Surrounded Like a Shield: Declaring God's Favour Over Your Life
Dr RJ Sing, 36 min, Part 2 of Favor: The Road to Success
Originally preached as “Favor: The Road to Success, Part 2”
Sermon outline
God's favour already surrounds the righteous like a shield for a lifetime, so stop focusing on your problems and constantly declare his favour over your life, with God and with man.
Main text
- Psalm 5:12
- Psalm 30:5
Opening
He welcomes viewers in South Africa and beyond and reminds them that last week was Part 1 of Favour: The Road to Success and this week is Part 2. He prays for anointing on his mind and vocal cords, binds any satanic obstruction, applies the blood of Jesus, and asks that the Word fall on good ground, because man shall not live by bread alone.
His favour is for a lifetime
God surrounds the uncompromisingly righteous with favour as with a shield, and while his anger is for a moment, his favour is for a lifetime. The joy that comes in the morning is a shout of triumph, and God himself dances over his people with singing. Because God's mercy grants us favour, benefits and opportunities, we do not get discouraged: God wants us to be winners all our lives, and he sees viewers walking in favour like never before.
Illustration: He explains from Strong's Concordance that the word for joy means a shout of rejoicing and loud cheering in triumph, the joyful shouting of those who dance in victory.
“You must take hold of this favor which already belongs to you.”
- Psalm 5:12
- Psalm 30:5
- Zephaniah 3:17
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
Consistently declare the favour of God
The revelation of walking in favour is ours for the taking, and when we consistently declare it, extraordinary things happen. Instead of spending your mouth, energy and time speaking contrary things, speak good things over your life. We let the revelation slip when we become focused on busyness, problems and mountains, but Israel took the land not by their own sword but because God favoured them.
Illustration: The writer of Psalm 102 was so focused on his overwhelming trouble that he forgot the good God who loved him, yet God remembered him as a covenant man and his favour hit him at the set time.
“God's favor will change rules, regulations, and policies just for you.”
- Hebrews 2:1
- Psalm 102:1-2
- Psalm 102:13-20
- Psalm 102:27-28
- Psalm 44:3
What is the favour of God?
Favour is not bought and not earned: Christ paid the price, and his mercy entitles us to it even when we don't deserve it. It is a gift or token of love and friendliness, and asking God for favour shows how strong our relationship with him is. Because Jesus promised to do whatever we ask in his name, prayer stops being begging or arm-twisting and becomes a joy.
“When I don't deserve something, God still gives it to me.”
- Psalm 37:3-4
- John 14:13-14
Favour with God and with man
Keeping God's word written on the tablet of your heart brings favour and high esteem with God and man. Favour means advantage, things working out for you that don't work for others, and you can expect it everywhere you go. Everything God does is motivated by love; he still bestows favour for success, and it makes you attractive to others, even when they feel it is not fair.
“God wants us to be successful our success makes him look good especially when we attribute our success to him.”
- Proverbs 3:1-4
- John 3:16
- Deuteronomy 28:1-13
The benefits of God's favour
Favour can bring the best price and the best contract, show up in a high-end store or in a prison as with Joseph, bring the right companion as with Ruth, and bring unexpected income as when Israel left Egypt. It can stop a national disaster and bring the miracle birth of a child. Favour with man follows the law of sowing and reaping, and he reads a string of proverbs on favour for viewers to write down.
Illustration: He tells people in middle or lower management not to criticise or malign those above them but to pray for, uplift and support them, and they will in turn give them favour.
“Favor is a person, favor is Jesus Christ.”
- Genesis 39:21
- Exodus 12:36
- Galatians 6:7
- Psalm 5:12
- Proverbs 8:34
- Proverbs 13:15
- Proverbs 14:19
- Proverbs 18:22
- Proverbs 22:1
Meditate until the Word becomes second nature
Early in his Christian life the Lord had him write down all the scriptures on favour, prosperity and healing, which he later printed. Meditating on a promise in spare moments makes it yours, until the words pour out of your mouth in conversation and begin to work. You will see the manifestation of what you are saying come to pass.
Illustration: His small, light book of God's promises on favour, easy to slip into a handbag or a man bag and read for fifteen or twenty minutes while waiting.
“If you don't know a word it will never work in your life.”
Decrees of favour
He decrees over viewers that their enemies cannot triumph over them, fear cannot rule them, and no weapon formed against them will prosper. God is their refuge and strength, and what seems to be working against them will work for their good. Their gifts will make room for them, and their lines have fallen in pleasant places.
“The scene is not yet over. What you are thinking of and perceiving as working against you is going to work for you.”
- Psalm 41:11
- 2 Timothy 1:7
- Psalm 91:16
- Isaiah 54:17
- Psalm 91:1
- Psalm 46:1
- Romans 8:28
- Proverbs 18:16
- Psalm 16:6
Putting it into practice
- Declare God's favour over your life every day, whatever the circumstances.
- Take your eyes off the mountains and fix them on the favour of God.
- Pray as a child speaking to a loving Father, not as a beggar.
- Pray for, support and speak well of those in authority over you at work.
- Study Deuteronomy 28:1-13 and write down the proverbs on favour to meditate on.
Closing
He asks viewers to raise a hand, hold someone's hand or hold their device as a point of contact, then prays over their health, finances and contrary circumstances and tells the storms to be still. He prays that small catches become large and that those with just enough have abundance, decreeing that their households will never lack and that they will enjoy heaped favour.
In his words
- “God's favor will change rules, regulations, and policies just for you.”
- “When I don't deserve something, God still gives it to me.”
- “Prayer becomes a joy because you're speaking to your heavenly father that takes great joy in answering your prayer.”
- “You can't expect not to give favor and then expect favor.”
- “The favor will be so heaped you will find yourself digging yourself out of that heap of favor.”
Every scripture in this message
- Matthew 4:4
- Psalm 5:12
- Psalm 30:5
- Zephaniah 3:17
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
- Hebrews 2:1
- Psalm 102:1-2
- Psalm 102:13-20
- Psalm 102:27-28
- Psalm 44:3
- Psalm 37:3-4
- John 14:13-14
- Proverbs 3:1-4
- John 3:16
- Deuteronomy 28:1-13
- Genesis 39:21
- Exodus 12:36
- Galatians 6:7
- Proverbs 8:34
- Proverbs 13:15
- Proverbs 14:19
- Proverbs 18:22
- Proverbs 22:1
- Psalm 41:11
- 2 Timothy 1:7
- Psalm 91:16
- Isaiah 54:17
- Psalm 91:1
- Psalm 46:1
- Romans 8:28
- Proverbs 18:16
- Psalm 16:6
