WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.360 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:26.559 We've been talking about the miracle of Christmas. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:27.839 The miracle of Christmas. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:33.679 And what I've been doing during the Advent season, which this is the fourth Sunday of Advent, you can see all four candles are lit. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:46.560 We're gonna have the middle one lit at Christmas Eve, is talk about what I think is a type, kind of a prophetic type of how God's work in our lives through the Christmas story. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:01:12.480 That I think Mary, as we look at her as a real woman, a real virgin, a real probably 13 to 14-year-old, maybe 15, who's gonna marry a real guy named Joseph, who's about 10 years her elder, is actually not just that story, as important as that is, but it's also a picture to us of how God works. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:13.760 And I see that. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:17.760 Number one, God conceives a miracle in your life. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:33.760 So just as the angel came and announced to Mary that she was gonna conceive a child that would be the Savior of the world without having had relations with a man, that the Holy Spirit was gonna come upon her. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:37.280 That's how God conceives miracles in our life. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:39.439 God gives you an idea. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:41.200 God gives you a dream. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:56.959 God gives you a thought that becomes a part of who you are through the power of the Holy Spirit conceived within you, and you become, as it were, pregnant with the miraculous. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.599 Miracles just don't come out of nowhere. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:08.479 Miracles are birthed through the faith of the work of the Spirit in our lives, not unlike Mary. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:10.240 So that was the first week of Advent. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:16.960 Then the second week of Advent, I talked about the whole idea of how you have to contend for your miracle. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:26.719 It's not just that you believe God for something that you're dreaming about or you have a vision for, but it's also something you have to fight for. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:29.360 It's a battle, it's contending. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:38.560 Because what God does in birthing something in us that takes time, as it were, in a physical birth, nine months, it might take nine years. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:40.719 It may take 19 years. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:46.000 Who knows in each situation what God's doing, but you contend for it. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:52.479 Because Satan and demonic powers do not want you walking in the miraculous. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:58.080 So there's always, men and women, there's always a fight. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:01.039 There's always a battle for a good marriage. 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:03.680 There's always a battle for purity. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:06.000 There's always a battle in your finances. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:07.520 That's just life. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:18.000 And in my new book that's coming out in January, the second law, the second principle in there is it's gonna be hard. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:19.759 You're gonna have to contend for it. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:22.400 You're gonna have to battle for those things in your life. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:24.560 I call it breakthrough courage. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.199 Breakthrough courage is hard. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:48.639 So today, I want to talk about the word caras, C-H-A-R-S, is how we write it in English, caris, which is the word for grace, and that it's the favor of God that enables and empowers us to walk in the miraculous in our lives. 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:51.919 And you have a role to play in that. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:57.439 It's not just the grace of God like we we define as unmerited favor. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:01.199 I'm talking about merited favor. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:06.639 So unmerited favor under the rubric of the grace of God is salvation. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:12.319 But how do we walk, why do some people walk in the miraculous on a regular basis and others don't? 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.719 It's actually merited favor. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:20.800 This word caris, this idea of the present tense, listen to what I'm saying. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:24.240 The present tense power of God. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:30.399 So we have the past tense power of God when we gave our life to Christ, but then how do we walk in that? 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:38.480 There's a present tense power of God upon your life, which the Bible calls the favor of God. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:39.439 The favor of God. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:41.439 So look at Luke chapter 1. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.920 Let's look at Mary again. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:58.720 And I can honestly say I've heard no sermons on the favor of God as it relates to the miraculous in Mary's life, but it's huge here. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:00.720 So look at Luke 1.26. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:01.839 Luke 1.26. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:02.800 We've looked at it before. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.759 I want to camp on it again from a different perspective. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:16.800 Now, in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:19.040 The virgin's name was Mary. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:20.800 Now look what happens next. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:32.720 So this angel's gonna show up, and the first thing that the angel wants Mary to understand is that she's actually under the favor of God. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:39.680 And having come in, the angel said to her, Rejoice, highly favored one. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:41.600 Highly favored one. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:42.879 The Lord is with you. 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:44.959 Blessed are you among women. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:51.600 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, consider what manner of greeting this was. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:58.879 Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:11.199 In English, the word favor is from the Greek word caris, used 156 times in the New Testament and translated grace 130 times. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:21.839 So the angel is saying, from the perspective of hearing it in Hebrew, probably, he's saying, highly graced one. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:24.000 Highly graced one. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:27.600 You have found grace with God. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:34.720 How many of you would like to be walking in the favor and the grace of God in every area of your life? 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:35.519 Amen. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:36.639 I mean, that's what we want. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:37.920 That's what we need. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:47.600 We are in a time in history where we know more than any other time, any other people in history. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:49.199 We know more stuff. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:07:01.120 I mean, I have to really make a conscious effort when I get up in the morning to spend time with the Lord and not look at my phone and not look at YouTube and not look at the news. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:03.920 Because it's at our fingertips. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:04.800 That's great. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:06.079 It's wonderful, it's beautiful. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:14.879 I think that's key to how Trump won this election was the mainstream media did not have a monopoly on the news. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:16.879 We had other ways to get it. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:18.160 That's amazing. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:23.920 That's part of the entrepreneurial nature of America as it relates to the media. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:40.160 But there's a downside, and the downside is you can spend all of your time listening to news and listening to media and walking in worry and walking in being mad and frustrated and sad or whatever your response might be. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:43.600 And so you gotta, man, you gotta be careful with that stuff, right? 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:51.680 So so Mary is initially told by the angel, you're highly favored. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:58.879 Now we're gonna find out later that that highly favored for Mary was really, really difficult. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.480 Her heart's gonna be torn apart by what happens to her son. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:07.360 And so sometimes, church, we need to remember that we're favored by God. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:13.120 You are highly favored by God, but you're gonna go through hard times. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:19.680 You're gonna go through difficulties that are just overwhelming, and you need to remind yourself, I'm favored by God. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:20.879 I'm favored by God. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:24.879 You gotta say that, you gotta declare it, I'm favored by God. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:26.399 Because you are. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:35.840 We're gonna look at that today, is that how much God has favored you, and he specifically tells you how he's favored you in Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:51.919 And we're not gonna go to Colossians because of time, but if you were to go into the new year and memorize a passage of scripture, one of the best passages of scripture you could memorize about who you are and how you're favored is Ephesians 1, 1 through 12. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.759 I mean, even Paul, in writing his letters, started with grace and peace to you. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:58.799 Grace and peace. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:06.240 Paul wanted the Ephesians, God, Paul wanted the Galatians, God wanted the Corinthians to understand, you're favored by God. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:09.759 Men and women, you're favored by God. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:13.440 Don't let anyone lie to you otherwise. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:23.840 You're favored by God, He loves you, He's got miracles ready to be poured out and exalted through you, through every one of you in this room. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:25.759 Yeah, well, I'm not that smart. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:31.600 Or I found myself today driving out of the driveway, going down and going, you know, I'm not really very smart. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.320 And I'm definitely not very tall. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.360 And the reality is I'm still favored by God. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:39.360 You're still favored by God. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:42.960 You don't have all the marbles that other people have, all right? 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:50.480 But you have what God wants you to have uniquely created by God for a unique purpose on this earth. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:51.840 That's why the road is here. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:10:00.879 So the road, church, is to empower everyone who wants to be empowered to make a difference in their world, to change the world, to bring a kingdom of God revolution. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:04.000 So, look, even Jesus needed the favor of God. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.080 So go to chapter 2. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.320 Go to chapter 2 of Luke. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:09.600 And look at this. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:12.399 This is the Son of God, verse 39. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:30.559 So when they had performed all these things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city of Nazareth, and the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:36.720 So Jesus had to had to grow in his spirit, man. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:44.159 Growing in his spirit, strengthening his spirit, and strengthening himself in wisdom. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:48.480 He was contending for this grace that was his. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:52.240 Now jump down to verse 51. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:59.440 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject, was subject to them, but his mother kept all these things in her heart. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:00.480 Verse 52. 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:08.639 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:14.399 Jesus had to increase in wisdom and in favor with God and men. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:20.000 As I grow older, as you grow older, make it your prayer. 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:27.360 God, I want to, as I grow older, I want to increase in wisdom and in favor with you and with men. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.519 I want to grow, I want to grow in that. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:35.519 Jesus had to increase in that in his own life, and you can increase it in your life. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:36.320 That's what I mean. 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:40.559 Unmerited favor, grace of God, when you're saved. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:44.879 You come with nothing, for by grace you've been saved through faith, not of yourself. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:49.440 It is a gift of God, not as a result of works that no one should boast. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.480 That's one level of grace. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:14.320 But then as we grow in Christ, it's going to be through your walk of obedience, asking God to increase his power, his wisdom, his love, his forgiveness, and his kindness in your life, that you grow in the favor, the grace of God over your life. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:17.279 Some of you need the grace of God over your finances. 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.360 Some of you need the grace of God over your marriage. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:23.279 Some of you need your grace of God over some of your relationships. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:36.720 And there's going to be a direct correlation to your obedience to what you know so that you can experience the power and the miraculous of God's grace in what you don't know. 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:42.879 So it's in being faithful to what you know that we experience all that God has for us. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.360 Let me give you a definition of the favor of God. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:52.240 The favor of God is God's approval, his divine energy and power expressed in our lives. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:13:00.320 The favor of God is God's approval, his divine energy and power expressed in our lives. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:06.559 So sometimes what happens in our lives, it happens to all of us, we don't feel very close to God. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:11.039 Now, some of that is just the nature of feelings. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:15.840 Feelings come and go, they ebb and they flow in our lives, and you can't trust them. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:27.279 But sometimes that distance we feel from the Lord is because of maybe a lack of intentionality in our relationship with the Lord. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:32.399 Could be there's a broken relationship, could be you're not using your finances the way God would want you to. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:36.879 I don't know what it would be, but something begins to happen, and you've got to listen to that, church. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.879 You've got to listen to that and press in. 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:45.039 Press into the presence of God, press into that relationship with Him. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:49.039 To me, it's the same thing as our bodies. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:54.639 I mean, it says about Jesus, he grew in stature and in favor with God and men. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:14:00.000 So there's a prophetic nature to even our human bodies. 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:08.480 So Liz and I don't eat out often because of all the seed oils that's in the food that you get when you eat out. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:15.279 And uh, so we had a we had an animated discussion this morning as we both realize that we've eaten out two days in a row. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:16.639 That's like unprecedented for us. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:17.679 We eat two days in a row. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.559 And I've gained six pounds. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:24.159 That's bad news for Steve Holt. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:27.360 Okay, here's the deal, here's what I'm saying. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:40.879 That you may be having headaches, you may be gaining weight, you may be feeling lethargic because of your intake of the junk food that you're consuming. 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:46.960 Now I know none of you, because you go to the road, you never go out to a junk food restaurant. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.360 I'm sure that never happens with anybody in the room. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:53.519 But in case it does, you'll feel the effects of that, right? 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.720 So what do you do? 00:14:55.440 --> 00:15:01.360 You make changes, you eat healthier, you strengthen your immune system. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:06.879 Most sickness is not because of germs, most sickness is because of a weakened immune system. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:08.159 Okay, right? 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:08.559 Right? 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:11.200 As we talk about when we talk about kingdom health around here. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:15.360 So here's the reality it's also true spiritually. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.360 Your body is a picture of the spirit. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.759 Jesus in Luke 2 is giving us a picture of how the spirit works. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:34.879 Mary in Luke 1 is giving us a picture of how the spirit works, that God wants us to increase in wisdom and in the favor of God. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:39.679 And when it's not there, it's not God's fault. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.840 If it's not there, it's not everybody says it's not God's fault. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:46.080 Say it's not God's fault. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:51.120 You see, we have the responsibility to go back. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.240 What happened? 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:53.200 What am I doing? 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:55.600 Am I harboring unforgiveness? 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:58.080 Am I being greedy? 