Service Date: 12.07.16 8PM
[Music]
when you have a worship experience that
rich I’m not even sure that the word is
necessary but I’ve studied and you’re
here and the gatekeepers are locking the
doors so you’re stuck we’re going to go
to Genesis 40 starting in verse 2 my
topic for today is from the prison to
the palace and I’m so excited about this
word because I believe that some of us
have found ourselves in the balance and
when you find yourself in the balance
what should be a blessing starts to look
like a prison and there’s a season
taking place there’s a shift happening
not just because we’re moving into 2017
but because you are moving into a new
version of yourself God is about to
introduce you to who you’ve always been
he’s going to introduce you to why you
had to go through the prisons that you
went through why you had to go through
the breakdowns that you went through
he’s about to make it all make sense in
2017 and so he wanted me to start
preparing you in 2016 so that you
recognize that you went to sleep in a
prison but you’re going to wake up in
the palace that you you went to sleep
thinking one way and then you woke up
and doors started flying open and
opportunities started being available to
you and and I heard God saying as you
were worshiping that your praise just
paved away that your praise just broke
through the atmosphere that you were
breaking weapons off as you were
worshiping and so I have just a few
things to share with you and this time
and we’re going to start with Genesis 40
to set it up we’re going to meet Joseph
in this scripture we’re going to meet
Joseph after he’s had a dream that
everyone was going to bow down to him
yet incidentally he has this dream at 17
years old and then a decade or so
down the road he’s in a prison have you
ever had God promised you something and
then the path your life started to take
didn’t necessarily line up with what he
said so we find Joseph in a prison and
he has an encounter with two people and
Pharaoh was angry with these two people
these two officers the chief Butler and
the chief Baker and as I was studying I
wondered why of all of the people the
chief Butler and the chief Baker were in
trouble and verse 3 continues it tells
us so he put them in custody in the
house of the captain of the guard in the
prison the place where Joseph was
confined so we have Joseph a butler and
a baker in prison when I was doing some
research about the text I recognized
that a butler that Hebrew word that they
translated to Butler actually means cut
bear I don’t know how many of you
watched Game of Thrones after the one
Church livestream but a cup bearer has
questionably one of the most important
jobs in the kingdom because he holds the
King’s Cup and because he holds the
King’s Cup he ensures that it doesn’t
get poisoned he holds down something
that someone else has given him there
are different types of people and
destinies in our life there are some
people who are like the Baker who makes
something out of nothing who take all of
the ingredients that life has thrown at
them and then they form something that
could have never been there otherwise
and then there are people like the
butler who hold on to what’s been given
to them but something shakey happened
between the butler and the Baker because
they have found themselves in prison
which was a message for you and me in my
opinion to be careful who we allow to
hold things and who we allow to make
things in our life you see because if
you get the positions mixed up then
you’ll have someone holding going to
parts of you that they should have never
had in the first place
and if you give the wrong ingredients to
the wrong person then they’ll start
making up ideas in your head or making
up rumors or making you start believing
things that you should have never
believed in the first place I want you
to take inventory of who’s in your
kingdom who’s holding you down and who’s
putting things together and can you
trust them and so we find that they do
what we all do when we have someone who
we think is a little sketchy we put them
in a prison a prison that keeps them
close enough for us to touch them but as
far enough away to observe them you see
if you don’t start putting people in
proper positions in your life and you’ll
be letting people run around free when
God is trying to create a path in your
destiny sometimes we can be so consumed
with trying to all just get along that
we make friends with our enemies because
we don’t want to shake things up and
because we don’t want to shake things
that we end up having destinies that are
stagnated because we didn’t have the
strength required to put people in
prisons to say that I’m not going to
allow your opinions or your ideas or
your actions to affect my destiny any
longer are there people in your life who
you should have placed in a prison but
are running around so free that you
can’t be free anymore you see if you
don’t put people in their proper
position and they organically put you in
a prison now all of a sudden you can’t
be who God has called you to be because
it makes them uncomfortable
now all of a sudden you’ve lost your
voice because they were talking so much
