God’s favor can carry people to places and positions that they could not reach otherwise and qualify them to be there. Divine purpose is one of the places that cannot be reached without God’s favor. God called us to a consecrated life of purpose, “because of his own purpose and grace [his amazing, undeserved favor]” (2 Timothy 1:9 AMP). Even though Jesus has always been perfect, he kept increasing in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). As you steward God’s favor in your life, it will increase and enable you to discover and fulfill purpose. In this study, you will learn how to walk in ever-increasing favor.
Introducing God’s Favor
People favor those in whom they delight and with whom they want to connect. Likewise, God shows favor to those in whom he delights. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word (Isaiah 66:2). The favor of God is the power to change things. It increases your influence and impact on people and situations. Favor carries you into the center of your purpose. By God’s favor, our daughter was chosen over 120,000 other applicants for her job with a commercial airline. She would not have been hired for the job without it. With this job, she has been able to start traveling with us on international trips to minister. This helps her reach divine purpose.
The parable on talents helps explain the connection between God’s favor and purpose (Matthew 25:14-30). A man had a slothful servant and two faithful servants. Before taking a long journey, he gave one talent to the slothful servant, but he favored the faithful servants by giving five talents to one servant and two talents to another. Interpreting the parable from man’s perspective, the faithful servants doubled their talents through industrious efforts and were put in charge of many things. From the perspective of God who knows the ending from the beginning, he expected the faithful servants to be in charge of many things. “For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined” (Romans 8:29). To fulfill God’s purpose of being in charge of many things, the first faithful servant was favored with five talents. Similarly, to fulfill God’s purpose of being in charge of many things, the second faithful servant was favored with two talents. Favor on the faithful servants enabled them to demonstrate their diligence and industry to propel them into being in charge of many things and fulfilling purpose.
The virgin Mary was highly favored with the presence of God. The angel told Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28 NIV). She conceived seed and brought forth the Son of God, who is also known as God’s word (John 1:1). God’s word came to life in Mary, and now God wants to bring his word to life in his people. When the word becomes alive to a person, it moves him/her into action. When God shows favor to a person, the Holy Spirit hovers over that person to bring forth the living word.
God shows favor to people because he loves them and wants to draw them into a relationship. He loved Mary and wanted to draw her into a relationship. She became the mother of Jesus, raising him up to become the Savior of the world. What an incredible relationship they formed. At a wedding feast, Mary was able to call on Jesus to perform a miracle even when he had not intended to perform miracles yet (John 2:1-11). She could call for a miracle out of season because God’s favor was upon her. She followed Jesus all the way to his death on the cross (John 19:25). After the resurrection of Jesus, Mary gathered with his disciples in the Upper Room and devoted herself to prayer (Acts 1:14).
God shows favor to a person because he loves the people around him/her and wants them blessed. The Lord made David king of Israel and blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel, whom he loved (2 Samuel 5:12). After David, the Lord made Solomon king of Israel because he loved his people Israel (1 Kings 10:9). God’s favor upon you is to bless the people around you. His favor upon kingdom leaders is to release people into their destiny.
Ever-increasing Favor
Blessings come through God’s favor or grace. “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6). God wants to be involved in every aspect of your life, including your finances. If you operate in any area of life without involving God, then you operate without faith and that is sin. Anything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
If you want God’s favor upon your efforts, then acknowledging his role and properly responding to it will benefit your financial situation. Recognize God’s influence on your job, career, and income, and it will change the way you operate. He wants you to increase, and he has given you his Spirit to show you how to do it.
God is working on behalf of everyone who loves him. “In everything, God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 EXB). God shows his goodness to those who love him and even to sinners so they will turn to him. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). He shows his goodness to people so they will turn from their wicked ways and turn to him (Romans 2:4). Many people turn from the way they have been going but do not turn far enough to see God’s kingdom where his abundance is available for all.
Consider how God’s favor on your finances enable you to do good to those around you. If your finances come through God’s favor upon you, then you are expected to be a steward to use the finances in ways which please him. A basic principle of the kingdom is that proper stewardship brings increase. Proper stewardship of God’s favor brings more favor to a person. As long as a person stays humble and grateful for God’s blessings, he/she will increase in favor. Then he/she can operate out of a position of favor. Giving keeps you from being self-centered and neglecting God’s influence in life.
Build Strong Relationships with the Godhead
Abundance comes through relationships with the Father, his Son, and his Spirit. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Some people focus on what God said in his word in the past and neglect what he is saying now by his Spirit. Following the Spirit is higher than sacrifice. It is better to listen to the Lord and obey him than to offer him sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22).
Being obedient is very important in the area of finances, affecting both income and spending. If people give out of obligation to rules or regulations, it will not benefit them like they expect. When they are being led by the Spirit, they are obedient and able to receive God’s abundance. “If you have a willing heart to let me help you, and if you will obey me, you will feast on the blessings of an abundant harvest” (Isaiah 1:19 TPT).
Build Godly Relationships with Other People
God’s love provides the proper motivation for the abundant life. The Father is love, and he pours out his love on believers through his Spirit. The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5). Believers increase in love in the presence of the Spirit, but their love is tested and refined in relationships.
Believers are joined together in relationships to contribute their divine gifts and energies to build up one another in love (Ephesians 4:16, Colossians 2:19). Thus, God’s love in you is an expression of your relationships. It is a unique measure of kingdom community. Those believers who operate in meaningful, godly relationships grow in God’s love.
Kingdom finances flow along the lines of relationships. If you give all your goods to feed the poor but your giving is not rooted in the love that is an expression of relationships, it does not amount to anything. “If I give all my possessions to feed the poor . . . but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).
Personal Story on God’s Favor
God’s favor brought promotions and increasing salaries to me over a long professional career at a major university. After teaching students and conducting research for many years, the Lord told me that I was going to be the head of my department. I liked what I was doing as a professor with teaching and research responsibilities and never wanted to be the department head. Many of the other professors in the department wanted other people to be the department head, but I was the Lord’s choice for the sake of the many students in the department. As the department head, I was able to hire excellent teachers and improve the quality of instruction. Throughout my career in administration, I was aware that God was concerned about the welfare of the students. I benefited from his favor by receiving a higher salary while I was working and eventually by receiving greater retirement benefits.
Conclusions
God makes abundant provision for people to fulfill his purpose. This abundance is more than natural possessions. It touches every aspect of life, including relationships, health, emotional well-being, and finances. Each person can walk in abundance by fulfilling purpose.
Make room for God in your finances. Stay humble and grateful for what God is doing and expect him to move in your life by showing his favor upon your financial situation. He can do more in your finances than you could ever do alone. Live in partnership with God and follow the guidance of his Spirit.