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Friends, greetings in Jesus Name! Today, we shall continue on our series titled, “Prerequisites for Divine Promotion”. Last week we looked at “Unleashing your God-Given Talents” as one of the many prerequisites for divine promotion. As earlier noted, talent is any natural or special gift; special aptitude or ability. It is our natural endowment or potential given to us by God. Just to dwell a little bit more on talents, we should understand that it was God-given talents that took David to the palace to meet King Saul in the first instance, even though he had been anointed to be the future King of Israel. When King Saul lost his reasoning by reason of the evil spirits troubling his life, his council of elders sought for someone who was skilled and talented in playing music (1 Samuel17:14-23). David was already positioned for such role because he was prepared. There is a saying that, “Success occurs when preparation meets an opportunity.” Indeed, David has horned and harnessed his gifts. “For a man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men” (Proverbs 18:16).

In fact, along with the gift of playing musical instruments, David was also a gifted and a skillful fighter. He acknowledged this God-given ability when he wrote in Psalm144:1,”Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” Never forget, all these gifts and talents were not David’s purpose, but were given to him by God for the fulfilment of his life purpose as a king (2 Samuel 7:8). The bible declares in Isaiah 62:12 that, “You shall be a sought after”. Meaning, men will sought or look for you as a result of God’s deposit and endowment in your life. Remember, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Therefore, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:13,16). What makes you a sought after is the “good works” that people see in your life.

This brings us to the next prerequisite for divine promotion, which is “Diligence”. We learnt from the parable of the talents that when the master returned, he said to the unjust steward who hid his talent: “You wicked and lazy servant” (Matthew 25:26). Laziness which is the absence of work robs one of his or her promotion. If you observed in that story, the unjust steward was demoted, his talent was taken away, and it was given to the man who gained extra five talents. Then the master concluded by saying, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25:29). When you do nothing with your talents, you lose it. Those who do not have are the ones who by reason of slothfulness have done nothing with what God has given them. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” To be diligent is to engage in productive work. Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Right from the garden of Eden, God gave man work to do. Adam was not meant to lazy about in the garden. God gave Adam the garden to tend and watch over as his daily activity. In fact, our God is a hard worker too. No wonder Jesus said to the Jews around him, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working too” (John 5:17). Our God is not lazy. And we cannot be any different. Remember, “He that does not work, should not eat or expect to be promoted (2 Thes. 3:10). The Lord said that, “He will bless the works of our hands” (Deut. 28:12); not the lazy about of our hands. Apostle Paul puts it succinctly this way, “My hands has provided for my necessities” (Acts 20:34). It is your diligence that provides and promotes you in life. The scripture declares, “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labour” (Proverbs 12:24). You cannot rule or reign while subjected to forced labour. Ruling and reigning are for those promoted and exalted up high. Hallelujah! I pray that we shall become diligent servants of God in carrying out his assignments before us in Jesus Mighty Name. We will continue from here next week. Till then, have a Fantastic Week. With love, Elvis!