[1 Timothy 1:18-20 KJV] “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenæus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.“
We want to spend this day contending by the prophecy. One of the most effective ways to fight the good fight and win at all cost is to contend by prophecy or what has been said ahead of you.
We see an example of how the prophet Daniel began to contend after he understood by the books. He had read the book of Jeremiah and when he got to chapter 29, he began to understand how the captivity of Israel was supposed to end after 70 years. He then set his face to seek the Lord and he was heard. He was contending by prophecy. His fasting and prayer was based on the content of the prophetic word.
[Daniel 9:1-4 KJV] “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”
“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;“
We see how the Lord Jesus Christ stated that He had come in the volumes of the books to do the will of God. He was living by prophecy and contending by prophecy. Every one of the Lord’s actions was guided by the books. He had come to do the will of the Father as it is written in the books.
“Then said I, Lo, I come: In the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart”. (Psalm 40:7-8 KJV)
“Then said I, Lo, I come (In the volume of the book it is written of me,) To do thy will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:7 KJV)
We must learn how to contend by prophecy. We must fight and resist by the prophecy. Now if you can contend by prophecy there are some keys premises:
1. Hear, read, and understood the prophecy:
Many people are not contending by prophecy because they don’t even know the prophecy. They are unaware of what has been said; others also know but don’t understand the content they heard or read. The Bible teaches that when Josiah heard and understood the content of a written prophecy, he humbled himself and enquired of the Lord to know what to do, and he was entreated of the Lord. The king Josiah had ordered the repairs of the temple and they found some scrolls;
[2 Kings 22:8-20 KJV] “And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.”
“And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found:“
“for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.”
“And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.”
“But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof,”
“that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.“
You must hear, read and understand the prophesy in order to contend by prophecy. Apostle Paul told Timothy to war by prophecy which had gone ahead of him.
2. Holding faith and a good conscience; if you loose these, you will make a shipwreck of your faith and blaspheme.
The fact that I prophesied that you will marry this year doesn’t mean you accept the prosposal of any man that proposes to you. You must act in faith and with a good conscience. It is true that the prophet said you will travel around the world; that does not mean abandon your ministry. You must act with faith and good conscience.
3. Pray and act in faith and with patience:
Contend, fight, and war by prophecy! This is the time and we cannot joke. Be guided by prophecy and remember, “in a multitude of counsellors there is safety”.
Prayer target
- Lift up your voice and bless the Lord. Praise the Lord and be grateful for all He has done.
- Pray that God will build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.
- Pray that God shall anoint us with His presence and power. Invite the Holy Spirit to work amongst us.
- Pray that God will prepare your heart and spirit to recieve from Him in this service.
- Pray that God will give you the four-fold grace to contend by prophecy. Pray for understanding into prophecy, faith, good conscience, and patience. Pray!
- Pray and cast out devils that have infiltrated the church, cast down strongholds, pray that imaginations and thoughts shall be subject to God’s word! Pray and bind devil that fight against the church!
- Pray that God will stretch forth His hand and heal the sick, work mighty works amongst us and give each one of us a testimony!
Stay blessed!
