WHEN GOD BACKS A MAN!

Receiving and Thriving in God’s Favour

Anchor Scripture

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”—Luke 2:52 (NIV)

What happens when God backs a man?

Doors open that he could not have opened himself. People extend help they might not

ordinarily have given. His work prospers in unlikely places. Even when he faces difficulties, he receives the help he needs to move forward.

This is favour.

Favour is generally understood as receiving approval, kindness, support, or an advantage. In the workplace, favour may mean being selected for training, entrusted with an important assignment, recommended for an opportunity, or chosen for a work trip.

But favour does not mean that everything will be easy. It may bring greater responsibility. It may require courage and hard work. Sometimes, favour does not remove us from a difficult situation; it enables us to thrive within it.

The Bible gives us several examples of what can happen when God backs a person with his favour.

God Can Cause Others to Favour You

When the Israelites were preparing to leave Egypt, God instructed them to ask their Egyptian neighbours for articles of silver and gold.

Scripture says:

“The Lord had made the Egyptians favourably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for…”—Exodus 12:36 (NIV)

Pause and consider that.

The Egyptians had just endured terrible plagues. Their water had turned to blood. They had experienced frogs, gnats, flies, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, losses among their livestock, and finally, the death of their firstborn.

Under such circumstances, generosity toward the Israelites would have appeared unlikely. Yet the Bible says that God made the Egyptians favourably disposed toward them.

The Israelites made the request, but God influenced the response:

“They gave them what they asked for.”

When God backs a man, He can cause people to respond favourably—even when the circumstances are unfavourable and the person could not have secured that response alone.

Joseph experienced this kind of favour.

He was falsely accused by his master’s wife and thrown into prison. His reputation appeared to be destroyed. As a prisoner accused of such a serious offence, Joseph could have faced suspicion, hostility, harassment, and the full harshness of prison life.

But the Bible records something different:

“The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warden.”—Genesis 39:21 (NIV)

Because of this favour, Joseph was placed in charge of the prisoners and entrusted with everything that happened in the prison. The warden trusted him so completely that he did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care.

This is uncommon favour on display. Joseph was still in prison, but the prison could not prevent God’s favour from resting upon him.

The accusation could not cancel God's favour. His damaged reputation could not prevent it. His circumstances could not stop it

The Scripture says:

“The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”—Genesis 39:23 (NIV)

That is what can happen when God backs a man.

God Can Place His Own Favour upon You

Sometimes God causes other people to favour us. At other times, He places His own favour upon us and chooses us for a particular purpose.

When the angel appeared to Mary, he said:

“Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”—Luke 1:28 (KJV)

Mary was chosen to become the mother of Jesus. It was an extraordinary honour, but it was not an easy assignment. God’s favour did not exempt her from questions, misunderstanding, sacrifice, or pain. It assured her that the Lord was with her through it all.

Daniel was also called “highly esteemed.” God caused an official to show him favour and compassion, and Daniel was later placed in a position of authority. Yet Daniel still faced opposition and was thrown into the lions’ den.

Favour did not prevent the lions’ den, but it ensured that the lions’ den did not destroy him.

God’s favour does not always remove the challenge. It gives us the help, grace, strength, access, and support we need to overcome it.

Imagine how differently these stories might have ended if Joseph, Mary, and Daniel had faced their challenges without the favour of God.

Ask God for Favour

People in the Bible understood what God’s favour could accomplish, so they were not afraid to ask Him for it.

Before approaching the king, Nehemiah prayed:

“Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.”—Nehemiah 1:11 (NIV)

Nehemiah prepared what he would say, but he knew that preparation alone was not enough. He needed God to cause the king to receive him favourably.

Moses also prayed:

“May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”—Psalm 90:17 (NIV)

Moses did not merely ask God to bless their intentions. He asked God to place His favour upon their work and cause it to become established.

Perhaps it is time to add favour to your prayer list.

Ask God for favour in your work. Ask for favour in your children’s education, your relationships, business, ministry, family, and every area of concern.

Ask Him to establish the work of your hands.

Ask Him to open doors you cannot open for yourself.

Ask Him to cause the people you encounter to receive you favourably.

God’s favour does not promise a life without challenges. But when challenges come, His favour can provide the help needed to meet them.

When God backs a man, circumstances do not have the final word.

Reflection

Where do you need God’s favour today?

What difference could His favour make in that situation?

Let’s pray like Moses:

“May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”

—Psalm 90:17 (NIV)