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Sermon of the Week 
Sunday, April 30 2017

Scripture tells us that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Many of the Psalms were David's songs of self encouragement as he remembered God's goodness and faithfulness. So let's take a look at the subject of God's favor...

    Timmy’s mom was worried about her little five year old boy, because after walking with him, the first week of school, he insisted on walking to kindergarten with his little friend who lived next door. He wanted to be like the "big boys." Not wanting to disappoint him, she decided to have the Nanny, Mrs. Shirley Goodnest, to follow him to school, at a distance, so that he would not notice he was being shadowed, but close enough to intervene if necessary. Mrs. Shirley Goodnest was up early walking her own daughter to kindergarten anyway, So, the very next school day Mrs. Goodnest and her little girl, Marcy, set out to follow behind Timmy and his friend as he walked to school. As the boys walked and chatted, and kicked stones and anything else they could kick, Timmy's friend notice that a lady seemed to be following them every day. "Have you noticed that lady following us every day? Do you know her?" he asked Timmy. "Yea, I know who she is," Timmy replied "Well who is she?"…."That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy said…."Shirley Goodnest? Who is she? Why is she following us?" …"Well," Timmy explained, "Every night Mom reads me the 23rd Psalm 'cuz she worries about me so much. And that Psalm says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life,' so I guess we'll just have to get used to it." (that's what happens when you read with a heavy southern accent)                                                                                    

In many of the Bible accounts, there were those who were given favor in adverse situations...and Shirley Goodnest followed them....

    We read in Genesis 39:21  And the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

    The bible says when it was time for the Jews to leave Egypt, in Exodus 12:36  And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians,     so that they gave unto them such things as they required. And they emptied out the treasures of Egypt.

God’s Grace is about receiving everything that we never deserved… in ourselves we could never be good enough, righteous enough, or deserving enough…

    We all need to come to the truth that…..

Our sin is never greater than His Grace

Our mistakes are never greater than His Favor

Our stupidity is never greater than His Love

Our entire past is never greater than His Power! 

    2 Corinthians 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for You, for my strength is made perfect in your weaknesses….                                                          

    Favor is clearly seen when a person is chosen for a position they are not naturally qualified for, especially when there are others that are far more qualified than they are. David, for all appearance, was the most unqualified person in his family, but God passed over all the others to choose him.                              

    We can consider favor as the open door of “opportunity” and grace as the “ability” to get the job done once you’ve gone through the open door.

Many folks are praying for grace when they need favor, for an  open door of opportunity… (That’s when you already have the gifting to do the job, but lack the opportunity to act on it). Grace is God's ability resting on you, to do what you could not do, in and by yourself. 

There is no limit to what God’s Favor, when combined with His Grace,               can do in your life!

    Whenever Jesus showed up….opportunities for the impossible to         become possible, showed up with Him…. The bible says that everywhere Jesus went, He was doing good… (He walked through open doors of favor          with abilities which flowed from God’s grace).

    In Zechariah 4: 6-7 we read the powerful verses "Not by might not by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."…"Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain (a level place)    and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting’s, crying grace, grace unto it."

    In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, Favor had already been given to the two captive tribes of Israelites by the Persian kings which provided an open door which allowed them to go back to rebuild the broken down walls and restore the temple. The only problem was the amount of resistance coming against them by the enemies from the north. (as seen in the book of Ezra). They were discouraged. The job was not getting done. The mountain that Zerubbabel mentioned was the pile of rubble that once was the old temple. He declared that it be leveled and out of the way so the new temple could be built. 

    He didn't shout favor to it because opportunity had already been given, he shouted grace, grace. The Lord knew his people couldn't accomplish the task without His help, and His ability coming on and through them.

    We can see the difference between grace and favor quite clearly in the       life of Joseph. Even in the midst of pain and heartache favor was given to        him at every turn. Once the favor (or opportunity) was given Joseph, he          then operated in the ability or (grace) to get the job done. Being in the pit,                      in Potiphar’s house or in prison, could not stop the favor and grace of God      from operating in his life! 

Tell someone, “I’m breaking through with the favor and grace of God”

    Most of the books in the new testament have some form of the            blessing “grace to you or grace upon you, or grace be with you.”                                                                  This isn’t just a nice greeting or salutation. The writers of the New     Testament, knew that the people of God, needed God's grace, His (ability),        in order to accomplish what they could never do in themselves.                                           

    It is in the area of feeling unworthy or unqualified, that Satan does his most effective work in keeping us below our God given privileges....

    When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay            for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent          and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage,             can win no prize, and deserves no award, yet that person receives such a gift anyway .....-that is a good picture of God’s unmerited grace and favor.                                                              

    The Psalmist says, in Proverbs 12:2  A good man obtains  the favor of the LORD…. The word obtain, is nef-ak'.... (to cause, to secure, to acquire) the favor of the Lord..... This is different than just stumbling into something..

This indicates that there are things we can do to position ourselves, to “aquire” and continue to experience God’s favor!

