Highly Favored: Positioning Yourself to Receive God's Grace

Devotional

Day 1: Highly favored: grace given that keeps moving

To be “highly favored” is to be surrounded by God’s grace that is given, not earned—and it keeps working beyond us. Mary received grace that didn’t stop with her; it carried divine purpose to the world through her willing heart. God’s favor is a completed gift with ongoing results, designed to flow through those who are available to Him. You don’t perform for it, but you can posture your life to receive it and release it. Today, ask God to let His favor move from you to others in tangible ways, because grace is meant to travel. [37:27]

Luke 1:28–38 — The messenger from God greets Mary as one graced by God and tells her not to fear; she will bear a son named Jesus, the Son of the Most High, whose rule will never end. When she asks how this could be, the messenger explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and God’s power will cover her, making the child holy. He points to Elizabeth’s miracle as a sign that nothing is impossible with God, and Mary responds, “I belong to the Lord; let what He says happen.”

Reflection: Where might God’s grace be trying to move through you to someone specific this week, and what simple act could open that channel?

Day 2: Position your life for a full yes

Salvation is God’s free gift, but a life that is ready for His favor is formed by consecration. Mary and Joseph arranged their lives around faithfulness, not convenience; they chose obedience even when it would cost them reputation. You can’t earn grace, but you can arrange your days so you’re more available for it—choosing purity of heart, humble dependence, and courageous obedience. Your “full yes” may not be glamorous, but it is precious to God and useful for His purposes. Offer Him your availability before asking for His activity, and watch what He entrusts to you. [40:28]

Romans 5:2 — Through Jesus we have open access by faith into the field of grace where we now stand, and because of this access we celebrate the certain hope of sharing in God’s glory.

Reflection: What is one concrete act of consecration you can practice daily this week to make space for God’s favor to flow through you?

Day 3: Royal priesthood: ministering to the Lord daily

Scripture calls you part of a royal priesthood—people who tend the presence of God. Priests kept the lamp burning, the oil filled, and the bread fresh; in Christ, you do this spiritually by ministering to the Lord. Don’t come to Him merely to get favor; come because He is worthy, and favor will follow. A simple rhythm can help: Align your heart, Become aware of His nearness, Choose gratitude, Dialogue with Him, and Extend your time with prayer. Joy rises naturally in His presence, so keep the flame tended each day. [43:27]

1 Peter 2:9 — God has chosen you to be His own people—a royal priesthood set apart—to announce how He called you out of darkness and into the brilliance of His light.

Reflection: Which part of “Align, Become aware, Choose gratitude, Dialogue, Extend” do you most need to practice, and when will you do it tomorrow?

Day 4: “Let it be”: a surrender that births life

Mary’s “Let it be to me” echoes God’s creation words, “Let there be,” opening space for new life to enter the world. Surrender is not passive; it is an active, trusting agreement with God’s will. Sometimes that yes will press against comfort or reputation, yet it invites God’s life to move through you. Like Joseph protecting what God was doing, steward your surrender with courage and integrity. Offer your yes again today, even before you know the full assignment. [48:53]

Luke 1:38 — Mary replied, “I am the Lord’s servant; let what you have said come to pass in me,” placing her whole life at God’s disposal.

Reflection: In what specific situation do you sense God inviting you to say, “Let it be,” and what small obedient step matches that surrender?

Day 5: Grace with a purpose, not for possession

God’s favor is never meant to terminate on us; it is given so that others encounter His presence through us. Mary became a living “ark,” carrying God’s presence without being consumed; now, by the Spirit, you are His temple in the world. Receive His grace, then extend it—through blessing, intercession, generosity, and courageous witness. Let your life be a conduit, not a container, so that joy and hope reach those around you. Ask the Spirit where to carry His presence today, and move toward that person with love. [51:50]

1 Corinthians 3:16 — Don’t you realize that you are God’s sanctuary and that His Spirit makes His home within you?

Reflection: Who is one person God is placing on your heart to bless this week, and how will you practically extend grace to them?

Sermon Summary

We sat with Luke 1 and the angel’s words to Mary: “You are highly favored.” I asked, what does that really mean? The word points to grace as a completed gift that keeps producing fruit. Favor isn’t something we earn; it’s God’s grace given with a purpose, meant to flow through us, not just to us. We saw this pattern in Noah, Moses, David, and Hannah—people who received grace and then carried weighty assignments for the sake of others.

I also shared a historic lens that helped me honor Mary and Joseph more deeply. Early church tradition says Mary was dedicated to God as a child, raised in prayer, Scripture, and purity, and that Joseph served as a guardian husband to protect her vow. That helps make sense of Mary’s question, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” She wasn’t simply saying, “I haven’t slept with Joseph yet.” She was saying, “I made a vow.” Joseph’s decision to stand by her cost him socially, but he chose to protect what God was doing, even when it shattered his reputation. Their “yes” wasn’t sentimental; it was costly, courageous, and steady.

