The
Truth about God’s Favor
I’ve
been doing a lot of thinking lately … more than usual about God’s favor and why
I (or we) have a right to ask for it.
So much
has been happening personally that my thoughts began to wander toward testing
the Lord when it comes to His promises in the Bible concerning believers.
It
was during the time when my husband was recently in the hospital having another
procedure done that I started questioning,
“How do we really know
God is about to show His hand of favor on a situation?”
Then
and There
While
I was waiting for my husband I started writing for this blog three times and
got nowhere. At first the sentences
started to flow, but then just stopped and made no sense.
Instead
of getting flustered I placed my pen on the table. Closing my eyes, I leaned back against the
wall trying to hear from the Lord.
Within a few minutes the doctor came in the room and said they were
finished.
Right
then examples flooded my mind on how God showed us favor during this entire
procedure that the subject of “Testing Favor” like I had originally planned to
share was pushed to the back burner. We’ll
get to that another time, but not yet.
In
order for us to understand the testing of
favor there are some foundational truths that we need to know beforehand
and accept if favor is to ever become a daily event in our lives. For the next few weeks we’ll be studying some
basics when it comes to the concept of God’s favor.
Researching
the scriptures on what forces the hand of God toward giving favor to His
children, I’d like to share with you some truths that could be revolutionary in
changing the way you think of this gift of grace.
Everyday
Favor
Let
me begin with asking you this simple question.
How would you live if you knew God’s favor was always on your
life? I can answer that really quick.
Life
would be pretty good, full of adventure knowing that I couldn’t fail at
becoming successful. Does that sound
about right for you as well? Sure it
does, and why not?
If
you truly believed that God’s everyday “favor” aka grace card was always active,
life would be amazing. People would be
lining up to tap their heavenly ATM (automatic teller machines) non-stop.
However,
before anything can happen, believer’s in Christ must come to these
realizations and accept them as truth for their own life.
Check
to see if you truly believe in God’s everyday favor.
ü Realization #1: God’s
grace is His favor. This is the first
truth about coming into salvation.
Without the grace of God there is no favor, because we would still be in
our sin and hell bound.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)
God’s
favor is what actually saves us. His
grace is that He favors us, therefore, He extends favor so that grace can work
in our lives to redeem us from destruction and eternal separation from Himself. It is one of the benefits of being a child of
God’s.
"Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise)
the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all (one of) His benefits:
3 Who forgives (every one of ) all your iniquities,
Who heals (each one of) all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction (the pit of hell),
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies (compassion), 5 Who satisfies your mouth (your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation) with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (strong, overcoming, soaring)." (Psalm 103:1-5 AMPC)
And forget not all (one of) His benefits:
3 Who forgives (every one of ) all your iniquities,
Who heals (each one of) all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction (the pit of hell),
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies (compassion), 5 Who satisfies your mouth (your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation) with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (strong, overcoming, soaring)." (Psalm 103:1-5 AMPC)
Simply
put, no one can be born again, saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus without
God’s favor. The truth is, favor saved
you.
ü Realization #2: Favor was
pre-planned for you.
Did
you know that before you were conceived God had already planned a way to bring
favor into your life? It’s true. As a matter of fact, before the world was formed
God’s provision for redemption was already factored into His good plan for your
life.
Why did God provide this kind of
favor? He loves you. He always has and He always will.
Sin
had caused a division in the relationship between man and his Creator. The only way to repair the breach was to get
rid of the sin, so the Divine plan to send Jesus was set into motion to redeem
us while we were still in the middle of sinning. How compassionate is that?
“But God showed His great love for us by sending
Christ to die
for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)
God
already knew about every sin that you would commit in your entire life, yet still
said He would forgive all of them if you only believed in Jesus as your Redeemer. From the beginning blue print of life God chose
and wanted you as part of His “forever” relationship, so He made a way to make
that possible through salvation.
Giving
sinners a way out of eternal separation from God is a source of favor that has
to be received by the individual; no one can believe for anyone else. It’s a personal thing between God and man/woman.
ü Realization #3: God’s
favor changes every part of your life.
"And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the Heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
He did
this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing)
riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor)
in (His) kindness and goodness
of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7 AMPC)
From
the moment Christ becomes a part of your life through salvation, His favor begins
to work in your spirit, soul and body.
Your life changes because you are an heir to an inheritance from the
Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus that only God can provide.
Whether
it is deliverance, safety, healing, financial or family, God supplies the need for
favor according to His good plan that will affect your time here.
Salvation
through grace will get a person to Heaven, but believers need the favor of God
here on earth. Our lives are forever
changed as we grow in grace (favor) and go from faith to faith in our walk with
the Lord. Now this is favor I can use every day! What about you?
Continue on and read Everyday Favor: Part 2.
Until next time, find truth in everyday favor!
What’s New This Week: Click on the item link.
*Unless
noted, names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy.
Maybe you don’t know the Living God
that I know but would like to have this kind of favor in your life
also. Click on the above tab “TellMe About Jesus” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior.
Note: Emphasis may be given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take away from the inspirited Word of God.
When
used, the words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we
give him no place in our lives.
Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues but is geared toward spiritual awareness.
Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues but is geared toward spiritual awareness.
Disclaimer Notes: Results may
vary due to lack of belief.
Unless noted, scripture reference
in series was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.
Image credit: Creative Common License if not
specified.
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Revised 4/15/19
Revised 4/15/19
