The Wind of God’s Favor  

Finding God’s

Joy

in Your Life

Comes When You Learn

to Give God

the Glory

7 Steps to finding God’s favor in your life and

Experiencing HIS ultimate JOY!

                    WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

SUMMARY OF STEPS:    

Step One –

         Changing Our Prayers………………..………

Step Two –

          Changing Our View of Afflictions…….….…

Step Three –

         Discovering How

          Pain & Suffering can bring God Glory….…..

Summary………………………………………….

          Actions List

Step Four –

         Defining Our Joy…..………………………....

Step Five –

         Grasping the Concept of God’s Joy.…….…...

Step Six –

         Confirming

          Our Obedience Brings God Joy…….…..…..

Step Seven –

         Realizing

         Our Relationships Bring God Joy………..…

Receiving the Miracle of God’s Joy

         How God’s Joy Fills Us……….....……..….

Singing for Joy of Heart

          The Results of God’s Glory

         Is a Singing Servant………………………...

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Step One  is Changing our Prayers

  #1) Change How You Pray for Salvation and Concerns for Others

Most of us pray for others because of our own personal desires of wanting to make or see their lives better.  I think, as humans, we all want what is good for the people we love, including their lives to be happy and prosperous.

My first lesson in discovering God’s joy was learning, while in this life and on this earth, which is our adversary’s domain, (VERSE #1) we need to pray for God’s mercy and salvation in other’s lives ultimately for our God to receive the glory.

In other words, instead of praying for others, so we can “feel better” about their life’s journey and their eternal destiny, we should seek to pray so their lives will be used to glorify our God. “God, please work in ______’s life so that he/ she will live life giving you the glory, so he/she may honor You, Lord, with their lives.”

Life is not about us “feeling good”. We will all have our share of earthly sorrow, but we also know our God will eventually wipe it all away. (VERSE #2). Once we understand our lives are about giving God the glory, this change in prayer for others is one step that will eventually lead to our peace “beyond all understanding” (VERSE #3)!

WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

# 1-   I Peter 5:8 “ Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour”

# 2-  Revelation 21:3 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”

# 3- Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

 ____________________________________________________________________  

Step Two is learning to look at the world through our Spiritual Eyes,

                  to see God uses afflictions, and physical challenges as an                

                  opportunity, so that we may show God’s glory.

#2) Change How you View and Justify Physical Afflictions

When we see someone, or meet someone, or think of others who have physical issues and problems, beyond their control, we often wonder “WHY, does our God allow this?” As I have learned to trust God in His Word and sovereign reign in my life, my thoughts have searched for understanding how people live with these challenges. As believers, we live in hope of one day, being without physical barriers (VERSE #4). We admire the fortitude of people who are affected and pray for our own protection from such “difficulties”.

This thinking explains why “God’s ways are not our ways” and “His thoughts are not our thoughts” (VERSE #5). Our perfect God explains to us as he communicated with Moses in

Exodus 4:11 “And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?

 Yes, He is our perfect Creator, who has a perfect plan. Through our existence, God carries out His perfect will in our lives. (VERSE #6).

As humans, we still question “why”, and with our minute understanding of sin and its consequences, we ponder God’s goodness.  When Jesus was asked about a man’s sin, God again explains in

 John 9:3 “Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest unto him.”

Our perfect God does not intervene to satisfy our view of being perfect now, while in our earthly bodies, but as we change our view on physical afflictions, we must realize it is once again an opportunity to give glory to our Maker, and most importantly the “keeper of our soul” (VERSE #7).

# 4 - 1Corinthians 15:44 “It is sown a natural body: it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body”

# 5 - Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord”

# 6 - Romans 12:2 “And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

# 7- I Peter 4:19 “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator”

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Step Three is understanding pain and suffering are meant to turn us  

                    to God, to test our faith, and to teach us to cling to the

                     only One who can give us comfort. Our God will give us

                     “His” joy if we focus and give Him the glory!

   #3) Discover how Pain and Suffering can bring God Glory

Many of us understand and have read the verses in Corinthians explaining how our tribulations and trials can be used to relate to and comfort others. We comfort, whereby we are comforted. (VERSE #8)

Yes, God wants us to comfort one another. We all have examples of how we have been used in this way to comfort others. Personally, we know we have found comfort in our Saviour’s Holy Spirit who intercedes for us. (VERSE #9).

The fact is we all have pain and will experience internal sufferings from experiences while on this earth. The question is “where do we turn?’ Some people turn to drugs, alcohol, medication, food, friends, even shopping, etc.. It is beyond our human thought process as to why “God allows bad things to happen to good people?”

