Prophecies Once Made About You

1 Timothy 1:18-19 - Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

1 Timothy 6:12 - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2 Timothy 4:7 - I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Acts 13:2 - While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Conclusions:

• Timothy had possessed eternal life since he had first been saved, but Paul urges him to claim its benefits in greater fullness
• “When you made your good confession” is probably a reference to Timothy’s confession of faith at his baptism during Paul’s first missionary journey
• In 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul looks back over 30 years of labor as an apostle
• Like an athlete who had engaged successfully in a contest, he had finished the race and had kept the faith, i.e., had carefully observed the teachings of the Christian faith
• Or, in view of the Pastorals’ emphasis on sound doctrine, perhaps the faith refers to the deposit of Christian truth
• Paul’s first missionary journey did not result from a planning session but from the Spirit’s initiative as the leaders worshiped
• The communication from the Holy Spirit may have come through the prophets

Application:

• Are you fighting the good fight of the faith?
• Are you carefully observing the teachings of the Christian faith?
• Have you been set apart for the work you have been called to?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Prophecies

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 - Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10,28 - To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues…And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Romans 12:9 - Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Conclusions:

• A prophecy is a communication of the mind of God imparted to a believer by the Holy Spirit
• A prophecy may be a prediction or an indication of the will of God in a given situation
• Since there also can be false prophecies that come from evil spirits, distinguishing between spirits is necessary in order to distinguish the true from the false
• The apostles and prophets were part of the foundation of the church, and teaching was associated with the pastoral office
• Apostles, prophets and teachers are listed as first, second and third, indicating their importance in the church
• Miracle workers, healers, helpers, administrators, and speakers in tongues were introduced after apostles, prophets and teachers, indicating the variety that follows
• Apart from 1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul does not rank the spiritual gifts in importance since he has already insisted that all gifts are important
• Apostles are those chosen by Christ during His earthly ministry to be with Him and to go out and preach
• Apostles were also to be witnesses of the resurrection
• Any act of helping others may be the product of a spiritual gift, though the primary reference here is probably ministry to the poor, needy, sick and distressed
• Those with gifts of administration were enabled by the Holy Spirit to organize project plans and spiritual programs in the church
• The approval of prophecy does not mean that anyone who claims to speak in the name of the Lord is to be accepted without question
• Paul does not say what specific tests are to be applied, but he is clear that every teaching must be tested—surely they must be in agreement with his gospel
• Love is the Christians love for fellow Christians and perhaps also for his fellowman
• Sincere love is true love, without pretense
• The love Paul speaks of is not mere emotion but is active love

Application:

• What are your spiritual gifts?
• What is your part in the body?
• Do you test all teachings?
• Do you love fellow Christians?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV.

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible