Prevailing In Prayer In The Marketplace

"…Come work with us, and then our works will endure; you will give us success in all we do.”—Psalms 90:17 (TPT)

Years ago, I really struggled with self-pity. I didn’t just struggle with it, I embraced it. It felt like things came so easily to others, while I was constantly battling with myself. I’d cry out to God, Why is this so hard for me? I’m doing everything I know to serve You! Those thoughts tormented me for a long time—until one day, at a church retreat, God delivered me.

 I’d inherited a strong work ethic from my dad.  I saw him work two jobs without complaint, and I learned to believe that hard work was the path, not just to success but identity. On my first official job out of college, I was quite excited to be working in a good, professional job at a prestigious corporation, but I did not know what I was doing!  Self-pity quickly took over; I would come home, go into my prayer closet, and cry. I was overwhelmed and desperate for wisdom to face the challenges that greeted me each day at work.

But it was in those moments—in my early twenties and throughout my career—that I learned to call on the name of the Lord at work. It was during these years that I came to know and call on El Roi—the God who sees me. If no one cared about what I was going through, I knew He did.

Have you ever had a difficult boss? Or, maybe an unreasonable work colleague who made you want to call in sick every day. If so, you’re not the only one.

Let me tell you about a woman named Hagar in Genesis 16. She found herself in a messy situation that her boss created and then blamed her for it! (Perhaps this scenario sounds familiar to you?)

Hagar was Sarah’s maidservant—essentially her personal assistant. Her job was to help Sarah and do whatever was asked of her. Sarah had received a promise from the Lord that she would have a child, but as time went on and her body aged, she grew impatient. So she took matters into her own hands. She told her husband, Abram, to sleep with Hagar in hopes of having a child through her. Hagar got pregnant—mission accomplished, right?

Not quite. This plan quickly unraveled! Sarah became resentful and insecure, and because she held the position of power, Hagar paid the price. Sarah mistreated her harshly.  Hagar eventually had enough—she just could not take it anymore. She ran.

She ended up, out of place, in the wilderness. Hagar was desperate and, perhaps like me, indulging in self-pity. I know I would have been crying a river! She thought no one cared about her situation.

Genesis 16:7-9 tells us that the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water. God (El Roi) saw her.

Consider this—the angel didn’t comfort her with sympathy. He made no mention of the unfairness of her situation. Instead, He asked her two pointed questions and gave her this instruction: “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.”

God’s ways really aren’t our ways. And yet, in this hard directive, Hagar was also given a promise—a word of hope that she had not been forgotten.

So, what does all of this have to do with you and your workplace? 

Sometimes we allow the pressures of work to get the best of us. I did! And, like Hagar, I wanted to run away. I came home one day and announced to my husband, “I have to find another job!” I was just weary and I felt that I couldn’t stay there any longer. I was done.

But that night, God—through my husband—asked me two simple, piercing questions: “Why are you leaving your job? Did I tell you to do that?”

Now, when God asks you a question, He is not trying to get information. He already knows everything! The question is for us—to get to the truth, we may not want to face. And let me tell you, you can’t fake a “right answer” with God.

Ultimately, I knew what I had to do. I went back to that job and submitted. I DID NOT WANT TO! But I needed to. God was teaching me how to prevail through difficulty instead of running.

The truth is, God wants us to order our steps when it comes to deciding where to work and how to navigate in the marketplace – you are not able to do it.  Jeremiah 10:23 says, “I know, Lord, that a person’s way is not in himself.  Nor is it in a person who walks to direct his own steps.”

God wants to guide us through the marketplace, not just plant us there.

Hagar, though used and mistreated by her superior, was seen by God and ultimately promoted by Him. She received a promise like Abraham…“I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.”

If we can stand through the difficult situations at work, the reward is coming! 

Maybe you don’t identify with Hagar’s story or my desire to run from the hard situation I encountered. But the truth is, we all face people, problems, and pressures that require a breakthrough in the marketplace. We all encounter moments when we must decide - will I stay faithful, even here?

