I am waving my hand in the air, saying ME – ME!. You probably are too! Or you want to be, but your sitting in your office at work and that would look weird…

Everyone wants the next level. We ALL want the next big thing. If the promotion fairy walks into the room handing out raises, better titles, and more power – we are all going to hold our hand out and smile when she hands us ours.

But the promotion fairy, along with the tooth fairy, don’t exist. (If this was news to you, I apologize. That’s a convo for you and your parents).

So How Does Promotion Come?

Many times the vehicle for promotion seems to be the opposite of the fairytale life, it seems to be the fire.

In Daniel 3 there are three guys doing their job with integrity. They won’t lie, cheat, steal, mislead the client, falsely promote, or worship a god that is not theirs – even if that god is the almighty dollar, influence, or power.

All things we believe. All things we believe we do. Until the challenge comes.

The king tells them to worship his god or be thrown in fire to die.

Just take the client out for drinks and when he’s had one too many, get the contract out.
Just flirt with your boss, every person who does gets promoted. It’s ok – he’s married too.
Just work your side hustle on company time, it’s not stealing money – even though they are paying you to do something else.
Just turn that receipt in as a company expense, no one will know and the extra money is yours.

The three guys said no. Even when it meant more than losing the deal or their job. It meant they were going to die.

The ticked off king threw them in a FIRE that was SO HOT, it killed the people he threw in it!

When the king saw them walking around in the fire, the very man that threw them in told them to come out.

He was so impressed with what happened to them, he demanded that the entire kingdom bow down to their God! And he didn’t stop there, he promoted them in the kingdom!

When we think about promotion, we don’t usually envision having to face the fire to get it. But so many times, that is how it comes.

Not giving in. Standing strong. Watching the fire come and not running or bowing to another god.

I think God is honored when we take a stand for what is right. And God honors those that honor Him. No matter the fire storm that comes with it. What looked like a tombstone ended up being a stepping stone!

If there is the smell of smoke in the air, and your starting to feel the heat of the situation – DON’T GIVE UP! It smells like promotion is coming!!!!!

Daniel 3:28-30 “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”