The Favor Of God

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:37.120 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.840 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.640 share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:58.400 God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:01.280 It's always a joy. They're coming to your homes and 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:04.320 if you're ever in our area, please stop by and 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:06.880 be a part of one of our services. I promise 0:02:06.960 --> 0:02:09.160 you will make you feel right at home. But thanks 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:11.200 so much for tuning in, And I like to start 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:14.640 with something funny. Most of you know my jokes are 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:18.639 a lot of times not doctrinally correct, especially this one today, 0:02:18.800 --> 0:02:21.160 but just to make us laugh. I heard about this 0:02:21.240 --> 0:02:24.000 lady that died and she found herself standing at the 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:27.280 pearly gates. Saint Peter says, you can't come in unless 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:31.040 you correctly spell a word. She said what word? He said, 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:34.520 any word? So she spelled the word love l o vee. 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:38.720 Peter said, Welcome to Heaven. Then Peter asked her if 0:02:38.720 --> 0:02:42.000 she would take his place. He instructed her, if anybody comes, 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:44.760 just follow the same procedure. Well, in a few minutes, 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:48.800 this lady sees her ex husband coming up. She said, 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:50.840 what are you doing here? He said, I just had 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:52.720 a heart attack. Did I really make it to heaven? 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:56.200 She said not yet. You have to correctly spell a word. 0:02:56.639 --> 0:02:59.560 He said what word? After a long pause, she said 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:06.880 a Slovakia. All right, hold up your bible, say it 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:10.000 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:12.720 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:16.440 I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today, 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.600 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:24.240 confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:28.440 will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:31.640 I want to talk to you today about how to 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:35.880 experience more of God's favor. God wants to make your 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:39.440 life easier. He wants to assist you and give you 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:43.720 special advantages. That's what his favor does. When you go 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:46.920 out each day, don't expect to get the short end 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:50.200 of the stick. Don't expect to not get good breaks. 0:03:50.760 --> 0:03:54.360 Do just the opposite. You should expect people to want 0:03:54.360 --> 0:03:57.440 to help you. Expect to stand out in the crowd. 0:03:58.000 --> 0:04:00.920 Expect to be at the right place at the right time. 0:04:01.200 --> 0:04:04.760 Why Because you have the favor of God. And when 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:07.640 you really learn how to tap into God's favor, you'll 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:11.880 have a tremendous advantage. God's favor will cause you to 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:15.440 be promoted even though you weren't the most qualified. The 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:18.240 favor of God will open a door for you that 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:22.080 may not open for somebody else. God's favor will cause 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:25.840 our children to get the best teachers in school. All 0:04:25.960 --> 0:04:29.080 kinds of advantages come when we learn to walk in 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:31.839 God's favor well. You say, Joe, none of this ever 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:34.320 happens to me. I must not have it. No, you 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.440 do have favor. But the reason many people are not 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:41.479 experiencing it is because they don't activate their faith in 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:45.040 this area. They don't expect to get good breaks, they 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:49.760 don't expect to have preferential treatment. They have that underdog mentality. 0:04:50.160 --> 0:04:53.880 Everybody gets promoted except me. I put my house on 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:56.200 the market. I should have known it wasn't gonna sell. 