    1.  It’s true In Salvation….Psalms 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with   the favor that You bring unto your people: O visit me (paw-kad'..continue    to give oversight to me) with Your salvation. (God brings about the  opportunity for Salvation through His favor, then gives the ability to experience salvation through Grace, that we might be saved, and receive the inheritance of the redeemed)

Salvation, also involves the process known as conversion…which is the transforming of our mind, and our character as we renew our thought life by the word of God.

    2. We position ourselves for favor by abiding in the presence of God….      

Moses said, in Exodus 33:13  Now therefore, I pray, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me Your way, that I may know You, that I may find grace in Your sight: and consider that this nation is Your people. v.14  And He said, My presence shall go with You, and I will give you rest. v.15  And Moses said unto Him, If Your presence does not go with me, then do not ask that I go. (Moses knew that grace operated  most effectively, in the place of favor).

    3. Favor is about benefiting the lives of others…                               Genesis 18:3 And Abraham said, My Lord, if now I have found favor                  (given the opportunity) in your sight, do not depart, v.4  but, let a little       water, I pray you, be fetched, to wash your feet, and rest yourselves here                  in the shade. v.5  And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and so comfort your hearts, and after that you shall pass on, since you have given this                  opportunity to your servant. And they said, So do, as you have said.                    (Abraham was given  the opportunity to minister to angels as he seized                   the favor given to him so he could minister in the power of grace).

So as favor comes, we ask how we can minister in grace for that situation.

    4. Favor is about the fingerprint of God on our lives….                                                                      1 Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and let         none of his words fall to the ground. v.20  And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.     

    (every one of us have the finger print of God etched on our lives… it is     important to find out how your calling and gifting have predisposed and predestined your life. His DNA is imbedded in our destiny!

    Jesus said, in John 14:3  I go and prepare a place for you, and I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, you may be also. The grace gifts in our lives will make a place for us as God’s favor opens the doors of opportunity. 

Our strongest consistant anointing will always rest upon our giftedness.        

    5. Favor is about mantaining your joy…..                                               Proverbs 16:15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his               favor is as a refreshing cloud of the latter rain. 19:12….The king's favor is       as dew which settles upon the grass. (the word refresh that is found here is “ep-ee-mel'-i-ah” and it means to guard, maintain and protect your joy… 

GUARD YOUR JOY, so you will experience His favor! 

    The chairman of the pastoral search committee, said as he made his announcement to the congregation: "Next Sunday our visiting preacher                        will be the Rev. Bill Oaks. If any of you would like to see some of the other preachers which we have, interviewed, you will find them hanging in the vestibule." 

(Now that is a tough interview!)                                                                                   

    The biblical year of Jubilee, is referred to as “the year of the favor of the Lord”…but it’s more than a certain time frame of 7 years… or 50 years in the case of the great Jubilee,… it’s a prophetic season where God’s favor, and God’s grace is available to mankind….In Jesus, God is making a declaration that it is always the right season for …a new day and a new start, it's a time of fresh beginnings. 

The Holy Spirit knows how to teach an old dog new tricks!!!

    Look with me, at 10 Blessings that come with God’s FAVOR,                    (When God brings a season of open doors )  

    1. Favor produces supernatural opportunities for increase and promotion                              

Genesis 39:21 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; while he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. v.3  And Potipher saw that the favor of the LORD was with him, and the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

    2. Favor brings restoration of everything the enemy has stolen….          Exodus 3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, with all my wonders which I will do in the midst of Egypt, that he may let you go. v.21  And I will give my people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when you go, you shall not go empty v.22 You shall leave with the spoils of Egypt, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters.

    3. Favor brings honor in the face of the adversary…                                                       Exodus 11:3  And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. So that the man Moses was greatly revered in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of all the people.. Truly with God all things work together for good!...

    4. Favor produces expansion of what you have.. 

Deuteronomy 33:23  And the Lord spoke through Moses concerning Naphtali and said, “Be satisfied with favor, and be full with the blessings of the LORD: You shall possess that which is from the west and towards the south and you shall be increased. (the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, and He gives it to whomsoever He wills)

    5. Favor gives great victories even against impossible odds…       

Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted as the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up and they took the city.

With favor, Elijah supernaturally defeated the prophets of Baal on Carmel… 

Samson shook himself and the power of God came on him for mighty deeds

Gideon defeated 300,000 Midianites with 300 men…. 

Tell someone, (now it’s your turn!)

    6. Favor renews and sustains, when others are diminishing….                             At 85 years of age, we hear from brother Caleb…                                                 Joshua 14:11  I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. v.12  Now therefore give me this mountain, *…the cities were great and fenced: if the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. v.13  And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance. (favor is no respecter of age, gender or station in life)

    7. Favor produces prominence and preferential treatment…                      Esther 7:2  And the king said unto Esther, “what is your petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted you and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. v.3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, My Lord, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please you, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 

    8. Favor will give access to the highest court of heaven….                                Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 12:2 We look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand (place of favor) at the throne of God.

    9. Favor will change rules, regulations, even laws if necessary to your advantage…. 

Daniel 2:21  For He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings: He gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: v.22  He reveals the deep and secret things: He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him…

    Through favor, the sun went backward 10 degrees on Hezekiah’s sundial

The daylight stayed in place so Joshua could have time to win the battle…                                                                           A path was made through the Red sea waters…

A prophet’s borrowed axe head floated after it was lost.... 

