WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Pushing into Favour -1 Publishing Date: 2020-06-14T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/pushing-into-favour-1/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Today's title for the message is Pushing into Favor. Pushing into Favor. Pushing into 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:12.400 Favor. We've been talking about the year of favor and the year of release for the last 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:17.280 little while. The year of favor and the year of release. We've been alternating between 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:22.720 those two topics. The year of favor and the year of release. And you did watch some of 00:00:22.720 --> 00:00:29.120 those short 15-minute videos that talked about favor. And so today we talk about how do we 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:34.640 push into favor? Because favor needs to be pushed into. So the scripture that I want 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:40.720 us to read is from Exodus 33, 9-23. So I'm going to ask Aerie to come up and read that. 00:00:40.720 --> 00:00:47.720 Exodus 33, 9-23. Yeah, she'll read it twice over from two different versions because we 00:00:50.040 --> 00:00:57.040 need to hear this clearly. Yeah, yeah, let me hold one. Okay. 00:00:59.120 --> 00:01:06.120 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.680 to the tent and the Lord would speak with Moses. As all the people saw the pillar of 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:18.880 cloud remaining at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up, then bow in worship, 00:01:18.880 --> 00:01:24.160 each one at the door of his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face just as 00:01:24.160 --> 00:01:29.080 a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. His assistant, the young 00:01:29.080 --> 00:01:36.080 man Joshua, son of man, would not leave the inside of the tent. Moses said to the Lord, 00:01:36.240 --> 00:01:41.320 look, you have told me, lead this people up, but you've not let me know whom you will send 00:01:41.320 --> 00:01:47.640 me with. You said, I know you by name and you have also found favor with me. Now, if 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:52.840 I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways and I will know you so 00:01:52.880 --> 00:01:59.880 that I may found favor with you. Now consider this nation as your people. And he replied, 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.480 my presence will go with you and I will give you rest. If your presence does not go, Moses 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:10.280 responded to him, do not make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and your 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:15.720 people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished 00:02:15.720 --> 00:02:20.720 by this from all the other people on the face of the earth. The Lord answered Moses, I will 00:02:20.720 --> 00:02:24.840 do this very thing you have asked for you have found favor with me and I know you by 00:02:24.840 --> 00:02:31.840 name. Then Moses said, please let me see your glory. Then he said, I will cause all my goodness 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:38.860 to pass in front of you. I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious 00:02:38.860 --> 00:02:43.520 to whom I will be gracious and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. But 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:50.240 he added, you cannot see in my face for humans cannot see me and live. The Lord said, here's 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:54.760 a place near me. You are to stand on the rock and when the glory passes by, I will 00:02:54.760 --> 00:02:58.800 put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand till I have passed by. Then 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:13.800 I will take my hand away. You will see my back, but my face will not be seen. As Moses 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:18.840 went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance while the 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:24.240 Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:29.280 of the tent, they stood and worshiped each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:35.240 speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:40.440 the camp but his young aid Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Moses said to the 00:03:40.440 --> 00:03:44.920 Lord, you have been telling me lead these people but you have not let me know whom you 00:03:44.920 --> 00:03:50.200 will be sending me with. You have said, I know you by name and you have found favor 00:03:50.200 --> 00:03:55.040 with me. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may continue to find favor 00:03:55.040 --> 00:04:00.480 with you. Remember that this nation is your people. The Lord replied, my presence will 00:04:00.480 --> 00:04:05.560 go with you and I will give you rest. Then Moses said to him, if your presence does not 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:11.400 go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:17.240 me in your people unless you go up with us? What else will distinguish me and your people 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:21.600 from all the other people on the face of the earth? And the Lord said to Moses, I will 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:26.800 do this very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:31.600 Then Moses said, now show me your glory. And the Lord said, I will cause all my goodness 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:37.280 to pass in front of you and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will 00:04:37.280 --> 00:04:42.560 have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:48.120 But he said, you cannot see my face for no one can see me and live. Then the Lord said, 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:52.640 there is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will 00:04:52.640 --> 00:04:57.200 put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand till I have passed by. Then I 00:04:57.200 --> 00:05:01.200 will remove my hand and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen. 00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:28.560 Okay, so we've read that twice through. So, favor is an I am pleased with you or you are 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:38.320 special to me position. Favor, and we've talked about this for a while, favor is an I am pleased 00:05:38.320 --> 00:05:58.080 with you, pleased with you or you are special to me position that you and I occupy. It's 00:05:58.080 --> 00:06:05.200 very hard to walk in this because we don't always think like this, but over the last 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:13.920 six weeks we've been talking about this again and again, that favor is an I am pleased with you from 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:19.680 God's perspective. I am pleased with you or you are special to me position that you and I occupy. 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:28.320 And that's how it's verse 12 begins, where Moses is saying to God that you say that I have found 00:06:28.320 --> 00:06:33.520 favor in your sight. And this was in the old covenant, how much more so in the new covenant, 00:06:33.520 --> 00:06:38.560 because Christ has died for us and paid the price for us and taken away our sin and placed us before 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:44.960 the father. So it's even more obvious now, but surprisingly Moses knew it in the old covenant. 00:06:46.880 --> 00:06:51.200 I am pleased with you and you are special to me. That's the position that we need to begin from. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:57.360 But you notice Moses then taking it further and that's why I've titled this teaching, 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:02.960 pushing into favor, pushing into favor, because it's very easy to receive favor and stay in it 00:07:02.960 --> 00:07:10.000 when that's not what we are supposed to do. So if you look at verse 12, it says there, Moses said 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:14.720 to the Lord, you have been telling me lead these people, but you've not let me know whom you will 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:22.080 send with me. You have said I know you by name and you have found favor with me. So Moses uses his 00:07:22.080 --> 00:07:31.440 position of favor and begins to engage God and begins to inquire of God. And these are two things 00:07:31.440 --> 00:07:40.400 that favor must take advantage of, must take advantage of. If you can't see the board, you 00:07:40.400 --> 00:07:52.080 can find another place of. Favor demands engagement. Favor demands inquiry. So if I'm in a position of 00:07:52.080 --> 00:07:59.360 favor, I know that I can now engage God, because he is pleased with me and I am special to him. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:05.280 In most other relationships where there is favor upon you, you will have very little problems 00:08:05.280 --> 00:08:12.560 engaging more and inquiring more. It is when you don't have favor with somebody that you are 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:18.880 hesitant. Be it at work, be it in your family, be it in any situation. At work, if you have favor with 00:08:18.880 --> 00:08:23.840 your boss, you can ask him more questions. At work, if you have favor with your boss, you can engage 00:08:23.840 --> 00:08:33.280 more. The favor demands engagement and inquiry. And so the aim today is to help us understand where 00:08:33.280 --> 00:08:40.480 we are located and how to push into favor, because pushing into favor brings rewards. And most 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:48.720 believers don't persist in this. So the other thing you see that Moses seems to have is he has 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:57.440 this assured grasp of what God has said. So throughout this passage, one of the things Moses 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:08.320 keeps saying is, you have said. You have said. He keeps saying this and it's an assured grasp, as in 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:17.280 it's not a confrontational grasp. It is not a demanding grasp. It's not a spoiled child grasp. 