04.12.26 Pastor Zachary Bigley - “Living in the Favor of God” Fresh Rain Church Family Church

Living in the favor of God frames everyday life as the outworking of divine grace rather than human striving. Psalm 5:12 provides the starting point: God blesses the righteous and surrounds them with favor like a protective shield. Righteousness means standing in right relationship with God through faith in Christ—accepted, forgiven, and empowered to live boldly. Favor functions as unmerited grace (charis): God’s goodness, acceptance, and kindness expressed toward people so that ordinary circumstances yield supernatural advantage. Because favor is a gift already given in Christ, believers are invited to expect and receive it now rather than fear its withdrawal.

The sermon connects favor to destiny by tracing Luke’s account of Mary: the angel’s declaration of “highly favored” preceded a purpose that reshaped history. Favor doesn’t merely reward; it catalyzes fruitfulness—birthing callings, opening doors, and accelerating growth. Jesus himself increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and people, showing that favor can expand over time and requires both divine empowerment and human engagement. Declaring the “acceptable year of the Lord” signals a season of divine advantage when favor aligns with mission.

Practical application centers on posture: expect favor, receive it gratefully, and pursue opportunities to do good. Scripture links seeking good with procuring favor (Proverbs 11:27); intentional kindness, generosity, and diligence position a life to carry and steward God’s blessing. Favor produces tangible outcomes—mercy, provision, increase, position, relationships, wisdom, and a good reputation—and it accomplishes what effort or money alone cannot. The call to action is simple and urgent: believe that favor surrounds the righteous, live with the intention to do good, and act on the favor already provided so destiny can be birthed and sustained in the present.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Favor surrounds like a shield Favor does not sit as a theological idea but functions as a protective sphere that changes how the world interacts with a life anchored in Christ. When encountered, opposition often meets not merely a person but the favor around them, shifting outcomes and relationships. This reframes daily setbacks: obstacles become places where favor can reroute fortune rather than final judgments. Believing in a surrounding favor turns ordinary presence into a locus of divine advantage. [06:07]
• 2. Favor is unmerited grace Favor equals charis—God’s gratuitous goodness—not a wage for performance. This frees trust from the burden of perfection and reframes spiritual growth as response to love rather than fear of loss. Practically, faith that favor is gift-sized encourages risk for kingdom purposes because the source of success is God’s generosity, not personal merit. Receive favor as given and let it reorder ambition, not inflate pride. [12:41]
• 3. Favor births purpose and destiny The angel’s greeting to Mary shows that favor often precedes call: declaration plants destiny before visible fruit appears. When favor lands, it prepares inner capacity and external alignment for what God intends to do through a life. Expecting favor invites the Holy Spirit to form what the world will later see; the invisible precedes the visible. Positioning for favor therefore becomes a formative spiritual practice, not simply a hoped-for outcome. [27:46]
• 4. Pursue good to procure favor Scripture links diligent seeking of good with obtaining favor; active generosity and intentional kindness create spiritual momentum. Favor flows where hands and hearts move toward practical mercy, not merely theological assent. This means cultivating habits that look for needs and meet them—small, consistent acts prime life for larger openings. Seek good strategically and expect favor to follow. [43:21]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:17] - Honoring volunteers and servants
• [03:19] - Opening prayer and transition
• [05:43] - Reading Psalm 5:12
• [06:07] - Favor described as a shield
• [12:41] - Favor as grace (charis)
• [16:45] - Favor already given; fear removed
• [27:28] - Mary: favor births destiny
• [32:33] - Jesus increased in favor
• [36:00] - Declaring a season of favor
• [39:41] - What favor produces
• [43:21] - Pursue good to procure favor
• [47:04] - Expect favor; act on it
• [51:49] - Closing prayer and benediction

1. According to Psalm 5:12, what is the relationship between taking refuge in God and the experience of His protection?
2. What does the sermon describe as the "favor shield" that surrounds a believer? [09:52]
3. The sermon connects favor to the Greek word charis. What are the various meanings of this word as described? [12:25]
4. What was the angel's declaration to Mary before her purpose was revealed, and what was the result? [27:46]

1. The favor of God is described as a protective shield that changes how the world interacts with a believer. How might this "favor shield" practically alter the outcome of a negative situation, like a conflict at work?
2. The sermon states that "favor will put something in you before it ever shows up around you." [32:06] What does this suggest about the relationship between God's internal work in a person and the external evidence of His favor?
3. If favor is a gift of grace and not a reward for performance, how does this truth free a person from the fear of failure or making a mistake? [17:22]
4. The sermon links "diligently seeking good" with "procuring favor." [43:21] Why would an active pursuit of kindness and generosity position a person to receive more of God's favor?

1. The idea of being surrounded by a "favor shield" can reframe daily setbacks. [06:07] What is one current obstacle or frustration you are facing that you can choose to view as a place where God's favor can "reroute" your fortune?
2. Since favor is described as unmerited grace and not a wage, [12:41] how can you shift your mindset this week from striving to earn God's blessing to simply receiving the favor He has already given?
3. Favor is meant to birth purpose and destiny. [31:24] Is there a dream or a sense of purpose God has placed in your heart that feels too big for you? What would it look like to actively "expect favor" to bring it to pass this week?
4. The call to "pursue good to procure favor" [43:21] is an active one. What is one specific, practical act of kindness or generosity you can intentionally do for someone in your life to "seek good"?
5. The sermon encourages believers to "expect favor" and then to "receive it gratefully." [24:31] When was the last time you tried to refuse a blessing from God or others out of a false sense of humility? How can you practice a posture of grateful reception this week?
6. Jesus grew in favor with both God and man. [33:26] In what one relationship (with God or with a person) do you feel your "favor" could use some growth, and what is one step you can take to cultivate it?
7. Living with the intention to do good positions you for favor. [45:59] What does "living with intention" look like for you in your daily routine? How can you become more aware of the opportunities to bless others that you might normally overlook?