Keys to Increase God's Favor

             “You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you” Exodus 33:12,13

    As a Christian who is Newly Born Again. I had no notion, how to ‘continue to find favour with God ?’, just like Moses above and many other Christians. For anyone who can fathom God’s favour is not attainable with nothing less than God’s righteousness itself, the solution must be nothing less than JESUS CHRIST himself, a capstone indeed !

The more you become aware, how much God has been merciful to you and how important the work of Jesus is in your life, the more you will be beholden to show your gratitude to the Lord. “Forgiven much, loved much and forgiven little, loves little. Luke7:47”, obviously. As long as, “as he(Jesus) is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17”, there is nothing we can do to please God by trying to be holy, because “God made him(Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21”. All I can do is just stay in peace at His feet, thanking His love and enjoying His Goodness, which Jesus refers as, “only one thing is needed. Luke 10:42”

            When the desire to make our Maker proud haunts us, we are not left with much to go on except enjoy His goodness through FAITH, a much admired topic in the Bible, right from Genesis to Revelations.

What is Faith ?

How did two gentiles, the centurion and the Canaanite woman, who could've never had anyone to teach how to please God in their life, I presume, impressed and received compliments from Jesus as having “great faith. Matthew 8:10,15:28” , while His own disciples received reprimand again and again.

Were they closer to Jesus than Jesus’s disciples?             - No, they didn’t sleep in Jesus’s bosom.

Did they sacrifice more than Jesus’s disciples?            - No, they didn’t sacrifice everything and follow Jesus.

Did they perform great miracles than Jesus’s disciples?  - No, they didn’t cast away devils. Jesus’s disciples did all these.

What did they have in common ?

The centurion says, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed Matthew 8:8.”, he humbles himself by saying he is not worthy enough to receive Jesus and also he chooses to enjoy the authority of God over everything, “a word is more than enough”, he says.

When Jesus says to the Canaanite women, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” she says, “Yes it is, Lord, Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table Matthew 15:26,27”. She humbles herself in front of Jesus and chooses to enjoy the abundance in God’s table.

       When a kid sees chocolate in Daddy's hand, his face lightens up, because he knows it is for him. Similarly, they saw God's authority and abundance and they presumed that it is for them.
        Faith is pleasing God not by justifying ourselves, but by enjoying God’s Goodness.

     Through faith we can enjoy privileges we never would have thought we can. Enjoying every day prayer with spiritual intimacy will empower you to lead the day in Faith. Following are a few ways to enjoy God's goodness through faith or Keys to increase God’s favour in life.

I.              Enjoy Jesus and his finished work by confessing “I am the righteousness of God in Christ” every day, especially when sin affects. 
The more you enjoy it, the more easily you can carry  someone else's cross -  help people who are in stress, worries and suffering, both physically and mentally.

II.            John’s secret is, he referred himself as the “Disciple whom Jesus loved, John 13:23”. He was not conceited, but was enjoying the Love Jesus had for him. Among the 12 disciples Jesus had only John, James and Peter accompanied Him wherever he went and among them John ended up being the “Disciple whom Jesus Loved, John 19:26”, just because he realized this simple fact better. Realize and refer yourself as the, “God’s Favoured one”, especially when you feel you are unworthy.

III.      Paul said , “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4” - not when he brought Eutychus back from the dead mightily, but when he was chained in the sewage filled dungeon.

 David said, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24” - not when he won against Goliath gloriously, but while he was herding his sheep.

They chose to enjoy God irrespective of their circumstances, because they knew God’s love never fluctuates. I wonder even though they lived in two different era & covenant, how they wrote very similar verses? Perhaps because they had the same coach - Holy Spirit!

IV.      Through Christ, “we are God's children. Romans 8:16”, which makes us Royal. The privileges of being  Royal are, you don’t have a boss and there is no one you need to serve. Even money is no more your boss, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9”.

V.      JEHOVAH NISSI - The lord is my banner, who fights for me. 

David collected the smooth stones, the kind that stack neatly in a shepherd’s pouch, its purpose is to knock down the head of a lion, or a bear that tries to hurt his sheep. When his king offered heavy weapons and defensive shields, he politely declined the offer. ‘C’mon it’s not my style!’, he must have thought. He was neither afraid of losing nor lusting for glory.  At the sight of this odd happening atleast one of the soldiers gathered there would have whisphered, "He goes forward as if it’s just another fun filled day to work!". 
Although today David is fighting a warrior, who had challenged the whole Israel army for forty days, but not even a single volunteer turned up to stand against him, until today.
 We can relate it in a smaller scale to the days we go out filled with the Grace of God. We enjoy the day worry free and victory is always a bonus that is added to us.

In the impromptu speech before the encounter with his challenger, David never had to highlight the features in his resume instead he had God as his banner. He says, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.1 Samuel 17:37". If I had quoted my version to my mum, on the day before my exam, she would have definitely scolded, “Don’t give excuses. Go study”. But today his king Saul is out of options, all he could say is, “Go, and the LORD be with you 1 Samuel 17:34”, with a 'sigh' ofcourse.

 But David saw something that others didn’t see, which he disclosed to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45” and he remembered something that others, even God's annointed man Saul, forgot, “The LORD is our strength and our shield. Psalm 28:8”, “our refuge and our fortress. Psalm 91:2".
         I guess if I can remember I am backed by a Mighty Commander and His army, I too will go to war wearing casuals.

VI.      Don’t let the devil trick you with the words, 'You are not worthy for the blessing you are praying for', because you are not only worthy, you already have it in Christ, “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24”. Jesus says, “You may ask (Jesus)me for anything in (His)my name, and (He)I will do it. John 14:14” So whenever you see someone else enjoying the blessing you wish for, confess, 'I have it in Christ too!', revelling. 
  We should ask for showers of blessings not because we desperately need it, but because God is more than willing to bless us with the abundance He has.

VII.    JEHOVAH JIRAH - God provides what is good for us.

 Live a care free life. God loves people who depend on Him and lead a carefree life. “Abram believed the LORD, and He credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6”. 
God literally meant it because He never accused Abram of wrong doings, even though he did quite a few. In fact he depended in God to the extend when the question of where is the lamb to sacrifice been put to him directly by his son unaware of God’s command to replace him for the lamb. Abram answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son. Genesis 22:8". That is cool ! Is it not ? 
Guess what God promised Abraham’s lineage - “I will make you a great nation. Genesis 12”, which later He revises - “I have made you a father of  many nations. "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. Genesis 17”, and that is Super cool !!

         VIII.            Pray for others, because in addition to your life and anything related to you, God’s favour can shine in the life of whom you pray for also. 
      Before you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:44, please remember - praying for your enemies is only possible when you have the confidence that God is on your side, which is the promise of God to us through CHRIST.
                 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:5,6.”

           More than once to his disciples, Jesus says, “O you of little faith? Matthew 8:26, 16:8, 14:31”, meaning, ‘How little you are enjoying God’s Goodness?’. When Jesus is on our boat there is no need to dread and cry, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown! Matthew 8:25". Amen