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.280 Went to the grocery store. God in the longest line 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:02.160 should have known. It happens to me every time. No, 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.599 if you're going to experience more of God's favor, you've 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:09.800 got to become more favor minded. That means you've got 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:13.680 to expect it. And number two, you've got to declare it. 0:05:14.480 --> 0:05:17.359 Every morning before you leave the house. You should say, Father, 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:20.440 thank you that I have your favor. Thank you that 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:24.080 I have favor with my boss, my employees. Thank you 0:05:24.120 --> 0:05:27.400 that my children have favor with their teachers. Thank you 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:31.400 that your favor is bringing success into my life. Learn 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:34.760 to declare God's favor. It's not enough to just think it. 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:38.440 It's not enough to just believe it. Something supernatural happens 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:41.760 when we speak it out. Growing up. We never left 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:44.640 the house without my mother saying, Father, thank you that 0:05:44.680 --> 0:05:48.120 my children have your favor, and all through the day. 0:05:48.480 --> 0:05:51.480 We need to develop a habit of declaring God's favor 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:55.640 before you go into that business meeting. Just under your breath, Father, 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:58.960 thank you that I have favor with these clients. Drive 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:02.040 into the grocery store, Father, thank you that I have favor. 0:06:02.120 --> 0:06:05.360 While I shop on the freeway, it's all backed up 0:06:05.400 --> 0:06:07.640 and you need to get into another lane. Father, thank 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:10.840 you for your favor in this situation. I know one 0:06:10.880 --> 0:06:13.240 time I was driving to the office and I was 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:16.800 running a little late. The freeway was moving so slowly 0:06:17.279 --> 0:06:19.719 for some reason. A bunch of cars were crowded in 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:23.080 a particular spot, going about forty miles an hour, and 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:25.159 I could look up ahead of them and see that 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:27.720 the freeway was wide open, and I knew I wasn't 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:30.000 going to get to my appointment in time if I 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:32.599 wasn't at least able to drive the speed limit. And 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:35.240 I'm just bold enough to believe that God wants to 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:38.840 assist me. I know He's given us his favor where 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:41.800 his children. And so I said, Father, just like you 0:06:41.920 --> 0:06:45.159 parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel. I 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:48.320 believe you can part this traffic for me. Now I'm 0:06:48.360 --> 0:06:51.719 asking that your favor would shine down on me. About 0:06:51.760 --> 0:06:53.960 that time, the car in front of me moved into 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:56.680 the next lane. I pulled up right where he was 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:59.240 and perfectly on queue. That car moved out of the way. 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:03.440 What is my witness? Four or five more cars as 0:07:03.480 --> 0:07:06.320 soon as I got up there, perfectly on queue, moved 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:09.440 out of my way. It's just like God was supernaturally 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.440 clearing me a path. That is the favor of God. 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:16.760 And no, I wasn't blinking my lights and honking my horn. 0:07:18.440 --> 0:07:21.480 But God wants to be involved in our everyday life, 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:25.200 not just the big things, even the smaller things. Some 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.760 of you never pray unless you have a major problem. 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:30.400 You never ask God for his favor unless you're in 0:07:30.440 --> 0:07:33.680 a major crisis. That's good. God wants to help you. 0:07:33.960 --> 0:07:36.280 But what I'm saying is God wants to be involved 0:07:36.280 --> 0:07:39.000 in every part of your life, even the smaller things. 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:42.440 God wants to assist you driving to work. He wants 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:45.440 to give you favor at the grocery store. God will 0:07:45.440 --> 0:07:48.640 help you find a parking spot in a crowded parking lot, 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:51.520 if you'll just be bold enough to ask one time. 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:55.000 A while back, Victoria nine are two children drove down 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:57.160 to the park. We were going to take a few 0:07:57.160 --> 0:07:59.680 hours and spend it together out there. But when I 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:02.800 got host of the park, there was so much traffic, 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.840 much more than normal. And it finally dawned on me 0:08:05.920 --> 0:08:08.960 that it was spring break. All the school kids were 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:12.080 out and it's a beautiful day. People were everywhere, and 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:14.760 my first thought was, let's just go back home. It 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:17.400 is so crowded. I'm never gonna find a place to park. 0:08:17.800 --> 0:08:21.440 But that's that old, defeated mentality. And instead of believing that, 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:25.400 just under my breath, I said, father, I need your favor. 