00:09:17.280 --> 00:09:24.560 It is not a contractual, you promised me so you better deliver grasp. It's an assured grasp, as in 00:09:24.560 --> 00:09:35.040 but I know you have said it and I know your nature. And so favor has an assured grasp of you have said. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:43.680 It is this place where you're absolutely sure that because of the nature of the one you're 00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:48.800 engaging, that if the person has said something, the person will hold true to it. And so when you 00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:54.080 engage the person, when you inquire, you can go back to what the person said and not throw it at 00:09:54.080 --> 00:10:01.760 his face as if you have said so, how come? No, it is you have said so. There is no how come. It is you 00:10:01.760 --> 00:10:13.440 have said therefore. And one of the ways you know that you are conscious and cognizant of the favor 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:19.760 that you have with someone is the conversations you will have with the person. Your favor becomes 00:10:19.760 --> 00:10:28.560 evident in your conversations. I can listen to a conversation between you and a superior and I can 00:10:28.560 --> 00:10:33.920 then easily tell whether you have favor with the person or whether you don't have favor with the 00:10:33.920 --> 00:10:38.880 person but are the same as everybody. Favor is not doesn't end up in a loss of reverence. 00:10:38.880 --> 00:10:51.680 But favor does end up in easy relational conversation. And you see this with Moses. 00:10:51.680 --> 00:11:02.320 And then you also see in verse 12 that favor encourages contending. Favor encourages contending. 00:11:02.400 --> 00:11:06.880 Favor encourages contending. 00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:18.000 As in when you walk in favor, God says, hey, since you're walking in favor, try and see how much you 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:26.800 can get. It encourages contending. In verse 15, Moses said to God, if your presence does not go 00:11:26.880 --> 00:11:34.560 with us, do not send us up from here. I mean, there's a sense of not demand but a contending 00:11:34.560 --> 00:11:41.680 as in you've given me room. Now let me walk at the very edge of the boundaries you've given me and 00:11:41.680 --> 00:11:46.960 let me contend with you. And God invites this. And you can only begin to do this when you're in a 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:53.520 place of favor. The thing is the favor is already yours but you may not be walking in it. 00:11:53.520 --> 00:12:00.400 It's not something that's being held back from you but we rarely walk in advantage. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:08.480 You'll see people doing this and Abraham did it in Genesis 18 where he knew the favor that was upon 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:15.040 him. And so he begins to contend with God within the parameters of that favor saying if there are 00:12:15.040 --> 00:12:21.760 50, if there are 40, if there are 30, if there are 10, and if there are 10, 00:12:21.760 --> 00:12:29.360 and he literally says allow me to speak one more time my lord but what if there are 10? 00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:42.400 You see this with Jacob in Genesis 32. I will not let you go till you bless me. He knew that after 00:12:42.400 --> 00:12:50.320 a night's fighting he recognized that he was fighting with someone who was not human, was 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:56.640 supernatural even though in human form and he knew that with a touch the man could disarm him but 00:12:56.640 --> 00:13:01.760 he doesn't let go because he realizes that the angel of the lord is fighting with him as a human. 00:13:02.560 --> 00:13:09.040 And he says I will not let you go till you bless me. And then he takes it further and says tell me 00:13:09.040 --> 00:13:19.360 your name because a revelation of the name would have, in Jacob's mind, to have God pronounce his 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:25.440 ineffable name. And this is before Moses. God hasn't revealed his name yet. It's only when it 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:31.360 comes to Moses that God says my name tell them that I am has sent you. Thus far God is only known as 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:39.840 El Shaddai or El Elion. And Jacob here is saying tell me your name. That fellow knew what he was doing 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:47.280 man. And instead of God changing him by telling him his name, God changes him by telling him Jacob's 00:13:47.280 --> 00:13:53.600 name. But here is a man I admire this guy not because he bears my name, sorry not because I 00:13:53.600 --> 00:14:02.000 bear his name but because yeah this not because I bear his name but because there is this contention 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:10.640 in him that is marvelous. And this is not a guy who was walking well with God. He was very deceptive 00:14:11.520 --> 00:14:17.040 and yet he knew the favor in that moment and he begins to contend. This is pushing into the 00:14:17.040 --> 00:14:24.400 favor of God. It's just a tremendous place to be and if we get habituated to it. 00:14:25.760 --> 00:14:30.320 It's not something you go into because you want an answer for prayer or you want to know the will of 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:39.600 God or you want to pass in an exam. Those are pathetic things to contend for. You contend for 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:46.400 a change of a nation, the change of your nature, the change of the world, the change of something 00:14:46.400 --> 00:14:50.720 that hasn't changed for a while. Those are the things you contend for not to pass an exam. 00:14:54.720 --> 00:15:03.920 You see this with in Isaiah 43 26 where God says to Israel through Isaiah, hey come argue with me, 00:15:03.920 --> 00:15:11.680 contend with me, state your reasons. He actually invites them saying come argue with me, 00:15:11.680 --> 00:15:14.160 come contend with me. He's inviting Israel 00:15:16.560 --> 00:15:24.000 because Israel was his favorite son talking about the nation. In the New Testament you see this 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:32.080 with a Syrophoenician or Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 27. Jesus is having this. I mean it's 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:39.360 literally like a fencing sword fight. Jesus says I didn't come for the Gentiles, I came for the 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:47.440 Israelites. Well but surely I can get the crumbs that fall off the table. No, no, no she says 00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:57.200 but my daughter needs healing and he says that only dogs, let me go to the chapter. It's beautiful. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:04.400 Matthew 15 27. Matthew 15 27. Look at, look at the sparring that is happening here and this is a woman 00:16:04.400 --> 00:16:15.280 who was from a non-Israelite background. Matthew 15 verse 23. Jesus did not answer a word. 00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:20.640 Well let's start at 21. It's such a beautiful passage. Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew 00:16:20.640 --> 00:16:25.920 to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him crying out, 00:16:25.920 --> 00:16:31.120 Lord son of David have mercy on me. My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:38.320 Jesus did not answer a word. How atypical. It's so not normal for Jesus to do that and there in 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:42.800 itself you should see there's something happening here that we should now anticipate and this woman, 00:16:42.800 --> 00:16:47.280 I don't know how she knew it but she knew how to deal with it and so Jesus did not answer a word 00:16:47.280 --> 00:16:51.840 so his disciples came to him and urged him send her away for she keeps crying out after us. That 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:56.800 was their solution. He answered I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. The woman came and 00:16:56.800 --> 00:17:01.600 knelt before him. Lord help me she said. He replied it is not right to take the children's 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:08.720 bread and toss it to their dogs. What a statement man. At a time when dogs were not, 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:14.480 this was a time when dogs were thought of like cats are thought of today. 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:26.960 And he replied it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs. Yes 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:32.480 Lord she said but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table. Jesus answered, 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:37.520 woman you have great faith. Your request is granted and a daughter was healed at very hour. 00:17:37.520 --> 00:17:43.360 This is called contending within the realm of the favor that you must recognize. I don't know how 00:17:43.360 --> 00:17:50.000 these this Canaanite woman recognized it because Israel wasn't recognizing their favor but a 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:55.600 Canaanite woman recognized what she could get. Pardon she was a mother. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:07.280 Favor has carries it in a sense of desperation to find more. How do you know that you are actually 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:12.640 how do you know you've actually received and you're actually walking in favor? How do you know that? 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:18.640 You know that when you find that it is that you refuse to settle favor on you makes you desperate 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:24.800 for knowing more. Not getting more favor knowing more of the one who is showing you favor. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.480 That is a sign that you've received it and you're walking in it. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:32.800 You see this 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.400 with all these people and I can give you more. Favor does not settle for specialness. 00:18:41.120 --> 00:18:46.080 Favor does not settle for specialness. We said favor is that position where God is saying 00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:50.160 you are special to me. Favor is that position where God is saying I'm well pleased with you. 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:57.840 Favor does not settle there. Favor favor never says I'm special to the Lord and so now that's 00:18:57.840 --> 00:19:03.120 great and let's just live here happily ever after. You can but favor does not settle for specialness 00:19:03.120 --> 00:19:10.320 but pushes into it. Pushes into it to know God. If you look at Exodus 33 again verse 13, Exodus 33 00:19:10.320 --> 00:19:21.600 verse 13, Exodus 33 verse 13, Moses says there if you are pleased with me as in if I have found your 00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:28.240 favor teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:33.200 this nation is your people. So here is a guy who already dwells in favor and when he finds out that 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:38.880 he has favor his responses well and this is that whole assurance contending thing if I have found 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:43.440 favor with you then teach me your ways so I may walk in them so I may continue in your favor 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:51.360 but more than that that I may know you. This is what God is calling us to. So I would suggest 00:19:51.360 --> 00:19:58.000 that if you push into the access you have because of favor with God. Guys favor grants you access. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.960 Favor grants you access. 00:20:03.840 --> 00:20:05.360 Case in point Esther. 00:20:07.600 --> 00:20:14.080 Esther had favor with the king and because Esther had favor with the king Esther was granted 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:21.280 access. Favor grants you access. So if you push into the access you have because of the favor you 00:20:21.280 --> 00:20:28.080 have with God then a marvelous thing happens. He will teach you his ways 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:36.480 and he will show you his plans. 00:20:39.760 --> 00:20:48.160 That should be the ultimate aim of favor. I get to learn your ways of God. He will teach you his 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:54.720 ways and he will let you in on his plans and that's what Moses wanted. It wasn't enough to 00:20:54.720 --> 00:21:01.680 settle in favor. Now that I know that you are pleased with me. Now that I know that I am special 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:10.240 to you. Well let's take it further Yahweh. Teach me your ways and show me your plans. Let me in on 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:16.480 your plans and teach me your ways so that I may know you better and as I know you better I will 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:25.360 continue to walk in a way that pleases you. So the more you know his ways and plans the more 00:21:25.360 --> 00:21:33.040 you get to please the one who is pleased with you. The more you know his ways and plans the more you 00:21:33.040 --> 00:21:39.360 get to know the one who is pleased with you. The more you know his ways and plans the more 00:21:39.360 --> 00:21:45.760 you get to please the one who's pleased with you. I'll repeat it again. It's a tongue twister. The 00:21:45.760 --> 00:21:49.960 The more you know his ways and plans, the more you please the one who's pleased with 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:53.240 you. 00:21:53.240 --> 00:22:02.080 So for example, if, let's assume, Josh finds favor with me, the more he begins to, you'll 00:22:02.080 --> 00:22:06.800 have to work harder at that, but let's assume that one day he finds favor with me. 00:22:06.800 --> 00:22:13.160 And when he does, the more he knows my ways and plans, the more he will please the one 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:15.640 who at present is pleased with him. 00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:17.640 That's how this works. 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:19.880 So push into it, guys. 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:25.040 I'd hate to settle with 15-minute videos that make me feel special. 00:22:25.040 --> 00:22:30.320 Now that I'm special and that's done with, let's move on to knowing the one who's made 00:22:30.320 --> 00:22:32.320 me special. 00:22:32.320 --> 00:22:39.240 Go ahead. 00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:40.600 You can't. 00:22:40.600 --> 00:22:59.960 The first question was, how do we avoid walking in favor and being greedy? 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:08.040 Guys, may you have great greed and lust for knowing his ways and knowing his plans. 00:23:08.080 --> 00:23:14.880 It is the one area that you can be absolutely craving in. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:19.000 And may you have great greed there. 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:25.080 Because at the end of the day, what happens is we equate favor with land, wealth, money, 00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:28.200 passing exams, getting promotions. 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:32.680 That's the byproduct. 00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:38.400 All favor is accessing this one who is pleased with you and knowing his ways and mind. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:40.840 And in that, be greedy. 00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:46.920 Be so greedy that it's like 15 minutes or 10 minutes before the service, you are so 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:54.960 hungry that you will not focus on things in the service and instead go to buy food. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:59.480 Even though the service is about to happen in 10 minutes. 00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:03.680 This is the kind of craving I'm talking about. 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.680 When nothing stops you. 00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:08.480 This is what happened with Derek today. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:12.480 And then you can find out what happened after that after the service. 00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:13.480 Because he's still hungry. 00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:14.640 He still hasn't eaten anything. 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:19.640 But that's another story. 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:22.360 So guys, greater the favor. 00:24:22.360 --> 00:24:24.480 And the second part of the question was what? 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:27.640 If we have been taught not to, what's the second part of the question? 00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:37.880 If we have been taught as children never to ask more than what we needed to get by, 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:41.000 what should we do now? 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:42.440 We'll have to unlearn that. 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:44.340 We'll have to unlearn that. 00:24:44.340 --> 00:24:48.280 Because one of the first verses we are taught in Sunday school, because it's the shortest 00:24:48.280 --> 00:24:51.520 one of the shortest verses, ask and you will receive. 00:24:51.520 --> 00:24:53.600 Keep on asking. 00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:59.440 And so there's this different perspective that God has. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:06.380 Don't feed him. 00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:11.880 The greater the favor you step into, the greater the responsibilities released to you, regardless 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:13.960 of the season or location of your life. 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:20.200 The greater the favor I step into, the greater the responsibilities released to me. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:28.160 of the situation or the location or the season of my life, the greater the favor you step 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:32.840 into, the greater the responsibilities released to you. 00:25:32.840 --> 00:25:34.720 Do you realize what we are saying here? 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:40.400 We are saying that favor is not static, that favor is not something that comes and just 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:46.520 settles on you, that favor is God saying, hey, I'm giving you permission. 00:25:46.520 --> 00:25:48.200 You are special to me. 00:25:48.840 --> 00:25:51.240 Which room in the house do you want to go look at? 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:52.640 What do you want to touch? 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:54.120 Which piece of crystal? 00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:55.720 Which medal? 00:25:55.720 --> 00:25:56.720 Which cupboard? 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.720 Which book? 00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.760 Which one do you want to see? 00:25:58.760 --> 00:26:00.120 You are special to me. 00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:01.440 I'm pleased with you. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:05.560 What do you want? 00:26:05.560 --> 00:26:11.760 And as you begin to step into this favor, and you show yourself worthy of this favor 00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:15.240 by being faithful, God says, let me increase your responsibilities. 00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:17.800 And then it doesn't matter which season you are in. 00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:19.520 It doesn't matter what your location is. 00:26:19.520 --> 00:26:21.760 It doesn't matter which situation you find yourself in. 00:26:21.760 --> 00:26:22.760 That favor stays. 