The Favour of God
By Ps Steve Maile
Not a lot can happens if the favour of God is not on your life but it’s easy when His favour is on you. One think we must never forget is that God doesn’t want to withhold His favour from you, and this favour is not just for you, it can touch others through you.
Main verse:
Acts 2:40-47 NKJV
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptised; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
1- The first step to enter into God’s favour is of course to be saved by believing in the Lord Jesus and following Him. In the passage above we see that the early believers were in unity and under Apostolic leadership. They were taught doctrine and they were in fellowship (having communion and praying together). Also they were givers and live in simplicity of heart. Their focus was in the Great Commission.
2- Notice in verse 47 of Acts 2, the believers maintain an attitude of praise. So we see then that Favour is about receptivity, a bad attitude will repels favour but a praising heart will attract favour.
3- Favour and anointing are connected. As we saw in the life of Jesus.
Luke 2:52
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”
4- Favour comes out of our fellowship with the Lord and brother and sisters in Christ who live and abide in the fear of God. Favour and the fear of God causes people to live differently (Acts 2:43)
5- Favour is an apostolic grace of God. The pattern for the Church is that every believer must be under apostolic anointing. This is God’s design, if we alter God’s design then it will be no favour.
6- Favour is irresistible. See the Scriptures below:
Proverbs 12:2 A good man obtains favour from the Lord, But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
Proverbs 14:9 Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favour.
Proverbs 14:35 The king’s favour is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
7- Favour is for life.
Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
Jesus our amazing High Priest
By Ps Karina Maile
1- First mention of Melchizedek in the Old Testament.
Hebrews 7:1-4 NKJV
“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.”
In Genesis a High Priest called Melchizedek came to Abraham, and even though this occurred 470 years before the “Law,”Abraham was moved to give 10% (tithe) of the spoils to Him.
Melchizedek wasn’t just any ordinary High Priest, He was an epiphany of Christ. As verse 3 says: “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”
When you are touched by the Lord you will automatically want to give. If you are not giving you are being covetous and selfish.
2- The need of a new priesthood.
Hebrews 7:11- 24 NKJV
11 “Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’ ”), 22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. “
The Priesthood order of Aaron from the Levi tribe needed to change because it was ineffective as verse 9 tells us: “for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. “
Jesus has become the surety of a better covenant as He didn’t come through the line of Levi. But of the order of Melchizedek.
God gave us a glimpse of the things to come through Melchizadek. The law could only show right from wrong but can’t not change the sinner, in contrast Christ not only diagnoses sin but He can wipe it away. Jesus makes a sinner holy. Hallelujah see the Scripture bellow.
Hebrews 10:11-14
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honour at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
3- The qualities of the perfected priesthood.
Hebrews 7:26-28
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.”
No need to be afraid of God, there is nothing bad in Him, He is Holy, harmless and undefined. He is separate from sinners. When we give our lives to Him, He makes us just like Him, holy, harmless and undefined and separate from sinners.
4- The duties of the High Priest.
Hebrews 7:2 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 8:3-5 NKJV
“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
Intercession and offering up sacrifices in behalf of people (mediator) were the duties of a priest.
As priests we have the same duties, Intercession for others and offering up sacrifices of praise, our very life is a living sacrifice in what we do, think or say.
5- Our response:
Hebrews 10:18-25 NLT 18
“And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Go into His presence fully trusting Him.
We are now priests, a Royal priesthood from the same line of the King of Righteousness that can experience real joy, real peace and the real presence of God all because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
not neglect our meeting together, don’t miss church.
To do God’s will (read the Scripture bellow)
Hebrews 10:8-10 NLT First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
When Jesus said “I have come to do Your will,” He was declaring the Lordship of God.
The Bible says in Romans 10:9 NKJV, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” We must make Jesus the Lord of your life, but many Christian haven’t made Jesus Lord in all areas of their lives. Maybe 80% or 90% but not 100%. Even 99.9% is not enough.
Our lives should be the perfect sacrifice. The process of sanctification is to be made like Jesus.
What areas have we not bowed down to the Lordship of Jesus? Who are we listening to?
If He really is your Lord and Master, everything He tells you, you will believe it. We are who He says we are, but if you listen and obey the lies of the enemy such as depression or rejection or inferiority or fear of man Jesus is not your Lord.
Listen to the voice of the High Priest Jesus and break the lies of the enemy over your life. For example Study Psalm 139 and the book of Ephesians and discover how much God loves you, cares for you and how much He has given you in Christ.
God made us for fellowship. He
longs to fellowship with you don’t take the privilege of communion with Him lightly. Go on and lift up your life to Him as a love sacrifice.