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:00.559 Am I not being generous? 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.320 Am I a crab when I'm at home? 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.080 Anybody here ever like crabby at home? 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:08.720 Okay. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:10.960 The rest of you are liars. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:13.200 You know that you crabby at home. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.200 God's energy comes through his grace. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:24.320 Walking in the favor of God is the key to experiencing God's miraculous over your life. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.159 Walking in the favor of God. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:35.919 And you know, when I study David and when I wrote Worshiper Warrior, when I was studying David, the thing that set David apart, because it certainly didn't, he didn't have favor with men. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.200 He had no favor with men, he didn't have favor with his own family. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:53.440 When Samuel comes to Bethlehem, if you remember the story, they forget to bring David in to get the anointing of whatever Samuel was there to do, because they didn't understand what he was there to do, he was there to anoint a king, but it wasn't clear to anyone there at the time. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:59.519 But to Jesse, he forgot about his lastborn son, David. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:01.360 But guess what David was doing? 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:24.400 David was in the hills of Bethlehem with the sheep, worshiping the Lord, building equity with God, under the favor of God, and so when the timing was right, there was this valley of Elah with a guy named Goliath that only David could contend with, because the favor of God was upon David. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:35.119 And so it is our private history with God that builds us toward the public adulation that comes with the favor of God. 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:39.519 So we said, why do they keep getting these opportunities and this person gives those opportunities? 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:47.680 Could be that God's putting this situation in your life so that you'll obey him in your private history with God. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:55.920 Now look back at Luke 1 again with Mary, and I want you to see two words that correlate. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:03.200 It says in verse 28 that she's highly, she's a highly favored one with God, that the Lord is with her. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.079 Blessed are you among women. 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:12.480 This walk in the favor of God is a walk also in the blessings of God. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:17.519 So walking under the favor of God enables us to walk in the blessings of God. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:19.359 Now turn to Ephesians 1. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.799 So turn to Ephesians 1. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:35.839 And in Ephesians 1, Paul writes out to us, writes to the letter to the church in Ephesus, all this favor, all this grace that's been bestowed upon us just because we have a relationship with God. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:43.279 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus, faithful in Christ Jesus. 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:48.000 Grace to you, there's that word again, caris, caris to you. 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:56.079 He could have written, or the translators could have translated it, favor to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.440 Blessed, there they go again, favor, blessing. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:04.720 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us. 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:17.119 Favor of God, blessing of God, blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:43.039 So this is only written for those who are in Christ, in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoptions and sons and daughters by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the beloved. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:50.960 When I was in graduate school, we had to chart the sentences we're reading right now in Greek. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.920 By the way, there's not one period here. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:57.759 All it is is comma, comma, comma, comma, comma. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:19:58.640 So I don't know. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:02.559 We still don't know what was happening with Paul because nobody will know until we get to heaven. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:10.480 But it's as if Paul was getting this download from the Holy Spirit when he was writing scripture and he never puts a period in there. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:20.559 So if you really want to tell your kids how blessed they are to go to regular public school where they have grammar class, just have them chart out this verse right here. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.039 Okay. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:57.359 In him, verse 7, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, the riches of his caris, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the time, that's what we're living in right now, men and women, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.240 In him. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:10.880 In him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things, according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.440 Hello? 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:17.680 He's saying here that the miracle-working power of God that's in heaven is on earth through you. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:22.720 Miracles happen through us, believing God. 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:24.880 God isn't just throw them down. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:31.200 I mean, I love it when we're surprised by the grace and the power of God that's fantastic. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:43.680 But I can tell you this: the more you walk in obedience in Christ, the more surprised you'll be by the grace of God being released upon your life as you have the favor of God guiding you in all that you do. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:44.319 Amen. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:46.640 This Christmas I want the favor of God. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:49.039 Next year I want the favor of God. 00:21:49.279 --> 00:22:02.640 And so this favor from God has been blessed upon us both through salvation, but now through the sanctification of walking in The blessings of God that are ours. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.960 Now write this down or take a picture of it. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:08.240 I don't care which one, but listen to what I'm about to say. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:13.839 Blessings are bestowed upon every believer through God's grace. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:17.759 Blessings are bestowed upon every believer through God's grace. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:27.519 But blessings from God through his grace, Keras, are not experienced except through an increase in obedience. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:29.039 Let me say that again. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:43.519 Blessings are bestowed upon every believer through God's grace, but blessings from God through his grace are not experienced except through an increase in obedience. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:58.000 You see, that's what's happening with Jesus in Luke's understanding in Luke chapter 2, when he says he had to increase in wisdom and in the favor of God and men. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:03.119 So Jesus had to keep growing in obedience, even in his life, how much more us? 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:05.039 You have to be growing in obedience. 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.640 That's my prayer. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:10.880 That should be your prayer as you move forward day by day in your life. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:21.920 God, I want to increase, just like you increase in stature, hopefully vertical, not horizontal, but that happens too, right? 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:32.160 But as we grow, as we grow in Christ, that's a picture of us also growing in God's favor in our lives. 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:37.039 And that's through obedience to what we know to be true. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.640 So the favor of God and the principle of sowing and reaping. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.880 So now turn to Luke 19. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.799 So turn to Luke 19. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:24:10.400 And Jesus is telling a parable to help his followers understand that there is this principle of you being faithful to what you know to be true with what God's already given you, increasing in that, that then he comes and he blesses us, he multiplies us with more. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:13.440 Here's the theme of what we're about to read. 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:16.880 The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.799 Everybody say it with me. 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.079 The rich get richer. 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:22.960 That's so lame. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:25.519 Okay, the rich get richer. 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.240 The poor get poorer. 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:32.400 Now listen, Luke 19, starting at verse 11. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:39.920 Now, as they heard these things, he spoke another parable because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:52.160 So now he's gonna tell a story about the coming of Jesus the first time, and the second coming of Jesus is gonna come sometime in the future, and what we're supposed to be doing in the in-between time. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:59.599 Therefore he said, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then to return. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:03.680 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten Minas. 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:04.319 That's us. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.759 He's talking about us. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:09.200 And he said to them, Do business till I come. 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:15.599 That'd be a good phrase to underline or circle in your Bible, do business till I come. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:23.680 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him saying, We will not have this man reign over us. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.960 That's the world. 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:26.799 That's what the world says about Jesus. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:27.519 That's what they say. 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:29.119 I don't want, we don't have anything to do with Jesus. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.319 The God of this age has corrupted their thinking. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:37.039 So any kind of a miracle, any kind of work of God, as I said earlier, is a fight. 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:42.480 It's a battle because we have adversaries that are out there. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:54.160 And so it was that when he returned, meaning the nobleman, meaning Christ, he's gonna return someday, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants to whom he had given the money to be called him. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:26:01.599 By the way, a Minah is three months' worth of salary, that he might know how much every man had gained by training. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:02.640 Trading. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:07.759 Then came the first, saying, Master, your Minah has earned ten Minas. 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:16.240 And he said to him, Well done, good servant, because you are faithful and a very little have authority over ten cities. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:17.759 So here's what's happening here. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:24.799 He's faithful with the talents and the gifts and the skills that God's giving him ten times over. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:30.240 And then the Lord comes, then he says, Well, give him ten times more again. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:31.839 The rich get richer. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:32.319 Okay. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:35.519 Then came the first saying, Master, your mana has earned you ten. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:40.400 He said, Well done, good servant, because you are faithful in a very little, have authority over ten. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:44.480 And the second came and said, Master, your mena has earned five minas. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:47.839 Likewise he said to him, You also be over five cities. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:54.799 Then another came saying, Master, here is your Mina, which I've kept away in a handkerchief. 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:57.839 For I feared you because you're an austere man. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:02.240 You collect what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow. 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:06.240 And he said to him, Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:11.359 You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit, and reaping what I do not sow. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:18.319 Why then did you not put my money in the bank that at my coming I might have collected with interest? 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:26.160 And he said to those who stood by, Take the Mina from him, the poor get poorer, and give it to the guy with ten. 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:29.039 And even those that are listening, you guys don't understand it. 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:33.359 For it says, For I, but they said to him, Master, he already has ten minas. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:42.559 For I say to you that everyone who has will be given more, and from him who does not have even what he has will be taken away from him. 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:44.720 So the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:56.000 So the idea, church, of the favor of God, if you are faithful with what you've been given, you're going to get blessed with more. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:28:03.920 There is a principle here of sowing and reaping that is true in our lives by which the miraculous begins to happen. 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:16.000 And I love giving this message at the end of a year, going into a new year, because as we look at the new year, how many of you want more of God's favor in your life? 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:22.559 How many of you want more of the favor of God in your life? 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:26.799 Man, you guys are not convinced of this. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:35.839 How many of you in the new year would like to have more of the favor of God in your life? 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:43.440 Because it's obedience to God's word that guarantees it. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:55.039 Obedience to God's word are deposits in the heavenly bank account of the miraculous that are bestowed through God's favor. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:56.160 I'm gonna read that again. 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:07.599 Obedience to God's word are deposits in the heavenly bank account of the miraculous that are bestowed through God's favor. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:11.599 God loves to bless his children, but what does it say? 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:22.240 It says, the eyes of the Lord run to and fro across the land that he might highly favor those whose hearts are strong for him. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:32.319 So that as we walk in wholeheartedness, and you may not see anything happening at first, but as you're faithful to him, I promise you, the windows of heaven are gonna be poured out. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:36.880 Eventually the windows of God's favor are gonna be poured out. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:45.599 I don't think David had any idea when he went into the Valley of Eli that he was gonna be, that he's already been marked by God to take on Goliath. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.680 Nobody believed that. 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:13.119 And the only time we see where it where David came out from that was because of disobedience in his life. 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:23.680 And that's a word to all of us as we grow older, the tendency in our lives to become lazy in our walk with God because we're resting on the laurels of our past victories. 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:24.960 Don't do that. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:29.839 Keep increasing, keep increasing in the favor of God. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:32.880 Jesus says, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. 00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:39.279 Peter writes, as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:47.599 Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:52.960 We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:56.000 So the battle is here. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.799 The battle is up here. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:02.559 It's the battle to believe I'm favored by God. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:07.920 To say to yourself, to declare to yourself, God favors me. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:10.160 God favors me. 00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:14.720 I'm gonna walk in my divine birthright. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:25.039 That's your divine birthright that God wants you to walk in his favor, in the caris, the grace of God upon your life. 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:27.200 Listen to this. 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:32.240 God wants to favor you, but he waits for you to fear him. 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.400 God wants to favor you, but he waits for you to fear him. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:38.000 Will you fear him? 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:40.880 Fear being out of his will. 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:45.920 That's one of the reasons why we're gonna have the prayer time. 00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:55.680 We're calling it that burn from December 31st, 6 p.m., until January 1st, 6 p.m. 00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:01.039 is I'm challenging you, especially you men, to come like midnight to 5 a.m. 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:14.400 for one hour, at least come for one hour, and just dedicate your job, your singleness, your marriage, your finances, your life to God again in the new in the new year. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:15.839 Lord, I need your favor. 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:17.920 I'm gonna cry out to you for your favor. 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:21.839 And that's what we're gonna do on December 31st. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:23.839 Sound good? 00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.759 Sound right? 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:28.160 Sound like the right thing to do? 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:30.720 How many of you want the favor of God? 00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:31.519 Yeah. 00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:39.119 Thank you for listening to the Born for War podcast. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:42.720 We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world. 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:48.720 To connect with Pastor Steve's sermons, books, and blog, visit Steve Holtonline.org. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:49.759 God bless.