God’s Favor

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” ~ Luke 2:52 NIV

I’ve once read that the favor of God was the “tangible evidence that a person has the approval of the Lord.” 

This proof is visible, meaning that it can be perceived. It is God’s way of displaying His thoughts of us to the world, proclaiming  that we are His children, and  making it  known that He sees us and is pleased with us. It’s God’s way of announcing that He covers and protects us from any present danger!

What is the favor of man?

Conversely, to gain favor with man, it is necessary first to acquire God’s favor. God’s divine intervention can assist you in receiving favor with man concerning jobs, assignments, and more. God qualifies you to stand out among those around you. It doesn’t matter what room you are in, there is something distinct about you that no one else possesses.

In the Bible, there was a beautiful young girl named Esther. She was a Jew living in a nation full of paganism, however, that didn’t stop her from trusting and believing in God. As the time came for the old Queen (Vashti) to be replaced, King Xerxes rounded up every beautiful and young virgin girl within his nation (Esther 2:4 NIV). Every young lady that was considered beautiful in the eyes of many, was in the presence of the king. It came to be that Esther, out of all of the beautiful young virgin women, was the one who “obtained his kindness” and “won his favor” (Esther 2:9).

God remained faithful to Esther because she remained faithful to Him. Not only did she have favor with the king but she also used her position to save her people from persecution and harm.

Why is it important to live in the favor of God and man?

Obtaining the favor of God and man helps us learn how to navigate our faith in a fallen world. We don’t hide our faith or allow our voices to be silenced.

Esther did not conform to the nation; however, she became an example of the goodness of the God of Israel. Living in Persia, Esther was instructed by her cousin Mordecai, to hide her identity (Esther 2:10; 20). No one in the palace, not even the King, knew that Esther was of Jewish descent. Mordecai’s instructions were to ensure Esther’s safety within the palace.

However, when the lives of her people were threatened, Esther was reminded of her position and how she was brought up for a time like this. She was ready to risk her life because she believed God to bring deliverance for the Jews, her father’s family, and herself.

How can we INCREASE in favor?

The term ‘increase’ means to become greater in size, amount, intensity, or degree. As individuals, we have to understand that there is nothing we can physically do to hasten the grace of God or attain favor with God and man. To increase in favor, we must create spiritual space for God to expand our abilities.

We must obtain a love for the Word of God. When we read the Bible, it expands our knowledge of Jesus and deepens our understanding of His sacrifice. As believers, it is essential to continually seek growth in our understanding and knowledge of our identity in Christ, as well as our position both in Him and with God.

This comprehension enables us to establish a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. It allows prayer to become a place of humility and sincerity. Not a place where we feel as if we must pray for hours upon hours for “our prayer to be effective” or to “earn favor”.

All of this won’t happen in one day. It takes time to form the habit of reading the Bible and praying.

“God has NO problem increasing our abilities … the ONLY problem is our ability to accept or receive what God is giving us.” ~ Pastor Joe Asmah