Scriptural Foundation:
Genesis 1:31-2:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)
[Truth]
Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation.
Genesis 3:1 New Living Translation (NLT)
[Satan’s 1st attempt to change the narrative.]
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
Revelation 12:7-12 New Living Translation (NLT)
[Truth]
Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.”
Reflection:
From the beginning of time, the devil has been trying to change the narrative of eternity. God evicted him and his cohorts from Heaven and then Jesus defeated at Calvary. Although He has lost the war, it has not stopped him from bombarding our minds with thoughts contrary to the Word of God. He simply doesn’t want us to understand the magnitude of the love that our Father God and Jesus has for us.
For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
He (Jesus) canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross. – Colossians 2:14-15
In the garden of Eden, the devil launched his calculated campaign to separate and convince Believers that God is withholding something from us. He plays on our disappointments and insecurities to the point where we feel empty and abandoned. Satan helps us throw pity parties, where he serves up shots(thoughts) that leave us bitter and angry. Slowly we start believing this “new” narrative. That’s when he has us captive…captive to our own negative thoughts.
As far back as I can remember I have needed two things.. to express my feelings through writing or art and glasses for my near sightedness. I have been chronicling my life in journals on and off for decades. Recently I have gone back and read about certain seasons of my life where things were very dark and very negative. Looking through a different lens now with the far-sightedness of the Holy Spirit, I realize I was suffering from spiritual near sightedness. Praise God, despite going through some difficult times, I would not have change a thing because it has brought me to a sweet and intimate place with the Lord – that is priceless.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
Beloved, as humans we are wired to be negative in our flesh…thanks Adam. It is easier to wallow in self-pity then start the dauting task of cleaning up from that party, but that is why Jesus left us the Holy Spirit. He is our great comforter and guide (John 14:15-18). We were not created to walk through this life alone. Our spiritual man – the true essence of ourselves – cries out to the Lord.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11
It wasn’t until I accepted Jesus into my life that things began to change with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I was given “spiritual glasses” that opened up a whole new world. Instead of only being able to see/focus on my hurts and my failures…the Lord showed me through His Word that compassion for others was the balm I needed to heal past wounds. No matter how hard the devil is trying to convince you otherwise, this Word still stands. There will be no re-writing the narrative of the Bible in your heart. Keep the faith and keep standing.
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- In what areas of your life do you feel that you have fallen short?
- Reflect on where the origin of that thought came from. Was it something you read in the Bible or was it conflated memory that past hurt has warped into something other than a fruit of the Spirit.
- Ask the Lord to identify the source of these feelings and actively pray and meditate on scripture to change the narrative back to the truth…what the Word of God says about you.
Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven. -Psalm 119:89