PROPHETIC WARFARE

"...according to the PROPHECIES previously made concerning you, that BY THEM you may WAGE the GOOD WARFARE" – 1 Timothy 1:18b

Believers in Christ are called to actively engage in PROPHETIC WARFARE: "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the PROPHECIES previously made concerning you, that BY THEM you may WAGE the GOOD WARFARE, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck" (1 Tim.1:18-19). Every Prophetic Word is actually God’s Plan unfolding. Many things might have been declared in our favour but not every prophecy gets fulfilled on its own. The application of spiritual force is required to bring the prophetic into reality. We don’t “watch” prophecies; we war them out – “wage the good warfare” by them!

Paul says in 1Corinthinas 16:9 – “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” If we don’t do something about prophecy, we may end up doubting God’s Word. His Word may look like fiction or mockery if we don’t know what makes it happen. His Word cannot fail, but the problem is that many are watching the word instead of actively warring by the Word. Whatever God said to us, we must war it out, as we may still encounter many adversaries and great opposition! That God promises does not mean we’ll sit down, fold our arms, cross our legs and wait for it to happen; we must war it out! Prophecies are more about warring, than waiting!

No contention, no possession: “Rise, take your journey, and cross over the River Arnon. Look, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to possess it, and engage him in battle” (Deut.2:24). This is where many miss it. For every open door, there will be opposition because Satan will always want to resist God’s Word and promises: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt.11:12). Force must be applied to take what belongs to us.

Any time we see opposition, the reality is that there is something God has in stock that Satan is trying to resist. There is always resistance to God’s blessings. Resistance is an indication of areas that God has prepared for us to succeed in. What’s called for is to war it out so we can enjoy our rest, and see that not one prophecy fails in our lives. To war with prophecy is to locate the right scriptures for the given situation and resist the devil: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jam.4:7); “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet.5:7-8).

Warfare is a reality; the devil is the enemy. Having identified him, the next step is to Fight in Faith – the Force for fulfilling God’s Word.