over you that you don’t even know who
you are anymore I’m wondering have you
found yourself confined in a season when
God wants you to be free and the captain
of the guard charged Joseph with them
and he served them so they were in
custody for a while I couldn’t get over
Joseph who had a dream that he would be
king
serving the chief Butler in the chief
Baker of the kingdom and I recognized
that the irony of God is that sometimes
he calls us to places where we have to
humble ourselves in such a way that
we’re serving the people who serve us or
should be serving us he puts us in
positions where we may be smarter than
the boss or we may have better ideas
than certain people were in circles with
but because of this season in our life
he’s caused us to submit so though
Joseph was certainly in a prison
physically I also wondered what’s he
inner prison because of who he had to
become in order for God to use him in
that moment you see everybody wants the
destiny that leads to the palace but so
few of us have the humility to be in a
prison to know that there’s a call for
our lives but so many of us don’t
recognize the process that is a part of
the call that the process takes us
through the prison and so we find
ourselves behind bars and angry with God
because we thought we would be at the
palace by now
Joseph was in the balance
he was balancing the call of royalty
with the reality of prison
the call that you’re supposed to be here
you’re supposed to be excelling you’re
supposed to be doing well but right now
you can’t even make ends meet that you
have the idea you have the creativity
but you have no connections and no way
to make anything happen that you finally
got them in but you’ve got all of these
daddy issues that you haven’t faced at
the fact that you are in the balance
you’re almost where you should be but
you’re not quite there yet and the
captain of the guard charged Joseph with
them and he served them so they were in
custody for awhile and verse five
continues then the butler and the Baker
of the king of Egypt who were confined
and the prison had a dream both of them
now their dream dreaming in prison
dreaming in prison it doesn’t look like
I should have any dreams because right
now I should just be relegated to the
fact that I’m in prison but I still have
a dream I want to know if you can hang
on to your dream in prison both of them
each man’s dream and one night in each
man’s dream with its own interpretation
and verse six continues and Joseph came
in to them in the morning and looked at
them and saw that they were sad Joseph
was sensitive enough even though he was
in prison to recognize that the
atmosphere had shifted around him that
means he didn’t allow the bitterness
that overcomes some people to overtake
him in such a way that he lost his
sensitivity I believe that God wants to
make sure that he can still touch you
even when you’re in a prison that he can
still touch you even when things aren’t
going your way that he can still get a
hold of you even when it looks like all
the odds are against you Joseph was
sensitive so much so that in verse 7 it
says that he asked them Pharaoh’s
officers who were with him in the
custody of his Lord’s house he said why
do you look so sad today and they said
to him
we each have had a dream and there is no
interpreter of it
so Joseph said to them do not
interpretations belong to God tell them
to me please
this was so important because at this
very moment though Joseph doesn’t know
it when he’s having this dialogue his
situation just shifted from being in the
balance to freedom though he was still
in the prison he was in the prison there
was no warden who comes in after this
moment and frees him but something
happened in this conversation and you
have to read your Bible to really get
what it was you said maybe read the
whole Bible you’ll find it the whole
thing the whole Bible will tell you more
about this pivotal moment but I’m
telling you there was something about
him tapping into his purpose in the
prison that freed him to walk into the
palace and I wanted to tell you tonight
very briefly very quickly because we’ve
already worshipped that God is waiting
to see if you can tap into your purpose
in the prison that if you won’t let the
bars can find you if you won’t let the
bars restrict you that he’s got
something for you but he wants to know
if the prison is killing your purpose
have you given up on that dream have you
given up on what God has told you he
wants to know can you praise Him anyway
can you make the best out of a bad
situation
can you look at the statistics and look
at the odd and say I’m going to worship
you anyway he wants to know if you can
make the prison a palace can you look at
what everyone else says is a prison and
say but because my God is here with me
and because there’s a word down on the
inside of me then I don’t care what it
looks like to anybody else but this is a
palace because I’m in it and I am the
righteousness of God and you may not see
the crown yet but it’s shining
my head and this way said he’s called me
just became a palace because I just
stepped into it and anytime I step into
the room you should hear royalty coming