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:29.040 I believe you want to assist me. You promised your 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:32.360 children's special advantages, so I'm asking you to help me 0:08:32.480 --> 0:08:35.040 find a place to park. And I was just sort 0:08:35.040 --> 0:08:37.719 of halfway kidding, but I told my family, you watch it, 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:40.719 Daddy's gonna get a front row parking spot. I can 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:43.120 feel it. I got the favor of God all over me. 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.200 I was going on and on, kind of cutting up, 0:08:45.200 --> 0:08:47.560 and I finally pulled into the parking lot and it 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:49.880 was packed. I mean, there were hundreds of cars, and 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:53.120 I drove around and around, couldn't find any place to park. 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.440 And just as I was leaving, right back at the 0:08:56.480 --> 0:08:59.680 front where I came in, this car backed out perfectly 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:02.440 on Thank you. I pull right in there, not the 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:05.800 third spot, not the second spot, but the spot closest 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:08.319 to the park. I reach back to my children and say, 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:10.600 come on, y'all, get some of this favor off of Daddy. 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:16.520 I said, I can't stand it all. Jonathan was about 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:18.599 six years old at the time. He looked at me 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:22.680 and said, Daddy, you are strange. So you know what's funny. 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:25.360 Now when something good happens, we get a good parking spot. 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.200 Jonathan says, you know, Daddy, that was because of my favor. 0:09:29.840 --> 0:09:32.760 But I realize this doesn't happen every time. There are 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:35.959 plenty of times I pray. I believe I declare God's favor, 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:37.920 and I got to park at the very very back 0:09:37.960 --> 0:09:40.040 of the lot. You know what I do with every step, 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.400 thank your Father that I'm able to walk, thank you 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:44.680 that I'm strong, thank you that I'm healthy, thank you 0:09:44.720 --> 0:09:49.240 that I'm alive. See, don't get all negative and say, well, Joel, 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:51.520 I tried it. It didn't work for me. No, Just 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:55.720 keep on declaring God's favor. Know that he is directing 0:09:55.720 --> 0:09:58.720 your steps. Some of you don't see this favor like 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:01.640 you should because you're not expecting it. You don't have 0:10:01.720 --> 0:10:05.760 this favor mindset. The scripture says there in Isaiah thirty, 0:10:05.840 --> 0:10:09.360 verse eighteen, God is longing to be good to the 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:13.640 people that are looking for his goodness, his favor, and 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:16.800 his victory. Notice, God wants to be good to you. 0:10:17.240 --> 0:10:19.920 He wants to pour out his favor, but it's only 0:10:19.960 --> 0:10:23.000 going to happen if you're looking for his goodness, if 0:10:23.000 --> 0:10:26.720 you're expecting his favor and his blessings. That tells me 0:10:27.080 --> 0:10:30.560 we can't be passive. We can't have the attitude. Well, Joel, 0:10:30.600 --> 0:10:33.520 if God wants to bless me, he'll bless me. If 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:35.720 he wants me to get a good parking spot, he's God. 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.560 He'll give me a good parking spot. Now, we need 0:10:38.559 --> 0:10:42.440 to actively be releasing our faith for more of God's favor. 0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:45.599 When we go out each day. We should be expecting 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:50.319 good breaks, expecting people to like us, expecting supernatural doors 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:53.480 to open. You have an advantage. You have the favor 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.800 of God. I love what David said, goodness and mercy 0:10:58.000 --> 0:11:00.559 will follow me all the days of my life. You 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:04.640 know what goodness is, God's favor. He was saying, favor 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:09.480 follows me everywhere I go. David knew he had an advantage. 