WELCOME TO THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2013

 OUR MONTH OF UNLIMITED FAVOUR Ps.5:12; 102:13

Yesterday morning, a Church member came to me crying that she was being mocked because she got a free and comfortable accommodation. As she spoke I immediately realized that pride was hiding behind her feeling bad without her knowing and it had blinded her to the truth that God favours the righteous. I immediately told her that the next time she is mocked for having a free accommodation, she should respond that it is not her fault; it is because God chose to favour her. I also made her realize that if she has to pay for everything she gets, then she is laboring under the curse.

I could not help rejoicing at the word for the month when I told her this. This month, God has decided to cloth us with unlimited favour. In Psalm 5:12, we read:

“For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”

I like the way the amplified version of the bible puts this text of scripture:

“For you, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with you]: as with a shield you will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favour).”

The other text the Lord gave me for this month is Psalm 102:13 which talks about now being the set time God has chosen to favour us for all the service we have rendered in His name especially as it concerns His house.

What then is favour?

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines Favour as approval or support; treatment that is more generous to one person or group in preference to others; an act of kindness that one does to help somebody especially when asked; to have the advantage or to be given the advantage; to be preferred etc. In Prov.16:7, the bible says:  

“When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

From this text of scripture, we can immediately see that the favour of God is tied to the ways of a man. When your ways match that of God, you will automatically please Him. The result is that you will enjoy divine preference. God will always answer your prayers and he will cause even your enemies to be instrumental in doing you good. As a minister of the gospel for instance, one of the evidences of divine favour is signs and wonders in your ministry. Remember favour is also defined as divine approval or support. When Peter was testifying of the Lord on the day of Pentecost when the disciples first received the infilling with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues, he described Jesus Christ in Acts 2:22 thus:

"Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"

From Apostle Peter’s description of Jesus Christ in this message, we immediately observe that the favour of God for anyone He sends is proven by the person’s ability to work signs and wonders by the gifting of the Holy Spirit. This is the point the Lord was making in John 5:36 to the religious leaders and skeptics of His time where He said that even if they do not believe in Him, they should believe in John’s testimony of Him or the greater testimony of the father which he described as the works the father has given Him to do. He also said in John 10:37-38 that they should believe Him for the sake of the works He did on behalf of the father. He described these works to John the Baptist’s disciples in a message to John in Lk.7:22 as: "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the gospel is preached to the poor." Now, it takes divine approval or favour to have all these demonstrations in one’s ministry. This is the reason why the devil seeks to counterfeit signs and wonders so as to deceive people away from God. The truth however is that anyone working signs and wonders by divine favour will walk in the ways of God and always point you to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why the Lord said by their fruit you shall know them. While the devil can counterfeit signs and wonders, he cannot counterfeit godliness for instance, which is a walk in the ways of God. This explains why as soon as a purported signs and wonders minister is smeared by a scandal that smirks on their character, they lose their place before men.

In light of the foregoing, this month, we shall be looking at walking in the ways of God. The reason for this is that that is the only way we can position ourselves for this blessing. Our texts make us understand that God will bless those who walk in His ways being in right standing with Him and not compromising their righteous lifestyles.

For the purpose of clarity, let me quickly say here that there are two kinds of righteousness. The imputed one given to every believer as a gift because of what Jesus earned for us on Calvary’s Cross and the walk in the ways of God which Psalm 5:12 describes as being uncompromisingly righteous. For you to partake of this blessing this month therefore, you must be born again and walking in the ways of God. If you are not yet saved, please say the prayer at the end of this article out loud to God and you will be saved. Then to enjoy this blessing, you must walk in the ways of God which is what we are going to be looking at this month. You can access these messages on my blog quoted below. God bless and favour you with His unlimited favour this month of unlimited favour in Jesus’ name!

Heavenly father,

Have mercy on me a sinner. I repent of my sin and receive the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross for my salvation. I believe He died for me and on the third day, you raised Him from the dead for my salvation. From today, I receive Him as the Saviour and Lord of my Life.

Thank you father for forgiving me and writing my name in the book of life with the blood of Jesus. I pledge allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ from this day forever in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen!!!

If you just said this prayer, congratulations! You are now born again.  Please let me know by emailing flourishinggirl@gmail.com and I will send you an e copy of our “Believers’ Guide to Growth” to enable you take off on this glorious adventure of the new creation. You can also log on to my blog on www.flourishinggirl.blogspot.com or follow me on face book at www.facebook.com/flourishinggirl for more resource materials to enrich your Christian life. God bless you!!!