Heaped Favour: When God Changes the Rules Just for You

Sermon outline

Every born-again believer walks in the favour that rested on Jesus, so take your eyes off the problem, keep confessing and celebrating God's favour, and it will grow into heaped favour that opens doors and brings preferential treatment.

1. Jesus grew in four areas

   Since Pentecost every born-again, blood-washed child of God walks in the favour and spiritual blessing that was on Jesus. Jesus grew in wisdom, which is not the knowledge learned in colleges and universities but the God-given ability to apply knowledge; in stature; in favour with God, so that God was on His side; and in favour with men. When even strangers and people from another field favour you, they give you what they won't give others.

   “Wisdom is the application of knowledge, and that only comes from God.”

   • Luke 2:40
   • Judges 13:24
   • Luke 2:52

2. Confess favour, whatever your past

   Some believe they come from a line of cursed people, but if you have accepted Jesus and walk with Him, you have God's favour, so say it aloud each morning as you get dressed. Psalm 103 shows God is working for us, not against us. Raise your expectations: favour is for you, your family and your household, however dire the circumstances and however contrary the winds.

   “So I see favor written all over you.”

   • Psalm 103:2-6
   • Psalm 103:17-18

3. Heaped favour

   Favour is high regard and approval, a gift not earned or bought, a token of God's love and friendship, and preferential treatment with special privileges. When you acknowledge it, God gives you more, which he calls heaped favour: favour upon favour, with doors swinging open at home and at work. Man was not built with a failure mentality; favour guarantees success, so believe for ease instead of toil and struggle, and meditate on the Word rather than the bad news.

   “Like I've coined a word for it, I call it heaped favor.”

   • Psalm 5:12

4. Celebrate favour and don't lose heart

   His favour is for a lifetime: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, and every day is a new day. Celebrate the little trickles of favour and more will come. Joy means a shout of rejoicing and loud cheering in triumph, and God dances over His beloved people with singing. Because God in mercy has given us this ministry we do not lose heart: favour belongs to us, so we don't have to beg or grovel for it.

   “We don't have to beg for it. We don't have to grovel for it.”

   • Psalm 30:5
   • Zephaniah 3:17
   • 2 Corinthians 4:1

5. Favour changes the rules

   Give earnest heed so the revelation of favour does not slip. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your understanding and declare favour daily: God will open doors no man can shut, and when others are treated badly at work you will receive preferential treatment. Favour can change rules and policies just for you, even bringing a raise for the whole company, and it carries you through your toughest challenges, so don't give up hope.

   “God's favor will change the rules and regulations and policies just for you.”

   • Hebrews 2:1
   • Revelation 3:8

6. Take your eyes off the problem

   In Psalm 102 the afflicted psalmist became focused on his overwhelming problems, but God arose to have mercy on Zion because the set time to favour her had come. Israel did not take the land by their own sword but because God favoured them. Satan wants you to focus on the problem, and some delays in answered prayer come from not understanding favour, so make a mental shift and keep confessing favour until you walk in it continually.

   “I'm asking you to take your eyes off the problem and focus it on God's favor.”

   • Psalm 102:1-13
   • Psalm 44:3

7. Favour with God and with men

   Favour cannot be bought or earned: Christ paid the price, and that entitles us to it. Trust in the Lord, delight in Him and feed on His faithfulness until favour becomes a normal way of living. Jesus will do whatever we ask in His name, God withholds no good thing, and keeping mercy and truth brings favour and high esteem with God and man.

   Illustration: His own story: a Gentile man who served another god in another religion came to Christ, grew in the Word and now lives in God's favour.

   “I have arrived at this place in my life just because of God's favor, God's willingness, and God's kindness towards me.”

   • Psalm 37:3-4
   • John 14:13-14
   • Psalm 84:11
   • Proverbs 3:1-4