he wants to know if you can turn your
prison into a palace if you can praise
them with an eviction notice if you can
praise them when you’re about to lose
that child if you can praise them when
it looks like the walls are closing in
on you he wants to know can you take
this prison and turn it into a palace
because the only way he can trust you
with the palace is if he knows that you
were really the palace that it has
nothing to do with what’s going on on
the outside or what’s in your bank
account or what people are saying about
you that ultimately you are the palace
you are the righteousness of God you are
set aside you are anointed and appointed
and there is no devil in hell that can
stand up against you he wants to know if
you know who you are that even in a
prison even in your dark day that he is
God and because He is God you are inside
of him and he is inside of you so it
doesn’t matter what’s going on around
you because when he calls you to come
forth everything he’s placed inside of
you will come out you can put me in a
prison or you can put me in a palace it
doesn’t matter where you place me
because I know what God put in me that
means I’m not afraid when I walk into
meetings I’m not afraid when I have
these ideas because I know that this
idea is a crown this idea is a reminder
that I’m royalty that there’s not a mind
on the planet like mine that there’s not
a gift on the planet like mine you may
do what you do but you don’t do it like
me baby because when I walk in the room
I’m bringing something different this is
a different flavor you’ve never seen it
like this before
there’s an authenticity that God wants
you to walk into and he doesn’t want to
have to give you a palace for it to
manifest he wants it to manifest right
now in a prison where it doesn’t make
any sense where to look foolish where to
make you look crazy he wants it to
manifest right here because he needs you
to recognize the royalty has no
limitations and as I was studying I
realized that actually the prison and
the palace have a lot in common there’s
a wall that protects the palace and
there’s one that protects the prison
there are guards in the prison and there
are guards in the palace so maybe if you
learn to operate in a prison it prepares
you for the palace because what they
don’t tell you about the other side of
success is that the palace is a prison –
it’s just a different kind of prison
with different types of limitations and
different kinds of restrictions and so
God had to put you in the prison first
so you wouldn’t be surprised when you
got to the palace and recognize that
this ain’t freedom up here either that’s
why the worst is to be in the world but
not of the world because if you’re in
the world you’ll be living for a palace
but in reality you need to be living for
the moment where God manifests what he
placed inside of you where you have a
moment with the butler and a baker and
you begin to interpret dreams
Joseph was serving the butler in the
baker but what tips things in his favor
was when they gave him the opportunity
to interpret their dreams because that
was Joseph’s gift
was that he could interpret dreams and I
hear God’s saying that he’s going to
give you opportunities that’s happen to
your gift and you shouldn’t care whether
or not there’s an audience of 10,000 or
an audience of one all that matters is
that the gift is manifest because he’ll
bring the people and he’ll bring the
finances and he’ll bring the
opportunities to you but he wants to
know can you manifest it when no one is
looking can you manifest it when you
don’t get any glory can you manifest
what I’m placed inside of you and Joseph
eagerly tells them could you please flip
verse 8 back on the screen he eagerly
tells them tell me please
please tell me what you dream please
give me one shot to tap into my gift
give me one audition give me one
opportunity give me one chance to write
this book give me one chance to you to
get this job give me one chance to serve
you because I’m betting on me I know
that God has placed something down on
the inside of me that if you just give
me one shot if you just give me one
opportunity I don’t care if anybody
hears about it all that matters is that
I got an opportunity to do what God has
called me to do and I hear God saying
that too many of you have adapted to the
mindset of prisoners that you stopped
dreaming the way you should dream that
you’ve stopped creating the way that you
should create that you have forgotten
that there is a palace outside of this
prison and you’ve allowed your
disappointments and your discouragements
to jade you to change you to make you
believe that you can’t do it anymore
that you made the wrong decisions that
you made the wrong mistakes that God
isn’t really with you after all
and I hear God’s saying that he just
wanted to see if you would manifest it
in a person he just wanted to know if he
could take you down low enough
if you would differ but when you begin
to make the best out of this season when
you begin to manifest on the level that
you will when you get to the palace God
says don’t wait until you get to the
palace do it like you’re in the palace
