Changing the narrative

The guest speaker at Church was Johhny Enroe. I have seen his name listed among other prophetic speakers, but I am usually unimpressed by that stuff.

Mr. Enroe said, we need to change our narrative, for if we are focused upon the events and situations going on around us, then we will miss out on God’s best for our lives. He rapidly named off the Bilderberg group, New World Order, and The Illuminati (A loose playback.) He continued to say, “It is time for a new narrative, a new mindset.”

What are you talking about?

Webster’s dictionary states: NARRATIVE, n. The recital of a story, or a continued account of the particulars of an event or transaction; story.

It is possible that what Johhny Enroe was saying had more to do with the things we are verbally repeating, hence impacting our outlook on life, negating what God is capable of. But that did not seem to be the context of his message.

We are not supposed to be ignorant about what is going on around us. As I began posting information about Islam’s tenets and beliefs to give people a heads up, it was not a surprise when I got a rebuttal from an acquaintance who angrily stated, “perhaps the Muslims merely want to practice their religion in peace!”

How do they do that when their teachings and directives are a constant state of Jihad until the earth is purged of the unbeliever (That would include anyone not a Muslim).

From my point of view, if you understand what is coming then you can do something about it. And what is the primary something we can do? Pray and hold back the enemy, because having read what the Bible says about end times it is not going to be pretty.

We have the right and ability to hold the enemy at bay, and can do so effectively.

2 Thessalonians 2:6 AMP (6) And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time.

Yes, I am implying that we need to cover the backs of our brothers and sisters in those Islamic majority nations. We have the authority and power of effect change across this globe. Syria seems to be the next critical battle ground, as Russia is supplying arms to Assad, and Iran is trying to get Assad out. Meanwhile everyone else in that country and near it is at tremendous risk. To be honest I am not sure how to pray over that nation. Most importantly I pray that God’s will be done, but with a fervency I ask for protection over God’s people.

[Father I ask that your hand covers those who belong to you and keep them safe during this destructive time in Syria, and those nations whose leadership chooses to persecute Christians. Continue to show your mighty hand as you bring those you have called into the kingdom. Cease not to draw people to you, and to give peace to Israel until the time is necessary to release Jacob’s troubles. Father, above all I ask that your will be done on the earth as you prepare to bring your reign and kingdom.]

We, through the insights in the Word, should have an understanding about what is coming, and how we are to act during these last days; such as, pray.

Our introduction to the Revelation tells us that there is a blessing upon those that keep the things that are written in it.

Revelation 1:3 ASV Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Thayer’s definitions of Greek words states that the word tereo or keep in English, means to attend to carefully. We are supposed to be paying attention, reading, being alert. Even if like those before us, we never get to actually see what is to come. But that is not the case with us. Israel is a major clue, for Jesus said, “when you see these things come to pass then you know that the summer is near and the time for the harvest.

Luke 21:29-30 KJV And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (30) When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Yes, I am aware that the last days have actually lasted over two thousand years and many of you have lost your focus. Do you not realize that for the course of those two thousand years we have had the capability to walk this earth as prophets, effecting change everywhere we go, and yet we have allowed others to change our narrative for us, convincing us that we were powerless and not supposed to act like this. False teachers have told us that the power and giftings of God were not for us today, and they have, by their many convincing words, stripped us of hope. They have even gone so far as to lead us into an idolatry of money and possessions.

Changing a narrative?

A Shakespeare play has a narrative and you can't change that, or can you? It happens all the time. Some playwright may turn King Lear into a comedy, while another makes some twisted musical out of it.

God has narratives as well, but God has invited us to ask for change. God’s account should not be taken lightly as a story might. It is history, poetry, victory and defeat, and yet scattered through every book in this collection we call a Bible is the future laid out before us.

Can you change the future, especially when God has decreed it? We tend to think that God’s decrees are set in stone as far as timing. Don’t be fooled, God will carry through on the plans he decrees; it just may not be today.

Isaiah 55:11 CJB so is my word that goes out from my mouth -- it will not return to me unfulfilled; but it will accomplish what I intend, and cause to succeed what I sent it to do."

Let me flesh out some examples of those who brought about changes in God’s narrative. Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh and give them a decree, repent or die at the hand of God! (Read the entire book. It is short.) They repented and God relented. Note the word relent. God backed off his decree for a time, but he never forgot. In time, by their choice to return to their death-dealing, terrorist ways God rained death upon them.

It seems like only a few months ago that I finally saw and realized this aspect of the Jonah epic. History and archeology has proved this out, this town and evidence of their existence have been uncovered just outside of Mosul, in the country of Iraq.

Pointing out to someone, that God had deferred his anger toward Nineveh after their repentance, I was immediately met with, “God forgave them!” That kind of statement only demonstrates our lack of interest in reading the scriptures for ourselves, while depending on sanitized children’s stories from Sunday morning church school to form our world view.