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:12.320 He knew God would assist him. He knew he could 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:16.800 expect preferential treatment. He had this favor mentality. All through 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:21.000 the Psalms, He's constantly talking about God's favor. The truth 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:24.679 is something is going to follow you throughout life. If 0:11:24.720 --> 0:11:27.280 you go around thinking nothing good ever happens to me, 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:31.720 and I never get any breaks, then you're gonna have defeat, mediocrity, 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:35.000 lack following you around. But if you'll switch over into 0:11:35.040 --> 0:11:39.640 this favor mindset and say God's favor gives me an advantage, 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:43.840 God's favor is bringing success. God's favor is making my 0:11:43.880 --> 0:11:47.119 crooked places straight. If you do that, you'll have blessings 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:52.800 chasing you down, promotion, increase success. That'll be what's following you. Now. 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:57.319 I'm asking us today to live more favor minded. When 0:11:57.360 --> 0:11:59.760 you pull into a crowded parking lot and all the 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.360 sudden a car backs out and you get a front 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:06.280 row spot, recognize that's not a lucky break. That's God's 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:08.800 favor in your life. Learn to thank him for it. 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.680 You're at the grocery store waiting in a long line 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:14.679 to check out. Somebody taps you on the shoulder and says, hey, 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:16.840 I'm opening up this register. I'll take care of you 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:20.360 over here. That's not a coincidence. That's God's favor. Thank 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:23.400 him for it. Maybe you're out to lunch one day 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:26.120 and you bump into somebody you've really been wanting to meet. 0:12:26.640 --> 0:12:30.280 That's not happenstance. That's God causing you to be at 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:33.560 the right place at the right time when things like 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:36.760 this happen. Don't take it for granted. Don't Saint boy, 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:39.720 Wasn't I lucky today? Now? Learn to say, Father, thank 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:42.080 you for assisting me. Thank you for your favor. Thank 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:45.679 you for making my life easier. The more you thank 0:12:45.720 --> 0:12:49.040 God for his favor, the more of his favor you'll see. 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:52.960 The scripture says in First Peter, hope to the end 0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:56.760 for the divine favor that is coming. You've got to 0:12:56.800 --> 0:12:59.880 know today that God has favor come in your way. 0:13:00.800 --> 0:13:06.160 Keep believing, keep hoping. One translation says, look forward to 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:11.400 more and more of God's favor. That's God's dream to 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:14.959 pour out his goodness. He wants to help you get 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:18.440 the best deals in life. When you're out shopping, God 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:20.880 wants to help you find the best sells. He wants 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:23.320 to lead you to the right house, the right car. 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:25.920 But here's the key. We have to be on the 0:13:26.040 --> 0:13:30.120 lookout for more of God's favor. That tells me, don't 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:33.560 get stagnant. Don't ever think that you can't rise any higher. 0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:36.560 God wants to do more than we can even ask 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:39.680 or think. It says in Ephesians, he wants to show 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:45.960 us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of his free favor. 0:13:46.559 --> 0:13:49.840 In other words, God wants to go far and beyond 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:52.920 what we're used to. He wants to show you favor 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:57.480 in unusual and extraordinary ways. This is what happened to 0:13:57.559 --> 0:14:00.200 Joshua one day. He was out in the middle of 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:03.640 a great battle. He wanted to get the enemy finished off, 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:06.640 but he was running out of daylight. The sun was 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:10.559 going down. But instead of complaining about it and thinking, well, 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.599 just by luck, I should have known I wouldn't get finished. No, 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:17.960 Joshua Wa was living favor minded. He knew God's favor 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:21.080 was there to assist him and to provide him with 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:25.800 special advantages, and Joshua Wat was bold. He wasn't afraid 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:28.600 to ask. He looked up to the sky and said, son, 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:31.400 you're gonna have to stand still. I need more daylight. 