, we pray Thee, in all that we put our hands unto. May our hearts be filled with Thy love, our lips with gentle, helpful words, and our hands with kind, unselfish deeds. May Thy Holy Spirit in all things direct and rule our hearts. AMEN. (F B Meyer. Our Daily Walk) MacDonald adds that Timothy should not become discouraged by the general failure around him. Neither should he become professional in his service for the Lord and lapse into a comfortable routine. Rather, he should be concerned to use his gift more and more as the days grow darker and darker. (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Christians in America live in discouraging times when many in the so-called "church" have chosen to compromise truth for the sake of "unity", watering down the message of the Cross so as to make it less offensive and more seeker friendly. And although we are not (yet) being physically persecuted for our faith in America, we do see Biblical Christianity being attacked on virtually every front. The challenge for all "Timothys" and "Timotheas" is to keep the embers of our heart stoked to full blaze, so that we might be ready and able to resist the pressure to compromise truth and ready and willing to persevere to the end enduring hardship for the sake of the gospel, lest future generations be denied vital sound doctrine found only in the "Word of Truth". Every saint's prayer should be "Lord, find us faithful." Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love, One holy passion filling all my frame; The kindling of the heaven descended Dove, My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame. -- George Croly, 1854 (Play) J. Oswald Sanders reminds the disciples of Jesus Christ that The wick exists only to be consumed. If it survives, it has failed of its purpose. There is no such thing as costless spiritual service. As we minister to others, virtue will go out of us. Ours is the privilege of offering ourselves as fuel for the flame of God. THE GIFT OF GOD WHICH IS IN YOU: to charisma tou theou ho estin (3SPAI) en soi: (2 Ti 4:2; Exodus 35:26; 36:2; Matthew 25:15-30; Luke 19:13; Romans 12:6-8; 1Thessalonians 5:19 -note; 1 Peter 4:10,11) Matthew Henry comments that in this section Paul... exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him. Stir it up as fire under the embers. It is meant of all the gifts and graces the God had given him, to qualify him for the work of an evangelist, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the extraordinary gifts that were conferred by the imposition of the apostle's hands. These he must stir up; he must exercise them and so increase them: use gifts and have gifts. To him that hath shall be given, Mt. 25:29. He must take all opportunities to use these gifts, and so stir them up, for that is the best way of increasing them. Whether the gift of God in Timothy was ordinary or extraordinary (though I incline to the latter), he must stir it up, otherwise it would decay... The great hindrance of usefulness in the increase of our gifts is slavish fear.