When God places favor on your life, the atmosphere around you shifts, and not everyone will understand the change. Resistance can rise right where you live, and relationships you thought were steady may feel strained. Do not mistake discomfort for God’s absence; often it is the sign He is moving you forward. Separation may be necessary, not to punish you, but to position you. Like Joseph and Mary, purpose can attract rivalry, yet purpose also sustains you. Keep walking in integrity, trusting the Lord to defend what He has set on your life [01:37].
Genesis 37:3-5: Joseph was loved in a special way by his father, and that marked favor stirred jealousy in his brothers; when he shared the dreams God gave him, their hostility deepened and they resisted him even more.
Reflection: Where is resistance inside your own household signaling that God may be moving you to a new level, and what boundary or act of peace will you practice this week to stay steady?
God advances His purposes through people who say yes—and who walk together. Mary and Joseph had to choose trust, care, and encouragement for a long, unfamiliar road. You are invited to work with others, to listen for God’s voice, and to walk with those He assigns, even beyond your immediate family. Not everyone is out to get you; some are sent to help you grow. Be the one who encourages, especially outside your comfort circle, and watch how favor flows through shared obedience [06:05].
Matthew 1:20-24: In a dream God told Joseph not to fear taking Mary as his wife, because what was growing in her was from the Holy Spirit; Joseph woke, trusted God’s word, and obeyed, choosing to stand with her.
Reflection: Who outside your immediate family can you intentionally encourage this week, and what specific words or action will you offer to strengthen them?
Favor is not an excuse to avoid responsibility; it calls you deeper into it. Joseph and Mary honored the government’s decree and took the 90-mile journey to Bethlehem, choosing the hard road of obedience. Paying bills, meeting deadlines, and keeping commitments are not unspiritual—they are the ground where favor can take root. Stick to the plan God gave you, even when it takes seven to ten days—or longer—to see results. Faith shows up as responsible action, step after step, mile after mile [09:25].
Luke 2:1-5: A ruler ordered everyone to be registered, so Joseph went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Mary, who was expecting; they traveled to be counted, bowing to the requirement and trusting God along the way.
Reflection: What specific responsibility—bill, appointment, application, or hard conversation—do you sense God asking you to address promptly as part of staying faithful to the journey?
Sometimes obedience leads not to a suite but to a stable, not to shelter but to wind and rain. Even there, God’s hand holds you, and the discomfort does not cancel the promise. Labor can be loud and messy; yet on the other side is joy that makes the pain worth it. You are not forgotten—you are about to deliver what God planted in you. Do not give up in the storm; hold fast, because what you carry is meant to live [16:41].
John 16:21: A mother feels intense pain in labor, but when the child is born, the anguish gives way to joy, because new life has entered the world.
Reflection: What current “barn” circumstance feels exposed or uncomfortable, and which daily practice—like a prayer walk, fasting one meal, or journaling—will you adopt for the next seven days to stay steady under God’s hand?
Some are pushing in spiritual labor, and others are called to stand beside them with courage and care. Men and women alike can choose Joseph’s path: show up, encourage, confront problems in love, and protect unity. Grow beyond selfishness and spiritual immaturity; the miracle God is bringing forth needs a faithful community. Refuse discord and choose to be present, practical, and prayerful. Stand your ground in love, because what God is birthing among you is meant to thrive [23:53].
Matthew 1:24-25: Joseph did exactly what God directed—he welcomed Mary into his home, guarded her until the child was born, and then he named the baby Jesus, honoring the calling entrusted to him.
Reflection: Who in your community is “in labor” with a God-given assignment, and how will you be a Joseph for them this week—offering a ride, a prayer, a text, or a quiet, steady presence?
Favor is not a soft glow; it is a disruptive force. When God marks a life, opposition often rises first at home. The Holy Spirit’s pull toward a new level unsettles familiar rooms and exposes the spiritual fault lines in our closest relationships. That is why some bonds dissolve when God advances us—He is not sabotaging us; He is separating us for what’s next. Joseph and Mary lived this. Their obedience required faith, risk, and willingness to be misunderstood. Nothing about their path was convenient—90 miles, days of walking, scandal in the streets, and the pressure of taxes—but favor and faith always travel with responsibility, not around it.
I pressed us to notice that God rarely moves in isolation—He moves through willing people and willing relationships. If you refuse to walk with the person God assigns, He may hand your opportunity to someone else. Maturity means learning to encourage beyond our own family, to work with those God gives us, and to silence the discord that sabotages the whole flock. We must talk, listen, and keep walking—even when the journey is long, the bed is a barn, and the storm is blowing through the cracks. Sometimes the will of God smells like hay and feels like exposure.
Yet it is precisely there—in barns, not lobbies—where Christ is often formed in us. For many of our women, the Spirit is midwifing new ideas, assignments, and capacities. Labor is loud and costly, but what is born will live; it will demand your love and reshape your world. Men, this is your call to be Josephs: present, steady, and courageous—supporting, protecting, and refusing to wilt when the volume rises. Together, we take responsibility, pay what is owed, cut off discord, and keep walking. Favor rests on those who embrace the journey, not those who wait for a shortcut.
Your feet are dirty. Your shoes are worn out from all you've traveled. Your mind is worn out. You think it's over. You're ready to die. But King Jesus is saying, I'm birthing something in you. I'm birthing something in you. You have favor over your life. You can't let go now. You're in the right place. Don't let them go. You're in the right place.They're the right people. Keep on going with them. [00:19:51] (30 seconds) #BirthingFavor
Now, you men, you men, you're standing back, and you're seeing spiritually the lady in labor.Ah, you are the Joseph men. You're seeing. You're experiencing it. You're seeing the screaming, and you want them to stop.It's too loud for you. It's even hurting you, and you're not even birthing.But you men, you have something to play in this.You have the favor of God because you're to be there to minister to those ladies. [00:22:04] (39 seconds) #BeTheJoseph
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Dec 22, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?
Add this chatbot onto your site with the embed code below
<iframe frameborder="0" src="https://pastors.ai/sermonWidget/sermon/gods-favor-david-ray" width="100%" height="100%" style="height:100vh;"></iframe>Copy