You know, there is an old city
in England where they have a well-known fair every year. We don't have much fairs
nowadays, but in that old city, they have a fair and
they have floats. It's a small city but people
flock to the city and when you go to the city,
near to the fair, the event, along the streets of the city,
you'll find square boxes drawn on the streets,
all over that city. All over the streets,
there are squares and in the squares are
names written in white letters. If a stranger goes to the town
and asks: “What are all these squares
with all these names?” These names are the names
of people who have bought the right to stand
in that square during the parade. During the fair, they have a right
to stand in that square. And they bought it so that is
where they will be standing. Now, I submit to you. I don't think that those people
who bought those squares to stand in will just be satisfied
with the fact that: “I have my name on that square
and whether I go to the fair or not,” “it doesn't really matter.” I submit to you.
If they bought that square, alright? They will want to stand in it
on that day. They will want to possess
that position of privilege. Amen. Do you know that there's
a place, a circle of favor, a ground of favor that
Jesus paid for you to have with your name on it.
Amen. Are you just satisfied
with the fact that you have your name on it?
Amen. Or do you want to possess it?
Enjoy it in this life even. To see the favor of God
translate into your life? In all the things that you see,
and whatever you do, when you know you have
favor with God. Just like Noah. Of all the people on earth,
the Bible says: “Noah found grace in the
eyes of the Lord.” God saved him and his
entire family in the ark. Amen. There was a beauty
contest one time. And there was a woman called
Esther who was not part of the Persian people. But she had favor in the eyes
of the king and she became queen. That's what the beauty contest
was all about, alright? She became queen. She was able to be in a position
to deliver her people, the Jewish people,
against an enemy. So here we have the favor of God
operating in the daily grind of life in our battles of life. In all that we do, we have
the favor of God and it translates into something practical.
Amen. Favorable results,
favorable outcomes. But you must first possess
that place of favor. Amen. Don't just know it,
don't just be satisfied with the fact that you have
your name on it. Possess it practically!
Amen. Notice the Word of God says: “Through whom (Christ),
we also have access by faith “into this grace.” This “grace” here—“grace” is
unmerited, unearned favor. “into this favor in which we stand.” “We have access by faith
into this favor in which we stand “and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God.” I like the Darby's translation
for this. It says: “by whom we have also,
access by faith into this favor.” He brings that out. Undeserved favor.
That's grace. “In which we stand and we boast
in hope of the glory of God.” Child of God, let me
just say this. You are standing in
the favor of God. But what God is saying is that
“we have access by faith.” Notice the word “by faith”? God wants you, by faith,
to possess it. Amen. You are standing on favor ground
because of what Christ did at the cross.
Amen. And by His resurrection,
you are now standing on favor ground.
Amen. You are no more
on cursed ground. You are no more
on condemnation ground. You are on favor ground.
Praise the Lord! You have access!
Just like a password. You know, your password
gives you access. Amen. Into your special domain.
Whatever it is. Nowadays, a lot of it needs
a special password. Amen. The Bible says: “We have
access by faith through Jesus.” Through Jesus,
we have access by faith. That name on that square
has been given us by our Lord. He paid the price for us to
stand in that circle of favor. Amen. If you don't read your Bible,
you ought not feel guilty. You ought to feel hungry.
Amen. Our reason to come to the Bible
is not to score points with God. You're already on favor ground!
You already have peace with God. All your sins have been
put away at the cross. Amen. By the blood of Jesus Christ.
So you have favor with God! God sees you under the
same favor that His Son is under. At His right hand.
Amen. So why do you come
to the Bible? Because this is our inheritance Book. Amen. This is the Book that tells us
who we are today in Christ! Number 1: Who God is,
who Christ is. I mean everything is all in Him.
What He has, we have. Who He is, we are in Him. So it is our vested interest
to learn all we can about Jesus because the Bible is actually
a photo album of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the more we see Jesus
and who He is, and what He has, we also possess. Because the Bible says:
“We are joint heirs with Christ.” Not heir apparent. An heir apparent means
the prince is waiting one day he'll become king because
the father is still alive. No, that's an heir apparent. We are not heir apparents. The Bible says:
“We are joint heirs with Christ.”
Amen. So when we see what Christ has,
we have. Amen. Notice what Paul says
in Philippians 3? “I want to be found in Him,
not having my own righteousness” “which is from the law,” The law is referring to the
10 Commandments here. Amen. The law can mean the entire
5 books of Moses or it can mean the 613
commandments that is in the Torah. Or it can also mean
the 10 Commandments. In this context here, when it is
talking about righteousness from the law, it is
the 10 Commandments. “righteousness, which is
from the law,” “not having my own righteousness,
which is from the law” “but that which is through” “faith in Christ, the righteousness
which is from God by faith.” Amen. Paul says:
“I want this righteousness.” “I want to be found in Christ,
not having that kind of” “self-righteousness where
I perform this, I perform that” “and I think I'm better than others
because I'm extra holy.” “No, not that kind of righteousness
which you get from the law.” “I don't want that.” Paul says.
Amen. God has given us a new righteousness,
which is Christ Himself. “I want to be found in Christ,
who is my righteousness.” The righteousness which is by faith. Amen. Not by your performance,
not by your works. The righteousness which is a gift,
given to you, paid for by the blood of Jesus.
You take that righteousness. We read just now:
“God made Jesus to be sin for us.” So at the cross, Jesus
knew no sin, He did no sin, in Him is no sin but
He became sin. Why? He took our sin so that today,
we who know no righteousness, in us is no righteousness,
we become the righteousness of God in Him.
How? We receive what He gave.
Amen. He gave Himself to us and
He is our righteousness. So all our sins was transferred
to Him at the cross and all that He is,
righteous before God, is transferred to our account.
Amen. So that God deals with us
as if we are truly the hottest thing on planet earth.
Amen. All the favor of God,
the best of all His favor is abounding towards you,
child of God. As if you deserve the very
best blessings that God has and that's what God has given
us! Praise the name of Jesus. Being seated with Christ
is the greatest blessing of all. If only we have eyes to see.
Amen. And once we are there, every
other blessing is now upon us. We are “blessed with every
spiritual blessing in” “heavenly places in Christ.” “God will work all things
for my good.” Why? “I'm standing on favor ground.
I have favor with God!” “I'm a man, a woman of favor.”
Amen. Declare that!
Every day in your life. “Because I have the favor of God,
I'm in the secret place of” “the Most High, under the
shadow of the Almighty.” “Angels are given charge over me
and they keep me in all my ways.” “With a long, healthy life,
God satisfies me” “and shows me His salvation.”
Hallelujah. You're standing on favor ground.
Possess it! Amen.