now do it like the king is watching now
do it like they’re going to be talking
about what happened in the prison that
it reaches the palace because that’s
exactly what happened in this text he
interprets the dreams and if you
continue reading on your own spare time
you’ll see that when the butler makes
his way back to the palace and Pharaoh
starts having dreams that no one can
interpret them but but the butler
remembers that there was someone in a
prison who could interpret dream so
accurately that means that joseph didn’t
even have to work his way up from the
prison to the palace that got
accelerated him in such a way that even
when he was in the prison when God calls
you forth you don’t have to worry about
what you’re gonna have to do to make it
to the next level that you’re gonna
bypass the very people who were laughing
at you that you were gonna bypass the
very people who counted you out that you
were gonna fight past the very people
who said he’s not good enough he’s not
gonna make it that you were gonna bypass
them in such a way that you want to look
up and you’re gonna be back in the
palace the very place that God told you
he was gonna put you and when you were
worshiping earlier it was a moment like
when Joseph had an encounter with the
butler and the Baker you have alerted
heaven that you are ready to move to the
next level
you have alerted heaven that you’re
ready to stretch to the next level you
have alerted heaven that you have
graduated this level and that he can
trust you with more you have alerted
heaven that you’re ready that you can
handle it that this year tried to shake
you and change you and it made you
question yourself but when the moment
came and you were down in the prison
that you stretched out to the one and
only God who can pull you from the
prison to the palace some of you are
about to break through into something
that eyes haven’t seen that ears haven’t
heard neither has an incident to the
hearts amid what God has in store for
you you got to surprise yourself when
God gets finished with you you want to
say you thought all of this of me no
longer do I see you in the balance I see
you thriving I see you influencing I see
you gravitating towards people who
understand your value who understands
your gift who understand that sometimes
you have to go to the prison to make a
path to the palace that’s all I’ve got
to say
and if you don’t have to leave please
don’t leave because I want to have an
altar call with people who’ve been
struggling with being in the prison
who’ve been struggling to hang on to
hope and hang on to faith and hang on to
the fact that God has a promise for
their lives that you’re ready to change
your mindset about where you are right
now that you no longer want to see it as
punishment you want God to open your
eyes
to the blessing of being in prison that
you want God to open your eyes so that a
path is clear you know what I recognize
that if you begin to only see yourself
in a prison then you’ll never be able to
see your way to the palace because the
prison makes you believe that there’s
nothing else out there that this is all
that’s to life that there’s nothing more
so you can’t dream of any more you can’t
think of any more than all you’ll ever
have is what you’ve got right now the
only person you’ll ever attract is
someone who hurts you the only
opportunities you’ll ever get are ones
that don’t even make you feel like you
have enough stability the only jobs that
are available to you are ones that you
are far more experienced to be in the
only thing that is available to you as a
prison and if you’re honest
you’ve been beginning to question
yourself more and more you’ve been
beginning to listen to that voice of
negativity and doubt on the inside of
you so much so that you feel yourself
giving up on yourself you recognize that
you’re not as excited as you used to be
you’re not as sensitive as you used to
be you’re not as sure you’re not as
certain that the palace is even for you
the palace is for those other people the
ones who did everything the right way
the ones who don’t have to struggle the
ones who know people who know
people the palace isn’t for me but God
wants you to know on this Wednesday
night then not only is the palace for
you the palace is yours
not only is this opportunity for you
this opportunity is going to catapult
you into Heights you can’t even imagine
and sometimes God takes us lower than we
ever thought possible so that when we
get to the highest point that he has for
us we recognize we didn’t get there on
our own that it was because we kept him
with us even in our darkest days that he
could trust us to go even further this
message is for those who are wondering
whether or not there’s a path out for
them and I have to ask as we do if
there’s anyone else who is sitting out
there who feels a tugging of the Holy
Spirit telling them you know you got to
go don’t let your pride stand in the way
of your breakthrough
don’t let the idea of other people are
going to recognize that I’ve been
struggling stand in the way of you
getting the help that you actually need
because as we were worshiping earlier I
saw blessings being unlocked but you
