Contributor: Peter Folikwe

INTRODUCTION
Last week, our teacher and contributors at the day’s teaching highlighted the benefits that come with having “a closer walk with God”: the theme of our Bible study for this year. The study x-rayed God’s divine faithful benefits through ‘the law of harvest’.
In summary, the study elaborated on God’s faithfulness to keeping His promises, when we fulfil our part through righteousness and total obedience to God’s instructions.
In today’s Bible Study, we shall be reviewing the subtopic under God’s faithfulness - ‘Promotion comes from God’.

THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD’S PROMOTION
Before we delve into the anchor scripture for today, I want us to be guided by a statement of truth in Psalm 75:6-7 “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”
Meaning no one can promote you, except God. Promotion from any other source – the devil, leads to failure in the end.
Another truth is in Lamentations 3:which says 37 “Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?”
Brethren, this passage reminds us to always boast in the Lord, not in our achievements in -It is by His mercies we are not consumed. life.
Finally, James 1:17 tells us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
• this tells us that promotions or progresses we make in life are gifts from God. He never waivers. He stands by His promise.
• As the unwavering, dependable and reliable God, once you meet His conditions for promotion, He will promote you.

WHY AND HOW DOES GOD PROMOTE? A CASE STUDY OF JOSEPH
1. Life Without Bitterness.
Gen 39:1-6 tells us that:
The Lord was with Joseph in Egypt because He led him there in the first place. After Joseph’s dreams that he innocently relayed to his brethren, his environment became toxic unknowingly to him. His brothers planned his death which eventually led him to becoming a slave in a foreign land, but he was not bitter at all. He became a candidate of God’s blessings and promotion.

Gen 50:19-20:

• By this time he was the Prime minister of the most powerful and influential country in the world at the time.
• He could have chosen to dissociate himself from his family and hid his identity.
• Not only was he not bitter, he forgave with ease.
• In one of Pastor’s teachings, he noted that the first thing Joseph would have requested soon as he became prime mister was to demand for Potiphar’s wife to tell the truth and offer a public apology. But he did not. Potiphar’s wife lived and died with a wounded conscience.
• Hebrews 12:14-us to admonishes 15 pursue peace with all people…….lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
• Bitterness is birthed when we are in contention with people. It develops stubborn roots when we harbour unforgiving in our hearts towards same people.

2. Righteous Living:

• Ps. 1:1-3 - Joseph’s righteous lifestyle kept him overcoming every huddle of life he had to pass through. He refused to deny God.
• In Gen 39:9 Joseph told his master’s wife “There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? “  
  • Here he turned down the enticing offer of his bosses wife, focusing more on his right standing with God than offending his master.
• His brothers ought to be happy for him and encourage him, instead they detested him and hated him. This is common in the world we live today.
• Cain orchestrated similar behaviour towards Abel in Gen 4:8-9.
• Potiphar was blessed because of the presence of a righteous man - Joseph, in his household. This focused the attention of God on his estate.
• Proverbs 10:6 The righteous will be unable to hide God’s blessings/ promotions because it will be in the glare view of all, but shame will keeps the mouth of the wicked/sinner shut. As a slave, Joseph was uniquely favoured by his master. Even in prison Joseph was a superstar.
• II Chronicles 26:3-5. Similar to Joseph was the young king Uzziah, whose reign was interrupted for 52 years simply because he made God his priority in all his decisions.
• II Chronicles 31:20-21. King Hezekiah also prospered because he diligently obeyed God’s commandment and sought the face God before embarking on any plan.
• Proverbs 3:33 “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He says comes under the curse of God An entire household blesses the home of the just.”. Conversely, blessings pursue and overtake a home ways because a man’s wicked where justice and equity prevails.

3. Focus on God’s Gifts With Patience:

• Joseph unwaveringly held unto his dreams and aspirations to the end despite consistent pitfalls along the way.
• He was not deterred despite being thrown into a dry well, sold to slavery in Egypt and thrown into prison. He lived his dreams; dreaming all-over again and again.
• Joseph looked up to God, just as we are admonished in Heb. 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” He relied on God’s blessings and not that of man. Many are today men-pleasers with eyeservice, sycophants satisfied with prises from men.
• 1Pet 1:7 states “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” Reward for honest service to God is promotion here on earth and a crown of glory after our earthly sojourn. 1Pet 5:4.
• It takes a lot of perseverance and patience to wait on God sometimes. But 2Pet 1:5-7 admonishes us to be patient and godly; and also have brotherly kindness and charity

GOD IS STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF PROMOTING

• Psalms 113:7-says “He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of 9With the princes of His people. —the ash heap, That He may seat him with princesHe grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!”
• He specializes in turning things around.
• The poor and down trodden written off by men are elevated unto enviable positions in life by God. The barren is made mother of children.
• Song: I can see everything turning around….
• Psalms 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.”
• Proverbs 12:2 “A good man obtains favor from the Lord, But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.”
• Psalms 112:2-1 ““Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.”

CONCLUSION:
Enduring promotion is the reward for consistent commitment to God’s will and purpose for our lives. Anyone who lives outside of God’s will and purpose and seem to be enjoying the worlds promotion is simply being set-up by the devil for filure.