00:26:22.760 --> 00:26:25.840 One of the classic examples of this is Joseph. 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:32.040 In Genesis 39, with Potiphar, he had favor. 00:26:32.040 --> 00:26:34.680 And so Potiphar put him in charge of the entire household. 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:38.360 Shortly after, in verse 21, he is in prison. 00:26:38.360 --> 00:26:40.360 But even in prison, he has favor. 00:26:40.360 --> 00:26:43.080 It doesn't matter the season or the location of your life. 00:26:43.080 --> 00:26:46.840 Once a person begins to press into this, and Joseph began that very early. 00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:51.800 When as a kid, he realized what favor was, he didn't make a mistake. 00:26:51.800 --> 00:26:54.440 He went and blurted out the favor that was upon him. 00:26:55.320 --> 00:26:59.000 Problem is when favor is upon you, sometimes your brothers hate you. 00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:03.880 So be wise. 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:05.880 Joseph wasn't wise initially. 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:16.200 Any questions? 00:27:16.840 --> 00:27:25.240 Don't ask for more money. 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:26.760 Don't ask for more promotions. 00:27:26.760 --> 00:27:28.120 Don't ask for more ministry. 00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:36.520 Ask for what Moses did. 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:44.680 You say you have great pleasure in me, and you find me worthy of your favor. 00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:49.320 Well, if that is the case, then show me your ways and teach me your ways 00:27:49.320 --> 00:27:54.280 so that I can step into knowing you so that I can continue to walk in your favor. 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:58.920 And asking for favor is not something God is waiting to give. 00:27:58.920 --> 00:28:00.520 He's already released it upon you. 00:28:00.520 --> 00:28:04.280 When you ask for favor, now what God does is saying, come, come, come further. 00:28:04.280 --> 00:28:05.000 Come further. 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:06.680 Let me show you the rest of this house. 00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:08.840 You thought you were supposed to sit in the lobby. 00:28:08.840 --> 00:28:10.360 Let me show you the rest of this house. 00:28:10.360 --> 00:28:11.720 Yes, I know it's a palace. 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:13.400 Yes, I know you've never stepped in here. 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:15.960 Yes, I know your shoes are dirty. 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:17.480 Yes, I know your socks stink. 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:19.880 But come, come further. 00:28:23.080 --> 00:28:25.400 Please try to wrap our heads around this, please. 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:31.000 Favor is invisible. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:37.480 As in when God grants favor to a person, unless they write favor on their foreheads, 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:38.760 it's invisible. 00:28:38.760 --> 00:28:40.600 So favor is invisible. 00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:45.080 But when it is upon you, presence of God becomes the shadow you cast. 00:28:46.120 --> 00:28:47.560 Favor is invisible. 00:28:47.560 --> 00:28:51.720 But when it is upon you, presence is the shadow that it casts. 00:28:51.720 --> 00:28:57.000 As in when favor is upon you, people will not necessarily realize what's happening in your life, 00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:00.040 but they'll see the work of God evidenced in your life. 00:29:00.040 --> 00:29:03.080 Whenever favor is upon you, presence is the shadow it casts. 00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:08.520 Whenever favor is upon you, presence is the shadow that it casts. 00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:13.960 Presence. 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:17.160 And we'll unpack that a little. 00:29:17.160 --> 00:29:21.000 So today, presence is not a pillar of cloud or pillar of fire. 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:25.080 Today, presence is not a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire. 00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:35.240 Today, presence is evidence of his manifest evidence of his nature. 00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:46.440 Today, presence is the hand of blessing in extreme circumstances. 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:55.880 And today, favor, today, a presence is rest in the midst of a storm. 00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:02.600 This is what presence looks like today. 00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:08.600 This is what presence looks like today, where there'll be, when favor is upon you and you begin 00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:12.680 to push into the axis that God is giving you, one of the things that will become evident in your life 00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:17.240 is there'll be manifest evidence of his nature through you. 00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:21.240 People will realize that, ah, there's something about this guy that is so different. 00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:23.640 So different. 00:30:24.520 --> 00:30:26.200 That's how presence is known today. 00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:30.200 Two, the hand of blessing in extreme circumstances. 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:32.440 The hand of blessing in extreme circumstances. 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:36.760 Even though the earth shake, even though mountains collapse, 00:30:37.800 --> 00:30:41.560 they will look at you and they'll say, why is it that you are not perturbed? 00:30:42.120 --> 00:30:47.240 Why is it that the hand of blessing is upon you, whether things are up or whether things are down? 00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:52.120 Why is it that God has his protection over you, regardless of what happens? 00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:56.520 Why is it that every time you take a step, you trample over serpents and scorpions? 00:30:56.520 --> 00:31:00.440 Why is it that every time you look up, you're able to see what we cannot see? 00:31:03.560 --> 00:31:06.120 And then the third part is rest. 00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:11.480 It doesn't matter what happens, you have absolute rest in your circumstances. 00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:14.280 You know the outcome and you know the one in control. 00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:21.000 This is what the world does not have. 00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:23.960 This is what presence looks like today. 00:31:24.840 --> 00:31:28.760 The hand of blessing that is upon you now becomes a hand of blessing that you stretch out to others. 00:31:32.520 --> 00:31:34.520 The hand of blessing in extreme circumstances. 00:31:34.520 --> 00:31:38.200 While people are dying around you, you seem to be living better. 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:40.280 And then what do you do? 00:31:40.280 --> 00:31:44.760 You take the same hand of blessing and you reach forth and touch those that are dying around you. 00:31:44.760 --> 00:31:50.520 Because now the presence of God begins to not just abide upon you, but it flows through you. 00:31:54.040 --> 00:31:57.720 Keep pushing into the invitation that God is giving us in his favor. 00:32:02.280 --> 00:32:04.360 Remember the story of the arrows. 00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:07.720 Just because you've been given three arrows, don't shoot three arrows. 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:09.880 The three arrows was just the beginning. 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:13.160 If we are beginning to understand favor, step into it. 00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:16.120 If you don't know how to step into it, follow those who know it. 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:20.920 Learn from those who are walking in this place of, 00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:23.400 oh God, I know how to access further. 00:32:23.400 --> 00:32:25.720 Oh God, I can see things I've never seen. 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:29.320 Oh God, I'm experiencing you and knowing you like I've never known. 00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:30.200 Walk with them. 00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:35.320 It allows you to plumb the depths of God. 00:32:40.040 --> 00:32:46.440 It dares you into adventures you can never go ask for if I don't know this sense of favor. 00:32:51.560 --> 00:32:54.840 Because at the end of the day, if we don't walk like this, 00:32:54.840 --> 00:33:00.520 all we have is our talent, our gifts, our strength, our wealth, and that isn't distinctive. 00:33:00.520 --> 00:33:02.040 Your God is distinctive. 00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:07.320 What happens with Christians is they ask for favor in the area of, 00:33:07.320 --> 00:33:10.680 oh God, can you grant me favor so that my talents increase? 00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:13.000 Can you grant me favor so that my gifts increase? 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:15.480 Can you grant me favor so that my ministry increase? 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:19.320 Can you grant me favor so that my treasure increases? 00:33:19.320 --> 00:33:22.360 Can you grant me favor so that my strength increases? 00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:25.960 And God, because he is good, will grant you all that. 00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:30.200 But all you have to show at the end of the day is the very things 00:33:30.200 --> 00:33:34.040 that the world is competing for, desiring, and running after. 00:33:34.040 --> 00:33:36.200 And it is not distinctive. 