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:36.240 And the scripture says that God favored him and caused 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:39.120 the sun to stand still until he could get the 0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:42.360 job finished. It goes on to say there's never been 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:46.120 another day like that before. One verse says the people 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:50.600 stood there in utter amazement at what God had done. 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:52.720 I believe you and I are going to see some 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.920 more of these days where God pours out his favor 0:14:56.040 --> 0:14:58.920 in such a great way. We look back and said, man, 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:01.920 I've never seen any thing like that. God showed up 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:06.840 in an extraordinary way. I remember a few months before 0:15:06.960 --> 0:15:09.520 Victoria and I got married, we found this town home 0:15:09.560 --> 0:15:12.480 that we really liked. We had searched and searched all over, 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:15.080 but we kept coming back to this place. But the 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.600 problem was we couldn't really afford it. One day I 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:22.000 took my father over there to get his opinion. He said, Joel, 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.240 if you really like this place, I would offer the 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:28.960 man half of what he's asking for it. I said, Daddy, 0:15:29.000 --> 0:15:31.760 I can't do that. I would be embarrassed. I may 0:15:31.800 --> 0:15:35.400 insult him, He said, Joel, you have not because you 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:38.640 ask not. You don't know. He may have a dozen properties. 0:15:38.640 --> 0:15:40.960 He just trying to get rid of this, possibly at 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:44.640 least believe for God's favor. Finally he talked me into it. 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:47.360 I got my nerve up and asked our relator to 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:50.440 offer him half. And so she made the offer and 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:52.480 told the man that we were a young couple just 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:55.040 getting started and we weren't trying to offend him, but 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.800 this is all that we could afford. He immediately turned 0:15:57.800 --> 0:15:59.720 it down, said no, I'm sorry, that's much too low. 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:03.560 I can't take that. That was early in September. Week 0:16:03.760 --> 0:16:06.880 after week went by. We never heard anything, but we 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:09.920 just kept believing Father, Thank you that we have your favor. 0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:12.280 Thank you that you're causing people to want to be 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:16.320 good to us. Thank you for special advantages. The last 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:20.000 week of that year, he called our real estate agent 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:22.800 and told how he had not sold that property and 0:16:22.880 --> 0:16:24.960 he needed to get rid of it by the end 0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:27.760 of the year. He said, even though I've had offers 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:30.120 for more money, I really want to help that young 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:32.160 couple you talked about, and I want to sell it 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.120 to them. We ended up behind that place for half 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:37.640 of what he had it listed for. That's some of 0:16:37.680 --> 0:16:42.680 that far and beyond favor. That's one of those days 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:46.080 where Victoria Leni look back and said, God, We've never 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:50.200 seen anything like that before. You've got to understand, this 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:53.920 is God's heart. He wants to amaze you with his favor. 0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:57.760 He wants to do extraordinary things in your life. But 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:01.560 we've got to be like Joshua bold old, be confident, 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:05.480 and let's start believing for that far and beyond favor. 0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:08.200 I know if it had not been for my father 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:11.320 stirring me up and encouraging my faith, I would have 0:17:11.320 --> 0:17:14.080 never made that offer. I was too embarrassed. I thought 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:16.520 I didn't deserve it. This is never gonna happen, this 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:20.720 is impossible. But now I've learned it's okay to be bold. 