God’s Rich Favour

THF SUNDAY SERVICE

3RDAPRIL, 2022

 

SERMON

TOPIC:                        God’s Rich Favour

TEXT:                          Deuteronomy 33:23

“Moses said this about the tribe of Naphtali: “O Naphtali, you are rich in favour and full of the Lord’s blessings; may you possess the west and the south.”

PREACHER:               Rev. Ebenezer Olawuyi

 

MESSAGE

Prayer: My father, I believe in your Word, let my life be rich in favour, full of your blessings and let me possess all that you have created for me in the name of Jesus (Deut. 33:23).

In the presence of God, there is favour, life, pleasure and goodness. Psalms 16:11 says, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

I like to welcome you to a month of God’s Rich Favour, the favour of God will satisfy you. The Lord will satiate your life with favour, amen.Thank God for His mercy that has brought us to the new month, it is out of His favour that we are here again this new month. I can tell you, no matter what you are experiencing, the Scripture says to him who is joined to the Living, there is hope (Job 14:7). A living dog is far better than a dead lion. No matter how powerful a lion may be, a lion is useless when it is dead. A dead lion is finished, a living dog is better. I tell you, because you are still living, you are far better. Because you are living, there is hope for you and not just because you are living, you are joined to the Living. I may not be able to know the future, but I have handed over my life to the One who owns my future, so I have hope. You are alive, you are joined to the Living (God), there is hope for you.

You may not be where you planned to be by April, you may not have been where you planned to be, but I like to announce to you like you often hear, the fact is that you are still far better than those who have gone. There is hope for you. You have a future. Your tomorrow is bright. What you have lost, you can recover. You can recover. Hannah said, “There is no rock like our God, there is none beside Him; the bones of the mighty are broken, those who stumble, He has guarded with strength; he has raised up the poor from the dust, the beggar from the dunghill to sit among the princes of men in high places.” Your situation will change with Christ in you, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). So, I like you to be joyful and be glad that you are seeing another month. I want you to be glad because the Word of God is true concerning you. God has a plan for you and you are going to laugh last. Amen. How many of you believe that this month is specially prepared for you; God will enrich your life with favour? If you believe it, can I hear you shout a big amen? Amen.

Okay, for these few minutes, let’s take a flight and see some things God has for us. I want to lay a foundation on two things: First, what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33:23, to be satisfied in this context, there is only one person that can satisfy you, nothing else can satisfy. Only with God you can be satisfied. What God is saying to you is that I will open the door for you; you will have access to the best of Me, to the extent that you will not need any other thing. Coming to God means coming to your bus stop. Everything you need is in Him. In Him you get that satisfaction, you don’t need any other. Once you have Him, every other thing will flow along because you already have Him. He said this month that He will open to you that treasure of His and He is going to give you in such a way that you will not need any other thing. When God said concerning Naphtali, one of the sons of Jacob that he will possess the west and south, He wasn’t just talking about geographical location, He was also talking about the characteristics of the land that he will possess. It wasn’t just about the location – the west sea of Galilee, no, but about the riches of the land that God is going to give to him. In other words, God is saying concerning Naphtali and that is the Word of God concerning us, “My portion for you this month is going to be good portion.” Goodlucks will fall into your hands.

What are the benefits of you having favour? What will favour do for you?

1. Favour will cause all things to work for your good: I may not have all the time to tell you this, but listen to this, even the negatives, when you are favoured, will work for your good. When we were worshipping – thiswas not part of my note before – the Lord started downloading a lot of things to me, I took my pen and wrote them down. Even the negatives will work for you when you are favoured. The Lord told me, remember the story of Ruth and He took me to Ruth 2: 2, 10.It was a contrary wind that blew upon Naomi and Ruth but Ruth asked for favour and she found favour and through that negative situation, God led her to the field of Boaz and her story suddenly changed.

There are two ways in which God works. God can work a miracle. Miracle is changing, for example, water to wine, it’s not natural, that’s a miracle. The sea partingis a miracle. In other words, the natural laws are altered, that’s a miracle because how can water become wine, how can the sea part, how can water come out of the rock? God can give you a miracle but sometimes it is not a miracle, it is what is called Providence, meaning, it’s not a miracle. God will take that negative situation, work it round in such a way to bring to pass what he has said concerning you. Remember, all the way from the land of Moab, they came back to the extent that Naomi said, “Don’t call me Naomi, call me bitter. Look at what has happened to me”. It was like, what is going to happen next, what’s going to happen? What’s the hope for tomorrow?But God took that negative situation and Ruth said, “Let me go and get something and bring something in.”God used that situation, worked through that situation to bring to pass what He has said. Do you know that Jesus came from the lineage of Ruth? You know what, sometimes the enemy plans evil but don’t get yourself disturbed, we serve a sovereign God who can take the negative and turn it to positive. Let me give you an example of Providence: if they had known, his brothers wouldn’t have sold Joseph. It was not a miracle, it was providence. They sold him, he found himself in the house of Potiphar, from the house of Potiphar to the prison, from the prison, he interpreted a dream, came before Pharaoh, from Pharaoh, it came to the dream he had that he stood and his brothers came and they bowed themselves before him. Can you see – Providence?

When a man is favoured, nothing can work against him.That is why the scripture says, all things work together for good for them that love God. That is why you should not complain. In every situation, just keep on thanking him, knowing that He is sovereign, He is able. God can work through the situation, He can work outside the situation. He can work through the situation by performing a miracle, He can work outside the situation by bringing His will to pass.

This month, I pray for you, God’s providential blessings that will flow as a result of His favour will visit you. God will locate you this month. Whatever the enemy planned for evil, God will turn it out for good. This month, I am saying to you, you will not in any way be stranded. Evil shall be turned to good. Pain shall be turned to praise. Disappointment shall be turned to divine appointment. Don’t complainin any situation you are in, that’s why the scripture says, give thanks. Don’t complain, just keep on thanking Him because He can work in that situation. Get ready for a testimony this month. Listen, this is the message, no matter the situation this month, don’t complain. Thank Him for every situation, God can work through negative situation.

2. He will turn your enemies to be your friends (Prov. 16:7): Your enemies will defend you, they will speak on your behalf. 2 Samuel 17 vs 27: Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim. Who is Shobi? Remember when Saul became a king, the first battle he fought was against the Ammonites led by one King, King Nahash. He was a great enemy of Israel. How come when David was fleeing from his son, Absalom and his army had been depleted, one of the people that came to take care of him and provided bed for him to rest and also brought foodstuffs for him was this man called Shobi, the son of Nahash, the son of an enemy. The son of an enemy came up and risked his life to support him. Friends, when a man finds favour, I tell you, your enemies will become your tool. I am praying for you this month, God’s favour will enrich your life. Your enemies will not know when they will stand to defend you and fight for you.
3. Nobody can contend against you (Rom. 8:33):Romans 8: 33 – “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” David was not a perfect man, he was a failure. Look through the scriptures, he failed. He killed Uriah because he wanted to marry Beersheba. He counted the Israelites and over 74,000 people died because he counted when God told him not to count but do you know one of the things that David did?

Most times we pray this prayer that may the Lord frustrate their counsel like he frustrated the counsel of Ahitophel. Do you think Ahitophel was so bad? He was not so bad, David was bad; Ahitophel was not so bad. Ahitophel was a bosom friend of David, so when David came to the throne knowing the gift that Ahitophel had, the gift of wisdom and counsel, he made him a special adviser. He started working in the government of David. Ahitophel had a son called Eliam, Eliam had only one daughter and that daughter was called Beersheba – the only daughter of Eliam. That is, the granddaughter of Ahitophel was Beersheba and you know what David did? David killed her husband, Ahitophel’s son-in-law, because he wanted to marry Beersheba, the daughter of Eliam. Let me ask you a question, those of you who are quick to condemn Ahitophel, if you were the one what would you do to your friend, David? Ahitophel was bitter, he had opportunity to leave when Absalom revolted against David. Absalom invited him and he jumped there to be able to fight against David. But listen to this, who will lay a charge against God’s elect. Go and find out from Moses, was Moses right when he married the Egyptian but what did God do to Miriam, she got leprosy. Who will lay a charge against God’s elect? The man I have favoured, you want to disfavour him? Never.

Ahitophel was so bitter to the extent that he made up his mind that David will fail. He started counseling Absalom but when David heard about it, he sent a man called Ushai, the second man who also had gift of counseling but was not as good as Ahitophel. He allowed him to meet with Absalom and pretended to be part of Absalom. He countered the counsel that Ahitophelgave Absalom, that was what made Ahitophel think that he left David and came to Absalom but Absalom rejected him. He felt that what was the essence of life, he committed suicide. But did you see it in the scripture that God laid a charge against David? His judgment is in the hand of God, not in the hands of any man. When God favours a man, nobody can lay a charge against him. No demon can lay a charge against him, nobody, no power. “Their righteousness is of me says the Lord; no weapon fashioned against him will prosper.”

I pray for everyone here this monthwho believes it, God’s favour will be so rich for you that God will defend you against your adversaries. No one will be able to lay a charge against you. Say it after me: My father, enrich my life with favour. Satisfy me with favour. Let me be yourfavourite.

4. When God favours a man, there is increase and promotion:The Bible says in Genesis 39:21, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” What next? Promotion. I am praying for you again, this month, there shall be testimonies of promotion. Amen. In your place of work, God will set aside rule andpromote you. This month, you will be promoted. Amen.
5. When God’s favour is upon you, He will bring you restoration: Everything you have lost, you will recover them. In Exodus 3:21, he said, “And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.” God is saying, “I will restore the years that the cankerworms and caterpillars have destroyed and you will begin to eat in plenty and you will no longer be ashamed. You will praise the name of the Lord who has dealt with you wondrously. You will not be ashamed because I am going to restore you.” I am praying for favour that brings restoration upon you this morning. Amen.
6. The favour of the Lord will bring you honour (Exodus 11:3): Exodus 11:3 – “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.” The favour of the Lord will make you great. In your family, you will be honoured. In your neighbourhood, you will be honoured. Men shall honour you.
7. The favour of the Lord will give you victory even in seemingly impossible battles (Joshua 11:20):When a man has no favour, he will lose in the battles of life. Favour causes you to be victorious even in impossible battles. This month, I declare your victory over every battle. Amen.
8. Favour sometimes makes people look at God as being partial (Esther 2:17): The favour of God will give you preferential treatment. It will cause men to prefer you above others. When favour is upon you, you will be preferred above others. This month, God will set you apart. The favour of God will single you out of the multitudes. Amen.
9. The favour of God will cause the ungodly to listen to your request (Esther 5:8).Not only Christians will listen to you, even the ungodly, when you speak and when you make a demand, will listen to you. In Esther 5:8, the King was not a Jew and Esther made a difficult demand but the King listened to her. Remember, in the book of Daniel 1:9, the Bible says, “Now God had brought Daniel into the favour and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.” God brought Daniel into favour. Do you know the King called Cyrus was not a believer? The Bible says in Isaiah 44:28, “Cyrus, you are my servant, you will perform my pleasure”. This month, because of God’s favour upon your life, unbelievers, kings of the earth will hear your petition and will listen to you. Nobody will resist you, everywhere you go, when you speak, because of God’s favour, they will stand in attention.
10. When God’s favour is upon you, even decrees, policies, rules and regulations will be changed and reversed because of you (Esther 8:5):Did the King listen to Esther? Yes, he changed the decree. He said, write another one to counter what has been said, because somebody found favour. I am praying, because of God’s favour upon your life, every contrary thing that has been written concerning you, your family, your health, your children, your career, I decree them changed and reversed. Every No, I change it to yes for you. Amen. That ‘No’ is changed to ‘Yes’. That closed door is opened for you. Receive rich favour, be satisfied with favour.

Last week, I heard a testimony and I was shaking after hearing it. When you go for an interview and someone is interviewing you on a very sensitive issue; you got to a point when you don’t even know the answer and the person who is interviewing you who is supposed to have written you off at that point now reminded you of the answer. Even in the midst of reminding you the answer, the sister said even when the man reminded her, she held her Unusual Encounter mantle and was looking at it. The man then told her what he said and even still, the lady said, “What did you say?” The man again pulled his facemask again and repeated what he said, then the sister said “Yes, that’s it”.

In the next question related to it, the man also asked and the sister could not answer because she couldn’t remember anything. The person interviewing said, “I said this”then the sister said“Yes, yes”. After the interviewer was through and said, “Okay, you can go”. As the sister was going, that person that interviewed her started laughing in the presence of everybody seated.You know what took over that man, it was not ordinary. The man started laughing and gave the sister the result.

I am praying for somebody who believe God, this month what your wisdom cannot get, what your money cannot purchase, what your connection cannot give you, what your parents’ name cannot give you, what your qualification cannot give you, this month, by God’s favour, you will possess them. In 2 Samuel 17, David was fleeing from Absalom, he got to a place called Mahanaim, the Bible says it is a place of two opinions. David was confused, “Lord, what should I do?” In the midst of that, three men came and supplied his needs including Shobi. I believe before it got to that point, David prayed that prayer in Psalms 86:17 – “Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.”

This month, I am praying for somebody who believes this word, God will show you a token of his favour. Amen. In the month of April, God of heaven will show you a token of his favour. Amen. When David prayed this prayer, I believe that was what brought about these three men to supply his need including Shobi, the son of an enemy;Barzillai, an 80 year old man, came and supported this man. I am praying again, this month in your family, God will give you a sign of His favour. In your place of work, God will give you a sign of His favour. He will give you a token of His goodness.

Prayer

Father, give me a sign of your favour that those who hate me will know that you have helped me and comforted me.

Everyone who is a child of God has God’s favour upon him. The man who is not born again, does not have God’s favour upon his life. You must accept Jesus so that you become righteous because the Bible saysthe Lord will bless the righteous, with favour He will encompass him as with a shield. The righteous is the one whoGod made righteous, who believes that Jesus is the son of God. If you want to become righteous and receive favour, pray that God would save you. Say, “Jesus save my soul today, make me your son/daughter. I believe that you died in my place and you are raised to life. Make me righteous”.