Garment Change

How to discern the season you are in and navigate it by recognizing the type of garment the Lord has you wearing. Many of us are at the threshold of receiving the manifestation of promises made by the Lord. This season of breakthrough and garment change is a sign of God's plan to change our lives.

Changes in garments are a natural part of life, with each new season requiring a different one. From birth to old age, we keep transitioning into different garments. Each change signifies a shift in our role, experience, and maturity. This process, especially if we have the call of God on our lives, is essential for the Lord to equip us and prepare us for His plans. We are being refined and will emerge as pure gold. Trust the Lord in the process and submit fully to it.

The Bible uses the term "garment" numerous times, including the sack cloth for mourning, widowhood, prisoner, High Priest garment, praise garment, righteousness garment, and royalty garment. Jeremiah wore the sack cloth during his imprisonment, while the High Priest garment is described in Exodus. The Prophets and Book of Revelations discuss Christ's righteousness garment, while Joseph wore a royalty garment. These garments serve as reminders of God's love and righteousness.

Genesis 41: 41 - 42 | “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.”

Joseph went through a prophetic journey, wearing four different garments throughout his life. Each garment represented a role and calling God wanted him to fulfil, and each shifted him to a new season. To fulfil his calling as a deliverer, Joseph had to wear these garments at four different stages of his life, each bringing him new experiences and blessings.

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1. The Garment of Multi-Colours

Genesis 37: 3 (KJV) | Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of MANY colors. (1st Garment)

Genesis 37: 4 (KJV) | And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Genesis 37: 5 (KJV) | And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

Joseph, a dreamer and prophet, was greatly favored by his father and given a beautiful multi-colored coat. This coat symbolizes the development of his multi-faced gifting, a mantle on him. His great giftings, dreams, and visions made his brothers and sisters jealous. This highlights the importance of understanding that jealousy can arise from those within one's inner circle, especially when they see the special anointing and gifting on someone.

Genesis 37: 6 - 7 (KJV) | And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves stood around about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

Joseph shared a dream of his brothers bowing down before him, including his father. Sharing something untimely can lead to jealousy, which can lead to murder. The story of Joseph illustrates the importance of protecting the promises God has given us, not prematurely speaking about them. It is crucial to maturely steward these promises until they manifest, avoiding premature sharing. This lesson highlights the importance of avoiding premature sharing.

2. Garment of Slavery

The passage discusses the prophetic journey of a deliverer, where a person goes through decades of training to be put into place. This process involves not only wearing a beautiful coloured garment but also wearing the garment of humility and wisdom, with all glory going to the Lord.

God allowed the famine, which is similar to the current global crisis. He will be the one who stops the rains, brings earthquakes, shakes governments, and puts godly men and women strategically into place. Joseph's experience of being taken into slavery was marked by his feet being put into irons, indicating that God allowed him to be hurt. The Lord allowed Joseph to have his feet put in irons.

Are you experiencing pain now? Is the pain caused by men who put you in the pit? For a long time, you have harboured bitterness against those who may have done this to you, but you did not know that it was actually God who allowed you to be hurt. It was God who allowed you to be thrown into the pit and sold to be a slave to your oppressor. The passage encourages us to heal our souls, not just our physical bodies or minds, and seek help from a trusted leader to build us up again. Heal with the help of a leader whom you can trust who can help build you up again; do not isolate yourself, as it is dangerous.

Many people have been brought into foreign land where they didn't want to go, and the Lord suddenly shifts and changes them. The Lord is in this place right now, and many are coming out of stuck places, such as bondage, sickness, or addiction.

Joseph's journey as a deliverer saw him going to Potiphar's house, and he found favour in his sight. He was made overseer of his house and put in charge of everything he had. Joseph was given a second robe of authority, where the people would do whatever they wanted. Despite the pagan culture where he was sold, Joseph still followed God and had a secret testimony.

Even when our multi-colour coat of favour is removed and we are now wearing the garment of slavery, we can still rule in our realm and experience the favour of God, as our oppressor, like Potiphar, will notice it. The Lord was being very strategic with Joseph's process.