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:25.280 It's okay to expect preferential treatment. Not because of who 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:28.360 we are, but because of whose we are. We are 0:17:28.480 --> 0:17:31.920 children of the Most High God. You have a right 0:17:32.080 --> 0:17:35.879 to bless things and favor in your life. Think about 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:39.880 even in the natural, if you come from the Rockefeller family, 0:17:40.560 --> 0:17:43.840 you're going to have advantages because of the family that 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:47.600 you're in. That name carries some weight. If you're born 0:17:47.640 --> 0:17:52.200 into the Kennedy family, the Forbes family, the Bill Gates family, 0:17:52.400 --> 0:17:55.640 you're gonna be treated differently. You're gonna come to expect 0:17:55.720 --> 0:17:58.720 favor that other people may not have. The good news 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:01.240 today is you and I have been born into the 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:05.960 right family. We are children of Almighty God. We need 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:10.640 to put our shoulders back and expect the advantages. Expect 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:13.600 people to wanna be good to us. It says in 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:18.040 Psalms that God has crowned us with his favor. You 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.399 may not be able to see it, but everywhere you 0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:24.119 go you're wearing a crown on your head. That crown 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:28.280 does not say lack defeat, short into the stick, barely 0:18:28.320 --> 0:18:32.080 get by. Know your crown says the favor of God. 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:36.520 In the spiritual realm, all the forces of darkness, just 0:18:36.600 --> 0:18:39.360 like they see you wearing your robe of righteousness, they 0:18:39.400 --> 0:18:43.600 can see your crown of favor. That tells them you've 0:18:43.640 --> 0:18:46.440 been set apart. They can see you have a right 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:50.159 to preferential treatment. They can see there's something different about you. 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:54.040 But here's the problem. If you don't see yourself the 0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:57.639 right way, if you don't activate your faith in this area, 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:00.520 then it's not going to happen everywhere where you go. 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:04.480 You need to imagine yourself where in your crown of favor. 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:07.800 When you need an advantage, when you need a good break, 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:10.040 when you need somebody to make an exception for you, 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:13.600 don't just shrink back and think what's the use never 0:19:13.640 --> 0:19:16.879 going to happen. No, put your shoulders back, stand up tall, 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:20.480 and imagine that crown of favor on your head. Let 0:19:20.480 --> 0:19:22.679 that be a reminder that you have a right to 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:26.320 live in victory. You have a right to have preferential treatment. 0:19:26.359 --> 0:19:29.600 You have a right to special advantages. You know what 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:31.280 I see when I look at all of you right 0:19:31.280 --> 0:19:34.080 now through my eyes of faith, I see your crown 0:19:34.240 --> 0:19:38.560 of favor on your head. I see promotion. I see increase. 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:43.560 I see supernatural doors opening, I see dreams coming to completion. 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:47.320 Why because of the favor of God on your life. 0:19:47.960 --> 0:19:51.119 And when the enemy feeds you those lies telling you 0:19:51.119 --> 0:19:53.760 you're never going to get any good breaks. You'll never 0:19:53.800 --> 0:19:56.480 sell your house, the market's too low, you'll never get 0:19:56.520 --> 0:19:59.560 that promotion. Your boss doesn't even like you. Tell them, 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:01.719 hang on just a minute, I got to fix something 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:04.560 up here, he says, what are you doing. I gotta 0:20:04.680 --> 0:20:06.800 straighten my crown of favor. I gotta make sure that 0:20:06.840 --> 0:20:12.919 it's on title. See, you're not average, You're not ordinary. 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:17.680 You come from a royal family. You can expect advantages 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:20.879 that other people may not have. You're wearing a crown 0:20:21.040 --> 0:20:24.560 of favor. A few years ago, God put in me 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:28.080 a desire to air our program on a certain network. 0:20:28.359 --> 0:20:31.000 It was a national network, one of the most popular, 0:20:31.280 --> 0:20:34.119 and so I had our representatives check into it, and 0:20:34.119 --> 0:20:36.600 they came back a few days later and said, Joel, 0:20:36.760 --> 0:20:40.119 that company has a policy to not run any type 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:43.880 of religious programming. They will not even entertain it. Well, 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:47.199 that desire never left me. My attitude was, we have 0:20:47.280 --> 0:20:50.240 God's favor, and God's favor can cause them to make 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:54.640 an exception. The favor of God can change rules, regulations, 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:57.399 and policies on our behalf. And so I asked them 0:20:57.440 --> 0:20:59.800 to go back and ask again and again and again. 