This past weekend I started a 2 week teaching on God’s Favor at Elevation Church. We’re calling it Found Favor.
You can watch the first sermon here.
I told the church, and I meant it, that only setting aside 2 weeks for this study was a miscalculation on my part. I had no idea how much God would show me in His Word about favor as I began to study. Honestly, I don’t think I had a clue how central the concept of Favor is in the Scriptures.
Since I walked to the pulpit with 10 pages of notes, and only got through about 3 of them this weekend, I wanted to take a moment to elaborate on one of the facts about favor I briefly mentioned.
The more favor you receive, the more faith it will require.
God’s favor brings abundant blessing into our lives. God’s blessing is usually associated with serenity, tranquility, and other Thomas Kinkade type good sensations. So it’s easy to see why we can begin to incorrectly assume that when we have God’s favor, life will be more comfortable.
But if you come to God seeking favor in order to establish your comfort, you’ll be disappointed more often than not.
Because what you begin to discover as you walk in God’s favor is that, as much as anything, favor is a disruptive force.
Remember, for mother Mary, being blessed and highly favored meant giving birth in a barn. And bearing public shame and ridicule.
I’m not saying this to depress you. Just to prepare you.
Favor isn’t always synonymous with a series of fortunate events. It doesn’t usually lead to sitting back and relaxing.
Walking in more favor will require you to exert more faith. Because it’s going to take you places you’ve never been, and require you to do things you’ve never done. Things you can’t do, apart from Jesus.
When you ask God for favor, He answers with opportunity.
As you seize the opportunity, He empowers you with His presence, and equips you with His power.
It’s just the way favor flows.