have to be willing to humble yourself
like Joseph to admit that I found myself
locked up I don’t even know how it
happened but here I am and I’m crazy
enough to believe that I’m still
supposed to inherit things that God
still has things stored up and locked up
for me
even though I’m locked up right now so
don’t let this jails help fool you don’t
let
Cheng’s fool you because when God gets
finished with me all you want to see are
chains breaking off of me you want to
see strongholds coming down I’m not even
gonna look the same when God gets
finished with me because what God has
for you is for you and there’s nothing
you have done that has disqualified you
from what God has for you even that that
one thing that came to your mind this is
well she doesn’t know about this even
that has not just qualified you
he knows the essence of who you are he
knows every secret every struggle and he
still loves you and he still has a
purpose for you crazy weird freaky crazy
again two times still his child broken
confused lost abused still his child and
he has a place for you he’s reserved it
just for you
and he’s waiting for you to recognize
that you’re still worthy of the
treasures that he has stored up in this
world and this earth there are treasures
stored up in this earth that if you
would just tap into him if you would
just tap into his voice you would begin
to unleash things that God has for you
I’m going to ask my husband to pray an
impartation of what God has placed
inside of him inside of us
[Music]
because from the prison to the palace
he’s been able to manifest something
that has set him apart for decades set
him apart in such a way that there is no
other church like one la on the planet
and he was willing to manifest that and
he didn’t even know if you were coming
he was going to manifest it if it was
nothing but the butler in the Baker but
God said no there is a royal priesthood
that needs your poise there are my sons
and daughters who no one can reach but
you and because he tapped into that you
can tap into yours and the lives
connected to your purpose I want to tap
into theirs and that’s what we call
Kingdom that’s what we call light
chasing darkness because we tap into the
rhythm of this earth that says I’ve got
a divine purpose that’s bigger than my
issues and bigger than your opinions and
bigger than your rumours that God gave
me something that I have to bring forth
no matter what and because he gave it to
me I’m going to protect it and hold on
to it husband would you pray I just
think we need to praise God for this
word I think we need to praise God
for this truly life-changing word you’re
not the same I see it in your eyes
you’re not going back to the way things
used to be I see it in your eyes that
fight has been stirred that truth has
been stirred right on time getting ready
for the new year I love it I love it
fierceness and so what we’re going to do
is we’re just going to seal it we’re
going to seal it it’s happened in your
heart it’s happened in your mind God
took us on a journey and this is the
culmination of it the culmination of it
is you being elevated you’ve been
edified and elevated and you’re ready
it’s already done I want everyone to
stand if we could if your city to stand
we’re going to just all come into
agreement with what God has done in this
house my God my God my God my God if
you’re watching via livestream come get
some of this Lord we are in awe we are
in utter aw at your love at your power
at your wisdom at your truth you knew
exactly where each of us were and what
we needed and you have spoken to us and
therefore we will not be the same your
word says that we are transformed by the
renovation the renewing the renovation
of our mind in a renovation process
there is demolition you have torn down
strongholds and barriers obstacles lies
and you’ve torn those things down and
you have planted truth Wow truth that
predates us truth that is connected to
what you knew before you put us in our
mother’s womb we have found divine truth
that manifests our divine identity in
you and so God I think
for every person here and I thank you
and I decree that each one is pregnant
and the birth has drawn near and I thank
you that you’ve given strength to bring
forth shall you bring to the time of
birth and not cause delivery so we thank
you God for the birthing seal it hearts
and minds all over this room now I just
want you to repeat after me Heavenly
Father I heard you call my name you
spoke to me specifically I heard you and
I receive your word let it take root and
never be uploaded but rather let fruit
come forth that will remain from
generation to generation I receive it I
thank you for Jesus thank you for making
him who knew no sin to become all of
mine all of my weakness all of my
mistakes
all of my limitations everything in my
past you put in his body nailed it to
the cross and once and for all put it to
death and just like you raised him up
powerful and victorious
I’m raised up to and from this day
forward I’m going from glory to glory
I’ll praise you in the prison and I’ll
praise you in the palace because I found
out tonight
I am the palace in Jesus name Amen
ma god bless you love you so much
[Music]