Do You Have “FAVOR” With God & Does It Matter? (Part 2)

Christians often wonder why God doesn’t respond to their prayers. They believe that God loves them and yet there seems to be a disconnect when it comes to answered prayer. Maybe there is a problem with how we conduct ourselves since becoming Christians? Maybe there is more to ordering our lives in ways that please God and thus “Gain Favor?” In my opinion, this is one of the major misconceptions of our walk with God. We believe in God and embrace that Jesus died for our sin but often our understanding of how and why God operates eludes us. If you haven’t read the first article on “Favor With God” please read before reading this article. It will make more sense.

Remember when Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray? They understood by experience that when Jesus prayed things happened, but when they prayed it was hit or miss. They knew the best thing to do was ask Jesus how and why.

Luke 11:1

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 

All too often pastors and teachers tell people they just have to have faith or greater faith. Then there are the pastors who suggest that people just need to confess they believe. Then again there are the teachers that will tell people they need to look up all the promises of God and confess them in order for God to move. Maybe, just maybe we should see what Jesus taught his disciple and we might uncover a greater understanding. Jesus taught his disciple in what is coined as “The Lord’s Prayer” a few key practices to incorporate in their prayer structure. Look at the first verse in Luke 11:2 and see if you are structuring your prayers for answers or just praying whatever comes to mind or need.

Luke 11:2

And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come.

There are three keys in this first portion of the prayer that identify how and why we seek Gods help in our daily life . 1) First is Relationship. We acknowledge that we relate to God as our father. 2) Second is Honor. We don’t start requesting things before we show proper respect and gratitude.  3) The third is Authority. What we put as a priority in our lives is a desire for God’s authority to be honored and submitted to.

Now, looking at these three areas we should see that Jesus is advising us to build “Credibility,” or favor, with our Heavenly Father before we engage in requesting His help. I think far too many professing Christians think God is just waiting to answer their prayers because they are His children, yet from this lesson on effective prayer, that doesn’t seem to be the case. If we investigate Jesus’ prayer life he often would go to isolated places to be alone with his Father, and that often meant praying at night when others were getting sleep. Jesus gained favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

I find the Old Testament is meant to teach us from the lives of people who learned how to please God and become powerful with him. Unfortunately, many believers today are lucky if they read the New Testament and often shun reading the old because they feel the Old Testament is too violent. Because of this bias they miss out on the example of faith that would greatly encourage them, let alone equip them. Before looking at these examples of people who desired and gained favor with God, let’s briefly look at a misconception that many have received and has weakened or even killed their incentive to strive for favor with God.

Many have received what I consider a distorted teaching on being “Clothed” by the righteousness of God. This concept teaches that we need a covering because we are sinful, and for God to look upon us we need the righteousness of Jesus. God therefore does not truly see us but he sees Jesus. This often comes from a passage from Isaiah.

Isaiah 61:10

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD; My soul will exult in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with jewels.

To me, and many others who have studied the scripture, God sees us and desires to love us like a father. He doesn’t need to see Jesus because we are too disgusting. He loves us so intensely that he sent Jesus to die for us. When we embrace the concept that Jesus shields us from the Father’s view because we are so deplorable, it’s like a parent telling their child “You Are So Stupid” that the child grows up never trying to develop their God given gifts and talents. Remember that God so loved the world, you and I, that while we were lost, Jesus has cleaned us and we are to walk in that cleaning. We could go further in this subject, but let me just say that God gives you raw gifting and talents, but it is up to you to develop those gifts and talents. As we strive towards developing our lives for God we gain greater favor with God. Look at the following examples.

Genesis 39:21          Joseph & Jailer

But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. 

Exodus 3:21             Israel & Egyptians

I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 

Judges 6:17             Gideon & Miraculous

So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. 

Ruth 2:10                 Ruth & Boaz

Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 

1 Samuel 2:26         Samuel

Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men.

1 Samuel 16:22       David

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 

All these people understood that to have favor with either people or God was something special and desired. To have favor with a person meant that they gained an advantage to prosper in some way, in position or in wealth or both. Ask yourself why did Jesus tell us to go into all the world and make disciples? The reason is discipleship develops our walk with God and man and thus we gain favor with both. Coming to Christ we should discover that cleansing is just the beginning of our relationship. Now we should develop what God has gifted us through Jesus day by day.

Philippians 2:12-13

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Questions:

1) Have you wondered why your prayers seem powerless at times? Gaining favor with God will change everything.

2) Do you want to gain favor with God? Next article we will dive into that question & answer.

Luke 13:24

Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Pastor Dale