Lesson 6. Favor. Foundational Biblical Principles of Financial Well-Being. Everyone who applies these principles will have financial provision for themselves and for serving others. This school was compiled by Dmitriy Leo, senior pastor of Father’s Blessing Church.
Favor enables me to always have provision.
The word “favor” has many synonyms and can be translated as: to favor (to show preference or goodwill), to be pleased, satisfied, to approve.
Genesis 39:1–5: Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials and the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered while living in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did. Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted all his possessions to him. From the time he put him in charge of his household and all his possessions, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The Lord’s blessing was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
Genesis 39:20–23: He took Joseph and put him in the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in the prison. But the Lord was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the chief jailer. The chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners, and he was responsible for everything done there. The chief jailer paid no attention to anything entrusted to Joseph, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did.
Genesis 41:39–40: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my household, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
If a person has God’s favor, that person will live better even in slavery than free people do. If a person has God’s favor, that person, even having nothing, will live better than the rich.
There are two kinds of favor
1. Given
God shows favor to some people according to His will. A person has done nothing to receive God’s favor; God simply favors them.
Isaiah 60:10: Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though I struck you in anger, in My favor I will have mercy on you.
2. Acquired
God showed favor to some people because of their actions.
2 Samuel 6:11–12: The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and all his household. The king was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-Edom’s household and everything he has because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.
God continues to love everyone, but He does not favor everyone equally. Whom, then, does the Lord favor?
Those who fear doing anything wrong against God and His Word and live with hope in His mercy.
Psalm 147:11: The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who hope in His mercy.
Such a person can be called “God-fearing.” They are careful not only not to do, but even not to think, anything that could negatively affect their relationship with God. Interestingly, God does not force people to fear (honor) Him, but those who fear (honor) Him live in His favor.
Conclusion
If we fear (honor) God more than people, we will seek to please God rather than people. We do not need to do anything to earn God’s love—He already loves us. However, we need to do everything possible so that the Lord will favor us and be pleased with us.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Teacher: Dmitriy Leo
