2 Timothy 1:7

 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Though I may be afraid, Lord,

the spirit You have put inside me

is not one of fear, but one of love.

And that love fuels the light within me,

that love fuels the fight within me.

My resolve is pure and strong.

Fear will not win this day.

If I am to be Your light, Lord,

if I am to be Your light keeper,

if I am to run that last mile

as the bearer of Your holy flame,

then fill me to bursting with Your love.

Let Your love radiate through my body.

Let the heat of Your light ignite my spirit

and let it burn only for righteousness and truth.

If fear rides in on darkness,

then love rides in on light,

brandishing the Sword of the Spirit

and driving the darkness back

over the barren and hungry desert

from which it crawled out.

We are the watchmen.

We are the light keepers.

We are the first to see

the approaching darkness

and the first to sound the warning.

We stand firm.

We stand ready.

We stand filled with Your light, Lord,

and able, with Your love, to withstand any storm.

We stand, empowered with the Spirit of Love.

Amen.