So life has thrown you into Prison. You lost your job. You lost your relationship. You faced a betrayal.
You hit a dead-end.

Shortly, you will lose the crowd (if it hasn’t started thinning already).
Yes, that crowd of people you were used to having around you.
That crowd of people that assured you of their undying support. All those people will fizzle out. And then you will be left alone – alone to take your solo Destiny journey.

You see, the circumstances that throw us into Prison will likely leave us bitter, angry, and disappointed. Yet, in an interesting way, the Prison allows us time out to heal, to deal with our emotions, to find time with God…then find Peace in our hearts. The Prison is really a place of refinement.
It’s the place where God begins to deal with and expose the hidden things in our lives.

Betrayal, hurt, pain, rejection – are all part of life.
Until we can truly overcome our emotions and forgive, we really are not prepared for greatness.
Greatness is found in being willing to face the pain of the past, exposing every emotion in our hearts and soul, allowing God to deal with our emotions –
And then having gone through the Process, finding the strength to let go of every anger and bitterness. And yet, such Greatness can only be found if we allow ourselves to experience the Solitude of this season.

Life gives us the Prison moments to allow us to re-calibrate, to reconfigure, to re-strategize – and set ourselves on the right Trajectory. It is these moments that gives us clarity about the baggage we carry; and allow us to unpack our backpacks, make our load lighter
– and get ready to answer to the demands of the Next Dimension.

In Genesis 41:14, the Bible says

When he (Joseph) had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

When Joseph – having spent time in isolation – was called, he knew the first thing he needed to do was shave his hair. He had to disconnect himself from everything the past represented – pain, hurt, anger, disappointment – and prepare for what his new future potentially presented. This act of shaving expressed a boldness to being vulnerable, and give himself a chance for a new beginning.

The challenge for us – having been disappointed in the past – is to let go of every mistrust, bias and prejudice; and allow ourselves to enjoy the full experience of the opportunity for a new beginning. For us to function fully in our new assignment, we must flow in the freedom that comes from having a clean hand and a pure heart.

The Bible says in Psalm 24:3-5

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by
what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior.

Joseph, having aligned his inner man, was not ignorant of the fact that he needed to change his physical identity. He was all too aware that while God checked the state of his heart, yet man would judge him on the basis of his manner and style. He needed to change his demeanor, his mannerism, and his manner of dress.
He rid himself of every external representation of what the former season represented.

In our quest for promotion, the next level, or success, we sometimes fail to realize that – higher levels will demand greater levels of discretion and loyalty; higher levels will demand a new demeanor;
higher levels will demand a new style of dress; and yes, higher levels will demand new associations.

The danger of stepping out of our Prison unprepared, is that we risk falling into the same old patterns; and never quite enjoying the benefit of the Prison experience.

And so, even as we sit in our Prisons, and wait for the Doors to Open, we must constantly evaluate the condition of our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves; and then begin to align everything about us to the Demands of the Palace.

The question really, is not if the Prison Gates will open – RATHER – will we be ready when the Prison Gates open?

My prayer is that we will allow God to so purify us – that as we step out of our Prison and onto the Stage prepared for us… the World will only marvel at His Glorious handiwork upon our lives.

Bon Voyage