TOPIV: DIVINE FAVOUR: WHAT IT DOES.
MEMORISE
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12
READ: Esther 5:1-3
1Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
MESSAGE:
Queen Esther found favor in the sight of her husband the king, and thus was promised blessings up to one-half of the kingdom, as we see in the Bible reading of today. There are lots of lessons in this passage. One is that the king saw Esther. In 1 Samuel 16:11-13, favor located David while he was watching over the flock of his father. Favor also found the mad man of Gadara in the graveyard and he was healed (Mark 5:1-15). God's blessings can locate you anywhere. A sister who had been looking for a husband went to a funeral. At the same ceremony, there was another brother who had been searching for a wife. The brother saw her looking very radiant and concluded that if she could be that beautiful in mourning clothes, she would be even more so when in high spirit. This marked the beginning of a courtship that led to marriage.
The king did not just see Esther, he focused on her. When your day of favor comes, God will not just glance at you, He will focus on you. The day favor beamed on the sick man at Bethesda, Jesus located him for healing. A man who was jobless despite his two doctoral degrees, received favor after he gave his life to Christ and got multiple job offers. I recall the story of a mother who used diabolical means to prevent her daughter from getting married because she didn't want to be neglected. I prayed with the daughter and she got a suitor within one week. Whatever is blocking the view of those who should favor you shall be removed today in Jesus' name.
Going into the king's chamber without an invitation was a very dangerous thing to do, as we see in Esther 4:11. Thus, we can say Esther embarked on a suicide mission when she went into the king's presence uninvited. However, she found favor: what could have been her last visit to the king became the beginning of a new life not only for her but for the entire Jewish community in Shushan. Favor shall locate you this season in Jesus' name. The only obstacle to divine favor is unrighteousness. Psalm 5:12 says:
"For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield."
This is why I am appealing to you to surrender your life to Jesus our Savior. When you do, begin to live a life that is acceptable to God, and then you too would enjoy divine favor.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please let Your favor locate me for breakthroughs today in the mighty name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 28-29.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 16: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST.
1. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
2. Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
3. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men”:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.
5. A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in foll’wing years.
7. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.
8. Like flow’ry fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.
9. O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
Comments
Post a Comment