Mary becomes the new Ark—the dwelling place of God’s presence that doesn’t burn up what is human but brings divine life into the world. That matters for us today: in Christ, we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit and a royal priesthood. We don’t work for salvation, but we can posture our lives to receive and steward grace for God’s purposes. I offered a simple daily way to minister to the Lord: Align (repent and surrender), Become aware (He is here), Choose gratitude (fight bitterness and pride), Dialogue (listen and respond), and Extend your day in prayer (invite Him into everything). Come to Him because He is worthy, not to “get things.” When we live present to His presence, joy stops being a forced choice and becomes a natural outcome. Grace then moves—through our lives—into the world God loves.

Key Takeaways

1. Favor is grace that keeps moving Grace is a completed gift with ongoing results. It’s given, not achieved, and it’s meant to create holy action in us for others’ good. When favor lands, it looks like stewardship, not status. The question isn’t “Do I have favor?” but “Where is grace asking me to move?” [40:28]
2. Position yourself; don’t try to earn We cannot earn salvation, but we can arrange our lives so we’re more available to God’s purposes. Mary and Joseph lived consecrated, obedient lives, and God entrusted them with holy weight. Posture doesn’t purchase grace; it simply makes room for it. Availability becomes the runway for assignment. [47:34]
3. Mary’s vow and Joseph’s courage Mary’s “How can this be?” reveals a vow, not mere inexperience, and Joseph’s choice to stay protected that vow at great personal cost. Their obedience wasn’t naive romance; it was mature faith that carried public misunderstanding. True devotion often asks us to trade image for integrity and comfort for calling. [62:30]
4. Minister as a royal priesthood We are a royal priesthood, tending the light and bread of God’s presence in our lives. Ministering to the Lord is not utilitarian; it is worship for His sake. Come to Him because He is worthy, and watch how striving gives way to overflow. Ministry to God becomes ministry for others. [71:02]
5. Joy grows in practiced presence Joy is a choice, but in God’s presence it becomes a reflex. Learn to live present to Him—align, become aware, choose gratitude, dialogue, and extend your day with prayer. Joy rises when our attention rests on the One who is already here. Presence turns pressure into praise. [69:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:27] - Gabriel’s greeting: “Highly favored”
[40:28] - What highly favored really means
[43:27] - Noah, Moses, David, Hannah
[45:28] - Posture for grace, not earning
[50:09] - Mary dedicated like Samuel
[54:48] - Joseph as guardian husband
[59:36] - “How can this be?” in context
[62:30] - Joseph’s costly choice to stay
[63:31] - Mary’s “Let it be” and new creation
[66:05] - Mary as the new Ark
[69:41] - Joy and the presence of God
[71:02] - Royal priesthood: ministering to the Lord
[74:56] - ABCDE: a daily way to minister
[96:40] - Response: worship, prayer, and fellowship

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Luke 1:26–38

Observation questions (read Luke 1:26–38 first)

The angel greets Mary as “highly favored” (or “favored one”). What details in Luke 1:26–38 describe this favor, and how does the grammar idea of a “completed gift with ongoing results” change what you expect that favor to do in a person’s life? [40:28]
Several Old Testament figures are named as examples of people who “found favor” (Noah, Moses, David, Hannah). In Luke 1, what similarities do you see between Mary’s calling and those earlier stories (purpose, stewardship, public cost)? [43:27]
Mary asks, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). How does reading that question against the idea of a vow or consecration change the meaning of her reply and the angel’s explanation? [59:36]
The text and teaching describe believers as a “royal priesthood” who minister to the Lord. What concrete duties or images from Luke 1 connect to the idea of ministering to God (keeping light, offering bread, tending presence)? [01:11:02]

Interpretation questions (third-person, objective)

If Mary is presented as the “new Ark,” what does that imply about how God’s presence now interacts with human bodies and ordinary life? What theological risks and pastoral consolations follow from that image? [01:06:05]
The Greek idea of “highly favored” was described as a perfect passive participle — a grace given, completed, yet producing ongoing fruit. How should that grammatical observation shape the church’s theology of grace (especially the difference between receiving grace and being called to steward it)? [40:28]
Joseph’s choice to protect Mary’s vow cost him reputation and social standing. What principles about stewardship, guardianship, and public integrity should be drawn from Joseph’s action for leaders and ordinary members today? [01:02:30]
The claim that posture (availability) matters more than earning suggests a practical theology of being prepared. How should a congregation interpret “positioning oneself” without falling into works-righteousness? What boundaries keep posture from becoming performance? [47:34]

Application questions (personal, practical)