When we realize our God allows the consequences of sin (not necessarily personal- but rather, sin as a whole, as our human condition) to work His perfect will in our lives, once again this challenges us in our hearts. This reaches the very core of who we are in Him. Our life experiences are full of pain and it is our choice how we respond.

His provision for our comfort is beyond all that we can comprehend

 IF we turn and give Him the glory, in all situations. 

 WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

# 8 –  II Corinthians 1:4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we   may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God”

# 9 – Romans 8:26 “ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what to pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”

To summarize:

So far, we are realizing that our prayers for salvation, physical afflictions, and where we turn in pain

are all to be viewed as opportunities

                                               to give God the GLORY!

When we change our prayers, situational views, and accept life circumstances with a humble and glorious spirit in reverence to our Maker and sovereign God…

                                                  a miracle happens!

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Actions For You To Take:

·         Remember the “lion”

·         Remove yourself from the “drama”

·         Remove yourself from the emotional ties

·         Put your mind on Christ

·         Keep your thoughts on God

·         Remind yourself of the “spirit” world (our celestial bodies)

·         Constantly confirm in your heart

                    - your love for Christ

                    - your obedience to act

                    - your love for others is to show God’s glory

·         Remember

       God has us here for His Purpose and

       God is waiting for us to learn to give Him the Glory

These actions will settle your spirit, give you wisdom (knowledge of the mysteries of God), and heal your wounds.

I Peter 5:10

“ But the God of all grace,

who hath called us unto eternal glory by Christ Jesus,

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect, stablish, strengthen , settle you.”

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Step Four is defining our perception of JOY.

 #4) What is Joy?

When we think about being happy, what do we think about? Things, people, experiences, memories, security, future plans, etc…?

Did you know sometimes we may need to make a sacrifice to have a spirit of joy? Psalms 27: 6 “And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.”

How can joy be a sacrifice if it is a something we “feel” based on what we experience and think about?

In these verses God is explaining to us, when we are surrounded by our enemies (things that cause us unhappiness) we are to make a sacrifice of joy. We are to look up to Him, put joy in our hearts and honor Him with glory in our being.

Joy is not something we should wait for based on our circumstances, events, and experiences. True biblical joy is how we respond;

how we turn from our pain, a situation, an enemy, or a trial to praising and worshipping our God.

When we learn to seek and please our God, we will receive back from Him a “peace that passeth all understanding”.

Though I am not sure exactly how this works, I have simply come to resolve, somehow God uses our obedience of making a sacrifice of joy for Him, to give us something great in return.

            WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

   _________________________________________________________________________________

Step Five is grasping the thought, God “Joys” in His people

#5) Imagine God Rejoicing and Singing Over Us

              On my journey to understanding “Joy” my definition

              completely transformed to learning, life is not about our joy but

              rather God’s joy. I was enlightened to learn this amazing Bible

              truth. To imagine our God rejoicing and singing over us is a thought

              of remarkable magnitude.

               Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is

                almighty: He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy:

                He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing”

              What does His voice sound like?

              Maybe this is where the verse in Corinthians applies?

              I Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear           

               heard, neither have entered in to the heart of man, the things

               which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”

             The very thought of our God, the Maker and Creator of all,

              taking pleasure, rejoicing, and singing should be overwhelming to our

              souls. His love, grace and mercy are immense and far beyond

              measurement. (VERSE #10)

              We truly are a sweet savour unto Him (VERSE #11).

               Once we truly comprehend this bible truth, many verses come

               into proper perspective. We see our God’s plan confirmed in

               every word, in every experience, and we begin to trust and rest

               in our future path.

# 10 – Romans 8:39 “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

#11 – II Corinthians 2:15 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in                them that are saved , and in them that perish.”

               WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

 _____________________________________________________________________________________

Step Six is understanding offering up glory, sacrificial joy, and       

                  obedience brings God JOY.

#6)  Confirming our personal obedience brings God Joy

              As we mature in our relationship with Christ we strive to obey

              God and we know He takes pleasure in our obedience.

·         We then spend our lives seeking to honor Him and with a

       sense of doing justly, we follow and conform.(VERSE # 12)

·         We understand and desire to live a life whereby we are       

        pleasing our Lord, who also suffered and gave Himself                   

        as an example. (VERSE #13)

·         We strive to submit to Him in all areas of our lives, and we

        understand chastening and our loving Father’s care.     

