“How To Recognize God’s Favor When You See It!”

(“Prepare For And Expect The Blessing! pt. 3)”

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 01/21/24 (3rd Sunday Message) (Final Version)

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#faith #whatdoesGodsay #forgiveness #Godworks #savedtoserve #overflow #protector #Expectation #worry #Favor #deliverance #listeningears #Godspeaks #blessings

{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}

Message Title:

“How To Recognize God’s Favor When You See It!”

Back in October God began speaking on a message that would need to be taught in 2024.

2024: A Year of Favor For The Faithful!

God is going to start moving differently in the lives of some. For those who have been faithful in the worst of times.

For those who have been faithful in the best of times.

God is preparing something special that many of us will begin to see THIS year!

God Is Going To Start Rewarding Those Who Have Been Faithful!

Amos 9:13 (MSG)

“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” GOD’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:

God Is Going To Start Overflowing The Blessings In The Lives Of Those Who Have Been Faithful To Him!

Some of us have been seeing these things already.

What have we been teaching so far to make sure we’re ready?

How Do We Receive God’s Blessing This Year?

• Make Sure You Have The Right Relationship With God

This means seeking him. This means knowing God.

This means you can hear his voice.

You can hear God when he says…the blessing is “here,” or “over there!"

How Do We Receive God’s Blessing This Year?

• Make Sure You Are Moving When God Says Move!

This means listening.

This means obedience.

This means ACTION!

When God tells you where the blessings are…you go GET them!

How Do We Receive God’s Blessing This Year?

• Make Sure You Continue To Show Yourself Faithful To What God Has Placed In Your Life!

Faithfulness was defined as being committed. Having a desire or duty to do that thing.

…well

Not just to get it done…

But doing your best to do it right. What has God given you already? He expects you to be faithful to it.

Just like in the parable of the talents…

God doesn’t trust us with things for no reason.

God Will Be Showing His Favor To Those Who Show Themselves Faithful To Him!

1 Samuel 26:23

23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.

There is a reward for being faithful… THIS is what we are to prepare for!

THIS is what we should position ourselves for this year!

Some of you have already seen God moving this year.

Others MIGHT have seen it…but you should know what to look for.

What Does God’s Favor Look Like?

We tend to think that the favor God gives is “money.”

We have expectations that it will come in a raise… or we find a bag of money…

but God’s favor doesn’t always translate one way.

God can give us things that are better than money!

Having God’s Favor Means He Is Looking Out For Your Needs!

You don’t have to work so hard to figure things out when you have the favor of God.

Matthew 6:31-33

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God knows what you need…

If you are seeking him…he will provide you with those things!

Philippians 4:19

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

God is capable of meeting needs…

What Type Of Needs Will God’s Favor Provide?

How can God show his favor to you?

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Provides Healing!

God is a healer to those who have his favor!

Jeremiah 30:17

17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord…

God is a God who can heal!

Exodus 23:25

25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you…

For those who show themselves faithful… God can reward with healing!

You may miss it when you’re looking just for money… God has healed you from some things!

Always Count Your Blessings! Every Time God Heals Us, It’s A Sign Of Him Showing His Favor For Us!

- What else can God’s favor provide?

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Provides Sustainment!

Sustain means to “hold.” or “provide strength” as in “sustain a note”

or “God’s love sustained me.” God has the ability to sustain!

This means that things can last MUCH longer than they should because of God’s favor!

Deuteronomy 29:5

5 During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.

This means that you get EXTRA life out of things you have.

God’s Favor Can Cause The Things You Own To Last Longer!

Things that should have broken years ago… still do well today!

clothes…electronics…cars…HOMES.

You might think it’s built well…

but it was God’s favor the whole time!

It’s NOT just material things either. Also in that 40 years…

Deuteronomy 8:4

4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

That means your body can go on for longer also. Why?

Because God sustains you!

Isaiah 41:13

13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

“You are the source of my strength!”

God’s Favor Strengthens You To Press Through When You Feel Like Giving Up!

There may have been many times you wanted to stop doing your calling.

You may have been heartbroken… you may have been mistreated…

lied on…

But just when you feel like giving up…

it’s the favor of God that can give you strength to get back up and keep going!

- What else can God’s favor provide?

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Brings Honor With Other People!

Means that God watches over those who he favors.

Esther won favor with all the people ESPECIALLY the King JUST because she was there. (Esther 2)

so much so, he made her the Queen!

God Can Cause You To Have An Influence On Other People!

Judges 7:13 - story about Gideon.

he was tasked with delivering God’s people from slavery under Midian. Gideon went from a nobody to a leader in a few days.

he gained an army of 30,000 the Lord lowered it to 300.

to FIGHT against 150,000 people!

The Lord told Gideon to go into the enemy’s camp and listen. He snuck in there and listened.

a man had a dream that a loaf of bread came through there. it destroyed everything.

the other person says it must be about Gideon…

God already showed me we’re gonna lose to him.

There Are People In High Places Who God Has Already Told About You! That’s How His Favor Works!

How else does his favor show itself?

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Brings Increase!

- God is a God that can reward you.

1 Chronicles 4 talks about Jabez.

- He prayed to God and asked that God would give him increase. and God granted his request.

Genesis 12 - the Lord tells Abram to leave where he is and go to where he tells him.

Genesis 12:2 (AMP)

2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].

an increase of favors!

His name would be famous. distinguished…

he would have the capacity to bless others!

God Can Give You So Much That You Can Bless Others!

Some of you have been favored in finances. Remember it is because of GOD that you are favored!

Proverbs 10:22

22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

God’s Favor Grants Increase!

Psalm 44:3 (NKJV)

3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.

The things we have…are because of the Lord.

We have to remember it’s because of his favor… that we can have what we do…

and even more!

{closing}

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Provides Healing

don’t over look the small things…

God has brought you through some trials!

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Provides Sustainment!

God has kept many of us over the years

we may not be in the best shape…but we aren’t in the worst either. He has sustained us as well as many of the things we own.

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Brings Honor With Other People!

many of us know we didn’t get here on our own

God has caused us to have influence with others.

those people have blessed us on the job, in our lives, with friendship or more. he has fought battles we never knew about.

4 Ways You Can Recognize God’s Favor:

• God’s Favor Brings Increase!

God has provided us with a LOT. God is rewarding GREATER favor this year.

If you are faithful to him…

he will give you more of his favor.