| Transition - a passage from one state, stage, or place | | | | word for dreamed means to bind firmly. Therefore |
| to another. By its very nature, transition involves | | | | God, through a dream, released a Word to Joseph, |
| change, evolution, or development. When applied to | | | | and that Word bound firmly to him, until the time that |
| things such as excellence or conforming to the image | | | | his Word came true. |
| of Christ, transition is a constant. | | | | During transition, God begins His process of refinement. |
| Transition comes in stages or cycles. Connected to | | | | It is said of Joseph in Psalm 105:17 - 19, "He (God) sent |
| any transition stage or cycle is the release of the | | | | a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a |
| Word of God. The key to developing an effective | | | | servant. Whose feet they hurt with fetters, he was laid |
| strategy during transition is to identify what God is | | | | in iron, until the time that his word came, the word of |
| saying. However, having the key is not enough. This | | | | the Lord tried him." Joseph being tried is equivalent to |
| key, like any other key, becomes useful when used to | | | | gold or silver being refined to be purified. Job stated in |
| gain access to the treasure it protects. Knowledge of | | | | Job 23:10, "when he has tried me, I shall come forth as |
| the Word of the Lord to you is the key. Understanding | | | | gold." This process for promotion is what God uses to |
| that knowledge is what releases the treasure, the | | | | get us from one stage of development to the next. |
| insight into where God is leading and/or what changes | | | | Timing is always associated with transition. Only God |
| He wants to produce in our lives. This understanding | | | | knows the beginning, duration, and end of this timing |
| can only come about by knowing what God's Word is | | | | and He is more interested in the completion of the |
| to you. You, have to know it! Not someone else, you! | | | | process than he is in the duration of it. God knows that |
| Joseph understood that it was the Word of the Lord | | | | when the process is completed you will look and act a |
| to him that was trying him, refining him, purifying him, | | | | little more like him. Transition initiates refinement. |
| causing him to conform to the image contained within | | | | Refinement brings purity. It is only the pure in heart that |
| the Word of the Lord to him. Genesis 37:5 begins by | | | | see God in all of their situations and circumstances. |
| saying "And Joseph dreamed a dream". The Hebrew | | | | |