DIVINE ELEVATION – POSITIONED FOR PURPOSE

Week 1: Positioned for Elevation

During this study, we will be doing a ‘deep dive’ into a scriptural passage. It is strongly encouraged that you study the passage and entire chapter ahead of the study. Also be prepared with your research tools, for example Google or your study Bible, as you will need to reference it during the study. Spend time answering and discussing each question with the intention to gain sufficient understanding to help your own private Bible study as you further explore these topics.

Study Chapters: Proverbs 1–9 (As you read, give particular attention to Proverbs 1:1-7; 2:1-11; 3:1-12; 4:5-13, 20-27; 8:10-21; 9:10-12)

Pilot text

Proverbs 3:5-8
“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
Proverbs 4:5-9
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

Introduction:

Welcome to September, our month of Divine Elevation, where we are Positioned for Purpose!
There are places God has ordained for us, assignments He has prepared for us, and dimensions of purpose that cannot be entered merely through ambition, intelligence, connections or human effort. Divine Elevation begins with God. He knows where He is taking us, what He has placed within us, what must be developed in us and what will be required of us when we arrive. That is why Proverbs begins not with promotion, but with wisdom.
Wisdom teaches us how to walk with God before the destination becomes visible. It teaches us when to move and when to wait, what to embrace and what to refuse, whose voice to hear and which path to avoid. Knowledge may tell us what is happening. Understanding may help us grasp why and how. Wisdom helps us discern what God requires of us in the moment.
This week, expect God to challenge assumptions, expose unwise patterns, sharpen discernment and redirect paths. Perhaps Divine Elevation has already begun, not because circumstances have changed, but because God is changing the person who will enter the next season.
Therefore, rather than asking, “Where do I want to go?”; ask instead: “Lord, where are You taking me, and what would Your wisdom require of me right now?”

Discussion Point

• Where do we see Christ?Proverbs presents wisdom as something far greater than accumulated information. Wisdom comes from God, gives life, directs the path and is more valuable than earthly treasure. The New Testament brings this revelation into sharper focus by presenting Christ Himself as the wisdom of God.
  Further reading: 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; Colossians 2:2–3; Luke 11:31 and Matthew 12:42.
  Solomon possessed extraordinary wisdom, yet Jesus identifies Himself as greater than Solomon. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This means that ultimately, the Christian pursuit of wisdom is not merely the pursuit of better principles. It is the pursuit of deeper alignment with Christ.
  
• Where do we see salvation foreshadowed? Proverbs repeatedly presents two paths: one leading toward life and another toward destruction. Wisdom calls people away from the path that destroys and invites them into the way of life. This provides a powerful picture of the salvation God ultimately offers through Christ.
  Further reading: John 10:9–10; John 14:6; Romans 6:21–23; Ephesians 2:8–10 and Titus 2:11–12.
  Salvation does more than rescue us from the consequence of sin. Grace brings us into a new life and teaches us how to live. We are saved by grace, not by becoming wise enough to earn God’s acceptance. Yet the grace that saves us also transforms our thinking, desires, decisions and direction.
• Where do we see ourselves? Proverbs 1–9 continually places a choice before the hearer: Which voice will be believed, and which path will be followed?
  Our generation has unprecedented access to information, opinions, advice and opportunity. Yet access to more information does not automatically produce wisdom. A decision can appear profitable and still be unwise. An opportunity can look like elevation and still lead away from purpose. A delay can feel like failure while God is actually using it for preparation. This makes Proverbs intensely practical. Divine Elevation requires more than asking, “Can I do this?” Wisdom also asks, “Should I do this? Is this God’s way? Is this God’s timing? What kind of person will this decision cause me to become?”
  Further reading: James 1:5; James 3:13–17; Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 5:15–17.
  Discussion: Where might human understanding currently be competing with God’s wisdom in everyday decisions concerning career, relationships, finances, family, ministry or personal ambition? What does it practically mean to trust God enough to allow His wisdom to redirect a path?

Closing thoughts:

Proverbs 1–9 reminds us that Divine Elevation begins with Divine Wisdom. Before God changes where we are, He often works on how we see, think and walk. Proverbs therefore places an extraordinary premium on wisdom because our ability to steward where God is taking us is connected to our willingness to hear Him where we currently are.
This points us ultimately to Christ. Jesus is not simply a teacher of wise principles; He is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Therefore, pursuing wisdom is ultimately about growing in our knowledge of Christ and allowing Him to shape our lives. Divine Elevation is not self-promotion with God’s assistance. It is God positioning a life that is increasingly aligned with Him for the purpose He has ordained.
We also see salvation in the two paths presented throughout Proverbs. One path progressively leads away from God and toward destruction; God’s wisdom continually calls us back toward life. Jesus fulfils that invitation completely: He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). We are not saved because we made enough wise decisions. We are saved by grace through Christ (Ephesians 2:8–10), and that saving grace begins transforming how we live.
So where are we in this story? Perhaps standing at a crossroads. Perhaps facing an attractive opportunity, a difficult relationship, a major decision, an uncomfortable delay or an uncertain future. Divine Elevation does not mean every opportunity must be taken or every obstacle immediately removed. Sometimes elevation looks like God saying go. Sometimes wisdom says wait. Sometimes it says leave, stay, speak, or be silent.
———————–
Here is an invitation for you:
This week, make the pursuit of God’s wisdom intentional. Bring the decisions, ambitions, opportunities and uncertainties of this season before Him. Ask boldly for wisdom, because God promises to give it generously (James 1:5). Then be prepared for His wisdom to challenge an assumption, change a direction or require an uncomfortable act of obedience.
Do not be afraid if God’s path looks different from the one imagined. The God directing the path already knows the destination.
Trust Him.
Receive His wisdom.
Walk His way.
And allow Him to position you for His purpose.

Application Questions (use scriptures to support your position):

• A Christian professional is offered a prestigious new role with significantly greater pay and visibility. However, taking it would require repeated compromises around integrity that colleagues describe as simply “how things are done at this level.” Everyone around him regards the offer as obvious career elevation. How should the principles in Proverbs 1–9 help him distinguish between promotion and Divine Elevation?
• A woman has worked diligently toward a long-held goal and believes she is ready for greater responsibility. Several opportunities have nevertheless gone to other people, and disappointment is turning into impatience. She is considering forcing an alternative route simply because waiting has become uncomfortable. How might Proverbs 3:5–8 and 4:5–9 reshape the way she interprets this season and decides what to do next?
• A business owner has experienced rapid growth and increasing influence. His decisions have traditionally been based on intelligence, instinct and experience, and these have served him well. Recently, however, success has increased the complexity of his decisions, relationships at home are suffering, and several trusted people have questioned the direction he is taking. How would the wisdom of Proverbs 1–9 counsel him, and what might genuine Divine Elevation look like in this situation?