Understanding God's Favour

Favor of God

What does having the favor of God mean?

To favor means to give special regard to; to treat with goodwill; to show exceptional kindness to someone. Sometimes, it means to show extra kindness in comparison to the treatment of others; that is, preferential treatment. warns of judgment by a "nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young." Though it is natural for us to favor the young in times of affliction or judgment, this nation will not give such favor. Esther received royal favor above all the other virgins ( ). It is from this use of favor that we get the word, favorite. The greatest favors are shown to the favorite.

However, favor is not always used in a comparative way toward others. It sometimes simply means that the one favored is shown kindness and treated with a generosity and goodwill far beyond what would normally be expected. This is generally the favor that we receive from the Lord. We are treated much better than we could expect. Of course, every believer is favored to some degree. Therefore, we must understand God's favor in degrees. The more we please God, the more we will be favored by Him. Also, it is important not to think of this favor in material or worldly terms. God's favor most likely will be given in spiritual blessings more than in material blessings. Here are some of the ways by which we obtain the favor of the Lord:

By praying unto the Lord ( ).By keeping the commandments of the Lord ( ).By seeking and finding God's wisdom ( ).By diligently seeking good ( ; 12:2 ).By living righteously ( ).

There are many benefits of being in the favor of the Lord. Here are some of them:

Our petitions are more likely to be granted ( ).God will compass us with a shield ( ).We will receive life ( ).Our enemies will not triumph over us ( ).God will show mercy ( ).

We can grow in favor both with God and with man-as did the child Samuel ( ) and the child Jesus ( ). The phrase, to find favor in the eyes of, or, in the sight of, came from the Old Testament. Every saint of God should desire and seek to have favor in the eyes of the Lord. We grow in that favor as we faithfully live for the Lord.

However, this should not be looked upon as some sort of secret formula for getting everything we want. For purposes of His own, God sometimes takes those He loves through special trials. Job is the primary example but similar instances happen in the lives of many. However, if we continually draw closer to the Lord, we will come to dwell in His favor and in His favor is life ( ).

4 Points to Access the Favor of God

by Gloria Copeland

How would your life look if you were surrounded, all day and every day, by God’s favor? How different would things be if doors opened for you and you walked through each one covered with God’s favor? Would your actions and attitudes in every situation be any different if you knew beyond any doubt that success lies ahead, because you are one of God’s favorites? Would you find the courage to lay down your anxieties and fears? Of course, you would! In this article, I’m going to show you how you can have God’s favor each and every day. In fact, I’ve got good news for you—you already have it!

You Already Have God’s Favor

Many Christians believe they have to somehow earn the favor of God, but the truth is, we already have His favor. God saved us because of His favor toward us.

tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (NKJV).

Simply put, grace is favor.

God’s favor is the power that changes things for us. First and foremost, you and I are saved by His favor, and I’m not just talking about going to heaven when we die. To be saved means to be delivered, protected, preserved, healed and made whole.

God’s favor covers every area of our lives! By His favor, He has taken care of everything we will ever need—spirit, soul and body. His supernatural grace is so vast, the Bible says it is going to take all the ages to come for Him to show us all the riches of His grace in the kindness He’s given us in Christ Jesus (see ).

You may be thinking, Oh, I can’t wait until I get to heaven so I can experience the fullness of God’s favor!

You don’t have to wait! God is pouring out His favor on us right here and now. Even before we were born again, He was giving us His favor. While we were still rebelling against Him, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” ().

It was God’s grace at work in your life that enabled you to be born again. From the moment you stepped into that new life—the moment you made Jesus Lord—God’s favor began working nonstop on your behalf. Being born again was just the starting place for His favor to pour out. And He will pour out grace and more favor to you every moment of your life if you’ll receive it!

says, “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield” (NKJV).That scripture is talking about the born-again child of God who serves Him. It is talking about you! Jesus made you righteous. When Jesus shed His blood, He made righteousness available to all mankind, and with it came the favor of God! God’s favor surrounds you constantly! You have been born again into His righteousness.

We should always see ourselves wrapped in God’s favor 24 hours a day. Every morning when you get up, throw off the covers and jump out of bed saying, “I am the righteous; Lord, Your favor surrounds me like a shield.”

You Receive God’s Favor by Faith

Now you may be thinking, Gloria, I know a lot of believers who don’t enjoy the kind of favor you’re talking about. Their lives are full of tragedy and disappointment. Why doesn’t God surround them with favor?

God does surround them with favor. They just don’t know it, so they can’t take advantage of what He has given them.

You see, according to , God’s grace is multiplied to us through knowledge. The first thing you have to do before you can receive the benefits of God’s favor is to know they are yours. Then, you have to receive them by faith. Remember , “God saved you by his grace….” God’s favor provides every possible blessing and goodness He has to give, starting with being saved. Your part is faith—to believe and receive all He has given.

Our grandson Jeremy Pearsons puts it so simply. He says, “Grace is God saying, ‘Here is all the good stuff I have to give you.’ Faith is you saying, ‘Thank You, I’ll take it.’”

So, where do we get the faith to receive? “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (, KJV). We find out the truth about God’s favor, goodness and blessing as we hear His Word on these things. Faith comes, we believe and begin to receive what His Word says.