00:33:38.040 --> 00:33:41.160 The only one who is distinctive is your God. 00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:47.560 And if you know his ways and if you are letting on his plans, 00:33:48.280 --> 00:33:51.400 now people will see presence. 00:33:53.880 --> 00:33:56.440 Otherwise, you'll be competing with the world. 00:33:56.440 --> 00:33:59.720 With an advantage, you work less while they work hard for it. 00:34:04.520 --> 00:34:07.320 And worse, once that becomes your idea of favor, 00:34:08.040 --> 00:34:11.800 you'll exchange it for trinkets and useless jewelry. 00:34:12.520 --> 00:34:16.120 You don't know how many ministries think the favor of God 00:34:16.120 --> 00:34:20.040 is receiving patronage from a king or a president or a rich man. 00:34:24.120 --> 00:34:25.640 That's not favor. 00:34:25.640 --> 00:34:28.840 That's mere flesh and blood giving you pocket money. 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:29.880 That's not favor. 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:33.160 That's mere flesh and blood giving you pocket money. 00:34:43.560 --> 00:34:44.920 I may have amazing gifts. 00:34:45.640 --> 00:34:47.320 I may be commissioned and sent. 00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:49.480 I may have a powerful ministry. 00:34:50.040 --> 00:34:53.240 But you may still not encounter his presence. 00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:55.640 And for that, I am sorry. 00:34:55.640 --> 00:35:05.080 One of the things I've decided is you must meet God when you meet with me. 00:35:07.640 --> 00:35:14.840 That there should be a tangible recognition, awareness of God 00:35:14.840 --> 00:35:18.440 that comes with the words and the time that you spend with me. 00:35:19.240 --> 00:35:22.360 And the same applies to you when you spend time with somebody else. 00:35:22.600 --> 00:35:25.880 What is the use if I give you great counsel, 00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:28.760 if I pray for you and your sickness gets healed, 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:32.920 if I commission you and release to you your destiny, 00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:36.280 if the way I minister is powerful, 00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:39.960 and you go away absolutely happy, really grateful to Jacob, 00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:42.760 never having encountered the presence of God? 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:46.520 I think that is living below our privilege. 00:35:52.600 --> 00:35:53.480 I may have amazing gifts. 00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:54.920 I may be commissioned and sent. 00:35:54.920 --> 00:35:56.200 I may have a powerful ministry. 00:35:56.200 --> 00:35:59.160 But if you have not encountered his presence 00:35:59.160 --> 00:36:02.040 in the time that you spend with me, then I am sorry. 00:36:02.040 --> 00:36:05.960 I am doing everything in my power to make sure that it changes. 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:13.320 Moses realizes this when he says in verse 15, 00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:17.320 if your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 00:36:17.320 --> 00:36:20.360 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people 00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:22.280 unless you go with us? 00:36:22.280 --> 00:36:24.680 What else will distinguish me and your people 00:36:24.680 --> 00:36:26.600 from all other people on the face of the earth? 00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:28.840 What is distinctive? 00:36:28.840 --> 00:36:30.920 We got nothing distinctive except his presence. 00:36:33.640 --> 00:36:37.400 And these are invisible things that must be seen through visible people. 00:36:38.040 --> 00:36:39.720 This is the shadow I must cast. 00:36:42.600 --> 00:36:43.240 Any questions? 00:36:43.240 --> 00:36:53.160 Cultivate favor and you will cultivate presence. 00:36:55.560 --> 00:36:58.200 Push into favor and you will cultivate presence. 00:36:58.200 --> 00:37:01.320 Push into favor and you will cultivate presence. 00:37:06.040 --> 00:37:07.000 I don't know if you remember. 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:08.200 Sorry, does someone have a question? 00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:25.560 Yes. 00:37:25.560 --> 00:37:30.760 How do we help people who are barely surviving, 00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:32.840 can hardly eat a meal a day? 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:35.400 How do we tell them about favor? 00:37:36.200 --> 00:37:39.640 One, we have to change their idea of favor as having three meals a day 00:37:39.640 --> 00:37:42.440 and should provide them three meals a day 00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:45.160 so that they can begin to run after the things 00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:48.280 that they've longed to run after but cannot on an empty stomach. 00:37:49.240 --> 00:37:50.680 So that's the first one. 00:37:50.680 --> 00:37:53.240 The first time I went to Nandigama, 00:37:53.240 --> 00:37:59.160 I talked about one of the questions that was asked of me by a kid, 00:37:59.160 --> 00:38:00.680 which I did not know how to answer. 00:38:00.680 --> 00:38:02.760 So I said, I'll come back to you tomorrow. 00:38:02.760 --> 00:38:04.440 It was a very professional answer. 00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:05.480 Whenever pastors say that, 00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:07.320 it's because they have no idea how to say it. 00:38:07.320 --> 00:38:08.760 So the kid asked the question, 00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:14.920 why is it that this rich father god has many poor children? 00:38:16.680 --> 00:38:18.920 Because I was telling them that this father, 00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:20.360 Jeevan, you remember this, right? 00:38:20.360 --> 00:38:23.560 I was telling them how good the father is, 00:38:23.560 --> 00:38:27.000 how the father has plenty. 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:29.000 And so this kid worded it so well. 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:35.480 How does a good rich father have so many poor children? 00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:36.760 I said, I'll get back to you tomorrow. 00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:38.120 We'll talk about it tomorrow. 00:38:38.120 --> 00:38:39.640 And then I went on, I was thinking, 00:38:39.640 --> 00:38:43.640 and I remember the answer that I sensed God giving. 00:38:43.640 --> 00:38:45.640 And I came back the next day and I said, 00:38:45.640 --> 00:38:48.760 this good father has many poor children 00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:51.080 because this good father's rich children 00:38:51.080 --> 00:38:53.000 do not share what they have with the poor. 00:38:55.160 --> 00:38:58.440 And this kid went back that evening 00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:01.720 and he had two shirts. 00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:05.880 And he had two shirts held together by one button 00:39:05.880 --> 00:39:07.160 and one safety pin. 00:39:07.160 --> 00:39:10.040 And there was another child who had a shirt 00:39:10.040 --> 00:39:12.440 with no buttons and no safety pins. 00:39:12.440 --> 00:39:14.600 And this kid takes one of his shirts 00:39:14.600 --> 00:39:16.520 with one button and one safety pin 00:39:16.520 --> 00:39:19.640 and gives it to the kid whose shirt was completely tattered. 00:39:19.640 --> 00:39:21.240 And the kid asks him why. 00:39:21.240 --> 00:39:23.640 And he says, didn't you hear what the pastor said? 00:39:23.640 --> 00:39:27.480 That the reason this good father has poor children 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:30.440 is because the ones that are rich do not go to church. 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:32.200 The ones that are rich do not give 00:39:32.200 --> 00:39:33.320 to the ones that are poor. 00:39:33.320 --> 00:39:34.760 I got two, here take one. 00:39:45.560 --> 00:39:48.840 One of the things we must do is free people to pursue God. 00:39:48.840 --> 00:39:53.320 If that means money and feeding, then so be it. 00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:56.280 So how can just 50 of us take care of them? 00:39:56.280 --> 00:39:59.160 50 of us can at least take care of 250 easily. 00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:05.440 It can be tangible, but nobody knows it when it's on you. 00:40:16.280 --> 00:40:17.960 But I know that it is on me right now, 00:40:17.960 --> 00:40:21.240 even though I might have no extra money in my pocket. 00:40:21.240 --> 00:40:22.960 See, the thing is, we always think 00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:25.000 that we have to go get it. 00:40:25.000 --> 00:40:26.840 God is saying, I've already given it. 00:40:26.840 --> 00:40:29.760 Keep stepping into it further and further. 00:40:29.760 --> 00:40:31.840 Our problem as New Testament Christians 00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:34.120 is we are looking for favor. 00:40:34.120 --> 00:40:36.560 When he's saying, but it is already upon you. 00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:40.680 And then when we realize it's already upon us, 00:40:40.680 --> 00:40:43.960 what we do is we settle in it. 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:45.760 It's like being in the parking lot. 00:40:45.760 --> 00:40:49.440 And God is saying, but that favor is parking lot favor. 00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:51.200 Do you want to come into the house? 00:40:52.440 --> 00:40:54.280 And then he begins to show you his house 00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:55.800 and it's one door after the other, 00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:57.240 one door after the other. 00:40:57.240 --> 00:40:59.080 Just when you thought you got to the den, 00:40:59.080 --> 00:41:02.400 you realize that's the kennel where the dog lives. 00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:04.200 And then he shows you another room 00:41:04.200 --> 00:41:05.880 and it just keeps getting bigger. 00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:08.480 And as you get bigger, you see the different things 00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:12.000 that he is good at, that he does, that he has for you. 