How to have god’s favor that helps you end up on top even when people, devils, and circumstances try to knock you down.
The more we learn about what it means to walk more in an awareness of God’s favor in our lives, the more we can have less fear and make a bigger impact for God with our lives.
Daniel is an example of someone who lived and walked in God’s favor in his life. Because of that, he thrived in chaos and had great influence for God in other’s lives to this day.
Favor is something the Bible talks a lot about (over 70 references).
“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all the people.”
— Luke 2:52 (NLT)
“For his anger lasts only for a moment, but his favor lasts a life time; weeping may stay for the night but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, ‘I will never be shaken.’ Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm;
— Psalms 30:5-7 (NIV)
“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
— Psalms 5:12 (NIV)
Favor does not mean the right to selfish favors, rather it is the supernatural ability to fulfill God’s purposes that you were created for and to increase the influence you can have to help others find Jesus through your life here and around the world.
Let’s talk about the characteristics of God’s Favor
It is unconditional.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9 NIV)
It is irrevocable.
“For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29)
It makes us unstoppable and unshakeable.
“So, what does this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as a sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them- “Not guilty!” … Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, … Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!” (Romans 8:31-35, 37 TPT)
It opens the door for us to see miracles happen in and through our lives.
“I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate-I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it-and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.” (I Corinthians 2:3-5 MSG)
These are some key steps to walking in God’s favor and being unshakeable, unstoppable, and powerful in changing a world for God:
A. Learn to live with an awareness of God’s favor on your life, something you don’t just know in your head but experience in your heart.
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God.” (I John 4:15-16 (NKJV)
B. Choose to walk in integrity and keep growing in wisdom and excellence, doing all you do as unto the Lord.
“Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn... So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with rules of religion.” (Daniel 6:3-5 NLT)
Popularity is something you might get by conforming to the world on the outside, favor from God is something you get by letting God transform you on the inside.
C. Choose to take a bold stand for God, even when it is unpopular. When you take bold steps to exalt God, He will take bold steps to promote you.
“But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” (Daniel 6:10 NLT)
“So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord…With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer…for the sake of the Good News.” (2 Timothy 1:8 NLT)
Taking bold stands means claiming God’s favor to overcome our fear.
Here are some keys to breaking the power of fear:
1. Expose the lies: Fear is F-alse, E-vidence, A-ppearing, R-eal.
2. Spend time in prayer remembering and thanking God for what He’s done, asking Him for boldness to stand strong.
“Lord, you know the threats people make so help us as your servants to speak your words without fear.” (Acts 4:29)
The secret to standing strong is kneeling often!
3. Take action against your fear. Courage is the act of stepping out to obey God in spite of feeling afraid. Fear doesn’t leave by waiting; it is defeated by acting.
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” — John Wayne
The results of standing up are:
1. God did miracles.
2. Lost people came to God.
3. He found and felt God’s strength in Him.
4. Others became bold because of his example.
“And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.” (Philippians 1:14 (NLT)
You will never regret, learning to be brave!