Memorise:
Seeth thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29
Read: 2 Kings 2:9-15
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Message
Some people wrongly believe that God will promote them irrespective of their attitude in life. God is not a God of mediocrity, laziness or indolence. God is interested in promoting those who make good effort in their endeavours. Joseph was not just promoted in the house of Portiphar, his master saw a mark of excellence and diligence in him before he was put in charge of everything. Those who think God will favour them despite being lazy, dormant, inactive and lethargic are only wasting their time. There are people who have privileges but refuse to use them. Joseph utilized the privilege he had in his master’s house and he was in charge. He also utilized the privilege he had in the prison and he was put in charge. This attitude of hard work and diligence continued with him until space was made for him at the top.
There are many people who have remained in the same spot for a long time because they have refused to engage their God given potentials. They want God to provide food for them and cook it and also put it in their mouths. You must be able to strike the iron while it is red hot. Maximizing the opportunities given to you by God can change the story of your life and attract uncommon promotion to you.
If one knows how to work efficiently, he will have no problem getting to the top. He will be able to provide for himself and his family. Industrious people will always rule over those that are lazy. What were the other sons of the prophet doing when Elisha was following Elijah? They were making mockery of Elisha, reminding him that his master will soon be taken away. Even though all of them were sons of the prophet they did not see Elijah as their own master. They told Elisha that ‘his master’ will soon be taken away. The anointing you do not respect will never work for you. The office you do not respect can never get to you. They were all there viewing from afar. They refused to step out of their comfort zone. Complacency had taken over their hearts. Elisha followed his master from Gilgal to Bethel and from Bethel to Jericho and from Jericho to Jordan but the others just viewed from afar. Are you like one of the 50 sons of the prophet? When you see your leader pursuing a vision, you just stay and watch from afar? Are you one of those who discourage others from putting their best into what their superiors are doing? Are you one of those who specialize in pulling down others because their promotion is a threat to you? You have to have a rethink of heart if you don't want to remain in the valley of life. God is interested in blessing you and promoting you but you have to convince Him that you desire that promotion.
If you are hardworking, there is no demon that can stop your progress in life, but God will never bless the lazy. You must be up and doing. You should be diligent in all your duties. It is takes diligence to get to the top and the same diligence is required to sustain your place at the top. You must challenge yourself to rise above every limitation and barrier and work your way to the very top through hard work.
Key Point:
It is the soul of the diligent that will eventually be made fat.
Bible IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 30:18-33:24
Psalm 36
Author: Pastor E. A. Adeboye
HYMN 14: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See His banners go!
Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before.
At the sign of triumph
Satan's host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell's foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.
Chorus:
Like a mighty army
Moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.
Chorus:
Crowns and thrones may perish,
Kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus
Constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never
Gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ's own promise,
And that cannot fail.
Chorus:
Onward then, ye people,
Join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor
Unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.
Chorus.
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