prophesies

The New Testament saints operated according to the Old Testament prophets.  The prophets were preparing the people for the arrival of the Messiah.  People were spiritually dead so they were not sure Jesus was the Christ until He left and sent them the Holy Spirit.  Now, if all those prophecies were intended for just the days of Jesus, then all of those accounts are just good stories.  All of those prophecies were spoken on behalf of all men, before and after Christ.
 
1 Timothy 1:18 My son Timothy, I give you a command, take all the prophecies that were spoken over you and by them you will war a good warfare.
 
According to Scripture, we can take the prophecies from the Bible and war a good warfare.  Our Bible is full of examples of what men did to succeed and what they did to fail.  If we are to be successful, we must study after successful people.
 
Mark 16:17 These signs shall follow those who believe, In My Name they will cast out devils, speak in new tongues and lay their hands on the sick and the sick will recover.
 
Was Jesus speaking to His twelve disciples or was He speaking to everyone who believes?  If we believe what He said, then we can take His prophecy and war a good warfare.  God is so clever, He wrote His Bible and left openings for all those who believe.  We have just as much a place in the book as the characters whose names are recorded.  The Acts of the apostles are still being recorded, we are adding to the list of miracles.  If we war with the devil in our strength, it’s a fair match.  But when we use the Name of Jesus we are too much for any devil. God never intended for the devil to be our equal in warfare, we are the superior force and we are to show him no mercy.

Luke 10:19 I give you power to tread on serpents and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing by any means shall hurt you.
 
If this prophecy was just for His disciples, the context of the account would mean nothing to us.  Here is the truth, we are just as much the children of God as all of the apostles and prophets.  What He spoke to them applies to us and all those who believe He is the Son of God.  No matter what we must face or deal with, there is a prophet’s word in our Bible that will help us war a good warfare.  God has equipped us for victory even before we were born, we are armed and dangerous.  I like to imagine what the devil’s face looks like when he sees me doing something for our Lord and Savior.  I believe the devil’s face is the epitome of constant defeat.
 
2 Peter 1:20 No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.
 
No prophet ever spoke a word from their own heart or mind, they spoke only what God gave them.  On account that all prophecy comes from God, we can use them as God intended them to be used.  Men cannot always confirm their word but God can and will confirm everything He says.  The one thing that separates God from man is that He speaks the Word we need long before we need it.  Whose word is more reliable, ours or God’s?  Remember, God is not a man that He shall lie.  If He spoke it, He will perform it.  Prophecies give us the end to our endeavor.

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