Man was created to live in the favor of God. And importantly, God designed the righteous to be encompassed with His favor.
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. -Psalms 5:12
To compass means "an area in which something acts, or operates, or has power or control"
With the meaning, God wants us to:
1. Act or live by His favor not by our struggle.
2. God wants us to operate or pursue our dreams by and in His favor.
3. God wants us to exercise authority and control in His favor
Compass is also a navigational instrument for finding directions. (for sea travels)
This means the favor of God is designed to be an instrument through which God will direct us in the pursuit of His purpose and realize His blessings for our lives.
Compass could also mean a limit area of operation.
With this meaning, God's favor is to be our limit in life. The sky is not our limit. Our true limit is the favor of God.
When God put man in the Garden, He actually put man in His favor.
And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted). (Genesis 2:8 AMP)
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. -Genesis 2:15
God prepared everything man would ever need in life right in the garden. So the garden was the expression of the favor of God towards man.
And man was ordained to function, live, and pursue his purpose only in the garden which the favor of God.
But man lost it.
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. -Genesis 3:24
The moment God drove man from the garden, man lost out of the favor of God.
Sin was the reason man lost the favor of God.
So until sin is dealt man cannot receive the favor of God.
Struggle continues outside the favor of God. The reason so many people are suffering is because the are not living within the favor of God.
So it is important we learn the platform upon which we stand to enjoy the favor of God as was originally ordained for us.
Platform number One: The Kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:31-33
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
God's kingdom is the first platform for the favor of God. Adam only enjoyed the favor of God right in the garden.
You must be found in the kingdom to have access to the favor of God.
To become a member of the kingdom you only need to be born of God by receiving Christ into you life.
When you receive Christ then you are now reconciled to God and also be restored to favor with God.
But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). (2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 AMP)
As long as you are in the kingdom of Gd nothing happens in the kingdom of the world that affects you.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: -Colossians 1:13
Platform number Two: The Righteousness of God.
Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?
For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.
But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. (Matthew 6:31-33 AMP)
God's favor is found in His kingdom. Righteousness is our access to the favor of God in His kingdom
Righteousness is simply the God does His things. Simply put, righteousness is the will of God. When you constantly seek the will of God and stand by it, you will find the favor of God.
Jesus said, "all these things will be given to you". Which means you don't need to struggle for them. They will come by favor.
God will only surround the person in His will or doing things His way with His favor.
Esther enjoyed the favor of God because she found herself in the will or righteousness of God.
Platform number Three: Obedience
It is one thing to be in the kingdom and know the will of God. And it is another thing to obey the will of God.
In the kingdom of God we have access to the favor of God through His righteousness. But we truly partake of the favor through our obedience to the righteousness (will) of God.
Abraham naturally enjoyed the favor of God because he obeyed God.
Genesis 12:1-4
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. -Genesis 13:2
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. -Genesis 24:1
Your obedience to the will of God is the only way to enjoy the favor of God.
If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. -Job 36:11
You are the one who determines how much of God's favor you enjoy through your obedience to God.
By this anointing service I see your taste for righteousness and willingness to obey God increase greatly in Jesus' name.
You are blessed!
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