If God Can Turn Back Time
A Moment Outside of Time
Every day overseas felt like either a moment outside of time—where I witnessed God move—or a moment inside of time filled with overwhelming fear. My life could have ended at any moment under the consistent barrage of 7.62 rounds and high explosives (HE). I had a few choices:
Try to control these death-defying moments by relying on my weapons, finding comfort in the false security they provided.
Numb the fear with temporary worldly escapes—pornography, entertainment, and pressure releases that only masked the reality of my situation.
Spend time with the Creator of the universe—the God who is outside of time—and experience glimpses of supernatural protection, miracles, baptisms, and a reality beyond time itself.
By His great mercy and love, He had prepared me for this combat mission before I even stepped foot in that remote valley. He had given me a purpose a year in advance: start a church while fighting ISIS. Over there, I consistently spent time with the King of Kings. As a result, He not only protected me and my men—bringing us all home safely—but He also moved in ways I never expected.
One of the many miracles where He moved was the three baptisms that happened there, in the middle of the day, with the potential enemy looking on. We used the well water to fill up the tubs—-probably one of Jacobs wells 😂.
A Public Sign of Restoration
This story reminds me of the incredible miracle God did before King Hezekiah and his people:
“Listen carefully, I will turn the shadow on the stairway [denoting the time of day] ten steps backward, the shadow on the stairway (sundial) of Ahaz.” And the sunlight went ten steps backward on the stairway where it had [previously] gone down.”
— Isaiah 38:8 (AMP)
Why did God do a sign like this? Why should we care?
This was a visible, public symbol of restoration—a literal reversal of time.
Shadows on a sundial or stairway only move forward as the sun sets. But God made the shadow move backward, reversing time—something humanly impossible. And everyone saw it. The people of Judah may have still been terrified by the Assyrians, but after this second miracle (the first being the angel of the Lord destroying the Assyrian army, forcing them to retreat), I’m sure this filled them with confidence!
This mirrored the blessing Hezekiah received—a cure and fifteen more years of life.
Overriding Natural Laws
Only God, the Creator of time, and the universe, could orchestrate such a moment. Whether this was a literal turning back of time, an atmospheric shift, or another divine phenomenon, it demonstrated God’s absolute authority over creation.
Similar Signs in Scripture
This event parallels Joshua’s long day when the sun stood still (Joshua 10:12-14), showing that God can suspend time for His purposes.
It also reflects God’s promise to confirm His word with signs (e.g., Gideon’s fleece in Judges 6:36-40).
God, being outside of time, invites us into moments where time seems to pause—where we catch glimpses of eternity. When we consistently dwell with Him, even for a brief moment, we step into something beyond our limitations, beyond the ticking of the clock.
Stepping Into His Shadow
While I was overseas, God put it on my heart to memorize Psalm 91 and declare it over the base every day. So I did.
Today’s reflection reminds me of the first verse of Psalm 91:
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Just like the shadow on the stairway in Hezekiah’s time marked a divine intervention, perhaps the shadows we experience in God’s presence mark our own moments of stepping into eternity—where He gives us peace, clarity, and a perspective beyond what time allows.
Where Does That Leave Us Today?
Never Finished Challenge – The Hezekiah Challenge
Some of you may be fighting for your life, going through an impossible situation, stuck in a rut, or facing a massive decision.
📖 Scripture: Isaiah 38:8 – God turned back the shadow as a sign to Hezekiah.
🔥 Challenge: Ask God for a specific sign or breakthrough in an area where you feel out of time, stuck, or beyond hope. Be bold in prayer today, believing that He can extend, reverse, or restore something in your life.
For Your Pocket:
God owns time. He made you. He loves you.
What Does Today Say About God?
Every event in His Word tells me that God is not confined by natural laws—He made them, and He can suspend or override them for His great purpose and for our good. Whether through stopping time, controlling the sea, or even bending reality itself, God’s power is limitless.
Thank You, Jesus!
Thank for this, Joseph! If the almighty God CAN turn back the time, He can do anything in my life. Praise the Lord