This blog started to form in my mind when custom t-shirts became a thing, a joke was made over a cup of tea and ended in a revelation that I feel is worthy of sharing. 

Let me start at the beginning…Amanda and I ordered some t-shirts printed with the ministry logo.  Then I ordered t-shirts that was of a very poor quality, so we redesigned it and order another pair of custom printed t-shirts to wear on ministry trips and a thing was born.

Fast forward to the joke over a cup of tea…during a meeting, over a cup of tea Amanda and I lamented over the fact that so many people are so wounded that you can barely speak before someone’s buttons are pushed and offence occurs (a great topic for another day).  We decided that the next t-shirt would read “ANOINTED TO STIR” as we seem to have a knack for innocently rubbing people up the wrong way.  That’s when another member of the party waved a red rag in front of a bull, by saying “I’ve never heard of that.  I don’t think it’s in the Bible”.  Of course I had to find out…

Guess what?  It is, very much so!  We are indeed anointed to stir…feel free to imagine my grin.

Let’s start with Paul saying to Timothy “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” 2 Tim. 1:6 NKJV  

The Passion Translation reads: I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you. 

The Passion translation is a good translation of the Greek word, anazòpyreò translated into “stir” as it means to rekindle the remains of a fire or a pair of bellows.  God never expects us to do anything without giving us the grace to do it.  If we are to stir up the gifts that is in us, He will surely give us the grace to do it.  This verse also speaks to me of a personal responsibility to keep the fires of passion burning in our hearts.  I believe it starts with a desire to burn for Him, followed by a total surrender to His ways and a confident trust that He will do it in us.

Like Paul encouraged Timothy, I want to encourage you to stir up the gifts imparted to you when Holy Spirit took up residence in you.  The Father Himself laid hands on you when Jesus died for you and you may not have my gift, but you have some gift that’s waiting for bellows to blow on it.

Futhermore…

For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. ¹³ Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to STIR you up by reminding you, 2 Pet. 1:12, 13

And…

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I STIR up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour  2 Pet. 3:1,2

In both these verses the word stir is translated from the Greek word diegeirò, which means to arouse the mind, or to render active.  It is from the root egeirò,which means to arouse from sleep, to recall the dead to life, to cause to rise from a seat or bed or to cause someone or something to be born.

As sons of the living God, we are called and commissioned to stir up those who are dead in sin and those who are weary or simply resting comfortably on their bed of complacency.  We have been anointed to do good works, to preach the full gospel of Christ and to do the work of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher and pastor.  We are indeed anointed by God to stir, to rouse, to resurrect, to encourage and to awaken the minds of those around us.  Jesus was a stirrer par excellence and we are being formed into His image…so go ahead…STIR!