Water was turned into wine at the marriage feast…

Peter walked on the sea in stormy waters…

10 lepers were made to sound like an army as they walked on sand….

He who made the natural laws is able to suspend them by His favor!

    10. Favor wins battles you do not even have to fight because God will fight them for you…                                                                                       Jeremiah 1:19  And they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you…       Jeremiah 15:20  And I will make you to be unto this people as a strong fence and a brazen wall: and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with You to save you and to deliver you, says the LORD v.21 And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the destroyer.

    In the book of Luke 5:1-7, Peter had fished all night and couldn’t catch a single fish, He and the others with him were tired, discouraged and down- right frustrated. They were throwing in the towel, washing and mending the nets, so they could go home….and Jesus showed up… Jesus told them something they probably didn’t want to hear, because their minds were set on calling it quits. He said “go back out a little ways, and try again”… I can almost hear the groans and complaining”, but thank God they said…          

    “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net”. Our nevertheless, causes a transition from empty to full, from impossible to possible, from not enough to more than enough...

    The difference was, that favor and grace showed up… Favor presented a new opportunity, and grace provided the ability to do what they hadn’t been able to do before! 

I can do all things through the God of Favor and Grace, who strengthens me!!

Pray with me today…..

Thank You Father for the Precious Gift of Jesus, who is my Jubilee! Today I declare and decree that THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE ESPECIALLY FOR ME! I will rejoice and be exceeding glad in it. TODAY I AM REDEEMED IN YOUR SIGHT PREGNANT WITH MY BLESSINGS, BENEFITS AND BREAKTHROUGHS! TODAY, I expect many Great and Wonderful Things to happen in my life because my expectation and hope is of the Lord and it shall not be cut off! TODAY IS THE DAY OF FULL SALVATION!

    TODAY IS MY DAY OF GRACE AND FAVOR! TODAY, MY VOICE IS HEARD ON HIGH! TODAY, MY PRAYER IS ANSWERED! TODAY, MY DESIRE IS GRANTED! TODAY MY DREAM COMES TRUE! TODAY, MY DESTINY IS BEING FULFILLED!

TODAY, this very moment, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW, is the HOUR OF MY MANIFESTATION and THE HOUR OF MY REVELATION! TODAY, LORD, YOU HAVE FAVOURED ME WITH THE BLESSING OF YOUR GOODNESS! AND I AM OVERFLOWING AND FILLED WITH ABUNDANCE. 

    TODAY I AM BOUNTIFULLY BLESSED TO BE A GREAT BLESSING TO OTHERS!     THIS DAY, THE LORD HAS ANOINTED MY HEAD WITH HIS FRESH HEAVENLY, OIL OF FAVOR! THE BLOOD OF HIS FAVOR IS LIKE A SHIELD SURROUNDING MY LIFE! I DECLARE AND DECREE THAT I AM NOW AN ANOINTED CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH!        I WILL NOT BOW DOWN IN SHAME, IN DEFEAT OR DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE LORD IS MY SHIELD, MY SURROUNDER, HE IS THE GLORY AND LIFTER OF MY HEAD!

TODAY, I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE GOD AND HIS UNFAILING WORD! TODAY, I CHOOSE LIFE THAT IS FREE FROM THE CURSE… 

    TODAY, I CHOOSE TO LIVE THE OVERFLOWING, OVERCOMING, OVERWHELMING AND OVERTAKING ABUNDANT LIFE OF ALMIGHTY GOD!

I receive the Grace to live a holy, righteous and blameless life before Him!

I receive the Favor that will make me the head and not the tail of every situation! I receive the Grace to heal the sick, and perform signs and wonders and miracles! I receive the Grace to be clothed and anointed with wisdom, knowledge, honor, riches, and strength. TODAY, I CHOOSE TO REACH OUT and touch others through His favor and grace. 

    TODAY, I WILL ABIDE IN UNBROKEN FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH THE HEAVENLY KING OF KINGS! TODAY, I WILL REIGN OVER SATAN, SIN SICKNESS AND SORROW! TODAY, I WILL REIGN OVER EVERY CONTRARY CIRCUMSTANCE IN MY LIFE IN THE NAME OF JESUS. TODAY, I WILL CONSCIOUSLY MAKE BOLD WITHDRAWALS FROM THE STOREHOUSE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, SUFFICIENT TO MEET ALL MY NEEDS AND THAT OF HUMANITY AROUND ME! I DECLARE THAT I WILL OWE NO MAN ANYTHING BUT TO LOVE THEM WITH THE LOVE OF GOD!

I DECLARE THAT I WILL NEVER NEED TO BEG OR BORROW BUT WITH THE FAVOR OF GOD UPON ME AND THE ABUNDANT FAVOR OF ALMIGHTY GOD DEPOSITED IN MY HEART I CAN FREELY BLESS EVERYONE I MEET! WITH BOLDNESS THAT COMES FROM FAITH IN GOD, I SAY “AMEN! AND AMEN”! LET IT BE DONE IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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