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:15.520 And the further you begin to access the favor 00:41:15.520 --> 00:41:17.920 that your father has upon you, 00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:21.160 the greater you realize his presence around you, 00:41:21.160 --> 00:41:23.120 the greater you realize the responsibilities 00:41:23.120 --> 00:41:24.840 you are beginning to function in. 00:41:30.080 --> 00:41:31.920 Let me give you an example. 00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:36.440 I'm just trying to make this as non-abstract as possible. 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:38.760 When I first met Eddie, 00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:40.960 Eddie would have conversations with me 00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:42.640 and he would teach me stuff. 00:41:43.800 --> 00:41:47.040 After three years, Eddie started giving me his notes. 00:41:47.040 --> 00:41:48.920 He would email me his notes. 00:41:48.920 --> 00:41:51.960 After five years, he took his entire binder 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:55.560 and gave it to me, saying, all these notes are yours. 00:41:55.560 --> 00:41:58.480 After six years, he invited me home. 00:41:59.800 --> 00:42:03.320 I stayed in his house multiple times. 00:42:04.200 --> 00:42:08.760 By the eighth year, he asked me to come to South Africa 00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:11.720 because he wanted to take me on a road trip. 00:42:11.720 --> 00:42:13.040 He didn't go with his sons. 00:42:15.120 --> 00:42:16.760 He's got two sons and a daughter. 00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:22.120 And he set aside time and we drove for three days 00:42:22.120 --> 00:42:24.280 from one part of South Africa to the other, 00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:28.240 from Wellcome to Cape Town, stopping at different places 00:42:28.240 --> 00:42:31.400 where he began to share what he did there many years ago, 00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:35.960 what happens here, and we traveled for three and a half days. 00:42:35.960 --> 00:42:38.640 And Paul, his son, told me that he's been looking forward 00:42:38.640 --> 00:42:41.120 to this and he doesn't do this with too many. 00:42:41.120 --> 00:42:42.800 He's only done it with us. 00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:44.600 You must realize what is happening. 00:42:46.120 --> 00:42:50.960 But over a period of time, that man began to let me 00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:54.760 into his life, into his home, into the places 00:42:54.760 --> 00:42:57.680 that he would not otherwise let people in 00:42:57.680 --> 00:43:00.760 because he wanted to know the favor I carried. 00:43:00.760 --> 00:43:02.800 And as I got to know him better, 00:43:02.800 --> 00:43:05.000 I began to learn things much easier. 00:43:06.120 --> 00:43:08.840 I now realize why he said what he said 00:43:08.840 --> 00:43:11.160 and what was behind his thinking. 00:43:11.160 --> 00:43:12.880 I got richer in the process. 00:43:18.360 --> 00:43:21.560 To the point now that he steps back 00:43:21.560 --> 00:43:24.040 so that I can step ahead and speak 00:43:24.040 --> 00:43:26.200 when he's being called to speak. 00:43:26.200 --> 00:43:27.040 Hey, George. 00:43:28.520 --> 00:43:30.920 This is how favor works. 00:43:30.920 --> 00:43:32.680 Do you understand what I mean now? 00:43:35.280 --> 00:43:36.800 You begin to imitate him. 00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:44.440 I love this next line. 00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:48.200 I shared it when I spoke about favor some four weeks ago. 00:43:48.200 --> 00:43:51.360 Favor is the fullness of permission. 00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:54.160 Favor is the fullness of permission. 00:43:54.200 --> 00:43:58.400 You actually adventure into everything in Christ. 00:43:58.400 --> 00:44:00.640 Favor is the fullness of permission. 00:44:00.640 --> 00:44:03.520 Favor is the fullness of permission. 00:44:03.520 --> 00:44:06.520 Favor means, hey, Jacob, you got permission 00:44:06.520 --> 00:44:08.200 to roam wherever you want. 00:44:08.200 --> 00:44:10.000 Here is my key. 00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:12.560 Here is my buzzer code. 00:44:13.880 --> 00:44:17.440 Here is what you need to come into the house. 00:44:18.800 --> 00:44:21.000 You can open the freezer, the fridge. 00:44:21.000 --> 00:44:24.080 You already know my PIN code to the laptop anyways. 00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:25.840 So here. 00:44:28.200 --> 00:44:29.040 That's called favor. 00:44:32.520 --> 00:44:34.160 And you're supposed to take advantage of it. 00:44:36.480 --> 00:44:38.400 You must take advantage of it. 00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:39.720 You must go to the fridge and open 00:44:39.720 --> 00:44:41.520 and take whatever you want out of it. 00:44:41.520 --> 00:44:44.320 Even though it was someone else's birthday cake, 00:44:44.320 --> 00:44:45.840 you consume it. 00:44:45.840 --> 00:44:47.440 You must take advantage of it. 00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:49.880 Favor is the fullness of permission. 00:44:49.880 --> 00:44:52.640 You actually adventure into everything in Christ. 00:44:52.640 --> 00:44:55.320 But unfortunately, few of us choose to contend 00:44:55.320 --> 00:44:58.200 till daybreak and ask the impossible of God. 00:44:58.200 --> 00:45:02.040 Few of us choose to contend till daybreak 00:45:02.040 --> 00:45:03.800 and ask God for the impossible. 00:45:03.800 --> 00:45:05.720 Guys, once God allows you in, 00:45:05.720 --> 00:45:09.200 he wants to see how interested you are. 00:45:09.200 --> 00:45:11.960 He wants to see how interested you are. 00:45:12.920 --> 00:45:15.640 He wants to see how interested you are. 00:45:20.760 --> 00:45:22.440 It's like the Elijah, Elisha thing. 00:45:22.440 --> 00:45:24.280 I'll give you a few examples of people 00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:26.360 who were not scared to ask 00:45:26.360 --> 00:45:29.080 because of the favor they knew they had. 00:45:29.080 --> 00:45:30.840 What are you asking for? 00:45:30.840 --> 00:45:31.800 What are you asking for? 00:45:31.800 --> 00:45:33.800 And please don't say money. 00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:35.120 Please don't say promotion. 00:45:35.120 --> 00:45:36.400 Please don't say house. 00:45:36.400 --> 00:45:37.560 Please don't say business. 00:45:37.560 --> 00:45:38.840 Please don't say wealth 00:45:38.840 --> 00:45:41.160 because that is what the world runs after. 00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:47.960 You look at the people in the Bible 00:45:50.160 --> 00:45:52.160 who had favor and asked for stuff, 00:45:52.160 --> 00:45:54.080 they asked for hard things, 00:45:55.240 --> 00:45:59.120 usually for generations forward, 00:45:59.120 --> 00:46:01.720 or usually because God had promised something, 00:46:01.720 --> 00:46:05.320 or usually because they wanted something from God 00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:07.960 that no man on earth had gotten before. 00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:10.880 What are you asking for? 00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:13.800 What have you seen from your vantage, 00:46:16.240 --> 00:46:18.720 from your perch, from your favor perch, 00:46:18.720 --> 00:46:21.440 what have you seen about God? 00:46:21.440 --> 00:46:23.000 And if you haven't seen it yet, 00:46:23.000 --> 00:46:25.320 isn't it time to go and start looking? 00:46:26.520 --> 00:46:29.120 In Exodus 33, verse 11, 00:46:29.120 --> 00:46:32.480 it's such a cool scripture. 00:46:32.480 --> 00:46:35.040 It says, and Moses would exit the tent 00:46:35.040 --> 00:46:38.920 and people would stand and watch while he left the tent, 00:46:38.920 --> 00:46:40.960 but there was one man called Joshua. 00:46:42.120 --> 00:46:43.320 I'm just getting excited. 00:46:45.560 --> 00:46:47.520 But there was one man called Joshua 00:46:47.520 --> 00:46:49.120 and he would not leave the tent. 00:46:50.120 --> 00:46:52.280 He knew what it was to stand there 00:46:52.280 --> 00:46:55.440 and watch this God that Moses had just spoken to 00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:58.000 and Moses would come out his face blazing 00:46:58.000 --> 00:47:00.440 and Joshua would sit and scratch his head saying, 00:47:00.440 --> 00:47:03.040 how in the world does this happen? 00:47:03.040 --> 00:47:05.120 My God, a day was coming when he would begin 00:47:05.120 --> 00:47:06.840 to see the same God. 00:47:06.880 --> 00:47:09.200 He actually sees him in Joshua chapter five. 00:47:10.560 --> 00:47:12.160 So the question is, Jacob, 00:47:12.160 --> 00:47:14.200 what have you seen from your vantage of favor, 00:47:14.200 --> 00:47:17.040 from your perch of favor like Joshua, what have you seen? 00:47:17.040 --> 00:47:19.800 And if you have seen something, what are you asking for? 00:47:19.800 --> 00:47:22.400 Because you cannot ask for what you have not seen. 00:47:32.680 --> 00:47:33.920 What are you asking for? 00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:36.280 What did Moses ask for? 00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:38.080 Exodus 33 verse 18. 00:47:39.360 --> 00:47:40.960 Do you know what he's asking for? 00:47:40.960 --> 00:47:42.560 He's asking the God of the universe, 00:47:42.560 --> 00:47:44.480 I wanna see your glory. 00:47:45.600 --> 00:47:46.920 Who does stuff like that? 00:47:47.920 --> 00:47:49.880 This is the same God who created the universe, 00:47:49.880 --> 00:47:52.480 the same God whose name you cannot take, 00:47:52.480 --> 00:47:54.480 the same God whose name you cannot write, 00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:58.240 the same God who is so holy that you cannot approach him. 00:48:02.560 --> 00:48:05.160 And he goes and says to this God, show me your glory. 00:48:06.120 --> 00:48:06.960 Go ahead. 00:48:14.960 --> 00:48:16.520 I'm not talking about visible seeing, 00:48:16.520 --> 00:48:20.400 Moses knows God by now, he's seen something about God. 00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:23.480 It's not visible seeing, it is, 00:48:23.480 --> 00:48:26.280 ah God, what else is there in you? 00:48:26.280 --> 00:48:28.400 It's reading Hebrews 11 and saying, 00:48:28.400 --> 00:48:30.720 okay, if those guys were able to do this, 00:48:30.720 --> 00:48:32.320 what am I supposed to do next? 00:48:32.320 --> 00:48:34.680 It is saying that if the New Testament 00:48:34.680 --> 00:48:37.440 was water up to the ankles, water up to the knees, 00:48:37.440 --> 00:48:39.720 then what is it when water is up to the waist, 00:48:39.720 --> 00:48:42.040 or water is up to the forehead? 00:48:42.040 --> 00:48:42.880 What is it like? 00:48:47.600 --> 00:48:52.600 We are not here to recapture the New Testament days. 00:48:52.600 --> 00:48:53.920 Those are days in the past. 00:48:56.280 --> 00:48:59.680 Everyone wants to go back to the New Testament days, 00:48:59.680 --> 00:49:01.760 go back to the New Testament days. 00:49:01.760 --> 00:49:04.440 Oh, if we had miracles like in the New Testament days, 00:49:04.440 --> 00:49:06.080 that's in the past. 00:49:06.080 --> 00:49:08.240 As the water gets further away from the throne, 00:49:08.240 --> 00:49:09.280 it's supposed to increase, 00:49:09.280 --> 00:49:11.920 then you cannot even swim in it, walk in it, 00:49:11.920 --> 00:49:13.200 you can only swim in it. 00:49:17.120 --> 00:49:19.720 If in the latter days, things are supposed to increase, 00:49:19.720 --> 00:49:21.360 then we don't have to go to the former days 00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:23.720 to look at what increase is like. 00:49:30.680 --> 00:49:31.520 What are you asking for? 00:49:31.520 --> 00:49:32.640 What have you seen? 00:49:32.640 --> 00:49:34.240 Moses asked for the glory of God. 00:49:34.240 --> 00:49:38.520 Aksa, A-C-S-A-H, it's a cool name for a daughter, 00:49:38.520 --> 00:49:39.520 after Aletheia. 00:49:40.640 --> 00:49:44.440 Aksa was the daughter of Caleb. 00:49:46.520 --> 00:49:50.440 And she tells her husband, Othniel, 00:49:50.440 --> 00:49:54.640 hey, my dad is coming, he's given us land, 00:49:54.640 --> 00:49:56.840 but it isn't the Negev and it's a desert. 00:49:56.840 --> 00:49:59.240 Why don't you ask for some streams of water? 00:49:59.920 --> 00:50:01.480 Because if you ask for streams of water, 00:50:01.480 --> 00:50:04.400 this land can be irrigated, but Othniel doesn't. 00:50:04.400 --> 00:50:07.000 So Aksa takes advantage of the favor 00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:12.000 that she has with her father and asks for streams of water, 00:50:12.200 --> 00:50:15.480 and it irrigates the land that has been allocated to them 00:50:15.480 --> 00:50:19.320 for an inheritance, and it continues through the ages. 00:50:19.320 --> 00:50:21.200 Look at Caleb. 00:50:21.200 --> 00:50:23.320 I love what Caleb does in Joshua 14. 00:50:23.320 --> 00:50:25.960 Aksa was in Joshua 15. 00:50:25.960 --> 00:50:28.120 Caleb is in Joshua 14, verse 12. 00:50:28.160 --> 00:50:29.880 40 years ago, God had promised me 00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:31.160 that he would give me this land. 00:50:31.160 --> 00:50:34.160 So I remember that promise now, and please, Joshua, 00:50:34.160 --> 00:50:36.440 could you now give me those hills? 00:50:36.440 --> 00:50:38.280 Those are the hills where the Anak dwell. 00:50:38.280 --> 00:50:40.920 Those are the very giants that caused Israel, 00:50:40.920 --> 00:50:43.640 without raising a finger, to abandon their inheritance. 00:50:43.640 --> 00:50:45.200 Now please give me those hills, 00:50:45.200 --> 00:50:47.560 because I want to teach those giants a lesson. 00:50:51.160 --> 00:50:53.560 Asking for the impossible happens only when I push 00:50:53.560 --> 00:50:56.560 into favor and see what God can do. 00:50:56.560 --> 00:50:59.640 Otherwise, you will always ask for the possible. 00:50:59.640 --> 00:51:01.080 Always ask for the possible. 00:51:06.800 --> 00:51:07.800 Or look at Elisha. 00:51:09.120 --> 00:51:09.920 What do you want? 00:51:09.920 --> 00:51:13.160 I want a double portion of the Spirit that is upon you. 00:51:13.160 --> 00:51:15.520 You have asked too hard a thing. 00:51:15.520 --> 00:51:17.320 That is Elijah's response. 00:51:17.320 --> 00:51:20.600 Elijah, who could do anything he wanted on earth, 00:51:20.600 --> 00:51:23.800 is now saying to Elisha, you've asked too hard a thing. 00:51:23.800 --> 00:51:25.880 How did Elisha know what to ask, man? 00:51:25.880 --> 00:51:29.120 You can ask for, Elijah, please, can I be like you? 00:51:29.120 --> 00:51:31.920 No, look at the audacity of this guy. 00:51:31.920 --> 00:51:32.760 I don't want to be like you, 00:51:32.760 --> 00:51:34.520 I want to be twice as good as you. 00:51:36.680 --> 00:51:38.120 Now you understand greed? 00:51:42.160 --> 00:51:45.160 But if you're this greedy, you better have a big stomach. 00:51:49.360 --> 00:51:51.480 And so he asks for a double portion. 00:51:52.480 --> 00:51:53.480 Look at Peter. 00:51:54.400 --> 00:51:59.400 Without knowing, Peter was always looking for that one 00:52:00.600 --> 00:52:02.040 thing that nobody else had done. 00:52:02.040 --> 00:52:04.600 Walk on water, well, nobody's done it, let me do it. 00:52:07.400 --> 00:52:10.280 Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, the Messiah, 00:52:10.280 --> 00:52:11.400 nobody else has said it. 00:52:11.400 --> 00:52:13.680 No one in the history of man has ever said that, 00:52:13.680 --> 00:52:14.800 let me say it. 00:52:14.800 --> 00:52:18.640 He had this ability to push the envelope 00:52:18.640 --> 00:52:20.280 when it came to God. 00:52:20.520 --> 00:52:22.800 Bartimaeus, I love what Bartimaeus does. 00:52:22.800 --> 00:52:25.360 He's sitting there, cannot see, 00:52:25.360 --> 00:52:27.240 and yet he hears this noise and his question is, 00:52:27.240 --> 00:52:28.080 what's happening? 00:52:28.080 --> 00:52:30.120 And they say, Jesus, the son of David, 00:52:30.120 --> 00:52:31.720 and he begins to holler, man. 00:52:32.680 --> 00:52:34.680 And Jesus asks him, what do you want? 00:52:34.680 --> 00:52:37.240 One of the things that happens when favor is upon you 00:52:37.240 --> 00:52:39.800 is if you are walking in favor, 00:52:39.800 --> 00:52:42.240 you will hear this question always from God. 00:52:42.240 --> 00:52:43.640 Hey, Jacob, what do you want? 00:52:44.840 --> 00:52:45.880 What do you want? 00:52:46.800 --> 00:52:48.040 What do you want, Jacob? 00:52:50.280 --> 00:52:51.120 What do you want? 00:52:55.120 --> 00:52:58.120 Whenever God says, what do you want, be like Solomon, huh? 00:52:59.800 --> 00:53:01.640 Don't ask for a little bit of wealth here, 00:53:01.640 --> 00:53:02.840 a few horses there. 00:53:04.200 --> 00:53:05.040 What do you want? 00:53:06.720 --> 00:53:11.560 And you can only ask if you have seen what God can give. 00:53:15.680 --> 00:53:18.080 I have permission to ask. 00:53:18.080 --> 00:53:20.480 I have permission to ask. 00:53:20.480 --> 00:53:22.920 I am intimately known. 00:53:22.920 --> 00:53:24.560 Guys, when I say this about me, 00:53:24.560 --> 00:53:26.640 you realize it's the same for you, right? 00:53:27.600 --> 00:53:29.280 But the reason I put I in my notes 00:53:29.280 --> 00:53:32.000 is because it becomes personal, it becomes real. 00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:33.840 I have permission to ask. 00:53:33.840 --> 00:53:35.600 I am intimately known. 00:53:36.920 --> 00:53:39.520 I am favored with holy pleasure. 00:53:41.000 --> 00:53:45.240 I am gloriously inhabited by the Holy Spirit. 00:53:45.240 --> 00:53:47.280 Just think of these words I'm saying. 00:53:47.280 --> 00:53:50.240 I have permission to ask. 00:53:51.600 --> 00:53:53.920 I am intimately known by God. 00:53:55.520 --> 00:53:58.200 I am favored with holy pleasure. 00:53:59.520 --> 00:54:02.360 I'm gloriously inhabited by His Spirit. 00:54:03.400 --> 00:54:05.960 Therefore, now I must stand in this freedom 00:54:05.960 --> 00:54:07.960 and look to see and dare to ask. 00:54:09.640 --> 00:54:13.200 This is why Moses had the ability to then say, 00:54:13.200 --> 00:54:18.200 I will, oh God, show me your glory. 00:54:18.400 --> 00:54:20.240 And God obliges it. 00:54:20.240 --> 00:54:22.760 I'll cause my goodness to pass in front of you. 00:54:22.760 --> 00:54:25.600 I will proclaim my name, the Lord in your presence. 00:54:25.600 --> 00:54:27.720 I will have mercy on who I will have mercy. 00:54:27.720 --> 00:54:29.400 But he said, you cannot see my face. 00:54:29.400 --> 00:54:32.280 The beautiful thing is verse 18 to 23 00:54:32.280 --> 00:54:34.680 has been made redundant by Jesus. 00:54:34.680 --> 00:54:38.920 Verse 18 to 23 has been made redundant by Jesus 00:54:38.920 --> 00:54:41.120 because Jesus is the face of God. 00:54:41.120 --> 00:54:42.520 Jesus is the glory of God. 00:54:42.520 --> 00:54:44.160 Jesus is the goodness of God. 00:54:44.160 --> 00:54:45.640 Jesus lives in me. 00:54:45.640 --> 00:54:47.640 Jesus, I live with Jesus. 00:54:47.640 --> 00:54:51.280 I mean, Moses, my relationship with God 00:54:51.280 --> 00:54:53.320 is not a back to face relationship. 00:54:53.320 --> 00:54:56.000 It's a face to face relationship. 00:54:56.000 --> 00:54:57.640 With Moses, God had to say, listen, 00:54:57.640 --> 00:54:58.680 you can't look at my face. 00:54:58.680 --> 00:55:00.440 I'll have to cover you with my hand. 00:55:00.440 --> 00:55:03.520 And as I pass by, you will see my back. 00:55:03.520 --> 00:55:04.920 This is not how we live. 00:55:08.440 --> 00:55:11.000 Jesus is the face of God. 00:55:11.040 --> 00:55:12.640 Jesus is the glory of God. 00:55:12.640 --> 00:55:14.360 Jesus is the goodness of God. 00:55:14.360 --> 00:55:16.640 You go to Hebrews 1, 3, I love this verse. 00:55:16.640 --> 00:55:17.840 It's so full. 00:55:18.720 --> 00:55:20.360 Hebrews chapter one, verse three. 00:55:20.360 --> 00:55:22.720 And it says in Hebrews one, verse three, 00:55:22.720 --> 00:55:26.920 the son, as in Jesus, is the radiance of God's glory 00:55:26.920 --> 00:55:31.680 and the exact representation of his being, 00:55:31.680 --> 00:55:34.520 sustaining all things by his powerful word. 00:55:36.200 --> 00:55:38.480 The exact representation of God's being, 00:55:38.480 --> 00:55:40.080 the radiance of God's glory. 00:55:40.080 --> 00:55:44.760 You go to Colossians 1, 15 in the message. 00:55:44.760 --> 00:55:47.600 Colossians 1, 15 in the message. 00:55:48.760 --> 00:55:51.080 Look at what it says, Colossians 1, 15. 00:55:55.320 --> 00:55:59.080 And it says there, the message. 00:55:59.080 --> 00:56:01.920 It says, we look at this son 00:56:01.920 --> 00:56:04.320 and see the God who cannot be seen. 00:56:04.320 --> 00:56:06.160 We look at this son 00:56:06.160 --> 00:56:09.320 and see God's original purpose in everything created. 00:56:10.280 --> 00:56:14.640 Guys, a time will come where if you begin to push into favor, 00:56:14.640 --> 00:56:18.680 you will see how God actually wanted things to be in Eden 00:56:18.680 --> 00:56:21.120 and you will begin to walk like that. 00:56:22.640 --> 00:56:23.480 Selah. 00:56:24.760 --> 00:56:25.600 Ponder on that. 00:56:29.640 --> 00:56:30.880 Stray children, 00:56:30.880 --> 00:56:33.200 you are not going to be able to walk like that. 00:56:33.200 --> 00:56:35.200 You are not going to be able to walk like that. 00:56:35.200 --> 00:56:37.400 You are not going to be able to walk like that. 00:56:38.400 --> 00:56:42.080 Strange thing is now God lives in me, Colossians 1, 27. 00:56:43.200 --> 00:56:45.480 Hope of glory Christ in me. 00:56:45.480 --> 00:56:46.640 And I live with him. 00:56:46.640 --> 00:56:49.160 He lives in me, I live with him. 00:56:49.160 --> 00:56:52.240 Ephesians 2, 6, seated with Christ. 00:56:55.960 --> 00:56:57.040 Let me conclude. 00:56:58.560 --> 00:57:00.760 Today, there's nothing between me and God. 00:57:01.880 --> 00:57:03.160 Nothing between me and God. 00:57:03.160 --> 00:57:05.960 No veil, no interruptions. 00:57:07.520 --> 00:57:08.960 Nothing between me and God. 00:57:10.240 --> 00:57:12.720 Face to face with Christ every day 00:57:12.720 --> 00:57:14.840 through the word and through his spirit 00:57:14.840 --> 00:57:15.880 and with his people. 00:57:16.720 --> 00:57:18.880 Christ is revealed through these three things, guys. 00:57:18.880 --> 00:57:22.480 Always remember, you miss out on any one of these things 00:57:22.480 --> 00:57:25.280 and you will miss out on the Christ. 00:57:28.280 --> 00:57:30.680 Today, there is nothing between God and me 00:57:30.680 --> 00:57:35.000 that is preventing absolute pushing into. 00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:37.320 Nothing between me and God. 00:57:37.320 --> 00:57:40.880 Face to face with Christ every day through his word, 00:57:42.360 --> 00:57:46.240 by his spirit, and with his people. 00:57:46.240 --> 00:57:51.240 And you choose to abandon any one of these 00:57:52.680 --> 00:57:55.240 and you will not be able to see 00:57:55.240 --> 00:57:58.440 the unconcealed glory of Christ anymore. 00:57:58.440 --> 00:58:00.240 Just think of that for a second, guys. 00:58:00.240 --> 00:58:04.000 Through his word, by his spirit, and with his people. 00:58:04.080 --> 00:58:08.040 And if you choose not to participate in one of these, 00:58:08.040 --> 00:58:09.760 you do not see the unconcealed. 00:58:09.760 --> 00:58:10.920 It's no longer concealed, 00:58:10.920 --> 00:58:13.600 but you still will not see the unconcealed glory of Christ 00:58:13.600 --> 00:58:15.400 if you miss out on any one of these. 00:58:18.400 --> 00:58:19.400 Nothing between me and God. 00:58:19.400 --> 00:58:22.080 Face to face with Christ every day through the word, 00:58:22.080 --> 00:58:24.040 by the spirit, with his people. 00:58:24.040 --> 00:58:27.920 And I can now begin to contemplate his brilliance, 00:58:28.760 --> 00:58:32.520 his excellence, his goodness, his splendor. 00:58:33.520 --> 00:58:37.840 And as I contemplate, as I think, as I reflect, 00:58:37.840 --> 00:58:42.840 as I chew, as I sing, I am transformed by the Holy Spirit. 00:58:44.200 --> 00:58:46.920 I am transformed by the Holy Spirit. 00:58:46.920 --> 00:58:50.640 My life becoming brighter and more beautiful, like Christ's. 00:58:50.640 --> 00:58:52.440 Don't worry, if you didn't write that down, 00:58:52.440 --> 00:58:55.440 go to 2 Corinthians 3.18 and read the message version. 00:58:55.440 --> 00:58:59.440 I just quoted 2 Corinthians 3.18 from the message. 00:58:59.440 --> 00:59:00.480 That's all I was doing. 00:59:02.520 --> 00:59:03.840 So here's the equation. 00:59:06.640 --> 00:59:11.640 I pray, God, that you will think about it and explore it. 00:59:11.640 --> 00:59:15.040 And if necessary, ask questions you may have. 00:59:17.040 --> 00:59:22.040 Push into the favor that Christ is the Lord. 00:59:22.760 --> 00:59:27.760 Push into the favor 00:59:31.520 --> 00:59:34.840 that is already 00:59:38.200 --> 00:59:41.320 yours because of Christ. 00:59:42.400 --> 00:59:45.560 Push into the favor that is already yours 00:59:45.560 --> 00:59:47.000 because of Christ. 00:59:47.000 --> 00:59:48.240 What is favor? 00:59:48.240 --> 00:59:50.840 It is an I am pleased with you. 00:59:51.000 --> 00:59:53.920 You are special to me, Jacob, position 00:59:53.920 --> 00:59:57.360 that I occupy with God because of Christ. 00:59:58.640 --> 01:00:00.000 Push into that favor. 01:00:01.800 --> 01:00:03.400 Engage it, inquire. 01:00:04.320 --> 01:00:07.840 Have an assured grasp of you have said. 01:00:08.960 --> 01:00:11.920 Contend, like Abraham, like Jacob. 01:00:13.960 --> 01:00:15.720 It's the fullness of permission. 01:00:15.720 --> 01:00:17.400 Push into the favor. 01:00:17.400 --> 01:00:19.840 That's step one. 01:00:19.840 --> 01:00:22.400 When you do that, you will become 01:00:24.760 --> 01:00:25.920 very conscious 01:00:29.520 --> 01:00:30.760 of his presence. 01:00:37.280 --> 01:00:40.480 Because pushing into favor is exploring God. 01:00:40.480 --> 01:00:42.920 It is because as soon as you begin to push into favor, 01:00:42.920 --> 01:00:45.080 God says, okay, I'll teach you my ways 01:00:45.080 --> 01:00:47.080 and I'll let you in on my plans. 01:00:47.080 --> 01:00:50.960 I'll teach you my ways and I'll let you in on my plans. 01:00:57.000 --> 01:01:00.640 You know the guy who started that 01:01:00.640 --> 01:01:03.360 whole line of things, Hello Kitty? 01:01:04.360 --> 01:01:06.320 You guys won't know about it. 01:01:06.320 --> 01:01:07.560 Okay. 01:01:07.560 --> 01:01:09.000 It's a Japanese thingy. 01:01:09.880 --> 01:01:12.880 He started this simple line and he's made billions 01:01:12.880 --> 01:01:14.120 because of it. 01:01:14.120 --> 01:01:16.520 Yesterday he retired at 92. 01:01:17.880 --> 01:01:21.960 And so his 39 year old grandson is taking over the company. 01:01:21.960 --> 01:01:24.800 But you think this man won't teach his grandson 01:01:24.800 --> 01:01:26.760 how to run the company? 01:01:26.760 --> 01:01:28.800 He's still healthy at 92. 01:01:28.800 --> 01:01:29.720 Built it. 01:01:29.720 --> 01:01:31.200 Now he's giving it over to his grandson 01:01:31.200 --> 01:01:32.520 and his grandson will run the company. 01:01:32.520 --> 01:01:33.840 He's 39 years old. 01:01:33.840 --> 01:01:36.440 But in the process, he's gonna teach him. 01:01:36.440 --> 01:01:38.520 Teach him the ways, let him in on plans he had 01:01:38.520 --> 01:01:42.000 and then allow the son to dare to change and ask. 01:01:42.000 --> 01:01:44.560 And this is on a very human level. 01:01:44.560 --> 01:01:46.360 We're talking about a very different level 01:01:46.360 --> 01:01:47.640 where as you push into favor, 01:01:47.640 --> 01:01:49.600 you become very conscious of his presence 01:01:49.600 --> 01:01:52.480 because he's letting you in on his plans. 01:01:52.480 --> 01:01:54.160 He's teaching you his ways. 01:01:54.160 --> 01:01:56.080 Can you imagine what'll happen to you? 01:01:56.960 --> 01:01:58.520 And as that begins to happen, 01:01:59.880 --> 01:02:04.760 your eyes are wide open. 01:02:05.880 --> 01:02:09.800 Your eyes are wide open to, 01:02:09.800 --> 01:02:14.480 your eyes are wide open to his unconcealed glory. 01:02:17.320 --> 01:02:19.360 To his unconcealed glory. 01:02:22.200 --> 01:02:25.280 Your eyes are wide open to his unconcealed glory 01:02:27.320 --> 01:02:28.760 and goodness. 01:02:28.760 --> 01:02:32.000 As in, now that you know his presence, 01:02:32.000 --> 01:02:36.720 my God, man, your eyes pop open to how good he is. 01:02:36.720 --> 01:02:40.320 Because everywhere you go, you realize what he can do. 01:02:46.360 --> 01:02:49.360 There were many times during that road trip with Eddie 01:02:49.360 --> 01:02:52.200 that I would secretly look out of the window and weep 01:02:52.200 --> 01:02:54.160 because this man was not my dad. 01:02:54.160 --> 01:02:57.320 But the kindness he was showing me, 01:02:57.320 --> 01:02:58.800 the places that he would take me to 01:02:58.800 --> 01:03:02.000 because he knows how much I love mountains and beaches, 01:03:02.000 --> 01:03:06.040 the fish and chips place and the breakfast places 01:03:06.040 --> 01:03:07.640 that he would stop at because he knows 01:03:07.640 --> 01:03:09.680 I like eggs and french fries. 01:03:09.680 --> 01:03:12.120 And he would take me to the restaurant 01:03:12.120 --> 01:03:13.600 and he would take me to the restaurant 01:03:13.720 --> 01:03:15.800 because he knows I like eggs and french fries. 01:03:20.200 --> 01:03:22.160 Places in Cape Town that he took me to. 01:03:23.120 --> 01:03:24.520 I'd look away because I was thinking to myself, 01:03:24.520 --> 01:03:26.720 this will be silly, he'll wonder why I'm crying. 01:03:26.720 --> 01:03:29.880 But it was quite something and he paid for the entire trip, 01:03:29.880 --> 01:03:31.640 he wouldn't let me spend a dollar. 01:03:32.680 --> 01:03:35.280 All to say, your eyes are wide open 01:03:35.280 --> 01:03:38.680 to his unconcealed glory and his goodness. 01:03:44.400 --> 01:03:47.120 That then results in you being transformed 01:03:51.040 --> 01:03:52.400 into his likeness. 01:03:58.040 --> 01:04:01.680 Because you start beholding him on a regular basis. 01:04:01.680 --> 01:04:04.880 You can't take your eyes off him 01:04:04.880 --> 01:04:07.680 because he's become the biggest distraction in your life. 01:04:07.920 --> 01:04:10.920 And when you are transformed into his likeness, 01:04:10.920 --> 01:04:15.920 the world benefits every day. 01:04:21.280 --> 01:04:23.040 Okay, I'm concluding, Phoebe. 01:04:25.920 --> 01:04:28.720 Tell her to delay that thing by another 20 minutes 01:04:28.720 --> 01:04:30.360 because I normally go till four. 01:04:31.640 --> 01:04:34.120 So that's how it works. 01:04:34.280 --> 01:04:37.160 So that's how it works. 01:04:38.040 --> 01:04:38.880 Any questions? 01:04:47.760 --> 01:04:52.240 This teaching is marvelous if you explore it. 01:04:53.640 --> 01:04:56.840 It is very good if you don't explore it. 01:04:56.840 --> 01:04:58.560 It's brilliant if you explore it. 01:04:59.560 --> 01:05:04.560 Because you can really go deep if you take this, 01:05:04.560 --> 01:05:08.560 deep not in some theology, but just deep into God, 01:05:08.560 --> 01:05:11.160 if you actually took it and started thinking about it.