HIS GOODNESS (V)

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TOPIC: FAVOUR

TEXT: Exo.3:21; 12:36

INTRODUCTION

God had appeared to Abraham, and had given him great covenant promises. Abraham was to become a great nation. Through his offspring the entire race of man was to be blessed. And the chosen people were to enjoy God’s favor and His protection. What’s more, the family of Abraham was to inherit a land that, at that time, was particularly rich. Canaan was to be a Jewish homeland, a perpetual possession set aside for them. In order to do this, He took them to Egypt where they went into bondage so that He could do the following for them viz:

· Give them rest
· Protect them from the coming famine and wars in the promised land
· Multiply them
· Bond them into one nation

In doing this, as He took them out of Egypt, He promised to show them His goodness, which was manifested in His doing the following for them:
· Multiplication
· Adversity
· Favour
· Judgment
· His presence
· Testing
· Fulfilled word

As already started last week, this month, we are going to consider the subject of FAVOUR.

WHAT IS FAVOUR?

Heb.—Hen or Ratson,; Grk.—Charis ie
· To regard with goodwill
· To be on the side of
· To show partiality to
· To treat indulgently
· To give support to
· To afford advantage
· To choose; to wear
· To give special preference to
· To stoop in kindness
· To bend backwards to do good
· Favor is when God causes someone to desire to become a problem solver in your life. Favor is an attitude of goodness towards you. Favor is the willingness, desire and participation of someone to help you advance or obtain something you want.
· Lance Wallnau is a pastor in Rhode Island explained the technical Greek definition of Favour like this:

(a) To have the peculiar signature of God or his honor or his cherishing value placed on you so that when he sees you there is a special value he has for you…In other words…God really likes you!

(b) When He likes you, there is such an influence that comes upon you that the charisma of God himself rubs off on you which makes other people like you or cooperate with you whether they like you or not!

(c) FAVOR is the special affection of God toward you that releases an influence on you, so that others are inclined to like you, or to cooperate with you.

SOURCES OF FAVOUR

Read: 1 Sam 2:26 & Lu 2:52

a) God & b) Man

NATURE OF FAVOUR

Favour can be likened to a force – Num.23:19-24. Therefore like all vector quantities, it has magnitude and Direction – Psm.115:14, Prov.4:18
Favour can be:
· Obtained –Gen.18:3,Gen.30:27, 2Chor.31:20
· Increased –Deut.33:23,Josh.15:19, Judg.1:15, Isa.1:19
· Released –Gen.12:2; 17:20
· Flow – Gen.12:3;26:4
· Lost – ISam.13:7-14 (NIV)

MANIFESTATIONS OF FAVOUR

How did some people’s favour manifest in the bible?

1) NOAH
Gen.6:8
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD
– Favour caused him to bring forth the ark and save humanity.

2) ABRAHAM
Genesis 18:3
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Favour
– Got divine attention, fellowship and a date for his promise. He brought forth a nation.

3) JACOB
Genesis 30:27
27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
Favour brought:
– Blessing to people he came in contact with.
– Directed him on wealth transferred.
– Resulted in wealth, increase and multiplication.

4) JOSEPH
Genesis 39:21
21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Acts 7:10
10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Favour brought:
– Divine presence
– Those that matter loved him
– Took him out of affliction
– Gave him promotion he could not have worked for

5) ISRAEL
Exodus 3:21
21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
Because Favour:
– No matter the condition,
– You won’t go empty
– You’ll get all your benefits
– You won’t be dismissed just any how

Exodus 11:3
3 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
Exodus 12:36
36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
Psalms 44:3
3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
Favour will cause you to:
– Come into the blessings of your fathers
– Will bring fulfillment of divine promises
– Favour before men to get all you want from them.

6) RUTH
Ruth 2:13
13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
Favour
– Regardless of your immigration status anywhere in the word, you’ll be favoured.
– Hands full on purpose will be dropped for you.
– You’ll be present at the right place at the right time and meet the right person.

7) DAVID
1 Samuel 16:22
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
2 Samuel 15:25
25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
Favour
– Favour brought him to stand before authorities and he became accepted.
– Favour brought restoration to him.

8) NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah 2:5
5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.
Favour gave him
– Building permit. Wherever you need permits, favour will bring it to you.
– Released resources required for him to start and complete all the building work he had planned to do.

9a) ESTHER
Esther 2:15,17
15 … She required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Favour – Made an outside peasant girl to have a chance at royalty.
– Made her accepted by the Enuch that helped her and eventually made her queen.

9b) ESTHER
Esther 5:2
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Favour
– Favour cancelled the sentence of death over her. Preserved her life and she lived to fulfill her destiny.

9c) ESTHER
Esther 5:8
8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king hath said.
Esther 7:3
3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
– Favour – made her plans for the deliverance of her people to work. Your plans will work.

9d) ESTHER
Esther 8:5
5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces:
Favour
– Favour – Reversed all the decrees against her and her people.
– Granted her the assets of her enemies.

10) JOB
Job 10:12
12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
Favour
– Throughout his ordeal, God kept showing up to see him even though he didn’t see God. This was because of favour no matter where you are now and what you may be experiencing, the favour of God will preserve you until the day of your testimony and showing forth.

10) SOLOMON
Ecclesiastes 9:11
11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
– Favour – makes you not to miss your time and opportunities.

11) DANIEL
Daniel 1:9
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
Favour brought Him:
– Revelation
– Solution to complicated problems
– Out lived His enemies and
– Served four kings

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAVOUR
a) Favour is different on each person
b) Your Favour is found in your assignment
c) Favour is a currency with which we purchase influence

Dr. Udoh
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