“I am back. Last time I told you all about my life growing up, how my brothers betrayed me, how life started to get better and then worse when I landed up in prison and how I got to the place where I forgave my brother for what they did to me. God replaced my pain with his affection.
Still in Prison or Life in prison
I got to know Jason really well during my first two years in prison. He had a dream to create a high-quality coffee brand “Freedom Coffee.” He wanted his coffee to be so good that CEO’s would drink it.
I had some good news for Jason. I told him he was getting out of prison. Then three days later he got told he was being released.
One of my other friends inside, ‘Baker’ - we nicknamed him because he was caught for selling hash browns - was having dreams as well. But unlike Jason’s dream, it wasn’t good news. Two days later he was killed in his cell.
Life had got to the point where I had lost track of how many days I’d been inside.
Life is Restored
One day I got a visitor - Mr Smith. This was Mr Potter’s boss. His nickname was ‘Pharoah’ because of the great power and authority he held.
He told me how he had met Jason at an Alcoholic’s Anonymous group where he was sharing how he was struggling with his dreams. Jason told him how I had interpreted his dream and so he was there to see if I could help him.
“All I am is what God made me. So yes, I can tell you what it means,” I said. So he told me his dream.
I replied, “Business is really good for you and it's only going to get better, better than it’s ever been. But that will change. There is going to be a downturn in the economy. That day will come with vengeance”
Pharaoh, I mean Mr Smith, said he wanted a man like me working on his team.
The next week, I was taken before the court. Mr Smith had enough connections and money to get me a retrial and there wasn’t enough evidence to keep me inside. I was freed. It had now been 13 years since I left my father's house.
As fast as my life was ripped away from me, it was given back. Just like that, I was working again. Things were going great. I had an awesome job, a great position and I got engaged to the woman of my dreams. Life was good...
Reunited with my brothers
...until one day I had to take a meeting for a colleague. I got one big shock when I walked in and my brothers were sitting there. They didn’t recognize me. It turns out they missed some mortgage payments and we were going to take their house.
James explained how hard it’s been for farms over the last few years with the drought and downturn in the economy.
At that moment I remembered the dream I had when I was younger, that one day they would all come to me for help. I couldn’t handle seeing them and I had to leave. As I left, I said we would be in contact.
Sitting in my office shocked at what had just happened, God reminded me of the forgiveness I had walked through with him back in prison and how he had given me freedom and worth.
So I jumped in my car and went to see my brothers. When I arrived they still didn’t recognize me. I shared how even sometimes our worst experiences like losing the farm can lead you to where God wants you to be.
I showed them the branding they gave me. I told them I forgave them and then I handed them the transfer of deed. They could stay on the farm.
I shared how what they intended for evil God intended for good.
I didn’t forgive them because it was easy, I forgave them because this is what Jesus did for me. If I chose to hold on to unforgiveness, it would have destroyed me and God couldn’t have used me the way he did.
Through my willingness to forgive my brothers, God was able to take me out of the pit into a place of influence in the palace.
Thank you for letting me share my story.”
Where are you today? Do you find yourself in the pit or the palace, or maybe somewhere in between? Father God is inviting you out of the pit to be with him in the palace.
God doesn’t want the pain of our past to stop us from our destiny. I encourage you to forgive, like Joseph did, anyone that you need to forgive.
The tools are simple they are as follows:
- Jesus is there anyone I need to forgive?
- I forgive ….. for …..
- I break agreement with the unbelief that you would ever hurt me in that way.
- Jesus what is your truth?
Barry Kirby is a disciple of Jesus Christ, living in relationship with Father God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Barry works and worships with the Salvation Army based in Wellington, New Zealand.