Consider another of God’s servants, Daniel, who was placed right in the middle of a corrupt and godless culture, surrounded by sin, wickedness, and idol worship. In the face of this tension, Daniel’s commitment to God never wavered. He lived a life of holiness and discipline in a place that didn’t make it easy. Daniel 1:8 states, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” He respectfully asked for a different path—one that honored God.

Daniel didn’t live as a “secret” believer. He wasn’t undercover. His devotion to God put a target on his back. When the king issued a decree forbidding prayer to anyone but himself, Daniel didn’t back down. He continued to pray - openly, boldly, faithfully.

His boldness cost him. He was thrown into a den of lions. But even there, in the most dangerous of places, God delivered him.

Daniel not only prevailed, but he came out of a lion's den without a thread of clothing missing and all limbs intact! Whew!!

Do you want to have God’s desired success at work? Daniel distinguished himself in the marketplace by having a deep well of relationship with God. Scripture says he was ten times better than his peers. His character was so solid that when people tried to find dirt on Daniel, they couldn’t. There were zero skeletons in his closet! (Daniel 6:4)  He wasn’t perfect, but he was faithful to the Lord, and that made all the difference.

God is keenly interested in what’s happening in your 9 to 5.  He did not put you there only to get a paycheck. He placed you there for a kingdom purpose, and he’s going to take care of you. Your battles in your workplace are His battles, too.

I’ve come to learn that your occupation is the place of your vocation. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, which means to call. In other words, God has called you to that place. This is your ministry.

When I left my job, my unsaved manager wrote a handwritten letter and testified to me of my great influence in our department.  It had left a profound impact on him. Frankly, I was a little stunned myself by what all God had done!  My manager had outlined things in his letter that I had not even realized the Lord had done through my example.

That long and fruitful season in the marketplace allowed me to know God in so many ways. Not just as El Roi, the God who sees me, but also as:

• Jehovah Nissi – My banner of victory

• Jehovah Shammah – My constant companion

• El Olam – The everlasting God who gives strength to the weary

Points To Prevail

• Pray over your workplace daily, and make faith-filled declarations to shift the spiritual atmosphere.

• Walk in wisdom and discernment, allowing the Lord to order your steps each day.

• Don’t be intimidated by the enemy’s tactics—and don’t run from where God has placed you. Your job is your vocation.

• Apply the blood of Jesus and speak the names of God over your workplace.

• Walk in complete integrity—let your character shine as a testimony in the marketplace.

The Bible discourages us from shrinking back - it can lead to destruction. (Hebrews 10:39).  Make a decision that you will not be overcome by the challenges on your job, but you will stand strong and PREVAIL TO BREAKTHROUGH!

---

Prayer:

Dear Father,

What an honor it is to represent You in the marketplace.  I come to you with thanksgiving in my heart, because all good things come from you, and having a job is certainly a good thing.  Help me to always be grateful for my job, and forgive me for any time I have complained about my work.  Lord, I acknowledge that I am working as unto you, and you will reward me when I work diligently. I look to you for creative ideas and fresh approaches to my work tasks. 

I commit to coming to you regarding where I am to work and how to handle the daily problems and pressures of the marketplace.   You told Joshua, as he faced a very difficult assignment to lead the people, to be strong and courageous.  There was no room for fear and doubt.  You also want me to face my work challenges with faith and confidence.  You are with me every step of the way. When I think I am being overlooked, mistreated, taken advantage of, or unfairly discarded, I will remain faithful to you.  You see me, El Roi.  Like Daniel, when I am examined, I will have nothing to fear. May my name and integrity be supreme. 

Daily, I will commit my work to you, and you will bring me success.  I know you care about my work, and I ask for your favor today. 

Jehovah Shammah, thank you for being with me each day as I enter the marketplace. I will not run away when things get difficult, but I will keep standing. I will persevere knowing that my labor is not in vain.

In your matchless name, I pray.

Amen.