Throughout Scripture, time is rarely used to describe mere chronology. In the language of Neville Goddard, time is psychological — the inner interval between imaginal act and manifestation. It marks the process through which consciousness moves from assumption to fulfilment.
Time as the Interval of Belief
When you imagine yourself to be what you desire, a seed is planted within awareness. “Time” is the invisible span between sowing and harvest — the period during which belief matures into fact. Neville said, “There is always an interval between the imaginal act and its embodiment.” This is not clock-time, but the gestation of conviction.
A Time, Times, and Half a Time
In Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 12:14, Scripture speaks of “a time, times, and half a time.” This prophetic phrase symbolises the threefold cycle of inner transformation leading to manifestation. It describes how an assumption takes root, strengthens, and finally breaks into fulfilment.
| Phrase | Symbolic Meaning | Neville’s Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| A Time | The moment of conception — the first acceptance of the wish fulfilled. | You imagine and feel the reality of your desire. |
| Times | The repetition and persistence that sustain the state. | You return again and again to the feeling until it becomes natural. |
| Half a Time | The breaking point — the death of doubt and the fixing of conviction. | The old belief is crucified; manifestation is imminent. |
The Half: Fulfilment Through Cessation
The “half” represents the cutting off of effort. It is not a lesser portion but the completion of the cycle — the moment when striving ceases because inner conviction is absolute. “He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness” (Romans 9:28). In other words, the creative process ends not by extension but by fulfilment.
Time as the Unfolding of States
To live consciously of the Law is to understand that every state has its own appointed time. What we call delay is merely the gestation of belief. As Neville taught, when the imaginal act feels natural and complete, its outer reflection is inevitable. The cycle of “a time, times, and half a time” has run its full course.
“Creation is finished. You simply become aware of increasing portions of that which already is.” — Neville Goddard
The Meaning for Us
Time, in its spiritual sense, is not an obstacle but a rhythm — the movement of imagination fulfilling itself. When you understand its symbolism, you cease to worry about when and rest in the knowing that it is already done. “The vision is yet for an appointed time… though it tarry, wait for it; it will surely come” (Habakkuk 2:3).
To live by this understanding is to transcend chronological delay and enter the eternal Now — where imagination and fulfilment are one.