PASTOR’S CORNER: Walk in the favor of God

Community, this morning in this Christmas season, there is nothing like walking in the favor of God. Favor will find you when you walk in the favor of God. It’s a wonderful place to be, an excellent place to be, the place where God will smile on you. There is no other place I would rather be than in His favor.

The word “favor” in the biblical meaning means “goodwill, acceptance, approval” and the benefits that come from “favor.” That’s good because there are some benefits in His favor. In the Bible, the word favor alternates with the word grace. Favor is when God smiles on you when God is for you. It’s when you are pleasing in His sight. I would not trade this for anything in the world: the favor of God. It is the safest place to be.

When you are in the favor of God, God will move heaven and earth to bless you. He hears your prayers. We all know about favor. When you have favor with some people, that means certain things will go well for you, that you will be included in their will, and that you are in the sphere of being blessed. That’s where I want to be. The word “favor” in American English means “something done or granted out of goodwill.”… favor says that no good thing will God withhold from those that walk upright before Him (Psalms 84:11) … community, favor will take you places you thought that you would never go and open doors that you never thought you would walk in. a door that no man can close. Favor, God’s favor, will take you from the prison to the palace. You will meet people you thought you’d never meet. Go places you thought you’d never go. God will elevate you to the extent that it will blow your mind.

To walk in God’s favor means to walk pleasing to God. It’s about walking in His will and being obedient to His word, but favor doesn’t mean the absence of trials, heartache, pain, or a carefree life. It doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen. But it does mean that Satan can’t touch us without God’s permission. It does mean that all things will work together for our good. But it does not exempt us from trials. Joseph suffered trials. Daniel suffered trials. Elijah, the prophet, suffered them. Christ suffered Himself suffered them. The Apostle Paul suffered them, the Apostles themselves suffered them, people all across human history, people from the bible have suffered trials. But favor will always bring you through them; when you have favor, you will baffle some people. They won’t understand how you go through what you go through, and you still have joy. Enemies won’t understand how, despite what they do to you, you still come out on top, and God will use you to bring Him glory and honor because you are humble.

See, community, if you want to walk in God’s favor, you must be humble. The way up is to go low. Walk with humility and esteem others as better than yourself (Philippians 2:3). The Bible says, “Humble yourself in the sight of God, and He will lift you up (James 4:10). That’s the way Mary was. Community friends, God can’t use us when we are not humble. Jesus tried to teach his disciples that when they were arguing about who was the greatest among them (Luke 9:46-56). When James and John wanted to sit, one on his right hand and the other on His left hand (Mark 10:36-37). he even took a bason and water and washed his disciple’s feet (John 13:4-7). But they didn’t get it. Friends, if you want to be blessed and highly favored by God, stay humble and walk with humility with God and man. Keep your nose clean, and there is no telling what blessings may come your way.

Mary encountered Gabriel the angel, and was given good news. the first thing the angel said to Mary was, “Hail, you are highly favored.” There’s that word, saints. Young, humble Mary is told by the angel that she is highly favored, that she was “blessed among women (Luke 1:27-28).” Mary was probably a teenager, for Jewish girls married young. In those days, engagement was equivalent to marriage, and to break the engagement was like a divorce. Although she was a godly woman, God’s grace, not Mary’s character, made her God’s choice. The fact that any of us are saved today and doing the work that we do is because of God’s grace and not our character. All of our middle names are GRACE! All of us are raggedy outside of God’s grace. Let’s not forget that. That is what should keep all of us humble.

But now notice, friends, that Mary is blessed AMONG women but not ABOVE women. Which means Mary is not to be worshipped! There is only one savior! When you are HIGHLY favored by God, meaning when God smiles on you, you know that even that which is bad will work in your favor. When you are highly favored by God, you are in the right place to receive a miracle. All the devils in hell can’t harm you. Community, in Christ, we are all highly favored (Eph. 1:6). Don’t let anybody cause you to leave the favor of God. Don’t let the devil fool you with a smile, blinking eyebrows and swagger, cause you to lose your favor. In this Christmas season, be like Mary. Walk with humility. Walk in the favor of God.