God’s favor signifies His endorsement, pleasure, benevolence, special advantages or blessings, and assistance. God showed His exceptional favor towards His devoted and compliant followers such as Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Ruth, and includes figures from the New Testament and contemporary disciples.
According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, there is a close association between favor, grace, and mercy, which are sometimes used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words. Grace reflects God’s unmerited kindness, which is more profound and broader when God’s mercy and favor are not only for the Jews but extended to the Gentiles.
Key Takeaways
- God’s favor is manifested through blessings, protection, prosperity, authority, and peace for those who fulfill His purposes and demonstrate faith and obedience.
- The Bible provides numerous scriptures illustrating God’s favor, emphasizing the importance of living uprightly, seeking purity of heart, and acknowledging God’s role in granting favor and success in life.
- Accessing God’s favor involves daily spiritual disciplines, walking in the Spirit, and living righteously, which lead to experiencing God’s blessings and extending His favor to others through good works and obedience to His will.
Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 What Does God Favor Us To Do And Be?
- 3 10 Uplifting Scriptures About The Favor Of God
- 4 Can God’s Favor Change Your Life?
- 5 3 Points To Access The Favor Of God Each And Everyday
- 6 Summary
- 7 Frequently Asked Questions
- 7.1 What Is God’s Favor?
- 7.2 How Can One Access God’s Favor?
- 7.3 What Are The Benefits Of God’s Favor?
- 7.4 How Do Grace, Mercy, And Favor Relate According To Biblical Theology?
- 7.5 Can God’s Favor Change One’s Life?
- 7.6 What Role Do Spiritual Disciplines Play In Accessing God’s Favor?
- 7.7 How Does Walking In The Spirit Contribute To Receiving God’s Favor?
What Does God Favor Us To Do And Be?
God favors His people to do incredible things for His purposes as evidenced in Bible verses. Just like Moses, who among all the Israelites’ babies [1] found God’s favor when his life was spared from death and cared for under the custody of the princess and her mother. Isaac was blessed with all these lands in Sojourn as a covenant for His servant Abraham’s sake.
Noah found favor with God for being a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and spared by God from the flood. Queen Esther standing in the court, found favor and kindness more than all the virgins. The king loved Esther more than all the women, set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. With this historical account, there are 5Ps of what God favors us to do and be.
1. To Do The Purpose Of God Through Us
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.
— Psalm 90:17
God endowed us with talents and special gifts to empower us to accomplish His particular purpose and mission in the world. We are praising God for the special anointing of the Holy Spirit that allows us to live purposefully according to God’s will. Samson received an anointing of strength that no one has, even now. Samson’s strength was given to carry out the purpose of God, not because Samson was good or did anything to earn it.
2. To Be Protected
For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.
— Psalm 5:12
God’s favor is a shield that protects and saves us from enemy attacks. The enemy’s primary target is God’s people. Satan and his cohorts prevent God’s people from reaching their destiny by placing them in afflictions and troubles. Joseph found favor of the Lord by being rescued from all his afflictions and gaining the goodwill of the Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and made him ruler over Egypt. God sees the future and orchestrates circumstances for our good.
3. To Be Prosperous
And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
— 2 Corinthians 9:8
God has blessed us to be a blessing to others. We cannot give what we do not have. So, God of all riches bestowed gifts that allow us to carry out God’s mission and good works in this world.
4. To Be In A Position of Authority
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing.
— Genesis 12:2
God gave his people favor so they could be in their position of authority, which entails both responsibility and accountability; this is what we refer to as the “highest calling.” God gave Daniel favor in his sight of the Egyptians and gave the anointing to interpret the king’s dream.
5. To Be At Peace
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
— Luke 2:14
God’s peace surpasses all understanding that guards a man’s heart. A peaceful life means a quality of life. Man finds favor from God when he lives a peaceful life that we cannot get from money and material things.
10 Uplifting Scriptures About The Favor Of God
The scriptures are a living testimony of God to us. The following Bible verses will help us find favor in God in our daily walk of faith and as we commit our lives to Him.
Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 30:5
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Isaiah 49:8
Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages.”
Isaiah 58:11
And the Lord will guide you continually, satisfy your desire in scorched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Proverbs 8:35
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Proverbs 8:35
For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Psalms 90:17
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us.
Can God’s Favor Change Your Life?
God’s favor will change your life in the most amazing ways. The journey of God’s favor begins the day you believe and receive His free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus will abide in you to transform you into Christlikeness and work out His purposes in your life.
3 Points To Access The Favor Of God Each And Everyday
God’s favor is natural in the lives of His children as we walk by faith and by His Spirit. There are daily disciplines that will help us find the favor of God.
1. Spiritual Disciplines
The spiritual disciplines of reading and meditating on God’s Word, prayer, and worship are non-negotiable lifestyles for the highly favored man. God speaks to us through His Word. His Word fills us with joy, peace, and hope in believing that God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Seeking God first and His righteousness is where you will find favor and success in life.
2. Walking In The Spirit
Walking in the Spirit is your constant communion with God through sensitivity to His voice. It is founded on your spiritual discipline day by day. God wants to shower his favor upon you, even in the simplest or menial things. You can allow Him to have His favor even in household chores, raising children, and dealing with your neighbor.
3. Walking In Righteousness
A good man obtains favor from the Lord. Noah, an upright man in his time, was saved from the flood with his family because the heavenly Father promised that he would bless the righteous ones and surround them with favor.
Summary
God’s favor is a lifetime blessing to enjoy and extends much further in our lives in eternity with Him. It is God’s best intention to show us His amazing love. His unmerited favor allowed us to live under His purpose, protection, prosperity, position of authority, and peace.
We have the mission to overflow His favor to others through our good works, which God ordained for us to do. Our spiritual disciplines, walking in the Spirit, and righteousness will allow us to access more of His grace day by day and persevere under the challenges and afflictions that come with our purpose and the Great Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is God’s Favor?
God’s favor refers to His approval, delight, goodwill, kindness, unique benefits or blessings, and support or help extended to His faithful and obedient children, as demonstrated through biblical figures like Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses, and others.
How Can One Access God’s Favor?
One can access God’s favor by engaging in daily spiritual disciplines, walking in the Spirit, living righteously, and demonstrating faith and obedience to God’s will, which in turn, brings blessings, protection, prosperity, authority, and peace.
What Are The Benefits Of God’s Favor?
The benefits of God’s favor include empowerment to fulfill God’s purposes, protection from adversaries, prosperity to be a blessing to others, positioning in authority, and the peace that surpasses understanding.
How Do Grace, Mercy, And Favor Relate According To Biblical Theology?
Grace, mercy, and favor are closely associated in biblical theology, often used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words, with grace reflecting God’s unmerited kindness which is extended not only to Jews but also to Gentiles, and mercy and favor being expressions of His lovingkindness and support.
Can God’s Favor Change One’s Life?
Yes, God’s favor can change one’s life in remarkable ways, beginning with the belief in and acceptance of His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, which transforms individuals into Christlikeness and enables them to fulfill His purposes.
What Role Do Spiritual Disciplines Play In Accessing God’s Favor?
Spiritual disciplines, including reading and meditating on God’s Word, prayer, and worship, are essential for accessing God’s favor as they cultivate a lifestyle of seeking God first and His righteousness, leading to favor and success in life.
How Does Walking In The Spirit Contribute To Receiving God’s Favor?
Walking in the Spirit involves constant communion with God through sensitivity to His voice, founded on daily spiritual disciplines, allowing God to shower His favor on individuals even in simple or menial tasks.
God has blessed me through the sermon, thank you, glory be to God