By Joyce Meyer
I'LL ADMIT IT. When I first began ministering more than thirty years ago, I was pretty scared and insecure. Today, it is more widely accepted to be a woman preaching the Gospel. But at that time, it wasn't very popular at all to do what I was doing.
As a result, I was afraid of being rejected. In fact, I would often bend over backwards to speak and behave the way I thought was expected of me. I so much wanted to gain other's approval.
There was just one problem: I was attempting to win favor of people, not God. I was performing in order to attain natural favor ... and it didn't work!
You see, I hadn't yet learned this one very important lesson: When God calls someone to do something, He also place His supernatural favor upon them to do it.
Supernatural Favor vs. Natural Favor - In those early days, I knew nothing about supernatural favor. I didn't know that favor is actually a part of grace. In fact, the words "grace" and "favor" are both translated from the same Greek word charis in English New Testament.
The grace of God is the favor of God. And the grace of God causes things to happen in our lives through the channel of our faith that we cannot do on our own. It is not by human power, or by human might, but by the Holy Spirit, that we receive favor.
I absolutely love Ephesians 2:8-9. It says, For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved...And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.
Just like we can't earn our salvation, we also can't earn God's supernatural power and favor in our lives. It is a gift.
In fact, trying to get favor on your own is not only hard work, but it is often pointless. I speak from experience! The harder you try, the less people are attracted to you.
As a result, I was afraid of being rejected. In fact, I would often bend over backwards to speak and behave the way I thought was expected of me. I so much wanted to gain other's approval.
There was just one problem: I was attempting to win favor of people, not God. I was performing in order to attain natural favor ... and it didn't work!
You see, I hadn't yet learned this one very important lesson: When God calls someone to do something, He also place His supernatural favor upon them to do it.
Supernatural Favor vs. Natural Favor - In those early days, I knew nothing about supernatural favor. I didn't know that favor is actually a part of grace. In fact, the words "grace" and "favor" are both translated from the same Greek word charis in English New Testament.
The grace of God is the favor of God. And the grace of God causes things to happen in our lives through the channel of our faith that we cannot do on our own. It is not by human power, or by human might, but by the Holy Spirit, that we receive favor.
I absolutely love Ephesians 2:8-9. It says, For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved...And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.
Just like we can't earn our salvation, we also can't earn God's supernatural power and favor in our lives. It is a gift.
In fact, trying to get favor on your own is not only hard work, but it is often pointless. I speak from experience! The harder you try, the less people are attracted to you.
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