by Johnny Enlow

Thanks to Covid19 and the recent election and the turmoil that has followed, I have become more aware of a “stream” within the river of God called the Body of Christ that has captured my attention. It seems that the prophetic voices that have been most hopeful and full of faith almost always come from what is called the “seven mountains” movement. Time will tell if they are right in their assessment of where we are in this nation regarding God’s timetable and plan. In the meantime, I thought I would look in more depth at the teachings coming from a significant leader in this movement, Johnny Enlow. No one person of group has complete understanding, especially when it comes to current events and eschatology; however, some leaders seem to be more “in tune” to what God is saying and doing. I just completed Johnny’s book, which was written in 2008. I find his insights extremely relevant for right now, which is amazing, considering how much water has gone under the bridge since then and how much was then unforeseeable to the natural mind. I have summarized below what I consider to be some of the highlights of the book. I hope that what I have written will make you think and maybe even rethink about your views of these remarkable days in which we live.

The Introduction lays the theological framework for the book. The author quotes Revelation 5:1-12, which says in part: “You…have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”

The “seven horns” represent seven foundations of power that the Lamb has because of His awesome act of redemption on the cross. It is why Jesus said after His resurrection, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (See Matthew 28: 18.) He had now paid the price not just so souls could be rescued from hell, and not just so a few could receive healing— but He had proven that He was worthy to recover all ground that had been lost in the Garden of Eden. …That is why He followed His “All authority is mine” declaration with the great commission to “make disciples of all the nations.” (See Matthew 28: 19.) The Great Commission has always been about much more than what most of us have imagined. (pp.8-10, Kindle Edition)

I believe that it is not necessary to accept that the seven horns represent Christ’s power and authority on the “seven mountains” of influence in the culture. What seems irrefutable to me, however, is that Christ’s mandate to disciple the nations is much more than cultivating the best and brightest in our churches to understand the Bible better, live moral lives, and serve in the church in some capacity. While we have been discipling our converts to be better churchgoers, Satan has been wielding influence in the cultural and governmental power centers and discipling entire nations and directing world events. This is not surprising, since Paul called him the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4) I believe the church, in general, has “dropped the ball” by retreating into our Christian enclaves and by default leaving government, education, the media, the arts and celebration, and the economy and business largely to the devil. Instead we have focused mainly on the “religion” mountain and the family, while wondering why our culture is going down the drain. I believe the Lord is waking up the church to our responsibility to be salt and light and to be “players” on the mountains of influence to whatever degree the Lord allows. This will fulfill the mandate issued in the Garden so long ago that was reiterated in the Great Commission.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (ESV) 

It is Enlow’s position that a lack of vision and a faulty eschatalogy are behind the church’s failure to embrace her mission.

Enlow believes that a mighty tsunami like movement has been released in the earth by God which he calls the Elijah Revolution. The reason for using this descriptor is because Malachi prophesied that Elijah must return before the coming of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5-6) Enlow wrote

…this Elijah Revolution tsunami will sweep through both the world and the church, and it will leave no doubt as to who God is. (p.18)

He believes prophecy will be a major thrust which will clarify things that seem ambiguous now.

It will…

…eradicate stagnation and the status quo. Things will never be the same again… it will bring about a “drastic and far reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.” (p.20)

This is extremely interesting to me in light of the last year and a half. The draconian measures taken by governments around the world have altered how people think about many things, especially in the church. I have heard it said by more than one person that things will never be the same. The essence of repentance is to “change the mind,” to move from being self-absorbed and self-directed to coming under the lordship of Christ. Enlow says that…

The tsunami will either resurrect churches of bury them. (p.20)

We are seeing that play out before our eyes.

Enlow believes this Elijah Revolution will precede the Lord’s Second Coming. He quotes Acts 3 as his theological base.

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20  and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21  whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Acts 3:19-21 (NASB) 

His understanding of this passage may be different from yours, but it is worth considering.

That word restoration— apokatastasis in the original Greek text— is very powerful. It means “restoration of a true theocracy” and “restoration of original intent.” The implications of this scripture are, of course, huge. Jesus is retained in heaven until Elijah’s Revolution. Even as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to come, the Elijah Revolution will prepare for His final return. We know John the Baptist’s revolution didn’t go far enough because it brought repentance but not a restoration of all things. His and Jesus’ deaths, however, became the seeds for the coming restoration of all things that will precede Jesus’ return. An original plan and design of God will triumph and will establish Him as Ruler of the nations. Exactly how that will look is debatable, but it clearly entails the crushing of Satan here on Earth before He returns for His bride. (p.23)

Previously I always assigned such things to after the Second Coming. Enlow has introduced me to the possibility that some of it may happen before Jesus returns. If that is the case, the doom and gloom scenario of an impending “great tribulation” may be premature. We may be in for something spectacular from God that will be so momentous that it will create the spiritual tsunami Enlow prophesied. Interesting, years ago more than one person in our church saw a vision of a coming great wave that will bring many people into the kingdom of God. Could we be on the verge?