         (VERSE #14).

             When we view our whole existence as an opportunity to please God,

             we start to understand how, we as individuals, can contribute to

             bringing God joy.

             This is why our “soul knoweth right well” (VERSE #15) Beyond our

             physical and emotional being, our soul and spirit must learn to submit

             to giving our God the glory.

# 12 - Micah 6:8 “He hath showed thee, O man what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”

# 13 – I Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also    suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps”

# 14 – Hebrews 12:6 “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth            every son whom He receiveth”

# 15 – Psalm 149:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well”

           WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

 _____________________________________________________________________________________  

Step Seven is realizing our relationships with other Christians

                Are ultimately meant to bring God JOY!

#7)  Our Interactions with Other Christians are not About

       Making us Feel Happy, but Rather Bringing Glory to God.

           Again our thinking has been distorted by not understanding we are   

          “fulfilling” God’s joy, not our own, by our love for one another.

           In Philippians 2:2 “Fulfill ye My joy, that ye be like minded, 

           having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

          I know many Christians who have suffered by the hands of others.

          As Christians, we are to accept these sufferings from the unsaved world                     

          and we are to rejoice in our persecutions for Christ’s sake. (VERSE #16)

          We are also to be a light unto the lost so they may see God’s great

          salvation, reflecting His love and mercy by loving and caring for one

          another. (VERSE #17)

          What many Christians fail to understand is, when God instructs us in

           Philippians to “fulfill ye MY JOY”, God is telling us what makes HIM

           HAPPY! God receives much joy as He watches His sheep (those who  

           truly know Him) with one another.

           For God’s glory, we should strive to obey God’s guidelines in our                        

           relationships with other Christians, far above our personal feelings,

           but rather to demonstrate God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and grace

           for others to see and believe in our faith. This is how we “fulfill His joy”.

          Our edification, our exhortation, and all our relationships with “like

          minded” Christians are all meant to bring glory to God and to do the

          work of the Holy Spirit through us. (VERSE #18).

          Our God requires us to “love one another fervently” to show His truth       

          which in return fulfills His Joy by our obedience! (VERSE # 19)

# 16 – I Peter 3:14 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye:  and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled”

# 17 – John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

# 18 – Ephesians 4:7 & 12 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body.”

# 19 –  I Peter 1:22 “Seeing that ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit into unfeigned love of the brethren , see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently”

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The Miracle of Receiving God’s JOY

       God fills us with His Joy……

        When we Obey and Give Him the Glory!

           Here is where the miracle takes place.

           When we give God the glory because we want Him to have joy

           and we desire for our God to rejoice over us by submitting

           our actions, thoughts, and feelings, He miraculously gives us Joy, hope,

           and peace beyond our understanding. He gives us His fullness.

Ephesians 3:19

           “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye 

            might be filled with all fullness of God”

          Our God wants us to know His love and He desires to joy over us!

           The moment we absorb the reality of our God’s motives

            towards us, it miraculously fills us with HIS JOY!

Psalms 16:11

           “Thou will shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness

              of joy: at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

                     Our views and understandings in these areas are

       the foundations to experiencing God’s true JOY!

His joy is super natural, unexplainable, incomprehensible,

                               BUT accessible because

               God is good , full of mercy and grace.

WHEN GLORY GOES UP-------------JOY COMES DOWN

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                            Singing For Joy of Heart

Did you know singing is a result of God’s joy?

God uses music in many ways in the Bible, for praise, worship, soothing a troubled soul, victories in battle…etc.

The Bible also says,

a clear evidence of God’s joy in His servant’s heart is singing.

               Isaiah 65:14 “Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart!”

                                  Enclosed in this booklet is the song:

                                          “The Wind of God’s Favor”

“I lay up on a rock, above the waters

for everything else is sinking sand

I build my faith upon the Father,

He’ll show His work,

His loving grace,

His mighty hand”

Psalms 27:5 “For in the time of trouble , He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secrets of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock”

Psalms 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,                

                      and set my foot upon a rock, and established my goings”

May you learn to give God the glory in all that you do,

in every situation, and in all your relationships,

so that He may fill you with His JOY!

May you stay up on the rock above the water and build

your faith only on the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*******************

God’s joy overflows just like the river

In the streams and the brooks throughout the land

The peace He gives beyond all measure

When you look and see His mighty hand.

There’s a joy higher than any mountain

As you stand, raise your hands unto the King

His spirit flows and grows within your being

Lift your voice, filled with joy, as you sing.