And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.[1]

Stories are powerful. Most of my life changing decisions are wrapped around a story. To paint a picture with words is worth more than a thousand canvasses!

I remember sitting on the floor with my siblings as our mother read The Pilgrim’s Progress. When she came to the end of a chapter, we all said, “Read another one! Please…! …read another one!” I love listening to a great story. One of my favorite stories is Aladdin and the Arabian Knights. My grandson, who is now seven, still inquires, “Tell me a story Mimi, tell me a story.” Stories touch the young and old alike.

The oldest storyteller was the first. In fact, he visualized your love story before time began. He prepared time to move the story at a foreordained rhythm and at a predetermined pace. When God chose to record history, he wrote it in a story. When your appointed place in time arrived, he took your story book off of his shelf,[2] and merged your story as an integral part of His. 

However, God’s story did not start with man. His allegory began with the Lamb slain from the foundations of the cosmos (universe).[3]  He wove his Son’s sacrifice into the fabric of the entire universe. Grace literally kissed mercy. In his story, he invested himself and put His skin in the game before he made Adam, and before He said, “You shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Elohim is the most glorious of all stories, and he wrote his own story in the creation, and continues to unfold it in the eras, epochs, periods, and time of all humanity. He tells his story so that you will know him and choose him.

Most stories we hear are usually told of escapades that have already happened. But God tells adventures of events that will happened.[4] In the first century, the Apostle John was drawn up into heaven so that he could tell God’s story of the End of Day’s, before it happened. After John was shown the future, he wrote the book of Revelation.

When Jesus told his disciples the story of his own death, they ignored him the first two times. The third time Jesus told them about his passion, it went deep into their soul and caused them to feel sad. It was then he said, “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I assure you: Whoever receives anyone I send receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”[5] After Jesus felt their sadness he told them another story. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”[6]

It was early in the morning when the smell of camp fire smoke mixed with diesel fuel reminded me that I was in M’barara, Uganda, East Africa. The restaurant in the starred hotel was the closest we found to American cuisine. (It’s hard to mess up eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, and orange juice.) I was early, but the team was scheduled to meet me at breakfast. I swung my travel briefcase over my shoulder, “I am ready!” As I walked toward the door, I heard a familiar omniscient whisper. “I don’t want you to just preach a message today. I want you to BE the message today!” I paused…. and stepped back. Then in an instant my heart asked, “What…?” Then I heard it again, “I want you to BE the message today.”

I projected, “What does that mean? I have a message. I’ve studied Your Word. I am ready to preach at the crusade … what do you mean?” He responded, “I don’t want you to just preach a message today, I want you to be the message today.” This conversation rattled me. I sensed a quiet exuberant peace flood my soul that said, “Just work with me here. You are prepared, now walk with me and you will be.”

I countered, “Well, I am not sure I know how to do that Lord!” I instinctually engaged my brain on a quest to figure it out. Finally, the thought came, “Instead of telling the story, I want you to BE the story.” The writer calls this “Show and don’t tell.”

As we rumbled down the African road in our mini-van taxi, the residual presence of God lifted me. I see myself telling the story of God’s love, and presenting His eternal plan. But, as I moved toward the crusade the Father challenged me to dive in, and become the message. Become the love and let the love become me. Become the son of God and allow the Son to become me.[7] Become a participating part in His kingdom and let the kingdom become me. So, I put my notes in my briefcase. When we arrived at the crusade I stood to BE the message.

I received an invitation that day not only to live in my story, but to authorize my story to join His. Stories and parables are the language of the Spirit and transmit more than words. The Spirit that dwells in the story communicates with every stratum of creation. This is one application to the Apostle Paul’s analysis, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God…”[8] When you act in love, walk in the Spirit, and exercise family life in the body of Christ, you are teaching the principalities and powers… the manifold wisdom of God. Your stories are teaching the fellowship of the mystery…hid in God, to the echelons of Angels

When you hear, or read a story, the same power of faith, and the inspiration of the one who experienced the event is present to activate the same result in your life. A story of triumph brings a warrior’s faith. A story of freedom conveys a new level of spiritual authority. A story of healing offers hope and supernatural restoration. A story of illumination delivers breakthrough revelation. And each story turns out to be a “DO IT AGAIN WITNESS!” When you believe the power of God’s eternal Word, and the creativity of the Holy Spirit, you enter into the same miracle. The Apostle John wrote.

 “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.”[9]

The icon of Jesus Christ in the gospels is incomplete. He healed more people. He taught more lessons. He did more miracles. He had more friends. He preached more messages. In fact, his story is still being written in your life. When you hear the testimony of transformation power through His death and resurrection, His story lives in you. Now, he wants you to tell it.

The works of Jesus did not stop when He ascended into heaven. They are still being done today. The challenge is to let the life of Jesus do for you what he has done for millions. Please, let us know how your story changes the life of another.