Enlow believes Jesus is…

… coming for an overcoming, conquering, love-motivated bride who has made herself ready by fulfilling her mission. (Revelation 19:7) The Elijah Revolution is the catalyst for all these things. (pp.24-25)

He believes the church must transition out of its survival mode of thinking, as if we were Israel in the wilderness, into a overcoming mode, as when Israel entered and conquered the promised land. The church has yet to conquer as Jesus intends. This leads to quite a different mindset from the passive acceptance of the dominance of evil that many Christians have adopted.

Another key idea Enlow floats is that we should differentiate between what he calls a gospel of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom. He believes the church has reduced the gospel to only being about the salvation of individuals, without embracing the larger mandate of extending his lordship over all creation. Once again, many believers have relegated this expanded rule of Christ to after the Second Coming; but, what if we are to be engaged in that now? That would change everything!

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 (NASB) 

The Great Commission was to “make disciples of all nations.” It was not to “make disciples of all souls.” God is interested in the nations— a word mentioned over three hundred times in the Scriptures. (p.40)

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." Revelation 11:15 (NASB) 

History won’t conclude, then, until Matthew 24: 14 is fulfilled: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” All nations will have to hear and see— to witness is to see— this gospel of the kingdom before Jesus returns. The gospel of saving souls will not suffice— it’s the gospel of the kingdom that must get out. That means the message of His Lordship over everything must be followed by a demonstration of His Lordship over everything. (p.41)

Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3  And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:2-3 (NASB) 

Enlow believes that the church has a very important role to play in extending Christ’s rule in a practical way in the nations. This means disciples of Jesus will have to get involved in practical ways in all aspects of society in order to be salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-14)

This approach, of course, is a radically new concept for most Christians. We have long assumed that evangelistic crusades and mass conversions are the key to taking a nation (if the thought of taking a nation even occurred to us). We have ignored entire mountains, or sectors of society, because they’re “of the devil.” But the Lord is now saying, “You must take these mountains.” This revelation is an earthquake that the Lord is releasing into His body. The shock waves of the revelation are beginning to sweep through Christian society, creating the tsunami waters upon which the Elijah Revolution will coming crashing upon the nations. (p.45)

Beginning in Chapter Five, Enlow addresses each of the “seven mountains.” He gives an explanation of what they are, how Satan has dominated, and what must be done to effectively displace his influence and rule. I will not take time to go through each of these, but let me assure you that each chapter is loaded with insight. Please do not fast forward through these chapters. The order he covers these “mountains” are as follows: the news media, government, education, economy, religion, the arts, and the family. What he wrote about the family was very good and helped me see how Baal worship is destroying the foundations of society through alienation, sexual perversion, and abortion.

The last chapter begins with a quote from Deuteronomy.

The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, Deuteronomy 28:13 (NASB) 

IT IS IMPORTANT that we, God’s blood-bought people, realize that it has always been His will for us to be at the top of the mountains in a place of preeminence and blessing. He is not a sadistic God who loves seeing His people struggle and barely survive. Nothing could be further from the truth. He has always sought to motivate us with a promised land of unlimited abundance— body, soul, and spirit. He wants to give us that for two reasons. First, He is a great and loving Father who loves to shower His kids with blessings. Second, His blessings are His ultimate demonstration before principalities and powers of the conclusive truth that love never fails. All He has ever demanded in return is that we obey His commandments. (p.181)

Enlow does not espouse the prosperity gospel nor any kind of false dominionism. He approaches things from a place of humility and emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing our devotion to Christ over everything else.

The great work to be accomplished for people holy to the Lord will be intimacy with Him. God’s great desire is for the peoples of the earth to see how good a God He is to those who serve Him. (p.185)

The brevity of the book did not allow Enlow to share his eschatology in depth, but it is clear he believes that the antichrist will have his day, but only after there is a massive global ingathering. But now the church has a job to do. Let me end this summary with the following quote.

This isn’t over until we reign on Earth. Genesis starts with, “Have dominion over everything,” and Revelation ends with, “We shall reign on earth.” The Lamb that was slain provides the seven spirits of God that bring the seven horns of power over the seven nations greater and mightier than us. That’s why it’s incidental that they are greater and mightier than us. He has released the seven horns of power to topple every rebellious spirit that has exalted itself against the Creator. The seven eyes release the prophetic vision to understand that this is our inheritance on Earth. The earth will continue to shift and quake with expectation and birth pangs. It will cause a series of tsunamis that will totally transform the face of the earth. All destructible structures will come down. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But the sons and daughters of the kingdom will be on the mountaintops and will receive the unshakeable kingdom. Then will be the end of all rebellion on Earth. (p.188)