Acts 7:46a “David found favor with God”.
Favour of God is a formula. Many misunderstand that God has favorites and only His favorites are blessed with His choicest blessings. God’s love is constant. He loves the good and bad, strong and the weak, generous and the stingy, the rich and the poor, the wise and the simple – equally. We are all created in the image of God. However, the favour of God increases in the lives of those who walk in reverential fear of the Lord. The fear of God floods us with the ‘Favour of God’. The LORD favours those who fear Him (Psalm 147:11a). Reverential fear is being conscientious of not hurting the heart of God by our thoughts, words or deeds.
Favour of God is the unmerited grace of God. His favour qualifies the disqualified for blessings, power, positions, responsibilities and ministry that they don’t deserve.
David was not a perfect man. He coveted, committed adultery and murder, yet, Jesus was called the Son of David about 10 times in the Gospels. The secret of the favour of God in David’s life was His love for God. David loved God and enjoyed the Lord’s presence. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live (Psalm 63:1b). David reciprocated God’s love with reverential fear of God. David did not justify his wrong nor did he dishonour God’s prophets. Power and position did not make him arrogant. When Prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin in private, the greatest King of Israel, David, repented publicly and wrote Psalm 51. The reverential fear of God will make us flee from sin and repent sincerely when we are convicted.
To move into the territory where God’s favour freely flows we have to love Him more than our love for people, passions, power, positions or possessions. We should be able to say like David, “Your love is better than life”. Genuine love for God will stop us from doing anything that would displease Him.
The formula to live under the canopy of ‘the favour of God’:
1. Man: David feared God more than pleasing man. There will be times we will be antagonized for speaking the truth and for choosing righteousness. Never lower your standards to please people. Don’t fear the rejection of people; God will flood it with favour. Favour of God is far more precious than controlling/manipulative friends.
2. Might: David put his trust in the Lord not on his might or military power. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). Trusting in the Lord more than our strength, skill or wisdom will submerge us in the favour of God.
3. Money: David did not lean on the enormous gold, silver and wealth that God blessed him with. The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver (Psalm 19:10).
Favour of the Lord is a formula. Untainted Love + Fear of God = Favour of God
Proverbs 22:1b Favor is better than silver and gold.
Prayer: Dearest Holy Spirit, teach me the secret formula to live under the favour of God. Amen.
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