What is Divine Favour?

Divine favour is a term used to describe God’s spotlight upon a person. In Numbers 6:25 (NIV), the Bible says ‘the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you’. This is an illustration of favour because when the light of God shines upon us, it provides divine assistance and prevents us from struggling to achieve what we desire. We see this in Psalm 44:3 (NIV) which states ‘It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them’. This divine help is an expression of God’s love for us and a display of his supernatural ability. Psalm 30:5 (NIV) tells us that ‘his favour lasts a lifetime’. This knowledge gives us confidence that we can overcome any situation because the favour of God brings continuous victory.

What does the favour of God do?

Favour connects you to the right people to fulfil your purpose

If we look at the life of Esther, she was a woman who was favoured by God. From Esther 2:17 (NIV) it reveals that ‘the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favour and approval more than any of the other virgins’. From a Jewish Orphan, she was brought into royalty and this was the turning point of her life. Esther’s story is a testimony of God’s goodness because He is a destiny changer. It is also important to understand that when we are asking for God’s favour we are calling for greater responsibility. In Esther 4:14 (NIV) Mordecai says to Esther ‘And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this’. The favour of God highlighted Esther and brought her into a position of power to deliver God’s people and she was aware of her purpose. The bible mentions in Esther 7: 3 (NIV) that she went before the King and said ‘If I have found favour with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life–this is my petition. And spare my people–this is my request’. This is what the favour of God does, it brings you before people of influence to help you fulfil your purpose and causes your requests to be granted.

Favour brings peace and destroys the spirit of fear

Mary is another example of woman who was favoured by God to carry out a divine assignment. In Luke 1:28 (NIV) it describes how the angel Gabriel came to her saying ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ The reference to ‘you who are highly favoured’ is specific and shows us that the favour of God sets people apart for greatness. From this, we can also learn that the degree to which you are favoured determines the level of your assignment. Mary was chosen to give birth to Jesus, the greatest gift to mankind because she was ‘highly favoured’. When the favour of God comes upon us , there should be no room for fear. In Luke 1:30 (NIV) the angel said to Mary ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God’. The scripture reveals to us that the favour of God only brings peace and assurance, if we understand this we should not be afraid of success. In Psalm 5:12 (NIV) it says ‘Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield. The connotation of a shield is something which is used for protection, this illustrates that the favour of God is able to shield and protect a blessing.

Favour foils the plans of the enemy

Joseph was also favoured by God and well loved by his father, which caused jealousy among his siblings. Whilst he was sharing his dreams and visions with them, Joseph’s brothers were scheming against him and plotting his downfall. In Genesis 37:18 (NIV) it mentions that they ‘saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him’. Even though they sold Joseph into slavery, the light of God was still shining upon him. It tells us in Genesis 39:2 (NIV) that ‘The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered’. The favour of God was with him even in the midst of darkness and it gave him a voice that no one could take away. He became a success despite the intentions of his brothers because there was a divine intervention working on his behalf. As evidence of God’s favour in Joseph’s life, Genesis 42:6 (NIV) recalls how ‘Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground’. The way in which he was promoted and brought into a position of honour is a reminder that God’s plan will always prevail and overturn the plan of the enemy.

How can we attract God’s favour?

Obedience

It is important to understand that there are things we can do to activate the favour of God in our lives. In Isaiah 1:19 (NIV) God says that ‘If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land’. Abraham was a great example of someone who obeyed God and as a result enjoyed the benefits. In Genesis 12:1 (NIV) God said to him ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’. Even though Abraham did not know where he was going he walked in obedience, that single act opened the doors of favour unto him. In Genesis 17: 4 (NIV) God honoured him and said ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations’. From this scripture, we can learn that divine favour is a gift from God bestowed on an individual for their obedience. As you are reading this, I pray that God will grant you the grace to always walk in obedience to His Word.

God-consciousness

As children of God, we must ensure that our lives glorify our Father in Heaven. The bible says in Psalm 84: 11 (NIV) ‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless’. The reference to ‘no good thing’ shows us that we can enjoy the FULL blessings of God when our character reflects our Father. Joseph was a perfect example of someone who walked uprightly with God. When faced with temptation in Genesis 39: 9 (NIV), he asked ‘How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’. The response he gave is powerful because it shows us that Joseph was God-conscious, which prevented him from doing evil and eventually led to his promotion. This is a great mindset to develop because if we are aware that we are accountable to God, it will alter our behaviour and allows us to reach the heights that God has intended for his children.

The Right Association

The company we keep is important for our spiritual growth and can attract divine favour to us. In Proverbs 13:20 (NIV) it says ‘Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm’. This scripture portrays how our environment can shape and determine what we become. As we have seen through the lives of Esther and Mary, favour is for a divine assignment. If God sees that we are surrounded by the wrong people, how can he trust us to carry out his divine assignment? We should understand that God will not want his work to fail in our hands because his favour in our lives is an investment to impact others. The Word of God should be our manual when we select our friends. In Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) it says ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ This should help us to assess our friendships and decide whether they are conducive for the fulfilment of our purpose. As you are reading this, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in selecting your friends by divine revelation.