Pray for the Favor of the Lord to be on You

Scripture: Luke 1:24-25

After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."

Insights: If there was one subject I have been learning about this year, it is the subject with which my last point Sunday dealt.  I am growing in the knowledge of the grace and admonition of the Lord in regards to His favor, presence and power.  Elizabeth rightly declared that what had happened to her was a result of God’s favor upon her.  Zacharias and she were absolutely one hundred percent incapable of conceiving a child apart from the miraculous work of the Lord.  I am convinced they tried to have children for years (see today’s verses).  Then, at the perfect time in history, God graced them with His favor and they were able to conceive and have a son who would bring them great joy.  Jesus in His final night of teaching before His arrest and crucifixion said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5).”  It is my opinion the church of America, holistically, not unanimously, has tried for decades now to “bear much fruit” in their own power and strength.  We have preached the power of Jesus, but without actually believing He was going to work.  As a result, we attempted to do on our own what only He could do.  As this downward spiral has continued we are now, years later, recognizing the failure of our self-aggrandizement.  If the Lord’s favor is not on us, we are incapable of doing anything for His kingdom and glory.  We must get on our knees and begin crying out to the Lord to forgive us of our self-sufficiency and beg Him for His favor.  Beloved, if we are going to truly see revival fall down on us it will only occur when we have humbled ourselves enough to recognize our sinful reliance in our systems and plans.  We must fervently and passionately pray for God’s favor of blessing to reign down on us as His people and we must obey Him without reservation or doubt.  Cry out to the Lord this moment for His favor to be on your conversations and actions!

  

Questions:

1. Are you experiencing the favor of the Lord?
2. Are you praying for the favor of the Lord to be on you?

Prayer: Father, I can do absolutely nothing to bring You glory without Your favor on my life.  Forgive me for the times I attempted to serve You in my own power.  Grant me, I pray, Your favor and may my life bring glory to Your name as a result.  Amen.