Living Under The Favor of God

Living Under The Favor Of God A prelude to the Passover Exodus 11. 1 Now the LORD had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2 Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.) Moses had been a faithful messenger of the LORD’s to Pharaoh. He gave him uncomfortable truths: Obey or suffer the consequences. Hebrews 3.5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. Thank God for the faithful servants in God’s House! Not hirelings but true shepherds. For prayer warriors Nine times he appeared before Pharaoh with the Word of God. Let my people go. Nine times Pharaoh disobeyed. A faithful servant of God keeps giving the truth to those he has been sent no matter what the results. Jeremiah After his commissioning, Isaiah asked, “6.11 Then I said, “For how long, O LORD?” And He answered: “Until the cities lie ruined
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
    and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far away
    and the land is utterly forsaken. Then a promise of Jesus. We are at the final plague. This last one was going to hit home, the homes and families of the Egyptians. It is a lesson in what can happen to a nation which forgets God or when it stands opposed to Him. This is a lesson for our nation, as it was with ancient Egypt, ancient Israel and now with the United States. Because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart, Egypt was about to lose many of its young boys and men along with livestock. When a leader or leaders are disobeying God the nation moans. Proverbs 29.2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. We are in a time when almost all of us know at least one young person (for me sadly many) who have died of an overdose involving fentanyl. This is why we need to pray for those in authority over us. Many of their decisions affect lives. Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to believe, his disobedience to the Word of the LORD, brought destruction on all the firstborn males of the nation. It is lesson in living for the flesh or the Spirit. God was at work. The Israelites saw. They saw God judging Egypt and protecting His people. The Egyptians watched as they left. Numbers 33. 3 The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians, 4 who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had brought judgment on their gods. Living under the Favor of God If you walk with the LORD and obey Him you are free from maladies that come to those who do not walk with Him. The diseases that come from worry are not for God’s people. Fear brings certain things to the mind that the child of God need not concern themselves with. - Fear not. Do not worry. These are things we are told not to do. God gives us the power to be victorious over these. If we are in the Word reading about the faith filled ones we will fill our heart and mind with wonderful things. If you find yourself falling into either ask for prayer to be delivered. - Results of Drugs, Tobacco or Alcohol The likelihood of me getting lung cancer or cirrhosis of the liver is greatly decreased due to this. - Sexually transmitted Diseases… abstinence and monogamy in holy marriage gives us freedom from these diseases. If we continually watch the news, if we spend a lot of time on line, we will have struggles we do not need to have. It will affect your joy and peace. It will affect your whole outlook. If you get out with nature, look at God’s Handiwork, your heart will be blessed and your spirit renewed. Philippians 4.8 whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. The end of the plagues brought them to this: * Pharaoh Will Let You Go. Finally! Psalm 27.14 Wait for the LORD. Be strong and take heart. Wait for the LORD. This seemed like a long time for both nations. Egypt had been through a lot of damage and loss, all because of stubborn refusal on the part of Pharaoh. They experienced unnecessary destruction due to their leader who refused to obey the LORD. Pharaoh wanted to do what was best for Egypt. However he leaned on his own understanding. What was best for Egypt was to obey God That is what is best for any nation. What is best for any soul. Proverbs 14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace to any people. Pharaoh is an example of stubborn refusal to submit to the LORD. Doing what is right brings blessings. We live under the favor of God. Proverbs 11.27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,     but evil comes to one who searches for it. Do what is right. * Pharaoh Will Drive You Out. He is not just going to let you go. He is going to get you out quickly. He who was opposed to you will join you in your cause. The one who was standing in the way of you deliverance from slavery will not just set you free, he is going to thrust you out. Expel you. God saw to that and made it happen. God can turn enemies for us. Some are waiting for direction from the LORD today. You are faced with decisions. The enemy is trying to sow confusion. There is a line of an old Gospel song, “When the tempter brings confusion, and I don’t know what to do on my knees I call to Jesus and I know He’ll see me through.” James 1:5, which states: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you".  Your situation may be similar to the Israelites under Pharaoh. You may feel there is no way out. In a few weeks Jewish people from all around the world will celebrate the Passover and their deliverance from slavery. Perhaps you are in bondage, slaving for a master of your life. Jesus came to set you free, absolutely free. You may need wisdom. God wants you to live under His favor. In order to do that you must follow Him, keep in step with His Spirit, seek the Kingdom with your whole heart. The Israelites were in pain. They cried out to God and He remembered them. Exodus 3.7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” What a wonderful inheritance! The LORD knows. The LORD sees. The LORD hears your cry. He is concerned about your suffering. Those tearful prayers you have been praying are heard in Heaven. He gives us these promises: Psalm 91.1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High     will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 23.1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, 3 He refreshes my soul. Psalm 16.5 LORD, You alone are my portion and my cup;     You make my lot secure. 6  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;     surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 27.1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—     whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—     of whom shall I be afraid? The LORD rescues! Matthew 1.21 He shall save His people from their sins. Save= rescue The LORD was rescuing the Israelites. Pharaoh was going to drive them out. Some of you have been praying for a long time. Do not stop. Do not become weary. Continue to pray for that souls, that need. The LORD has ways of working that are beyond your understanding. He has ways of working you haven’t even thought of. Don’t focus on the problem. Focus on Him. Look to Him. Trust in Him with all your heart. * God Will Bless You God wants to bless you! Psalm 81.13 “If My people would only listen to me,     if Israel would only follow My ways, 14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies     and turn my hand against their foes! 15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before Him,     and their punishment would last forever. 16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;     with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” He wants us to live in freedom, in spiritual abundance, blessed by Him. He wants to feed us with the finest of wheat. Good food for the bodies. Spiritual food for the soul and spirit: His Word You won’t leave empty handed. The treasures of the Egyptians would be freely given to them as they left. What a great promise! You will be blessed financially/ materially. Proverbs 13.11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. God blesses us so we can bless others. the gold and silver for was for the Tabernacle! They gave it freely. God puts money in our hands to bless others. There is great joy in that! His plan for the Israelites: To bring them out of Egypt To show them His wonder To bring them into the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So that they might be a nation of priests for the whole world. His plan for you and I: To deliver us from sin To prove Himself mighty by miracles, signs and wonders. To bring us to Heaven For now to be a House of Prayer For All Nations. I Peter 2. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Make me a blessing! * A Good Standing With God And Many People When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies live at peace with him. Proverbs 16.7 They may be enemies of the cross. Philippians 3.18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. They cannot deny God’s blessing. Living under the favor of God does not mean we will not have: Enemies Problems Storms Times of severe testing, the trying of our faith But we have God! God’s purpose and plan will prevail. God will bring you through every storm. Fully obey the LORD. Live under His favor. Face every storm with Him. Enjoy the Journey.