The Power of Divine Favor & The How.

The Power of Divine Favor: Becoming a Carrier of God's Blessing

In the journey of life and faith, we often hear about the importance of divine favor. But what does it truly mean to be a carrier of God's favor, especially in the context of marriage and relationships? Let's delve into this profound concept and uncover the spiritual insights that can transform our understanding of favor, liberty, and righteous living.

The Scripture tells us in Proverbs 18:22, "Whosoever findeth a wife, findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor from the Lord." This verse reveals a powerful truth: a wife brings favor into her husband's life. It's not just any favor, but God's divine favor - the kind that can change circumstances and open doors that no man can shut.

However, this favor isn't automatic. It's intrinsically linked to spiritual liberty. When we marry without liberty - that is, when we're still bound by spiritual entrances, obstacles, or demonic influences - the favor we're meant to carry can be compromised. True liberty means that the Holy Spirit is in charge of the atmosphere of our lives, allowing God's favor to flow freely through us.

But how do we measure this liberty? How can we discern if we or others have attained a level of spiritual freedom that allows us to be carriers of God's favor? The answer lies in three key parameters: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

These aren't just feel-good emotions or temporary states of being. They are powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we're genuinely saved and walking in liberty, we experience the joy of salvation and the peace that surpasses all understanding. We also demonstrate consistent righteous living.

It's crucial to understand that righteousness isn't just about the gift we receive through faith in Christ. It's also about practice. As 1 John 3:7 reminds us, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous." God knew that some would confuse the gift of righteousness with the practice of righteousness, which is why Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the importance of doing righteousness.

This brings us to an important point: the stability of these attributes in our lives. Someone who is truly walking in liberty doesn't experience wild swings in their spiritual state. They're not joyful one day and depressed the next, or righteous one moment and compromising the next. Stability in righteousness, peace, and joy is a clear indicator of spiritual liberty and, consequently, of being a carrier of God's favor.

When we find ourselves lacking in these areas - feeling depressed, sorrowful, or spiritually dry - it's a sign that the enemy may have encroached upon our territory. These are not times to despair but to pray fervently. We must push back against the forces of darkness, commanding liberty in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It's also vital to understand that the devil often uses seemingly innocuous things as gateways to compromise our liberty. This is why we must be vigilant about what we allow into our lives and spaces. Accursed things, even if they seem harmless, can become footholds for the enemy. This includes the media we consume - the music we listen to and the movies we watch. These aren't just entertainment; they can be gateways to the soul.

As children of God, we're called to be on guard, ensuring that we don't harbor any products of hell in our lives. The works of the flesh are essentially products made in hell, and they have no place in the life of a believer who wants to walk in liberty and carry God's favor.

This vigilance extends to our speech as well. The Bible speaks of a "lying tongue" - not just deliberate lies, but even those reflexive untruths that can slip out unintentionally. True liberty is demonstrated in our ability to control our tongue and speak truth consistently.

In the context of marriage, these principles take on even greater significance. When two people come together in marriage, their destinies become intertwined. The glory of the husband becomes the glory of the wife, and vice versa. This is why it's so crucial to be careful about who we become one with. Sexual intimacy, far from being just a tool for pleasure, is a powerful spiritual connection that can impact our destinies.

The story of Adam in the Garden of Eden illustrates this point perfectly. God warned Adam that the day he partook of the forbidden fruit, he would lose his dominion. In essence, God was saying that the day Adam lacked self-control, he would lose his authority. This principle still holds true today. When we lose self-control and compromise our righteousness, we begin to lose our spiritual authority.

As we reflect on these truths, let's challenge ourselves to become true carriers of God's favor. Let's pursue liberty with all our hearts, pushing back against the forces of darkness through prayer and righteous living. Let's guard our hearts, minds, and spaces against anything that could compromise our spiritual freedom.

Remember, a life marked by consistent righteousness, peace, and joy is a powerful testimony to the world. It's evidence of the liberty we have in Christ and the favor of God upon our lives. As we walk in this liberty, we become channels of blessing not just to our spouses or families, but to everyone around us.

May we all grow in our understanding and experience of God's favor, becoming beacons of His light and love in a world that desperately needs it. Let's embrace the challenge to live in true spiritual liberty, rejecting sin's dominion over our lives and walking in the fullness of God's favor. In doing so, we'll not only transform our own lives but also become catalysts for change in our relationships, communities, and beyond.