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They Cannot Fire You.

I have worked in the restaurant industry for almost 23 years. During that time I have opened about 45 restaurants in many different states. The last company I worked with was a national seafood chain. I was hired as a General manager with the intent that I would help open 2 or 3 restaurants, open my own, and then be promoted to a supervisory position. This company had not hired someone in this capacity since it’s inception, for over 25+ years. As a result, I received much resistance from it’s management and supervisory staff. This resistance increased dramatically, once the Vice-president who had hired me, left the company.

My director was very resentful that I was hired. After the Vice-president left, he made an extreme effort to force me to quit. He gave me a management staff that hated me because they felt that I was unjustly promoted before them. He would often speak with them and suggest that I was not supporting them or deserved my position. He managed through intimidation and used fear to manipulate people. This fear caused people to resist me. Often my managers would come to me and tell me that our director was prompting them to lie about me. They admitted that they were lying, but did so because he pushed them into it. I know now that they actually lied because of their own evil heart.

At one point my director asked to meet me at a location away from the restaurant. When we met, he began by telling me that my managers were coming to him and complaining that I was not giving them the leadership they needed. He said that I would need to change my style of management and that failing to gain the support of my staff, would result in my termination. He asked me to consider what he had said and that I should meet him the following day. I was, at that time, to tell him what I was going to do to correct my behavior.

I went home and spoke with my wife about our meeting. I went for a walk to pray and ask God what I should do. As I walked, I prayed. I reminded God that he had given me this job and that He was Lord of this company. I’m sure He was well aware of everything that I said. At one point, I asked Him what I should do at the next meeting.

God told me that I should tell my Director three things. The first was that all the accusations brought against me were lies. The second was that my director was deceitful and that the only problem I had was trying to correct the damage he caused by coming into my restaurant. The third was that I would not change anything about my behavior. I went back home and told my wife what I was going to do. I continued to pray and bless my director and staff. I truly believed that he might fire me.

The next day we had made arrangements to meet at a different restaurant. Upon meeting I was asked what was my response to the accusations made against me. I told him that I had three things to say. He became excited because he thought that I was going to tell him how I was going to fix my behavior. I then told him that all the accusations were lies. I told him that he was deceitful. He was my primary problem and he did much damage each time he came into my restaurant and that I spent much of my time fixing the problems he caused. I also told him that I would not change my behavior in any way. He was quite stunned. It took him about a minute to speak. He finally said that he could not understand how I could say what I did. I told him that it shouldn't be hard to understand because it was the truth. He said that he couldn’t believe that I denied all of what was said. I said denying lies was easy. He said that he could not allow a manager to stay in the company that failed to admit when they had problems and work to fix them. I told him I had no problem. He said again that he could not allow me to continue to manage a restaurant. I told him that he had a decision to make. He asked me what I would do. I told him I would not change. He again said I could not continue this way. I told him he had a decision to make. As much as I wanted to tell him that he was a wicked liar and to quit, God gave me the grace to only say what he had told me to say. I had been taught that no one could fire me unless God would allow it. In John 19:10, Pilate asked Jesus if He knew that he had power to crucify Him or release Him. Jesus told him that he had no power against Him except it were given from above.

This director had no power except it were given him from above. My director, stunned, continued to ask me what I would do. He said he could not allow me to continue working. I told him he had a decision to make. He said it seemed as though I wanted to be fired. At that time, I thought that not having to work with him would be a blessing. The devil was pushing me to tell this man just what I thought of him. The grace of God stopped me from doing this. Finally, he looked at me and said that he knew the accusations were false. I agreed. He said that the managers were saying these things to benefit themselves (they might be promoted to my job). He said that my restaurant did have the best sales performance in the area. I agreed. He said that if he left me alone, I would do quite well. I agreed. He told me that he would only evaluate me on my performance. He finally looked at me and said that he was confidant that if he would leave me alone, I would do very well. Needless to say, I agreed. I was stunned at what god had done to this man. I was also thanking God for what he had done with this man's heart. God turns the hearts of men like he turns a river. He’ll make it go whichever direction he wants. God had just turned this man’s heart around. We left shortly after that and as we left, he continued to remark how successful I would be without his interference. I went back to the restaurant and called my wife. I had told her that there was a chance that I would be fired after our meeting. She was also stunned at what God had done for me.

I have learned that when God puts you someplace, no one can remove you unless God allows it. If you believe the gospel, you will get pressure. When that pressure comes, continue to rely on the gospel. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. That’s the power of God unto salvation. Salvation is keeping your job, even after God has you call your boss a liar. It doesn’t matter what people tell you. Keep your heart on the gospel. When Jesus went to hell for us, he didn’t quit believing God. When you receive Jesus you have that spirit. Believe the Gospel. Rely on it. Trust in it. We can be delivered because of what Jesus did for us. That’s the power of God. The reason I was able to stand was because an apostle (Doyle Davidson), had ministered the gospel to my heart. That apostle had ministered that if we stand believing, God will deliver us. If you look in II Chronicles 20:20, you will see Gods faithfulness ( ... Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper. ) You might say that my faith is in a man. You’re right. That man is Jesus. Read in 1 Peter 1, see in vs. 11 who’s spirit was in the prophets. The foundation, Jesus, being built in my heart, doesn’t falter when there is a storm. In II Sam 22:47, Jesus is called the rock of my salvation. He is a rock, without wavering. Salvation comes through Him. Salvation was walking out, victorious.