God's Favor and the Anointing #3

I want to continue my last message on God’s favor: As I mentioned in the last message 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. Also, in my last message, I talked about the connection between God’s favor and the anointing. God gave me certain points to help you understand this connection:

1.)    The anointing of God carries out and accomplishes what the favor represents.

2.)    The anointing confirms the favor to others, including you, if necessary.

3.)    The anointing manifests the favor in the natural.

4.)    The anointing is God confirming the favor to do something in the natural that man can’t do.

5.)    Only when we recognize this Divine favor and confess it is when the anointing is released. We confess His favor when we worship and praise God.

6.)    Anointing is the hammer that nails favor on the circumstances.

7.)    Anointing seals and finalizes favor onto the circumstances.

8.)    Favor causes the circumstances to change in our favor when the anointing touches them.

9.)    Stepping out in faith, knowing you have His favor turns loose the anointing in our life.

Let’s look at the life of Paul and see the LORD’s favor on his life and how he acted on this favor: in 1 Corinthian’s Chapter 4,  Paul discussed some of the persecution that he had gone through;

1.)    He was troubled on every side, but not distressed, perplexed, but not in despair (verse 8).

2.)    He was persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (verse 9).

In all these attacks he had the favor of God so strong that the LORD kept him in the midst of these attacks. God will keep you too!  Also, in Chapter 11 Paul talks about some more of the attacks that he had:

1.)    He had been beaten with stripes beyond measure and been in prisons beyond measure (verse 23).

2.)    In verse 25 he says that suffered shipwreck.

3.)    In verse 26 he says that suffered perils in the waters, perils by the heathen, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness and perils among false brethren.

With all the pressure he had been through Paul said in Chapter 12 verse 10 that he took pleasure in all the attacks that he had because of Christ; for when he was weak, then he was strong. He knew that all the attacks that he had, brought him closer to the LORD, helped crucify the flesh and showed how the enemy was not able to stop him, because of the LORD’s favor on his life. This favor was so evident to all the people, including the devil when in Acts 19 (verse 13-17) seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons in the name of Jesus who Paul preached. The demons spoke that they knew Jesus and they knew Paul but didn’t know them. For Paul to be mentioned in the same sentence as Jesus he had to have the favor of the LORD. One of the proofs that you have the favor of the LORD is that the devil knows your name. Satan is not afraid of every Christian, just the ones that know that they have the favor of God and act on it.

Some examples of Paul acting on this favor are found in Acts Chapters 27 and 28: he was a prisoner on a ship heading to Rome when he warned them not to venture out because a storm was coming. Despite his warning they sailed anyway. A great storm arose but Paul calmed everybody down by telling them to abide in the ship and they would be saved (Acts 27 verses 22-25). He knew that he had the favor of the LORD on his life and that the LORD told him that he had to go to Rome to preach. He knew that no storm could stop him from getting there. The people on board believed Paul and cut off their life boats and all made it safely to shore on Melita. On Melita a snake bit Paul and Paul acted on his favor with the LORD and just shook it off (Acts 28 verses 3-5). He knew that this snake couldn’t stop him from getting to Rome, because God cannot lie! We too have to act on this favor that we have and watch God change the circumstances to confirm that favor. The favor on Paul’s life, as he acted on it, caused the anointing of God to change the natural to confirm this favor to the people on board the ship and to the people on the island of Melita. Please look at the nine points above and see how they were operating in Paul’s life in this story in Acts Chapters 27 and 28.

Another example of Paul stirring up the anointing of God was when he said in Acts Chapter 20 in verse 22 that he was going to Jerusalem, bound by the Holy Spirit and was not concerned about what the devil had waiting for him there. Wherever he went the authorities couldn’t stop him because Paul had stirred up the anointing by going to where God wanted him to go, despite the circumstances. One of the best ways to stir up the anointing is to go towards the enemy. (David and Goliath). When you go toward the fear that is trying to come on you, you will find that the fear that you are feeling is coming from Satan and his two-legged devils. They are afraid of you, that’s the fear that is trying to stop you! Look at the fear when Jonathan and his armor bearer went against the enemy: the fear that the enemy had caused them to destroy each other (1 Sam. Chapter 14). Also, remember the fear that came on Jehoshaphat’s enemies when he “just” sent his praise and worship singers against the enemy (2 Chron. Chapter 20).

In Acts Chapter 14 Paul was stoned in Lystra and left for dead (verses 19-21). He                acted on the favor that he had with the LORD and went back. Nobody could hurt him as he went back and encouraged all the Christians (verses 22 and 23).

So, please meditate on the favor that God has bestowed on you and also the nine points above, so you can act on this favor and give Satan and his cohorts a “licking.”