“We thank You, O God! We give thanks because You are near. People everywhere tell of Your wonderful deeds. God says, ‘At the time I have planned, I will bring justice against the wicked. When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. I warned the proud, Stop your boasting! I told the wicked, Don’t raise your fists! Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens or speak with such arrogance.’ For no one on earth—from east or west, or even from the wilderness—should raise a defiant fist” (Psalm 75:1-6).

Occasionally, I have Christians share with me that they face opposition in the 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. With that said, 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’ve 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 your faith. 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 simply because of your love for 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, for they see you enjoying 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’s the point: If you’re looking to God for promotion in your life, marriage, finances, career, ministry, etc., then know that it is the He who promotes you; it’s 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’re 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 wait on the Lord to accomplish what must be done in order to raise you up. Both Peter and James tell us to humble ourselves before the Lord and He will raise us up in due season. The biblical way of moving “up” is bowing “down” to God. The more humble we become, and the more we trust in Him to promote us, the quicker He can raise us up.  —submitted by Asa Dockery, US