Prison–or Prophetic Process?

Have you ever felt stuck, hidden in a prison of waiting, unable to move forward and receive the promise? 

I’d like you to consider another possibility, as seen in the life of Joseph.

Joseph was not a prisoner of Egypt;  he was a prisoner of a prophetic promise. During the entire time of his betrayal by brothers, sale as a slave, and unjust imprisonment, this noble young prophet was being trained and maneuvered into a divine position with direct access to the mighty throne of Egypt.

Remarkably, Joseph never actually understood the real interpretation of his own prophetic dream. In fact, he attempted to work his way out of prison by asking the butler (who would soon be released) to seek Joseph's release and “Get me out of this house.” (Gen 40:14) Had Joseph succeeded, he would have aborted the deliverance of his entire family in the coming famine.

It is important to consider Joseph's frustration, as God was seemingly deaf to his cry to get out of his circumstance. God denied Joseph's prayer for deliverance because the world needed Joseph to stay where he was. The man who was to counsel the world's greatest power, never saw his prophetic calling as larger than the tents of his father Jacob.

If you have been following my journey for a while, you are likely aware of my shift from full-time pastoral ministry to finding favor in the media realm. This season of walking out a calling I am passionate about came after many years of faithfulness where I was, even though I sometimes felt like Joseph, wondering when and if breakthrough to the next season would come. Yet I see God’s hand leading me through it all.  I have been humbled by your continued encouragement and support over these years. Thank you for locking arms with me in this adventure and showing your support in numerous ways. If you would like to partner with us, visit this link: lancewallnau.com/process. Your support and prayers make this mission to reach the nations possible! 

Are you wishing God would deliver you? Change your circumstances? Fulfill your long awaited prophetic expectations? What if God has all along been preparing you for something different, something larger that required you to learn new skills and expand your integrity under pressure? I have seen this reality in my own life. 

What if you have not done an altogether perfect job of handling the long season of seeming delays? Fear not. The beauty of the Bible is its raw honesty about the failings of human beings and the forgiveness and sacrifice of a good Father that covers it all. The month before the Upper Room, Jesus' disciples fled and hid in fear. Peter, their most vocal leader, quit the ministry after publicly denying he even knew Jesus and did so cursing like a backslidden sailor.

That's what the prophetic promise process does. The heat refines the beauty of your character (like Joseph) or brings up the impurity (like Peter) to cleanse and humble your soul. In the end, either way, the process leads to your promotion…if you don't quit. This is not a bad event….this is a “process” event. 

Let’s wait well and keep our eyes on the Giver of the promise.