In this message, we will see that favor starts with the foreknowledge and predestination of God upon our lives which resulted in God calling us, drawing us, and our responding to the moving of God upon our heart in saying yes to His will in our life. Which resulted in being born from above, becoming a child of God through the entrance of His word into our spirit.
The favor of God grows in our life by making wise decisions, walking in humility, seeking God in prayer, and waiting upon Him for direction and then activating the faith imparted to us by hearing Him speak to us personally.
There is a slight difference between Grace and Favor.
Grace is a Gift that comes and rests UPON us and also is in us through the new birth of our spirit:
LUKE 2:40 AND THE INFANT (a little child) GREW AND BECAME (to empower) STRONG IN SPIRIT, FILLED WITH WISDOM (spiritual, the wisdom from above); AND THE GRACE (empowering presence) OF GOD WAS resting 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 MATURITY, AND IN FAVOUR (GRACE) WITH GOD AND MEN.
John 1:16 Grace upon Grace. Which means Grace continually increasing.
The grace of God is a gift, but it increases as we begin to walk in the revelation of it, when we begin to walk with Him as He directs us.
Understanding the measure of the grace of God upon our lives is important to understand the effectiveness and authority that we have in our ministry.
Favor with man is how we grow in favor with mankind, which is also important if we want to grow our ministries effectiveness.
We all have the ministry of being a witness.
I have favor with people because I am very gracious in my dealings with people. I am a walking blessing. I continually bless people to impart the Spirit of God that is working behind the scenes in their lives.
The only persecution I receive is from legalistic religious people or those which misjudge me.
Favor Comes from having the Spirit of God resting upon you and speaking words of spirit and life, not being critical of people’s short comings.
God is a Good Father; He is better than even the best of Human Father’s!
Because He knows exactly what you are going through, He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart, when He chooses to. He has the Authority to cover over your sin and not expose it when you desire to do what is right.
And He has the authority to forget it when you come to agreement with Him about it and He begins to cleanse and heal your heart from the iniquity that has caused it.
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. He is the happiest person you will ever meet. In His presence is fullness of Joy. That is why we need to practice His presence, always being aware that He is with us.
Father God is excited and filled with joy as soon as we are born-again and enter the family and kingdom of God.
Note 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.”
The favor of God grows.
This favor of God continued to grow in Jesus’ life 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. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Which is being skillful in the areas of your life.
Jesus Increased in Wisdom And, as a result, grew in favor with God and man.
LUKE 2:52 AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND MATURITY, AND IN GRACE (FAVOR) WITH GOD AND MEN.
Like Jesus, we need to grow in favor of both God and man.
Wisdom WILL PROMOTE YOU
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.
YOU HAVE HEARD that God has no favorites. But there are Favorites in God’s eyes because of Closeness in Relationship.
We start out in our walk with God as a servant of God, then we become a bondservant, which means a servant that loves His master. The we become a friend of God, where He begins sharing to us secrets, because He has counted us trustworthy. Then we become engaged to God in a covenant of faithfulness, where his Faithfulness is worked into our life, which is a fruit of the Spirit. Then we become the bride of Christ. And then we become a friend of the bride groom, helping Him prepare a bride. Then we become lords, priests, and kings, not necessarily in that order, but our relationship with the Lord is progressive.
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 with all your heart.
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, and continually abided in the tent of Moses outside the camp, 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 His 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 upon His obedience, and 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.
Apply a Grace that has been Given to you, walk in it.
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 messages, 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.
Suffering 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.