Favor starts with becoming a son and daughter of God, and favor grows with wise decisions, walking in humility, seeking God and activating faith.
The Difference Between Grace and Favor
Grace is a Gift that comes UPON us:
LUKE 2:40 AND THE CHILD GREW AND BECAME STRONG IN SPIRIT, FILLED WITH WISDOM; AND THE GRACE OF GOD WAS UPON HIM.
Grace is a gift that is given to us.
Favor Grows Based on Wise Decisions Made:
LUKE 2:52 AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND STATURE, AND IN FAVOUR WITH GOD AND MEN.
Favor with man is how we grow in favor with mankind, which is also important if we want to grow our ministries.
Favor Comes from Becoming a Son and Daughter of God
God is a Good Father He is better than any Human Father!
LUKE 11:13 IF YOU THEN, BEING EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM!”
God is Filled with Joy
Father God is excited and filled with joy as soon as we are born-again and enter the family and kingdom of God.
It says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God: in other words, Abba is rejoicing as well!
LUKE 15:10 LIKEWISE, I SAY TO YOU, THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS.”
God’s Pleasure about Jesus
At Jesus’ baptism, because His favor had grown, the Father stated His pleasure about Jesus.
MATTHEW 3:17 AND SUDDENLY A VOICE CAME FROM HEAVEN, SAYING, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
Favor Grows
This favor continued to grow until His glorification at the Mount of Transfiguration:
MATTHEW 17:5 WHILE HE WAS STILL SPEAKING, BEHOLD, A BRIGHT CLOUD OVERSHADOWED THEM; AND SUDDENLY A VOICE CAME OUT OF THE CLOUD, SAYING, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. HEAR HIM!”
Wisdom is the Cornerstone to Growing in Favor with Man
Jesus Increased in Wisdom And, as a result, grew in favor with God and man.
LUKE 2:52 AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND STATURE, AND IN FAVOUR WITH GOD AND MEN.
Like Jesus, we need to grow in favor of both God and man.
Wisdom Promotes:
PROVERBS 4:5-8 GET WISDOM! GET UNDERSTANDING! DO NOT FORGET, NOR TURN AWAY FROM THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH. DO NOT FORSAKE HER, AND SHE WILL PRESERVE YOU; LOVE HER, AND SHE WILL KEEP YOU. WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING; THEREFORE GET WISDOM. AND IN ALL YOUR GETTING, GET UNDERSTANDING. EXALT HER, AND SHE WILL PROMOTE YOU; SHE WILL BRING YOU HONOR, WHEN YOU EMBRACE HER.
Favor comes from Intimacy in our Relationship with Jesus
Closeness in Relationship.
There are Favorites in God’s eyes because of Closeness in Relationship.
The apostle John had a close relationship with Jesus, more intimate than the rest of the twelve:
JOHN 13:25 THEN, LEANING BACK ON JESUS’ BREAST, HE SAID TO HIM, “LORD, WHO IS IT?” JOHN 20:2 THEN SHE RAN AND CAME TO SIMON PETER, AND TO THE OTHER DISCIPLE, WHOM JESUS LOVED, AND SAID TO THEM, “THEY HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE LORD OUT OF THE TOMB, AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE LAID HIM.”
Mountain of Transfiguration Jesus chose three disciples to go up the mountain of transfiguration with Him.
MATTHEW 17:1 NOW AFTER SIX DAYS JESUS TOOK PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN HIS BROTHER, LED THEM UP ON A HIGH MOUNTAIN BY THEMSELVES.
Jesus favored Peter, James, and John, so only they saw Him glorified.
Favor comes through seeking God
Diligently Seek Him Because He rewards those who seek Him and grants them favor.
HEBREWS 11:6 … AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.
Promoted to Lead
Because Joshua loved seeking God, he was promoted to lead Israel.
EXODUS 33:11 SO THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES FACE TO FACE, AS A MAN SPEAKS TO HIS FRIEND. AND HE WOULD RETURN TO THE CAMP, BUT HIS SERVANT JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, A YOUNG MAN, DID NOT DEPART FROM THE TABERNACLE.
Favor with God comes through Living in Faith
HEBREWS 11:6 BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, …
Through Obedience Jesus’ favor came through His obedience, as a result He was promoted.
HEBREWS 5:8-9 THOUGH HE WAS A SON, YET HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE BY THE THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED. AND HAVING BEEN PERFECTED, HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM,
Favor with God comes from Faithfulness.
Utilize a Grace Given to us.
When we utilize a grace given to us, this results in favor which means promotion.
MATTHEW 25:21 HIS LORD SAID TO HIM, ‘WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT; YOU WERE FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I WILL MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY THINGS. ENTER INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD.’
Favor with God comes from Humility.
Walk in Humility
When we move in humility, God’s favor comes upon us, and we have access to the realms of heaven.
MATTHEW 5:3 “BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
Access to the kingdom of heaven means you can bring heaven to earth in your meetings – this is a sign of promotion!
Favor with God comes through Persecution for Righteousness Sake!
From Glory to Glory
Persecution is one thing that brings us from glory to glory – that is a good reason to rejoice when persecution comes.
ROMANS 8:18 FOR I CONSIDER THAT THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED WITH THE GLORY WHICH SHALL BE REVEALED IN US.
It brings Blessing.
Persecution brings the blessing (to be happy, envied, hence favor) of God.
MATTHEW 5:10-12 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN THEY REVILE AND PERSECUTE YOU, AND SAY ALL KINDS OF EVIL AGAINST YOU FALSELY FOR MY SAKE. REJOICE AND BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD, FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN, FOR SO THEY PERSECUTED THE PROPHETS WHO WERE BEFORE YOU.