What to do with Prophecies (I):

 “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.” (1st Timothy 1 verse 18, New King James Version).

This is the key Bible verse for our “Come and See” devotional today.

Sometimes we reach the point at which we would like our expectations to be fulfilled instantly and for some of our long-anticipated goals to be attained without delay. On this subject the Bible states: “for the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8 verse19, New International Version).

This leads us to the subject of prophecies, which are divinely-inspired utterances or revelations declared by a prophet to predict what is to come in the future.  This prediction could either warn of evil or good events but in this message we shall examine only those good predictions or promises of God concerning our destiny or purpose and their ultimate fulfillment.

As expected, we rejoice when we hear the promises of God about our lives, current challenges or limitations, particularly when these are proclaimed by a notable prophet who would typically be a pastor or evangelist.  After this wonderful declaration, we habitually go back to our normal activities waiting for the manifestation of the prophecy or we simply forget about it; both of these actions are wrong and furthermore, we can easily fall into the trap of believing that we were the only ones who heard those good prophecies.

Here, we need to remember that the devil heard God’s instruction to Adam not to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden: this shows that the devil has also taken detailed record of prophecies and will use this information to steal, kill and destroy, to prevent them from being fulfilled. Actually, at this point he gather his agents to wage war against those good promises.

Our key Bible verse, above, records the advice of Apostle Paul to his protégé Timothy concerning what he should do with all the prophecies that he had received. Timothy was advised to wage good warfare with prophecies through fasting and prayer, because, as the Bible cautions: “and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11verse 12, New King James Version).

The devil never rests in his mission which entails stealing, killing or destroying people’s dreams. God the Most High, on the other hand, is committed to give life to those dreams as triggered by our fervent prayers. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”-John 10 verse 10- New King James Version

This subject also brings to mind the experience of Daniel recorded in the bible. He fasted for twenty-one days to understand the prophecies concerning Persia and Greece (read Daniel 10 verses 10-18).  Even though his request was granted by the timely God from the very first day, his answer was delayed by a wicked principality known as the Prince of Persia, who was Satan’s agent. However, Daniel did not slumber during this time, as many of us would have done. He continued to pray fervently and he fasted until heaven sent the powerful archangel Michael to ensure the delivery of his long-awaited miracle.

Let us pray: “Father, by your unfailing power and mercy; let your words come to pass in my life, I come against every forces of delay working against my expectations” in Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

This message was brought to you by Evangelical Ministries International (EMI). We know this message has been a blessing to you. Please share your testimonies with us by visiting our website www.evangelicalministries.org or contact us on info@evangelicalministries.org. God bless you!