I remember the first time Ken and I heard that healing belonged to us because it was part of our salvation—part of what Jesus bought and paid for on the cross. Our lives changed that night! We stepped into a new dimension of God’s favor. Until then, we had believed people could be healed, and we always prayed when we got sick. Sometimes we would receive, and sometimes we wouldn’t. But when we realized God’s Word said that healing belonged to us by the blood of Jesus—that it was part of the favor provided by God’s salvation grace—faith came. We received it, and we began to live healed.

That’s exactly how favor works. It’s always surrounding us. Healing was there for Ken and me all the time. It was always part of God’s favor. Once we heard about it, all we did was reach out and take it by faith.

God Is Searching for Someone to Bless With His Favor

Sadly, many times we are slow to receive God’s favor. We think we’re waiting on Him when He’s actually waiting on us to receive. You see, God has already done everything it takes for you and me to be fully cared for while we’re living here on earth. He has provided every blessing—health, prosperity, peace of mind, joy, deliverance from sin and everything that pertains to our good life (). Then He tops it all off with life in heaven when we leave this earth! It’s all part of His favor. All we have to do is stay ready to receive.

Actually, we can’t get away from God’s favor. tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” (KJV).Perfect doesn’t refer to someone who never makes a mistake. It means someone who is loyal, devoted and faithful. This kind of heart is always ready to receive the good things His grace provides.

2 Chronicles 16:9 The Message

God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him. You were foolish to go for human help when you could have had God’s help. Now you’re in trouble—one round of war after another.”

2 chron 16:

God is always searching for someone to bless. That’s His nature. He is full of mercy and compassion. Because of His favor, He looks for someone who is ready to trust Him; someone who is ever ready to reach out in faith to receive His favor and blessing.

Are you that kind of person? Are you the kind of person who is trustworthy, someone who is ready and willing to receive God’s favor and blessing?

When I heard from God’s Word in that the Lord takes care of His people and provides what we need, faith came and I was born again. I fell in love with the Word of God and my faith grew. Even today, I gladly say, “Look, Lord. Here I am. I’m ready. Just show it to me in the Word, and I’ll take it. I’ll believe it and act on it and receive all You say!”

You can do the same. If you would like to open the door to the favor and grace of God—and who wouldn’t?—begin to find out what He says in His Word. Discover the countless ways He desires to bless you. Believe Him. Begin to expect to receive. Every day declare what the Bible says: “God encompasses me with favor like a shield. Everywhere I go, everything I do, I am favored of God” (from , KJV)!

That may not be easy for you to do if you’re covered up by challenging circumstances right now. You will have to stare those challenges in the face and declare to them you’re favored by God when they are telling you, “Hey, stupid, things are terrible. It’s all over. You don’t have any hope.”

But, I’m telling you, you can do it! There are plenty of scriptures for you to stand on that affirm you are surrounded by God’s favor. Here’s an article with four scriptures you will want to begin confessing today! Get them firmly established in your heart and don’t get off them—even when circumstances seem to contradict them.

You may be in need of a job, the next step in your life toward God’s plan and purpose for you. Many people are in that place today. When you go in for that job interview, favor is what you should believe God for. Look up favor scriptures, speak them over that job and just go in there expecting the Lord to give you favor. Remember, He favors you! Someone else may look better on paper than you do, but when you go in there, the favor of God goes before you. That interviewer will think, Well, you know, that guy over there has done more—or been to school more or done something else more—but there’s just something about this guy here. I like this guy. What is it about him? I don’t know, but I like him. I’m going to give him a shot at this job. That’s favor and you’ve got it all over you!

You Must Release Your Faith for God’s Favor

God’s favor is yours, but there are a couple of things you must do to fully enjoy its benefits. First, you must receive God’s favor like every other spiritual promise—by faith. Then you must release your faith.

That’s what Abraham, the father of our faith, did. The circumstances looked hopeless when God promised him he would be the father of many nations. His age. Sarah’s lifelong barrenness. How could it be? They received God’s promise by faith and God’s favor.

[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised…. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead…. Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand…. (, , , AMPC).

Look at again. We have access by faith into grace! God’s favor surrounds us—our faith releases it! Glory to God!

So, we are just like Abraham. That’s how it is in life for all of us. Sometimes things look bad. But we have to learn when we walk in faith and face the natural facts, we believe God anyway. We grow to the point where we can hear bad news without wavering in our faith…and receive God’s favor no matter what the circumstances are.

Receiving God’s favor by faith is a simple act on our part.

Get into God’s Word. Put the Word into your heart and speak it out your mouth. Believe it and act on it. Receive it!

When you do that, you will be victorious in every area of your life. There is no situation, no circumstance—nothing—that is stronger than the grace of God…the favor that surrounds you.

Whatever you may be facing today, stand up and get right in its face and say this: “I’m a born-again child of Almighty God. His supernatural favor surrounds me like a shield this very moment. His grace is more than enough to deliver me out of this trouble. My faith is in God’s Word, and I’m coming out of this triumphantly by the favor of God!”

Then, begin to expect great things to happen. I can tell you from the Word of God and from my own experience, your life will never be the same when you act like the favor of God is yours!