3. The Garment of a Prisoner

Joseph, a man who had been betrayed multiple times, was thrown into the royal dungeon. His garment was torn and ripped off, and he was accused of being a rapist by Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:11–14). This test of his character and heart was the consequence of unjust betrayal and misunderstanding.

Psalm 105 states that the garment that identifies us with the death and suffering of Jesus Christ is the garment that identifies us with the suffering servant, Jesus. God will allow betrayals to happen to us, and we will go through the city gates, looking like the suffering Servant, Jesus, and glowing in the resurrection anointing from the Cross of the Lamb. Part of the divine strategy of the Lord is to kill us so that we look more like Him.

Joseph's faith in the Word of God tested him, and he died to all his human pride and abilities. In prison, he was thrown into the royal dungeon, where the Holy Spirit said to him, "Open up the gates! Open up the gate! You have suffered enough, like Jesus! You look just like Jesus! Open up the gates for the king of glory!"

Joseph was strategically placed in the royal dungeon, and the favour of the Lord was with him. It took years for him to be brought out and put before Pharaoh. The Lord's strategic plan allows us to deal with our motives and love Him, allowing us to be desperate for Him and press into Him.

4. The Garment of Rulership

Joseph, after enduring hardships, is finally promoted to rulership. Pharaoh's dream, which none of the magicians could solve, was interpreted by Joseph, who was brought before him and given the rulership robe.

Genesis 41: 41 - 43 | And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus, he set him OVER ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT.

Joseph, after three garment changes, was given the rulership garment by Pharaoh, allowing him to rule over Egypt. This shift in government can lead to losing one's title or authority and, sometimes, being wrongly accused. However, the Lord has strategically placed this situation to work His heart of humility in those called to deliver and forerunner.

There are two seats: the Judgement Seat and the Mercy Seat. If you are wrongly accused and are bleeding from betrayal and assassination, you can face the partial truth and move in bitterness and anger. Your wounds will become infected, and you could be disqualified until you deal with your unforgiveness. If you go to the Mercy Seat and cry out, your wounds heal and the scars glow with the resurrection anointing of Jesus. This brings promotion into the spirit as you pray for forgiveness and healing from the accusers. As in the words of Jesus, “Lord, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.”

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How do you weather these four GARMENT changes?

Genesis 49: 22 – 25 (NIV) | Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness, archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained safely, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, who blesses you.

1. Cling to God like a vine.

• That is where you will get the favour of God in all seasons of life.

2. Stay near the spring.

• Be close to the Holy Spirit, the spring of life.

3. BE STEADY

• Hold up the bow of God, which is the word of God, and let God uphold your right hand when you feel you are falling.

• Be not like Ephraim, whose love for God “is like a morning cloud, like a dew that goes away early away.”(Hosea 6:4).

• Be close to the Holy Spirit, the spring of life.

4. Be steady.

• Hold up the bow of God, which is the word of God, and let God uphold your right hand when you feel you are falling.

• Be not like Ephraim, whose love for God “is like a morning cloud, like a dew that goes away early away.” | Hosea 6: 4.

• You must understand that God “desires steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than a burnt offering.” | Hosea 6: 6.

5. Remember that each garment change is a strategic government shift from God's hand.

• It is important to endure trials and suffering to obtain the garment of rulership—a divine purpose and strategy. The journey of Joseph, who endured 13 years of suffering to receive the greatest gift of all: the garment of rulership, God has called us to be deliverers like Joseph, and we must change our garments four times: the garment of multi-colour, the garment of slavery, the garment of a prisoner, and the garment of rulership.

• If we are wearing a multi-coloured garment, we should praise God and use our multi-faceted gift. However, we must also be prepared for the next shift in our journey, the journey to the pit and prison, where we may be betrayed. We should cling to Jesus, stay near the spring, be steady in faith, and know that God strategically allows this suffering to happen.

• Hold onto your garments as you enter your season of rulership and are almost there. It is crucial to align our hearts, thoughts, speech, and deeds with the Lord and his word for promotion. We are on the verge of breaking out of prison and putting on our garment of rulership, and we can do it in the Lord.