0:21:00.119 --> 0:21:02.800 Every time they came back with the same answer that 0:21:02.880 --> 0:21:07.040 network has a no religion policy. Every time I heard that, 0:21:07.280 --> 0:21:09.920 I had to check my crown of favor. Yep, it's 0:21:09.920 --> 0:21:13.040 still there. I'm gonna keep believing Father, Thank you that 0:21:13.080 --> 0:21:15.840 your favor can cause them to make an exception. Your 0:21:15.880 --> 0:21:18.040 favor can cause them to want to be good to us. 0:21:18.600 --> 0:21:21.560 Month after month went by. Finally, one day, out of 0:21:21.600 --> 0:21:25.199 the blue, they called. They said, we've never done this before, 0:21:25.520 --> 0:21:28.280 but we've decided to make an exception and allow you 0:21:28.320 --> 0:21:33.439 to air your program on our network. First time in 0:21:33.480 --> 0:21:36.119 the history of that network they ever had any type 0:21:36.160 --> 0:21:39.520 of ministry program. Why did that happen? The favor of God. 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:43.080 I want you to start thanking God every day that 0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:46.320 his light is shining down on you, that he's causing 0:21:46.359 --> 0:21:48.879 you to stand out in the crowd, that he's causing 0:21:48.920 --> 0:21:51.679 people to want to be good to you. Don't go 0:21:51.760 --> 0:21:55.879 around with that negative, weak, defeated mentality. Well, Joel, I tried. 0:21:55.960 --> 0:21:58.360 They told me, no, it didn't work out. They'll put 0:21:58.400 --> 0:22:01.239 your shoulders back. When your head up high, you are 0:22:01.280 --> 0:22:04.720 wearing a crown of favor. You need to carry yourself 0:22:04.760 --> 0:22:09.240 with confidence, not arrogance. Not thinking that you're better than somebody, 0:22:09.480 --> 0:22:13.280 but also not thinking that you're less than somebody. They 0:22:13.320 --> 0:22:16.159 may have more degrees, they may have more education, but 0:22:16.200 --> 0:22:18.760 the favor of God can cause you to shine above 0:22:18.800 --> 0:22:21.480 the rest. The favor of God can cause you to 0:22:21.480 --> 0:22:25.400 get promoted even though somebody else has more seniority. The 0:22:25.440 --> 0:22:27.879 favor of God can cause you to qualify for that 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:30.280 new home you're wanting to buy, even though in the 0:22:30.359 --> 0:22:33.320 naturals you shouldn't be able to. What I'm saying is 0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:36.600 God's favor will make up for what we're lacking in 0:22:36.680 --> 0:22:40.040 other areas. I talked to a young man a while back, 0:22:40.080 --> 0:22:42.760 and he was going for a job interview. He was 0:22:42.800 --> 0:22:45.840 in from out of town and was a very prestigious position. 0:22:46.400 --> 0:22:49.560 Executives were coming in from all over the country to interview. 0:22:49.960 --> 0:22:53.040 He said, Joel, I really believe that this job is 0:22:53.040 --> 0:22:55.600 for me. I want it so badly, but I'm really 0:22:55.640 --> 0:22:58.840 not the most qualified. My resume doesn't look as good 0:22:58.840 --> 0:23:01.159 as everybody else, as I don't have as much experience. 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:03.879 He went on and on, telling me all the reasons 0:23:03.920 --> 0:23:06.119 why it wasn't gonna happen. Now. I told him what 0:23:06.160 --> 0:23:08.400 I'm telling you. You've got to get out of that 0:23:08.600 --> 0:23:12.439 limited mindset and start believing that you have God's favor. 0:23:12.920 --> 0:23:15.800 I said, every day you need to speak favor over 0:23:15.840 --> 0:23:19.240 that situation. Just say Father, thank you that your favor 0:23:19.840 --> 0:23:22.440 is causing me to stand out in the crowd. Your 0:23:22.520 --> 0:23:24.960 favor is causing this company to want to hire me, 0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:29.439 and he changed his mindset. He switched over and started 0:23:29.520 --> 0:23:33.040 expecting good things. Well, several months later I saw him 0:23:33.040 --> 0:23:35.400 in the lobby and he was beaming from ear to ear. 0:23:35.760 --> 0:23:37.960 I knew he had gotten a job, but he said, Joel, 0:23:38.080 --> 0:23:41.600 it was the strangest thing. When those executives called me in, 0:23:41.840 --> 0:23:45.080 they were scratching their heads. They said, we don't really 0:23:45.119 --> 0:23:48.160 know why we're hiring you. You are not the most talented, 0:23:48.200 --> 0:23:50.680 you don't have the best resume. We can't put our 0:23:50.720 --> 0:23:53.760 finger on it. There's just something about you that we 0:23:53.840 --> 0:23:57.560 really like. That's what happens when we walk in God's favor. 0:23:59.440 --> 0:24:03.359 It's like a light is shining down on us. It'll 0:24:03.400 --> 0:24:06.399 cause us many times to receive things that in the 0:24:06.520 --> 0:24:09.720 natural we don't even deserve. When you say, Joe, nobody 0:24:09.760 --> 0:24:11.760 goes out of their way to help me. I don't 0:24:11.800 --> 0:24:14.320 ever get any of these good breaks. Well, are you 0:24:14.480 --> 0:24:17.560 expecting good things? Do you go out each day with 0:24:17.760 --> 0:24:21.720 confidence knowing that you're wearing your crown of favor? Or 0:24:21.800 --> 0:24:24.560 have you gotten passive and you just accept whatever life 0:24:24.640 --> 0:24:28.080 brings your way. Now we have to stay on the offensive. 0:24:28.359 --> 0:24:30.760 I know even in my own life, when I get 0:24:30.800 --> 0:24:34.240 a little passive and I'm not actively believing for favor, 0:24:34.400 --> 0:24:37.920 I'm not actively believing for good advantages. I don't see 0:24:37.960 --> 0:24:39.919 as many of them as I know that I could. 