I Timothy 1:18-20 "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that you may wage the good warfare; having faith and a sound conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck."
What has the Lord said to you through parents, pastors, prayer partners, people who have cared about you and prayed for you? The Holy Spirit will bring those words back to your remembrance. They were given to help you do the work God has for you.
Shared experiences through the ministry of the Holy Spirit build strong spiritual relationships. Prophecy, or words spoken by those gifted by the Holy Spirit, endure. They stay in the heart of those who receive them. Timothy must have recalled the words he heard from anointed lips. Promises for a fruitful ministry were all coming together now to encourage the young pastor. To fight a good warfare he must focus upon God's Word, the Scriptures, not upon prophetic words spoken by others.
To fight the battle well, keep connected with Jesus and promises made in his Word. Spoken prophecies are tested through your dependance upon the sword of the Spirit, the Scriptures. Your Bible provides you winning weapons of warfare to make you a warrior. Prophecies inspire, Bible promises confirm. When inspiration wanes, biblical confirmation remains.
Focus your faith: not in those who spoke prophetic words, but in the Holy Spirit who gave the words. He will fortify your faith with the written Word, Scripture . It is the strongest sword of the Spirit; sharper than any other words, even prophecies. To fight the battle well, you must learn to use a sharp sword,
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for encouragement I have received through others. Above all, my confidence is in the Scriptures. They are weapons I need to fight a forceful fight of faith. Teach me to rightly use the sword of the Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen