Note: I celebrated my anniversary this past weekend. But our actual anniversary is today. Isabella and I are thankful for our marriage, and we celebrate the fact that marriage is God’s idea. When does God’s way, marriage is a true blessing.
Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
Today, we will also look at this passage:
(Proverbs? ?11?:?24?-?25? ?TPT??)
24 Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty.
25 Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
Setting the Stage:
At the beginning of the year, I shared with you that my Spiritual Father, Pastor Tony Brazelton, prophesied that 2024 would be a Year of Fixed Purpose. As I prayed over what God said to him, I shared with you that at RIPMinistries, we would teach all year about having a Laser Focus on God’s Fixed Purpose. We are almost through the second month, and I am still laying the foundation for the year.
Another thing Pastor Tony said about this year is that it would be a “Year of Supernatural Kindness.” Whenever I talk about the kindness of God, I do so, talking about the favor of God.
About a week ago, I was raising an offering, and the Holy Spirit led me to use Proverbs? ?11?:?24?-?25? ?TPT as the passage from which to do so. Yesterday, as I was meditating on what to teach this morning, the Holy Spirit led me back to that passage. As we explore this passage, we’ll uncover how a heart of giving positions us for prosperity and saturates our lives with God’s favor, a key component in living out our divine assignments with a laser-focused intent.
1. Definitions for The Favor of God.
Here are some definitions of the Favor of God:
— Widely accepted: The unmerited goodness of God.
— Kenneth Hagin: “Favor is the inclination to provide approval or special treatment; it’s God’s gracious kindness toward us. When we operate in God’s favor, we receive blessings we didn’t have to work for–it’s His unearned grace at work in our lives.”
— Bill Winston: “God’s favor can be understood as the guarantee of His presence and the assurance of His promise to always give us victory. It’s not just about receiving blessings; it’s about being positioned to make an impact that aligns with His Kingdom’s purposes.”
— Jerry Savelle: “Undeserved, divine intervention that brings about opportunities, blessings, and positive outcomes in a believer’s life. God’s favor can open doors that seem impossible to open, bring about supernatural blessings, and position individuals for success and victory that goes beyond human effort or merit.” Pastor Jerry encourages believers to expect and rely on God’s favor in every aspect of their lives, highlighting that it manifests God’s goodness and love towards His children.
— Rick Piña: “Favor is when God raises up people to use their power, ability, influence, and money to help you in ways you cannot help yourself. They are not doing this because you did anything to earn or deserve it. They are doing it solely because God prompted them to extend you supernatural kindness.”
2. Understanding God’s Favor.
— God’s favor is His unmerited grace, love, and blessings bestowed upon us, often manifesting in ways beyond our comprehension.
— It encompasses protection, provision, and preference, setting us apart for divine purposes and opportunities.
— Favor is not earned but given freely by God as a reflection of His goodness and love towards us.
— Recognizing God’s favor in and on our lives cultivates a deep sense of gratitude and dependency on Him.
— Living under God’s favor impacts our interactions, opening doors and creating divine appointments for us.
— The favor of God is often linked with obedience and alignment with His will, drawing us closer to our divine destiny (God’s fixed purpose).
— Embracing God’s favor requires a posture of humility and readiness to receive His blessings in all areas of our life, knowing we did not work for them and often feel like we do not deserve them. Learning to accept and receive God’s best is sometimes a challenge for believers who were taught that nothing in life is free and that they need to earn everything they receive.
— Keep your heart OPEN to the favor of God and freely receive it when God chooses to extend His supernatural kindness to you.
3. The Role of Giving and Generosity.
— Giving is a principle that triggers the release of God’s favor, as it reflects His generous nature through us.
— Generosity is not limited to financial giving but encompasses our time, talents, and resources, aligning with God’s heart.
— The act of giving opens the floodgates of heaven, inviting God’s provision and abundance into our lives.
— Generosity breaks the hold of selfishness, allowing us to become conduits of blessings to others.
— Giving with a joyful heart pleases God and activates His promises of prosperity and favor in return.
— Generosity sets a foundation for reciprocal blessings, creating a cycle of abundance that flows back to the giver.
— Our willingness to give generously positions us as stewards of God’s grace, expanding His kingdom through our lives.
— The text we are looking at this morning, Proverbs 11:24-25, says, “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.” Not only does generosity open the door to favor, but the Bible is saying that we can actually be saturated in the favor of God when we develop and operate with a generous heart.
4. Generosity Positions Us to Experience God’s Favor.
— Our God is a generous God, and He wants His children to emulate His heart. This is why the passage we are looking at this morning, Proverbs 11:24-25, says, “Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty. Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”
— Generosity is a key that unlocks the doors of God’s favor, drawing us into a closer relationship with Him. Conversely, the text teaches us that failing to be generous leads to poverty.
— In giving, we align ourselves with God’s purposes, becoming vessels through which His favor and blessings can flow.
— The principle of sowing and reaping is evident in generosity; as we sow bountifully, we reap bountifully in favor.
— Generous living challenges us to trust God more deeply, witnessing His provision and favor in remarkable ways.
— Generosity not only brings prosperity but enriches our lives with God’s favor, transforming us into beacons of His love and grace.
— Our acts of generosity are seeds of favor, planted in the soil of God’s kingdom, destined to produce a harvest. The text teaches that we can get to the point where we are “saturated with favor!“
— Living with a laser focus on God’s fixed purpose will require us to be generous conduits of Kingdom finance. If we are, we will be saturated with favor in 2024 and beyond!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I stand before You today, grateful for the unending stream of Your favor that flows in my life.
I declare that Your favor surrounds me like a shield and goes before me, opening doors no man can shut.
I am a recipient of Your supernatural kindness, receiving blessings I did not labor for, because You, Lord, have ordained them for me.
My heart overflows with generosity, reflecting Your heart, Father, knowing that as I give, it will be given back to me, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.
I walk into divine appointments ready to receive Your kindness, for Your favor positions me for opportunities that align with Your purpose for my life.
Each day, I expect Your favor to manifest in ways that are beyond my imagination, for You do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think.
I commit to being a channel of Your blessings, pouring out to others, and in return, I am saturated with Your favor, experiencing prosperity in every area of my life.
Father, I thank You for the privilege to live under the canopy of Your favor, knowing that it is by Your grace alone.
I am confident that GREATER IS COMING for me because I am saturated with Your favor, ready to receive the fullness of what You have prepared for me.
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. AMEN!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
