DIGGING DEEP NO. 921 – February 8, 2022 THE FAVOR OF GOD

The “favor of God” can be described as a divine kindness, or an act of true compassion on the part of God Himself toward needy and undeserving human recipients. Often, in Scripture, this act of God toward unworthy men or women is referred to as God’s “grace” – which means “the unmerited favor of God” Proverbs 8:35 says “ for those who find me find life and obtain favor with the Lord” If God chooses to show favor, it does not make us exempt from the woes of the world. That is not what His favor does. The greatest act of God’s favor is that of eternal life, by grace we have been saved. And it is only by His grace we are able to live for the Lord in this dark world. Like God’s grace, His favor is also unmerited. It is a gift. A gift of love from Him to us! His favor upon our lives!  Some benefits of Gods Favor Include:

1. Favor is greater than material wealth.

Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.” 2. Favor is stronger than military power. Psalm 5:12 – “For You, O Lord will bless the righteous; With favor, You will surround him as with a shield.” 3. Favor releases from bondage. Psalm 85:1 – “Lord, you have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.” 4. Spiritual wisdom leads to favor. Proverbs 14:35 – “The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame.” 5. Doing what is right brings favor. 1 Peter 2:20 – “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” 6. Favor breaks the power of shame and disgrace. Luke 1:28-30 – “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:24-25 – “After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” 7. Favor brings supernatural increase and promotion. Genesis 39:21 – “But, the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” 8. Favor will give honor in the midst of adversaries. Exodus 11:3 – “And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.” 9. Favor brings prominence and preferential treatment. Esther 2:17 – “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” 10. Favor brings recognition even when you seem the least likely to receive it. 1 Samuel 16:22 – “Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” Some Example of those who benefited from God’s Favor in the Bible

Joseph – He began with favor from his father from a young age. He found himself thrown in a pit. Then sold to the Midianites, but in Genesis 39:2-5 the bible tells us that the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and overall that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. In verses 42-44 the bible tells us that God caused Pharoah to have favor on Joseph. Because of God’s favor in his life everywhere he went, he was blessed, and every time Satan tried to destroy him, God gave him a favor.

Daniel – Daniel knew he was Blessed of God, and he was not afraid to challenge the circumstance he found himself into. However, because God’s Favor was with him, he was able to prevail and glorify the name of the Lord.  Daniel 2:48-49 tells us that, the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Esther –  Esther was a beautiful lady. Who could have been so conceited in her beauty that she walked around with her nose stuck in the air, shaken her head saying, “Look at me” Yet when she was called upon and pally wagoned to the Palace, instead of saying, “I’m a Jew” “I have no chance” she CHALLENGED THE CIRCUMSTANCE; The Bible tells us that Esther obtained favor in the sight of all that looked upon her, and the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

CONCLUSION

The Doctor says, “You are going to die.” Isaiah 53:5 ….and with his stripes we are healed.

The enemy says, “I will destroy you.” Isaiah 54: 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; The enemy says, “I have you surrounded. There’s no way out.”

2 Kings 6: 16 Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

The enemy says, “I’ll take everything from you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Matthew 11:12 now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

The enemy says, “You’ll never make it.” “You will fail.” Romans 8: 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. When the enemy tells you that you will be swept away Isaiah 59:19 When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.