2018.4.15 Favor Part 2 (The Shield of Favor)

Review

Official Definition: preferential treatment shown to somebody. It denotes acceptance, approval and pleasure.

When you have favor, super natural, accelerated almost miraculous stuff happens.

Favor is: rason- what is pleasing; pleasure, liking

Q: How do you get more Favor

Unfortunately, favor can be reduced to expectation of things or opportunities. There’s another dimension that I want to lift. You need favor to work on your foes…aka enemies…aka haters!

New Material

The sheer analogy of favor being associated with a tool of weaponry should set off bells and whistles. This same word is used elsewhere

2 Chronicles 11:12 NKJV

12 Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

2 chron 11.12

Psalm 91:4 NKJV

4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

Jeremiah 46:3 NKJV

3 “Order the buckler and shield, And draw near to battle!

Psalm 5:12 NKJV

12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Here’s the question, why would you need a weapon if you weren’t going to be in a war?!

What I think the text is teaching is that in every battle, there’s an opportunity for our favor to fight.

What I think the text is teaching is that in every battle, there’s an opportunity for our favor to fight.

1 Peter 3:12 NKJV

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Context of the Psalm

, , are connected. They are written parallel to David’s fleeing from Absalom.

& 4 David is assessing his feels, the day, the situation. In , he wakes up and starts talking to God

() Amnon raped 1/2 sister Tamar. Absalom revenged her death. Had him killed. He runs flees to Geshur. Joab (David’s chief officer in command) tries to patch things up. Absalom comes back to Jerusalem, but still no convo with Dave. He starts to spread rumors (). Because David was silent, the people believed and now David is on the run.

“The Lord Helps His Troubled People”

Psalm 3:1 NKJV

1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

ps 3

Psalm 3:5 NKJV

5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.

“The Safety of the Faithful”

Psalm 4:3–4 NKJV

3 But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him. 4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

He has to get himself together. This same thing is repeated in the NT

“A Prayer for Guidance”

I want you to listen and think back through last week - Do RIGHT

R-Righteous I-Intentional G-Go After God H-Heed the Word T-Talk to Him

Psalm 5:1 NKJV

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.

Message “make sense of my ramblings;” ESV “consider my groanings;”

Observations

Favor can show up during Dark times

Favor works for the righteous

Favor works for those that are intentional

Favor works for those that Go After God - David never gives up on His relationship with God - a man after God’s own heart

righteousness

intentionally

go after God

Heed the Word

Talk to Him

Favor is not transactional!!!

Ill: Whoever had a favorite teacher. Miss English, Mrs. Adamak, Ms. Deacon, A favorite son, a favorite daughter, favorite pair of jeans

When God gives you favor, it’s just cause He likes you.

Whenever you have favor, you didn’t do anything to earn.

But when you have favor, you tend to attract favor haters!

Come here Joseph!

He’s clear about his relationship.

There’s a confidence you have when you know what you now

Psalm 5:1–3 NKJV

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. 2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. 3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

He starts remembering the character of God.

Psalm 5:4–8 NKJV

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. 6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.

ps 5.4-8

He switches to the ones that are causing him pain and trouble…Absalom

Psalm 5:9–11 NKJV

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue. 10 Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, For they have rebelled against You. 11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

Favor comes

It’s out of Relationship

“Lemme holla atcha”

define favor in rason-what is pleasing; pleasurable; having pleasure, to my liking

This actually makes me want some enemies! God can favor you while you are being hated on!

in music industry a 360 deal

“surround” means on every side, GOD puts favor on…

tell your neighbor “I’m dripping with finesse.”

5 out of 7 times, it means to crown

5 out of 7 times, it means to crown

1 - encircle

1 - surround

Whenever God uses the word “crowned” good stuff always comes along with it

Psalm 8:5 NKJV

5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

Psalm 65:11 NKJV

11 You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.

Psalm 103:4 NKJV

4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

the shield was designed to cover the entire body

Close

While I’m in the middle of it. He still blesses me.

From the outside...

it looks to my enemies like that which is rason-what is pleasing; pleasurable; having pleasure, to my liking is surrounding me.

ex. 1 Somebody has an EX while they are trying to take you out, they can’t figure out how you’re still smiling and not using filters on IG!

ex. 2 An old boss keeps waiting for you to come back and ask for your job

From the inside...

you keep looking at rason-what is pleasing; pleasurable; having pleasure, to my liking

ex. 1 you haven’t missed a meal, your mortgage is

It shouldn’t surprise you because the Bible says He prepares a table before me

Testimony: I’ve been traveling, eating, sleeping, rocking

As a matter of fact, every-time I turn around He keeps on making a way for me!