The Timothy Strategy: Warfare Strategies of the Kingdom of God

“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, [19] having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck” I Timothy 1:18-19 NKJV

The Timothy Strategy will open our eyes to realise that prophecies are used to wage war. It will also make us realise that, in the case of Timothy, his war against false doctrine in Ephesus was a strategic warfare. As discussed, strategies have their place in any form of warfare. Even in physical battles, it is not mere might or numbers that win the war. To think there’s no form or use of strategy in our Kingdom is a lie we must totally throw away. Strategies are not formulae; they are wise instructions. They are not meant to be analysed but obeyed. They are not sourced from human intellect but from the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Based on the inspired Word of God, what we see are underlying principles, postures, precepts and patterns that the LORD is communicating by the revelation of His Word. Let’s delve in!

The Timothy Strategy

Paul basically wrote this first letter to Timothy for him to stay in Ephesus and fight against false doctrine. It gives us a Biblical template on how to fight false doctrine in a territory. There were personal postures for Timothy and corporate conducts the true church had to take to win this warfare. Just like you, Timothy had received a prophecy that he will cause the grand return of Ephesus to Apostolic Christianity. Here he was, listening to his spiritual father and receiving apostolic instructions to restore while maintaining his stance in Christ.

In order to understand how prophecies come to pass, we need to understand the Laws of Change, very similar to the Laws of Motion God revealed to Sir Isaac Newton. Some things will change no matter what you do. Others won’t change unless you do something. There are certain prophecies where God is simply updating you beforehand; there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do about it to prevent it from coming to pass, although it still takes the interplay of men to fulfill it. Usually, we can easily over-emphasize the Sovereignty of God to the detriment of our own responsibility. What God has said will surely come to pass, yes, but it can pass you by and be fulfilled years after you’re dead and gone.

Israel will still enter the Promise Land. The question is, will you die in the wilderness because you refused to participate or you’ll enter into God’s Rest? There’s nothing automatic in the realms of the spirit. Things don’t just happen. Persons make them happen. Waiting on God is not letting time pass by. If you do that, time will surely pass you by. Always have the mindset to do something, whether things will change no matter I do or the change is dependent on what I do. I have discovered that praying and studying the Word of God is part of the solution to every problem in the world. However, we ought to realise it’s not every situation that God will step in to do it for us sovereignly. It’s often a partnership. The prayer and Bible study will simply be an avenue by which God will reveal what we ought to do.

Yes, God can do all things. Yes, in this particular situation He rather chose to give you strategies so you play your role accurately. The prayer and fasting gave you a revelation for the strategies, yes. Don’t be mad! That’s how God trains us. The prophecy is not the end. It’s rather the beginning of the warfare. So what did the prophecy do, then? It’s a decree, aiding your exploits. It’s a permit, legalizing your escapades in that area. Surely, you don’t expect God to do what you can do. God has never brushed anyone’s teeth for them. God does the hard part and leaves us with the easy part – which He will even enable you to do, by the way – so we can participate in His story.

You Got Work to Do

In the book of Timothy, there were clear charges on doctrines in the first chapter, instructions for worship in the 2nd chapter, instructions for appointing leaders in the 3rd chapter, apostolic instructions for personal conduct in the 4th, the 5th being generally about relationship care within the body of Christ and the last chapter concerns certain false teachings and strategic resolves to restore order and prevent falling into those traps. See, if there was absolutely nothing we had to do, the New Testament would have ended with the Gospels. Don’t let anyone lie to you. Christ has done it all! Yes. So we can also do ours through Him and for Him.

What you become is more important to God than what you do. God is more eager to see His Word concerning you coming to pass than you are. Thus, it’s not just mere strategies “to do”. The many hours you spent in the secret place tarrying was not because God couldn’t hear or He was contemplating whether He should do it or not. No! It was for your own benefit. You were being transformed to conform to His Image. It is those who live in the fullness of the stature of Christ that walk in the fullness of the good works predestined for them.

The volume of your books has been written. Graces have been given. The outcome of your story is determined by your willingness to fully yield to the fulfillment of God’s will for your life during your time on earth. It’s not just a privilege. It’s a responsibility. You will be judged at the end of the day; what you did vis-a-vis what you were predestined to do. There’s prophecies over your head. Jesus gave us a template with how He lived His life. He fulfilled over 350 prophecies within His lifetime with accurate precision. He wasn’t lazying around. He said “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. The night cometh, when no man can work”. You are not going to be alive forever. Very soon, your chapter will close and you’re going to give an account of your life and all that was entrusted to you. O, there is work to do.

Faith & A Good Conscience

Fulfilling destiny is warfare. Having a baby is warfare. Raising a baby is warfare. Leading people is warfare. Taking action is warfare. It takes greater spiritual warfare to walk in victory with Christ than to live in sin and defeat. Yes! Those who paint a fairytale Christianity where everything is sweet and smooth because you have now surrendered to Christ have not read the Bible. “We must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom”. How do you work with God to fulfill the prophecies of God over your life? In order to battle false doctrines specifically, you will need faith and a good conscience. Four times, it was mentioned together in this particular letter. Faith here means “leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance” (AMP version).

A good conscience is necessary for doctrine. If you have been fed the right doctrines for long, your conscience will prompt you when you hear a fable or false doctrine. All the same, you will need these in your specific warfare with your prophecies. If you lack a good conscience, you will begin to “help” God. You will adopt all sorts of ways and measures to skip His process because you feel time is running out. It takes faith to walk with God, and a good conscience to not walk away. Many prophecies weren’t fulfilled in people’s lives because they simply gave up before the set time. Remember, what God wants to do will still be done. His Words never return to Him void. Jesus will come and die for us even if Mary said no. If He has chosen you to do His good measure, pick up His prophecies on your life and wage a good warfare like a good soldier to see it come to pass.