Psalm 75: 1 - 6, How we thank you, Lord! Your mighty miracles give proof that you care. "Yes," the Lord replies, "and when I am ready, I will punish the wicked! Though the earth shakes and all its people live in turmoil, yet its pillars are firm, for I have set them in place!" I warned the proud to cease their arrogance! I told the wicked to lower their insolent gaze and to stop being stubborn and proud. For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. TLB
This devotion is a relevant word for every Christian that receives this email today. It doesn't matter if you work in the White House or if you are a Domestic Engineer in your own house; this is a word from God's Word for you. Occasionally, I have Christians share with me the problems that oppose them in their workplace. First of all, Jesus tells us that if the world hated Him, then we also will be hated. Secondly, He was hated without a cause, and if you let your light shine as a child of God before the world, they too will hate you without a cause. Now that we have the ugly part of living in a fallen world out of the way, let's see what the Lord has to say about promotion for you. Biblical promotion has more to do with you as a person than the office you now hold or that you one day hope to occupy. It is the favor of God being released upon your life that causes others to admit that God is with you, whether or not they like it or agree with it.
Since you have chosen to place your trust in Jesus as your Savior, you have found favor in the Father's sight. The result of that favor is total acceptance. Paul tells us in Ephesians that we have been accepted in the Beloved. Our faith in Christ has brought our hearts in agreement with the Father, and as we continue to seek the Father's heart and fulfill His will, He has promised to reward us. This is why people on your job or in your own house might choose to hate you for nothing more than being born again. So when God decides to promote you, just get ready for war to break out in the camp.
As a Christian, you must know that you are hated, persecuted, and despised by man just because of your love of Jesus and the Father's acceptance of you. It's not like you and I go around and taunt people in the world by saying, "I'm accepted by my heavenly Father and you're not." Yet the ones who persecute you the most are feeling condemnation, because you enjoy your spiritual freedom in Christ. Because of their jealousy, they resent you. Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord one day, and God had respect for Abel and his offering, but rejected Cain and his offering. God rejected the offering, because Cain didn't bring the correct sacrifice; Cain brought the fruit of the ground that had been cursed even though he knew that God required an animal sacrifice.
It was God's acceptance of Abel that caused Cain to hate his brother to the point of taking Abel's life. So, we can see how our Father's acceptance of us can cause us to be hated without a cause. Here is the point of today's word: If you're looking to God for promotion in your life, marriage, finances, career, ministry, etc., then know that it is the Lord who promotes you; it is not man. If you know in your heart that it's time for a promotion, because the Lord has told you that it is... but someone is fighting you, then know that they are being stiff-necked and rebellious to the Lord. What we must not do is engage in the battle for our right to move ahead. This is the time to be still and see the salvation of the Lord.
You are fighting a spiritual battle, because the person that is opposing you and seems to be "standing in your way" is really resisting God and not you. The key to securing a victory is remaining humble and waiting on the Lord to accomplish what must be done in order to raise you up. Both Peter and James tell us to humble ourselves unto the Lord, and He will raise us up in due season. The Biblical way of moving "UP" is bowing "DOWN" to the Lord. The more humble we become, and the more we trust in Him to promote us, the quicker He can raise us up.
Waiting on the Promotion,
Pastor Asa
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