November 17, 2013

The Christian Advantage

The Christian Advantage:
Favor and Grace

Jesus promises us that He came to give us life, abundant life. this comes to us directly as a result of God's love for us. It is demonstrated by His favor and grace.

Favor is God providing you with opportunities and blessings just because you belong to Him.

We need to confess and appreciate the Favor of God.
Any time that God does something for you it is favor. Anytime you receive something beneficial...it is the favor of God. No matter how big or small. It is the favor of God.

A Hebrew Word for Favor is chesed and can be translated: Goodness, or kindness, or goodwill.

Favor is God's plan for you. He desires to give you favor in every part of your life. Your career, your home life, your friendships and your calling.

God's Favor last a lifetime:
Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 5:12 For surely, O LORD , you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Grace is God's goodness at work in your life.

Grace:       a. Divine Favor.  b. Goodness and kindness.  c. Goodness and kindness being demonstrated by action.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

You can see the favor of God on your life by His grace...
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

When you have favor you can see evidence...? 

Blessings and prosperity, success and preferential treatment. Things work out for you on a regular basis.

Romans 6:13-14 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Read 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

God is able to demonstrate His goodness to you so that in all things and at all times you will abound (Be abundant) in every good work because you will have all that you need,

Let's break that down so we can get a hold of it.

God is able to:
a. Make "all Grace: abound to you. (Abundant Goodness and Favor) to you.
So that...
b. You will abound (Be abundant, succeed, do well, prosper, win, come out on top, have the victory)  in what...?
c. in all things, at all times, in every good work.  How?
d. becasue you will have all that you need.

God's favor and grace give us whatever we need whenever we need it so that we can do good works.

God gives us advantages so that we can do good works.

Jesus went about doing good. Acts 10:38 God wants us to give favor to others

You can grow in favor!
Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Say this out loud: "The favor of God is on me, The favor of God goes before me everywhere I go."

Favor means that there is more going for you than against you.

If we acknowledged the favor of God when ever we noticed it we will see more of it.

There were10 lepers...9 healed, one was made whole. (Luke 17:12-19)
9 didn't show gratitude...1 did. 10 were healed, one was made whole.

When we declare it consistently...we will see it consistently.
Plant it...by speaking it. Confess: The favor of God is on me, The favor of God goes before me everywhere I go.

Joseph had favor...He went from the jailhouse to the kings house.
You can be thrown in Jail and end up Prime Minister.

"Favor Factor".
The favor of God will meets our wants, and our needs. When you have the favor of God you have a distinct advantage in life. God is working on your behalf all of the time.

Don't ever forget the favor factor.
Say "Favor is mine".

Having favor in your life does not mean you won't have any more challenges or trials. It simply means that you won't be defeated in those trials.

It doesn't exempt us from problems, it exempts us from losing & defeat.

Favor is not coincidence...or luck. Favor is divine!
The more conscious I am of God's favor in my life the less I have to fear.

We are highly favored on Jesus merits...not ours!

Favor is God's will for us.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

If you are not walking in favor you may not have been declaring it or you may have unrepented sins getting in the way. Now is the time of God's favor. Seize this moment. Now is the day of salvation. Salvation is the highest expression of God's Favor, goodness, kindness and love.


If you belong to God, you are blessed and highly favored. What a way to live life! 

Much Love.

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