Didn’t God wipe them all off the map? One of the problems people have always had with scripture, is that a statement is made like, “everyone was destroyed,” when it was most. Daniel is an example of this kind of language. Nebuchadnezzar had made a decree, at his advisers prompting, that everyone should bow to this huge idol. Hanniniah, Azariah, and Mishael did not. And yet it tells us that everyone was there, but Daniel was not. The three Hebrews were tossed into the fire and walked back out again. Clearly the statements like “all” cannot be taken so literal, for in the case of Nineveh what is left of them is a derivative of the Assyrian language. That derivative, we are told, most closely resembles Farsi. The greatest export of the Ninevites was terrorism (They had become very proficient at it, impaling their enemies on poles or dragging them until dead behind chariots through their streets.) And this is what the world is experiencing today, the exportation of a global terrorism.

Israel, almost immediately upon leaving Egypt began to complain, set up idols (Molech) and revert to the old, comfortable ways. God told Moses he would kill them all on several occasions. Moses interceded for them and God relented. And yet God’s judgment against Israel can still be clearly seen for Israel has been attacked, killed, captured and scattered for most of their lives, and yet scripture tells us that they have yet to repent. They will, but only at great cost. Read Exodus 32 for yourself.

He (God), changes times and seasons.

Time exists because the sun rises and sets. Seasons exist because of the angle of the earth’s rotation.

Is any of that set in stone? Apparently not. We have already experienced two literal, earth-shaking events that have caused a shift in the earth's axis during this 21^st century. A USA TODAY, March 15, 2011, headline read, “NASA: Japan quake shortened Earth’s day, shifted axis”. In March of 2010 National Geographic reported that the Chilean earthquake altered the day length and shifted the earth on it’s axis.

Though minor in terms of degrees of shift, they are none the less shifts. Scripture tells us that the entire earth will be shaken violently. That would certainly do some major damage, but what if the statement is rhetorical.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a frightening dream, of that he was sure, but he could not remember it, and it was clear to him that it had some meaning. Nebuchadnezzar summoned all the wise men, but Daniel, nor his fellow Hebrews, was not there, and he demanded that someone tell him the dream and meaning. Not capable of giving him that information he ordered the deaths of all the wise men. Now Daniel is in trouble.

Daniel 2:13-15 NIV So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. (14) When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. (15) He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.

Daniel, wisely buys some time, calls his Hebrew brothers together and they pray for an answer.

Daniel 2:18 NIV He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2:19-21 NIV During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven (20) and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. (21) He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Daniel made this statement out of honor for God, not necessarily because he had experienced severe earthquakes and saw some form of climate change. What Daniel experienced was his own capture, possible emasculation, loss of any previous relationships, enslavement, and re-training under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. In the midst of this he maintained his dedication to the ways and knowledge of God.

The Aramaic word for change is shena, meaning to change, alter, or be diverse.

Times - Aramaic iddan meaning a set period of time. Question, who sets the time?

Seasons - zeman meaning appointed times. The word zman is used 11 times, 9 of which were translated time.

Daniel 4:36 has Nebuchadnezzar speaking of the time that God restored his sanity.

Another instance of the changing of times comes from Daniel 7:25 where Daniel has prophesied about the man of lawlessness that is to come. This man has many names.

Daniel 7:25 ASV And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change (to alter) the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

We are seeing this as the theme of Islam. They are making a concerted effort to affect these changes even in democratic nations.

I think we are missing the point if we merely look at God’s mercy as inconsistency, which I know some will and already have. What we have been given is a flexibility. Even in Daniel 7:25 there is the phrase, “and he shall think to change...”; do you not see that there is left to the “saints” an open door to stop the avenger in his tracks.
The Ninevite ruler said, Jonah 3:9-10 KJV “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Even this pagan terrorist understood that there was the opportunity for change in God’s heart.

This is a book  we call the Bible is being written as we go.

Yes, due to the fact that God cannot go back on his word, that which is spoken shall come to pass, but scripture is filled with variables and it is the person that will stand upon their faith that bring about the deflection of course necessary. Physics alone tell us that the Sun or Earth was never meant to change directions, but it did. Something astronomical happened, for the shadow went backward on the sun-dial just to prove that God was in control.

2 Kings 20:8-11 KJV And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still, and it did.

Joshua 10:11-13 KJV And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. (12) Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. (13) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Is God open to new narratives?

It would seem so, and yet, does he not already know what action you are going take, merely waiting for your command.

The Spirit of the Lord says to you, rise up my beloved, rise up and take my strength as the Sun takes the day. I have placed my Word inside of you to effect change. There is no need to cringe in fear, for sadly fear will be plentiful. The unbelieving have brought this upon themselves, but it is time for you to put on strength.

In the midst of a battle it is a bad time to consider putting on battle gear, you should have seen this coming, especially since I have left you my Word and told you to be prepared. Now that the battle is raging around you I strongly suggest that you do something, flexibility allows for that. Nothing outside of judgment is set in stone, but judgment is not coming for the saints, it is coming upon the world that refuses me. Do not be that world, be the ones who set their sights upon me. There is a hope and I will come for you no matter what.

Read the second chapter of Joel. This is my word to you now says the Lord. You are not forsaken and you will not be abandoned or refused, for I know those who are mine. I am a God of Mercy to those who cry out for it.

Let that be you.