What is the Favor of God?

[Lisa Robinson]

I don't know about you, but I have heard this term a lot and have even incorporated it into my prayers. But what exactly is the favor of God? How does it manifest in life? Is it just restricted to our position in Christ - having favor because of spiritual regeneration? Or is it about good stuff happening, e.g. open doors, tangible blessings, etc. or something more?

[ScottL]

The Hebrew word hen (or chen) is both translated as grace (KJV) and favour (ESV). So I would say that favour does consist of blessings outside of what we might term as 'spiritual' things, but it is also only available through grace. Everything we participate in that brings blessing is because of the pure, unmerited favour-grace of God.

[Tim Felten]

My opinion?

God's favor = God's blessings = being in the will of God

What I mean is this: not saved, we are out of the will of God; saved, we are in the will of God. But, we, as saved, not only have all the blessings of God at our disposal, but still have room to grow in holiness, experientially. We need, however, to trust God, relying on the His Spirit daily, in order to receive those blessings of spiritual victory fully and accomplish His will on earth.

So then, my opinion, when we ask for God's favor (or blessing) we are asking for God to accomplish His will in and through us completely (according to His will, purpose and plan for us) by giving us personal spiritual victory, increase in ministry (our global spiritual influence...which is determinitive upon the first point) and possibly more which I haven't figured out yet. This is a newer concept for me and I am still learning. "The Prayer of Jabez" by Bruce H. Wilkenson, a DTS grad ;),seems to speak of this very thing. Those are my thoughts, though. Hope they help.

[Lisa Robinson]

So what happens when we go through trials and desert places? That is as much part of the Christian life as tangible blessings. Are we experiencing the favor of God then, too? It seems we assign this term only when something good happens. But is that a fair association?

[Tim Felten]

Most definately. Going through trials (of the worst assortment) could be the favor of God upon us (ex., Jospeh), either setting us up for something else or doing something in the midst that we can't see at the time, but when the dust settles we look back and say "Wow! He was there and at work!" But more likely I would say both are true most if not all the time. How do we know this (or believe this, rather)? "All things work together for good" (Romans 8:28; and it doesn't say that the favor of God has to be on us for this to be so either.) Am I way off base here?

[Amy F]

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Lisa Robinson]

So is not pruning favorable?

Amy F said:

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Amy F]

I'd say let God take care of the pruning...

Lisa Robinson said:

So is not pruning favorable?

Amy F said:

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Lisa Robinson]

Of course God is taking care of the pruning. With reference to the OP, how do we associate pruning with favor, if favor is what is favorable, i.e. blessings?

Amy F said:

I'd say let God take care of the pruning...

Lisa Robinson said:

So is not pruning favorable?

Amy F said:

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Amy F]

Although pruning is necessary i dont equate this with Favor. Favor is about good stuff happening, e.g. open doors, tangible blessings, etc. Job received protection, offspring, wealth, etc.... i think for every person this can look differently but still...

Lisa Robinson said:

Of course God is taking care of the pruning. With reference to the OP, how do we associate pruning with favor, if favor is what is favorable, i.e. blessings?

Amy F said:

I'd say let God take care of the pruning...

Lisa Robinson said:

So is not pruning favorable?

Amy F said:

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Lisa Robinson]

So being formed into the image of Christ is not considered favor? Because that's what pruning does.

See this is why I ask the question. I am beginning to think we have a distorted view of favor. I could be wrong, but the hand of God upon our lives will take many shapes over the course of our lives. When we are going through seasons of loss and stripping, we probably feel like we are NOT experiencing the favor of God. I know I do. But even in that, are we still experiencing His favor because favor has to do with the "spiritual blessings" in Christ, which does not always translate into good stuff happening.

Dunno, I'd sure like to hear what others think.

Amy F said:

Although pruning is necessary i dont equate this with Favor. Favor is about good stuff happening, e.g. open doors, tangible blessings, etc. Job received protection, offspring, wealth, etc.... i think for every person this can look differently but still...

Lisa Robinson said:

Of course God is taking care of the pruning. With reference to the OP, how do we associate pruning with favor, if favor is what is favorable, i.e. blessings?

Amy F said:

I'd say let God take care of the pruning...

Lisa Robinson said:

So is not pruning favorable?

Amy F said:

I think the book of Job has a lot in it to explain the favor-of-God.

Job 1:10
Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

I think it has to do with God's hand being upon you in a favorable way.

[Harry]

The favor of God is that He died for us.

[Amy F]

Isaiah 61
NIV-titles "The Year of the LORD's Favor"

Here are some cut-and-paste oneish verse references I found...

2 Samuel 15:25
Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
Ezra 7:27-28
Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.
Job 33:26
He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.
Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 90:17
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
Ecclesiastes 9:7
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.
Luke 2:14
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
2 Corinthians 6:2
For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

Also,
Jeremiah 16:13
So I will throw you out of this land into a land neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.'
Daniel 9:13
Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.