Working together, the power, love, and self-control that God gives
through His Holy Spirit, result in spiritual balance in the believer.
Spiritual power and self-control enable a person to work toward
bringing about positive change motivated by unselfishness and grounded
in love. This power is not the self-seeking, corrupt “power” that is
sought by many in a fallen world.
In 2 Timothy 1:7 of the New Testament, the apostle Paul states:
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind. (King James Version)
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of
power, of love and of self-discipline. (New International Version)
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity – of cowardice, of
craven and cringing and fawning fear – but [He has given us a spirit] of
power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and
self-control. (The Amplified Bible)
Note: In the above versions of the Bible, the words “power” and
“love” are used to translate δυνáμεως (power) and αγáπης (love).
However, the Greek word δειλίας which means “cowardice” is translated as
“fear,” “timidity,” “cowardice,” and “craven and cringing and fawning
fear.” And the Greek word σωφρονισμου which means “self-control” is
translated as “sound mind,” “self-discipline,” “calm and well-balanced
mind,” “discipline,” and “self-control.”
