Through the Scriptures, there are those who found themselves bound, captive and in horrible prison. Joseph was sold by his brothers and taken to Egypt. After refusing to sleep with his master's wife, he was sent to prison on trumped up charges of rape. Later, he was released from prison and ushered into the Egyptian palace (Genesis 41:14).
Joseph was second to Pharaoh, ruling over Egypt. Another example is Daniel, a young Jewish man who was a Babylonian captive, but God gave him wisdom and the ability to interpret dreams. He interpreted the king's troubling dream and in exchanged given a powerful position (Daniel 2:48).
These men did not deserve the treatment of being put into prison like a common criminal. But God used this time to test and prove them. They became prisoners of hope. Zechariah 9:12 says, "Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you." (NIV).
By putting their trust in the Lord, they believed God had not forgotten them and will one day rescue them. Because these men trusted God, they were prisoners with hope. There will be terrible, dark days ahead but because they understood God is an ever present help, they didn't sink down into the thick mud of despair.
Has God given you vision and dreams? Has He stirred your heart to see what the future holds for you in ministry? Have you prayed and seen through the eyes of faith what God is about to do in restoring your marriage? your children? Do you find yourself shut up in a place where you feel alone and abandoned? Does it feel as if the walls are closing in and your life seems small and insignificant? Do you grow impatient of looking for a way out?
This is time to allow God's word to test and prove our hearts. The reason Joseph was in prison is answered in Psalms 105:19, "till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true."
God uses our jail time as means of getting to the deep areas of our heart that need to be dealt with so we can fully stand prepared in the palace - a place of provision, blessing, power and privilege.
One day Joseph would encounter his brothers but what he learned in prison, taught him forgiveness and humility, even when they bowed to him - fulling God's word in a dream long ago that one day his family will come and bow down to him.
Beloved, God will release you soon. And sooner when you release to Him the things you have been holding on to that you know is keeping you from entering into the true freedom of Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment