31 Jan 2015 by Adeline Lum CM-
On 23rd of January, Pr Andy Harrison of Planetshakers shared a word of God in the Planetshakers Awakening conference in DUMC. He shared that the Word carries a potent power that projects our potential into reality. What does that mean?
When the angels met Gideon on the threshing floor, they addressed Gideon as the mighty warrior, a total contradiction of how Gideon saw himself! (Judges 6:15)
But like Gideon, some of us may think we are not enough in accomplishing God’s Will for us. Yet, God sees in us all the vested potential we have in us, waiting to be birthed out. The question is whether we are ready to catch this prophetic anointing from the Lord.
What separates us from the age of Gideon (or the Old Testament) is how Christ has redeemed our relationship with God through His blood. Hence, in the New Testament, we have the privilege to be appointed as the children of God.
And we are favored as His children, not because of our righteousness, our good deeds or our religious observations, but because of God’s unconditional love. (John 3:16)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This heart of God the Father for us can be represented by the heart of Jacob for his son Joseph.
Since birth, Jacob has set Joseph apart and loved him more than his brothers. At one point, he declared his favor upon Joseph when he made Joseph wear a multi-colored coat. And while Joseph evoked favor from his father, he evoked disfavor from his brothers, so much so they sold him into slavery out of jealousy.
Sometimes, God’s favor in our lives would also evoke disfavor or persecutions from the people around us. Pr Andy shared how a particular classmate would often attempt to humiliate him by making him answer difficult social issues raised by his teacher in class. Little did his friend know, his classmate was giving Pr Andy a platform to share about the gospel.
Hence, like Joseph, the favor God has bestowed on us may evoke dislike, hatred, and persecutions in our life. But take heart, the reason for this disfavor is because you may have unknowingly attracted the attention of people who could not comprehend the favor you are enjoying.
Likewise, we are clothed in Jesus Christ as well and the favor of our God as well, as children of God. (Romans 13:14)
Also, have you ever wondered why Jacob chose to give Joseph a coat? Jacob could have given him other things such as a ring, money or camels. Pr Andy shared that for Joseph to wear a coat, he is literally wearing the favor, love, and blessing of his father. Wearing the coat was an apparent indicator and declaration of Jacob’s favor upon him. Wherever Joseph goes, Jacob’s favor covers him. Likewise, as the children of God, God’s favor follows us everywhere we go.
Lastly, we need to remember that we owe our enjoyment of God’s favor to the invitation of someone else. The reason God bestowed favor on us is to ultimately bring people to Him, that they too can enjoy the favor of God.
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. (1 Pet 2:9)
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:14)
Sometimes, we question if God’s favor has left us when we go through trials and tribulations. But like smelly fertilizers and compose, these trials and tribulations are necessary to help us grow our roots deep into God. And when we are strongly rooted in Him, and we die to our desires, that is when the seed would shoot out a tender plant that grows into a tree. This tree would produce other seeds. And these seeds would also go through the same process. As this process continues, the Kingdom God advances.
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)
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