The Father's Favor-Do You Have It?

The Hebrew word for Favor is “Chen” which is the state of being approved or held in regard by the LORD in our lives and all our situations, apart from any merit of our own. The incredible news about favor is that it is assigned to you! When you are chosen for it, you walk in it and it follows you where ever you may be or go! We can’t assume that all believers automatically walk in favor. All believers have received unmerited favor for salvation, but it is presumptuous to think that all walk in favor continually. Once you have this favor, it cannot leave you; only you can forsake it by believing more in the circumstances than God’s word!

Let’s discuss favor in greater detail in the word: Let’s look at the life of Joseph to see God’s favor in action: We see in Genesis Chapter 37 that God revealed two dreams to Joseph about his brothers and father bowing down to him. They were jealous of him to begin with and he made the mistake of telling these dreams to them. They got even angrier and threw him in a pit. They came back to get him and discovered that he was gone. Most of his brothers wanted to kill him, so God had the Midianites pass by and take him out of the pit before his brothers came back. Do you see God’s favor and protection on Joseph? The Midianites sold him to the Ismeelites who brought him to Egypt, which is where God wanted him to wind up (verse 27, 28). They sold him to Potiphar in Egypt (verse 36). As a servant to Potiphar in Egypt, Joseph had such favor that he made him overseer over his entire house (verse 4). Because Potiphar promoted him, God’s blessing was upon all that he had in his house and in the field (verse 5). Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph and one day Joseph came into the house and nobody was there but Potiphar’s wife. This is where Joseph made a serious mistake: everyone in Potiphar’s house reported to Joseph, except Potiphar’s wife. He knew where everyone was supposed to be and he was not thinking properly when he went into the house alone with Potiphar’s wife. As you know, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph and he was placed in prison. In prison God’s favor was on him so much that the keeper of the prison put him in charge of all the prisoners (Gen. 39 verses 21, 22). In prison he made another big mistake: He interpreted a dream for the butler and baker who previously had worked for the Pharaoh. He told the butler to remember him and speak to Pharaoh for his release when he got out (40 verse 14). Because of this, God was upset and he had to spend another two years in prison (Gen. 41 verse 1). But despite all the mistakes that he made, God’s favor was so strong on Joseph that in the fullness of time, Joseph was promoted to second in command to the Pharaoh (Gen. 41 verses 38-42). During the time that Joseph spent in the pit and prison God was sharpening and correcting him in order that he would be promoted into his destiny. As you can see God’s favor was strong on Joseph and he never lost it despite all the mistakes he made. The same with us: God’s favor that He has deposited onto our lives never quits but we may forsake it by focusing on the natural and not the word. Be patient, God’s favor will be demonstrated in the natural in His perfect time.

Also, in the life of Joseph, God’s favor was on him so much that he caused all the people to give twenty percent of their crop to Pharaoh. People who were connected to him also got blessed because of God’s favor on his life! God’s favor on your life can bless others who bless you (Gen 47 verses 23-26).

In Exodus Chapter 33 God’s favor was on Moses so greatly that when He asked God to show him His glory that God showed him His back parts when He passed by him. He also proclaimed the Name of the LORD to Moses as He passed by (verse 19-23)

In the life of Solomon, God’s favor was so evident in his life that when the Queen of Sheba visited him. She was so amazed at his wisdom, as recorded in 1 Kings 10 verse 10, 11 that she gave him an abundance of presents of precious stones, gold and spices.

Look at the life of David and see his humble beginnings. These humble beginnings did not reflect the favor that God put on his life. The word records that Samuel the Prophet visited David’s house to anoint him as king. He was watching his father’s sheep and Samuel recognized God’s favor on him so much that he told the others in the house that nobody could eat until David came. Samuel anointed him with God’s favor in front of the whole family (1 Sam. 16 verses 11-13). It didn’t matter that nobody in the family wanted him to have this favor; God gave it to him anyway. The same with you: when you make your number one prayer to be that God would conform you into the image of Jesus, than you are ripe for God to pour out His favor into your life! In Psalm 76 verse 9 the word shows that favor is given to the meek. This favor was so evident in David’s life that when everybody was afraid of Goliath, David ran towards him, killed him and in the process all the Philistine army was defeated (1 Sam. 17 verses 49-52). You see, God will demonstrate to others why He gave you His favor. You will do great things for the LORD that maybe others would not even dare to try. Whom God calls He justifies!

Meditate on God’s favor that He has put on your life, dream big, enlarge you expectations(Isaiah 54- verses 1-5) and expect this favor to be always operating in your life( no matter how you feel). Also, the word says in Prov. 22 verse 1 that one should choose favor than gold or silver. You see, all you have to do is seek God’s favor and the gold and silver will follow.

Remember you can’t have God’s favor in your life until you ask God to conform you into the image of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to mortify the deeds of your flesh. Read the epistles of Paul (Romans – Hebrews) and speak scriptures into you life that the Holy Spirit points out to you that deal with crucifying the flesh! You will find that as you allow the Holy Spirit to change you into the image of Jesus through these scriptures that His favor will be evident for all to see!