REDEEMING YOUR TIMELINE​

Premise 1

God created time and is not subject or shackled by it in any way.

In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter). –Genesis 1:1

Premise 2

God created time for the purpose of works of redemption

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” –Genesis 2:16-17

Premise 3 – Redemption Changes Everything

REDEMPTION CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR ALL TIME.

As far as the East is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Ps 103:12 

Premise 4: You Can Introduce Redemption into any part of the Timeline

Premise 5

We are stewards – not owners – of our lives.

Premise 4: You Can Introduce Redemption into any part of the Timeline

Everybody knows John 3:16 as the greatest redemptive verse in the Bible, but have you ever read Joshua 3:16?

(JORDAN RIVER DRIES UP AT ADAM)

Then the water flowing down from above stood and rose up in one place far away at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, was all cut off. So the people crossed beside Jericho. –Joshua 3:16 NLV

The miracle didn’t just happen at the place where they were crossing. The miracle actually happened at a place called Adam and proceeded to the place where they were—and beyond.

This is prophetic typology for not just the flow of the river but actually for the flow of time going all the way back to the time of Adam. Once the miracle of His presence was applied there, it enabled God’s people to cross over in their now—their promise.

It’s not just a true account, it is also a pattern showing us how to bring redemption into past time frames that will bring a “wonder” into our right now.

You can bring a miracle in your past timeline, in fact all the way back to Adam, that will flow back toward where you are right now and release you to cross over into a place you have never been before.

• You can’t cross over into confidence because of the fear that flows from your last divorce.

• You can’t cross over into sexual purity and intimate trust because of what flows from the times when you were molested as a child.

• You can’t cross over into honor and worth because of what flows from shameful choices you have made.

• Maybe you can’t cross over into a life of happiness because of what flows from the death of a loved one.

In the crossing of the Jordan River, God made a change (held back the waters) all the way back at a place called Adam to bring a change (dry land) for Joshua and the Hebrews to cross into their place of promise.

How exactly did this work?

Number one, they had to see the arc of the covenant (the presence of God), measure the space between them, and be prepared to be led by it into a place they had never been before. Read it carefully:

So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” –Joshua 3:2-4

Verse 3 in essence says, “When you begin to see His presence…go after it.” This is something you pursue.

It’s not a science. It’s completely relational and even though there is a big space between you and that place where you are now, seeing the presence of the Lord (the Ark of the Covenant) will change your impossible barrier.

All prophetic things are things you go after. Things you reach for. Things you practice.

PRACTICING REDEEMING TIME

When Abraham was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, the Bible says in Genesis 22:4, “Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.”

The mountain where the lamb would be sacrificed was not far off in distance. It was actually far off in time. He even saw the lamb of God there and declared it in verse 13.

How far off? Just about 2,000 years. That brings us back to God telling the children of Israel they had to see the Ark of His presence 2,000 cubits out. I think God was referring back to the prophetic time hop Abraham did on his march up to Mount Moriah (Golgotha). It also refers to the amount of time, two thousand years, the early church would look for the return of King Jesus.

I believe the cross is what Abraham saw. He would find a ram on the top of his mountain to sacrifice instead of his son, but redemption through God’s Son is what he witnessed on the third day. Even though Abraham was seeing it 2,000 years into the future, it was going to cause a miracle that went all the way back to Adam.

You see, Abraham found redemption when he saw Jesus in the timeline of his future, and it brought faith to him in his right now. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:8,17, “By faith Abraham….”

Redemption changes everything, not just in time but for all time, no matter where you are in time.

(THE BLIND MAN IN JOHN 9 IS A PICTURE OF REDEMPTION – TIME, SPACE AND MATTER)

“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.” – John 9:1

This is something that goes all the way back to the day the man was born, and John chapter 9 refers to the day he was born six times while describing the events of healing.

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” –John 9:2-3

When Jesus added to the day the man was born, it instantly brought a miracle into his right now day. He was healed of his blindness from his birth!

JESUS PROCEEDS TO PICK UP DIRT FROM THE GROUND – THE VERY MATTER MAN IS MADE OF.

JESUS SPITS  – HIS BREATH, THE SPIRIT OF GOD, AND DNA – MIXED WITH THE MATTER.

HE THEN RUBS THIS Holy Spirit-FILLED MUD IN THE MAN’S EMPTY EYESOCKETS AND TIME IS REVERSED. GOD’S ORIGINAL INTENT FOR THAT MAN – THAT HE BE BORN WHOLE – IS REALIZED.

TIME, SPACE AND MATTER ARE OVERCOME AND ONE MAN CAN SEE HIS SAVIOR.

(LAZARUS)

Before Lazarus came waddling out of the tomb (or jumping out like a guy in a potato sack race), the terrible disappointment his sisters dealt with was the timing of Jesus.

Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” –John 11:21-23

Then Jesus said these important words:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”– John 11:25-26

Jesus was saying, “It’s not about a day. It’s about Me! I Am greater than any measure of time whether it was four days ago when Lazarus died or thousands of years in the future when he rises out of the ground. I Am the resurrection. I Am life, and I Am what you are waiting for. Not a day. Not a year. You are waiting for Me to step into time—and I Am here, right now!”

I think He is still saying that to all of us today:

IT’S NOT ABOUT A DAY. IT’S ABOUT JESUS