God wants to extend favor in your life, and here’s one of my favorite “Favor of God” stories. But first, here are a few questions for you. Have you ever tried asking for God’s favor? How about proclaiming God’s favor in your life? The first step is to believe that you can have the favor of God evident in your life.
Psalm 5:12 says, “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” And, Psalm 30:7 says, “By Your favor, O Lord, You have established me as a strong mountain.”
Keep in mind that the words you say are important. In Job 22:28, it says, “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you”. Throughout the Bible, it is reiterated that what you think – what you really feel in your heart – comes out in the form of words from your mouth. Watch what you say! Include Psalm 19:14 in your daily prayers – “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.” How do you receive favor?
First, believe that you have the favor of God! According to Jeremiah 17:7, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.”
Second, proclaim that you have the favor of God!
So, here’s one of my favorite “favor of God” stories. After loading the suitcase, I started my adventure to drive to the airport to catch my flight. As I was entering the on-ramp to the freeway, I realized that there was something wrong – parked cars on a freeway is not a good sign, especially when you have a time limit to get somewhere! So, I took the next exit and drove on a road that paralleled the freeway. After stopping at quite a number of red lights, I finally arrived close to the airport. So close, in fact, that the road actually ended. Oh-oh, I thought. Do you know that sinking feeling you get when you realize that your time is severely limited and you may miss your flight? Not a good feeling, I can assure you!
I’m obviously running late and in order to quench my fear, I started to proclaim, “The favor of God will cause me to get a parking place close to the entrance door”. Oh, did I mention that it’s sometimes really difficult to get a parking place in the terminal parking lot? Imagine that! But, I kept repeating, out loud, “The favor of God will cause me to get a parking space close to the entrance door”. I repeated and repeated and repeated it until I drove into the parking garage at the terminal. As I drove into the parking garage, guess what? Yes, indeed – a rare find – one open parking space about 20 steps from the front entrance of the terminal! I ran into the terminal, went through a security line that only had 2 people ahead of me, and was able to walk on the plane with minutes to spare. Praise, God!
But wait, there’s more! With my excellent adventure over, I again traveled to the airport for my flight to return home. The airline agent started calling the groups, “Group 6 can begin boarding”. But here’s a strange sight – the agent who is checking everyone in is actually requiring everyone – and I mean everyone – to insert their luggage in the metal luggage holder. Do you remember the small, metal luggage holder that has a sign over it indicating that your carry-on luggage must fit in this container in order to be able to fit in the overhead luggage compartment? I don’t know about you, but I’ve traveled a fair amount over many years and I’ve never – and I repeat – never seen anyone insert their luggage into the metal luggage holder. In fact, I’ve never seen an airline gate agent require anyone to insert their carry-on bag into the metal container to see if it would fit.
This was a different day, my friends. This airline agent was requiring every single passenger to put their carry-on bag into the metal holder. If they could insert their carry-on bag and remove it from the holder easily, he allowed you to carry your luggage on the plane. If it did not fit, then the bag was put aside and the passenger was not allowed to take the bag on the plane! Now, I’ve seen all sizes of carry-on bags on an airplane and I can say with complete confidence that there are numerous, numerous large bags taken on airplanes that would not or could not fit in that metal luggage holder.
I quickly accessed the situation and realized that my bag was not going to make it on the plane with me, even though it would easily fit in the overhead bin. I knew full well that my carry-on bag would not fit in that metal holder! As I witnessed other passengers becoming upset, disgruntled and even angry that their carry-on bag was too big for the metal holder, and that they couldn’t take it on the plane, I had a thought. Why not claim the favor of God?
“Group 5 can now board”, I heard. And with that, I spoke very softly and out loud, “The favor of God will allow me to bring my bag on the plane”. I repeated it over and over as the other passengers expressed their displeasure of their bags not fitting in the holder. But I kept proclaiming that I had the favor of God until I heard my group called.
“Group 4 can now board”. I stepped in line and although it appeared bleak, I kept repeating, “The favor of God will allow me to bring my bag on the plane”. Suddenly the passenger about 3 people ahead of me started to raise his voice and become verbally combative with the airline agent. For about 1 minute, everyone listened to raised voices from the passenger and the agent. Then, the other ticket agent behind the counter walked over to the door, looked at the passengers in line, and said, “Next!”. So, while the argument ensued, I quickly walked up to the agent and waived my boarding pass under the laser beam. Just as I waived my boarding pass, the agent who was arguing finished the discussion, turned around and went back to the station of checking people into the flight. The favor of God was present, as I was only one of three people who got to take their (larger than the metal holder, but small enough to fit in the overhead bin) carry-on bag on the flight! Praise God!
But wait, there’s even more! Toward the end of the flight, the pilot announces that we will be landing soon. This airport is really large. More often than not, your return flight arrives at a gate that is either in a different terminal or is really far away from the gate in which you left, causing you to walk a great distance or take an airport transportation system to return to the original terminal or garage area to get your car. For example, it’s not uncommon to hear that your return flight is arriving at gate C33, while you left from gate B2.
Why not proclaim the favor of God one more time? Originally, I left from gate C33. So, as the plane is descending, I started to claim, “The favor of God will cause this plane to arrive at a gate that is very close to my departure gate”. I repeated this out loud, very softly, and numerous times.