0:24:40.480 --> 0:24:44.000 That's why the scripture says, keep looking for more and 0:24:44.119 --> 0:24:47.360 more of God's favor. Don't have a day go by 0:24:47.680 --> 0:24:51.240 where you don't declare favor over your life, over your family, 0:24:51.320 --> 0:24:55.280 over your finances, over your business. If you're in real estate, father, 0:24:55.359 --> 0:24:58.200 thank you that I have favor with my clients. Think 0:24:58.240 --> 0:25:01.000 you that your light is shining down on my properties 0:25:01.200 --> 0:25:04.600 causing them to sell. If you're a coach, a teacher, father, 0:25:04.680 --> 0:25:07.159 thank you that I have favor with my students. Some 0:25:07.280 --> 0:25:10.000 other kinds of sales, father, thank you that I have 0:25:10.160 --> 0:25:12.639 favor with my customers. You're causing me to be at 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:15.560 the right place at the right time. If you're going 0:25:15.600 --> 0:25:17.960 to have more of God's favor, you have to put 0:25:18.000 --> 0:25:21.520 your faith out there and become more favor minded. I 0:25:21.640 --> 0:25:24.399 know this couple that bought a new house. They had 0:25:24.440 --> 0:25:27.720 been looking and looking, and finally this house came along 0:25:27.760 --> 0:25:30.600 and everything just fell into place. They were so excited 0:25:30.640 --> 0:25:33.840 about it, but now they needed to sell their other house, 0:25:34.160 --> 0:25:36.879 and they debated about how much they should sell it for, 0:25:37.440 --> 0:25:40.479 and after studying the neighborhood, they decided to put it 0:25:40.680 --> 0:25:44.040 at the high end of the market price. And they 0:25:44.040 --> 0:25:46.119 needed it to sell not only for a good price, 0:25:46.440 --> 0:25:48.840 but for it to sell quickly so this other deal 0:25:48.880 --> 0:25:51.280 would work out. Now. I was talking to the owner 0:25:51.320 --> 0:25:53.760 about it, and she said, Joel, we've just decided to 0:25:53.800 --> 0:25:58.960 stretch our faith and believe for God's unprecedented favor. We're 0:25:58.960 --> 0:26:01.439 going to believe that it not only sells quickly, but 0:26:01.520 --> 0:26:04.639 we'll get close to what we're asking for. When she 0:26:04.720 --> 0:26:07.560 said that, it just took root deep down on the inside, 0:26:07.760 --> 0:26:11.439 unprecedented favor. I like that. See, they put their faith 0:26:11.480 --> 0:26:14.919 out there. They dared to believe. Do you know the 0:26:14.960 --> 0:26:17.480 first day they put the house on the market, a 0:26:17.520 --> 0:26:20.160 realtor brought a couple by and they fell in love 0:26:20.240 --> 0:26:22.920 with it. They said, if you'll take the house off 0:26:22.960 --> 0:26:26.879 the market today, we will write a contract, not for 0:26:26.960 --> 0:26:30.040 the full price, but we'll pay you more than you've 0:26:30.040 --> 0:26:32.920 got this house listed for. They sold the house the 0:26:32.960 --> 0:26:36.520 first day for more than they were even asking. That's 0:26:36.560 --> 0:26:40.760 that far and beyond favor. That's God doing more than 0:26:40.800 --> 0:26:44.080 we can even ask or think. But some of you 0:26:44.119 --> 0:26:48.560 today are not believing for enough. You're not expecting good breaks, 0:26:48.680 --> 0:26:51.520 not expecting things to go your way. You have to 0:26:51.560 --> 0:26:55.399 get out of that limited mentality and start believing for 0:26:55.480 --> 0:27:02.600 this unusual, unprecedented, far and beyond. God is longing to 0:27:02.680 --> 0:27:05.520 be good to you. My question is, are you looking 0:27:05.600 --> 0:27:09.280 for God's goodness? Are you expecting advantages? Are you living 0:27:09.359 --> 0:27:13.119 favor minded? Let me challenge you every morning when you 0:27:13.160 --> 0:27:15.920 get up, no matter how you feel, no matter what 0:27:16.040 --> 0:27:19.040 didn't work out in the past, through your eyes of faith, 0:27:19.440 --> 0:27:22.520 see that crown of favor on your head, start the 0:27:22.640 --> 0:27:26.560 day in expectancy, and then go out believing for good breaks, 0:27:26.880 --> 0:27:30.280 believing for doors to open, expecting people to wanna be 0:27:30.359 --> 0:27:33.000 good to you. Not because of who you are, but 0:27:33.000 --> 0:27:35.840 because of whose you are. Remember, you come from the 0:27:35.920 --> 0:27:39.000 right family. You are a child of the most high God. 0:27:39.520 --> 0:27:42.200 Now I believe today I'm looking at the most favored 0:27:42.280 --> 0:27:46.399 people around. You're gonna have favor at home, favor at work, 0:27:47.119 --> 0:27:49.960 favor on the free way, favor at the mall, favor 0:27:50.000 --> 0:27:55.240 at the grocery store, favor with your relatives, favor even 0:27:55.320 --> 0:27:57.360 with your enemies. This is going to be a great 0:27:57.480 --> 0:27:59.560 year of favor in your life. Why don't you get 0:27:59.560 --> 0:28:02.320 in agreence with God and start looking for more and 0:28:02.359 --> 0:28:05.960 more of his favor. Declare it every day. If you 0:28:06.040 --> 0:28:10.520 do that, God will do unusual and extraordinary things in 0:28:10.600 --> 0:28:13.840 your life. He will amaze you with his favors. You'll 0:28:13.880 --> 0:28:16.240 live that life of victory he has in story. Amen, 0:28:16.440 --> 0:28:18.560 do you receive it today? Do you have God's favor? 0:28:20.200 --> 0:28:22.960 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:23.000 --> 0:28:25.959 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:26.160 --> 0:28:30.520 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll 0:28:30.600 --> 0:28:35.520 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:35.560 --> 0:28:39.080 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:28:39.160 --> 0:28:42.200 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:45.360 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 0:28:45.400 --> 0:28:47.640 going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. 0:28:48.440 --> 0:28:51.280 Thank you for listening to the joel OUs Deine podcast. 0:28:51.640 --> 0:28:54.280 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:28:54.400 --> 0:28:57.640 those all over the world. Visit joelus dein dot. 0:28:57.400 --> 0:29:00.440 Com slash give hope to give a gift today. 0:29:01.720 --> 0:29:04.640 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:04.640 --> 0:29:08.040 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:08.120 --> 0:29:11.320 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:11.480 --> 0:29:13.960 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:14.000 --> 0:29:14.520 next time.