Consider the idea that God’s favor is given for a purpose and meant to move through a person, not just to them. Where in your life is grace already at work, and what is one concrete way you can steward that grace for someone else this week? [40:28]
The teaching encouraged a daily ABCDE rhythm: Align (repent/surrender), Become aware (He is here), Choose gratitude, Dialogue (listen & respond), Extend your day in prayer. Which one of these five steps is hardest for you right now, and what is one specific habit you will try in the next seven days to practice it? (For example: five minutes of silence to become aware, or a short gratitude list each morning.) [01:14:56]
Joseph’s protective courage required accepting social cost to preserve what God was doing. Is there a relationship, reputation, or comfort you must risk to protect a vow, call, or faithful conviction? What would an initial, concrete step of courage look like for you? [01:02:30]
Being a “royal priesthood” means tending the light and bread of God’s presence in daily life. Name two simple practices you can do this week that will help keep your “candles” lit (examples: regular Scripture reading, short worship break at lunch, praying before decisions). Which will you start and when? [01:11:02]
Joy was described as a fruit of practiced presence — choosing joy becomes easier the more one rests in God’s presence. When was the last time you intentionally stayed in God’s presence long enough for joy to grow? What is one block (schedule, distraction, pride) you can remove so you can practice presence this week? [01:09:41]
The sermon warned against coming to God primarily to “get things” rather than because He is worthy. In what ways do your prayers or devotional times drift toward a “request-first” posture? How can you rearrange one prayer time this week to focus first on worship and praise (not asking)? [01:12:25]

Use this guide to lead about 45–60 minutes of group discussion: read the Luke passage together, work through the observation questions to ground the text, use the interpretation questions to move toward meaning, and close with the application questions so everyone leaves with one or two concrete steps.

Sermon Clips

What this Means Perfect Means A completed Action But with Ongoing Results So what It means In this Context Of the Angel Coming And saying To Mary You are Highly favored He's saying This is A It's Perfect And complete That God Is giving You his Grace But it's Meant to Continue To keep Going So the Grace That God Gives To Mary And toUs Is a Grace That doesn't Just come And stop At us It's a Grace That's meant To come And then Continue And actually Create action In our Lives It's for A purpose [00:40:30] (41 seconds) #GraceInAction

The meaning The actual Word the meaning Of this word Highly favored In the Greek Is one Who has been Endowed With grace One who has Been shown Divine Fine favor That remains To pursue With grace Compass With favor To honor With blessing I love those Last three To pursue Like God Pursues Those who areHighly favored He pursues Them with grace Compass With favor I love that It gives Direction His favor Gives us Direction A true north [00:41:35] (33 seconds) #PursuedByGrace

I believe that Mary Receives A Grace That Is Not Earned Yet At The Same Time I Also Believe She Was Chosen Because Of Her Faith She Was She We Don't Earn Salvation We Need To Hear This Clearly We Do Not Earn Our Salvation It's A Free Gift Of Grace Everybody With Me There We Don't Earn Our Salvation [00:46:20] (20 seconds) #GraceNotEarned

There Is Nothing There Ain't Nothing You Can Do To Make Yourself Good Enough ToEarn Heaven It's Too Good Like There's Nothing You Can Do And So We Have To Understand That Salvation Is Something That Is Not Earned It Is Grace That Is Given By God It's Nothing We Can Do On Our Own Yet And Hear Me Clearly On This I'm Not Saying That We Can Earn Our Way Into Any Kind Of Grace Or Salvation Yet I Do Believe We Can Position Ourselves In A Life Of Faith In A Way ThatWe Actually Are More Available To Receive God's Grace [00:46:41] (39 seconds) #PositionForGrace

We Are A Royal Priesthood SoFirstly The Fact That It Says We Are Royal It's Because We Are Sons And Daughters Of The King So We Are Royalty But Then It Says We're The Priesthood Now What On Earth In Our Context Today We're Like What Does That Even Mean Well It Means What Did The Priests Do They Minister To The Lord They Were Responsible For Making Sure The Light In The Holy Of Holies Stayed Lit The Candles Stayed Lit [01:10:58] (28 seconds) #RoyalPriesthood

They Were Making Sure That The Oil Stayed Full So The Lights Could Stay Lit They Were Making Sure That The MannaWas Replaced They Would Put Bread In There They Were Making Sure That That Was Replaced And Then At Once A Week The Priests Would Eat The Life The Manna The Communion Like We DoThey Were Responsible For Bringing Offerings They Were Responsible For Ministering To And Worshiping The Lord David Actually Set Up 24 7 Worship And He Had Different Families Who Would Come In And Step In And Bring Different Expressions Of Worship [01:11:25] (34 seconds) #KeepTheWorshipAlive

``Now I Firstly Want To Say As We Get Very Very PracticalDon't Do This To Receive FavorFavor Is A Benefit Do This Because He's Worthy Do This Because He's Worthy I Know That I Am So Guilty Of That So Often I'll Come To God God I Need I Need Healing For This Person And That's So Awesome Like Yes That's So Great Or God I Need More Of Your Favor In My Life To You Know Do X Y And Z That's All Awesome God Wants That For Us But There Is A Massive Difference Between Coming To Him For Those Things Versus Coming To Him Because He's Worthy [01:12:17] (39 seconds) #WorshipForHisWorth

But I Believe That If We Can Learn To Be Present With God We Will Receive His Presence If We Will Learn To Be Present In The Moment Not Always So So Many Of Us I Know When I Go To Spend Time With God And I'll Get To This One Of The First Things I Have To Do Is Just Clear All The Junk Out And Sometimes That Takes Me A Really Long Time Because There's A Lot Of Junk [01:13:38] (22 seconds) #BePresentWithGod

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