Guess what? As the plane landed, the flight attendant announced that our plane was going to arrive at gate C30 – 3 gates away from my original departure gate!! I would be really close to the car, as I had parked it outside in front of gate C33. Praise, God!
Got favor? Yes, you do! Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” How is our walk blameless? Because we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Our righteousness comes from what Jesus has done for us!
If you would like to receive Jesus into your life, say the following prayer out loud and mean it from your heart:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross to take away my sins. I also believe that He rose again from the dead so that I might be forgiven of my sins and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You and ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare that right now I am a child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you’ve prayed this prayer to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior for the first time, please send us an email at FaithInGodDaily@gmail.com!
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FAITH IN GOD DAILY 
i have the favor of God in me amen
What happens when you declare and believe for His favor and you don’t get it – your luggage didn’t make it, you didn’t get to board the plane…….one doesn’t get the favor of one’s boss, landlord, etc. ? i.e. I have wonderful favor for front row parking places and getting deals when I shop – I declare His favor and 99% of the time it works (for these non-critical things). But more often than not, especially with the ‘biggie’ things, I declare His favor and don’t get it. Would love your thoughts. Thanks.
I asked the Lord about your question, and He brought Mark 11:23 to mind. The NLT version says, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” In the Amplified version it says, “Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.”
Is everything in your life going to go as “perfect” as you would like or exactly how you think it should go? No. We live in a fallen world. But, here’s the good news. God will answer your questions. Ask Him.
Here’s another wonderful thing about the Lord. He knows everything. I’ve had numerous situations in my life that did not go according to my plans or thoughts, but they have worked out for the good. There was a time when I was delayed, and I didn’t understand why when I was claiming otherwise. However, much to my surprise, there was an accident that happened and if I had not been delayed, I believe that there is an extremely high likelihood that I would have been in that accident. God coordinated my efforts to insure that I would be safe.
So, why do things happen? First, it could be a belief of your heart. Second, it could be the Lord changing your plans to protect you, to bring you into the path of someone you need to speak with, or another reason. No matter what the situation, here’s the main thing you need to do: Ask God.
Here’s another scripture that came to mind: Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” I had been feeling particularly down a few years ago. I woke up and heard God say to me, “Why don’t you have hope and expectation?” Psalm 39:7, “And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.” Psalm 62:5 says, “My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him.” And, Proverbs 23:18 says, “For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.” It was a reminder for me to focus on Him and expect the best, no matter what comes my way!
So, let’s raise our expectation of hearing from God and understanding what’s going on in our lives! “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)
I would like to end with a story that I heard from someone about a woman who got a report from her doctor that she had cancer and it was really a bad report. She sought the person who told me the story and asked him for advice. She asked him if she was going to live or die. The person responded that he did not know if she would live or die, but to ask God one question, and to ask it multiple times per day until you receive the answer. The question? “Who do You want to be for me now, now that I have cancer?” A few weeks later, she received the answer from God. The answer? “I am the Lord who heals you.” She was healed! She went back to the doctor and he was shocked – no more cancer.
God is faithful and loves us. I think our walk with God is definitely a work in progress, and He will continue to show you the right path!
This is why I know I have favor. I have a letter from my mother telling what she went through to get me here, the number of stitches she had to get on the outside and she didn’t know how many on the inside. So from day one to age 78 God has favored me all my life. I have had three incidents where God told me to do something. The first time I was 11, I did listen and got rob by 3 boys bigger than me on my first job as a paperboy. The second time I listen when me and my girlfriend was going to a party got up to the building and God told me not to go or should I say go home. Found out later that night that a fight broke out at the party God knew I was not a fighter plus I had to protect girlfriend and me. We found out about the fight when her cousin stop by the house. The third time God told me on the morning of May 30, 2008, it was a Friday and my brother had just died a month earlier. I just want to put on some very nice clothes, God told not to so I put on some old blue jeans and a blue jean shirt and a jacket when about my business. Before I started home me and my play brother drove across a busy street to pick up some flyer at office depot or office max. Okay, we both were standing out of our cars in the parking lot He told me that I said my car was making a noise. He said it could be my brakes and he would follow me home. You might ask if I believe God made a donkey talk YES. ok let’s see if I can finish this I was standing in my driveway and my play brother say I told him I was dizzy, he jokes about at my age everybody dizzy. Then I said I feel like I felt faint so he just put me next to him in the trunk of my car. So he is talking to me and I’m not saying anything so he finally looks and my head has dipped over and slobber was coming out my mouth. He ran and got my wife who wasn’t suppose to be home until 6 pm now it was 5 pm. The only reason she was home early was that she was having a brunch for some friends Saturday. She calls 911 I don’t know how long it took but I understand that I should have died over an hour or more. My wife said I didn’t arrest until they put me on the gurney, they shock me two times in my driveway and one time outside the emergency room. That was a Friday some of my church members felt I wouldn’t make it, but by the grace of God and all the prayer plus one church member pray all night. I wake up Sunday not knowing anything and feeling like nothing happen. I listen to a lot of Christian music and one of my favorite songs is God Favored Me with Marvin Sapp and D.J. Rogers by Hezekiah Walker and He Kept Me by Kurt Carr. I prefer that my name isn’t mentioned I just want to share the love of God and his favor. I also want you to know depression is not a lifetime sentence. You just have to remember you can’t control what people say or do, but you can control how you react. Just keep walking by faith and not by sight.