The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised Christians to resolve in the New Year to obtain God’s favour at all cost.
According to him, pursuing divine favour, which he also describes as the Lord’s approval, would bring upon an individual untold blessings, cause God to make worthwhile interventions in their circumstances, and connect them to their destiny.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi revealed this in a sermon at the Osu Central Assembly church auditorium during the recently-held 31st December watchnight service.
Speaking on the topic “The Highly Favoured One,” the General Secretary explained that the manifestation of God’s abiding presence in the life of an individual is what reflects as the favour of God.
He, however, stressed that God’s grace must precede His favour because the Grace of God revealed in Christ transforms a person’s heart from one opposed to God to one that can be approved and inhabited by the Holy Spirit.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi therefore indicated that divine favour is a distinguishing mark of every believer since only those who have experienced the grace of God in Christ Jesus can receive it.
“Anyone who has encountered the grace of God in Christ that transforms the heart and has the abiding presence of God is highly favoured. So, as a child of God, you must accept that you are indeed highly favoured,” he explained.
Making reference to the encounter between Angel Gabriel and Mary in Luke 1:28-30, 38, Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that the former addressed the latter as “highly favoured” and “blessed” due to the unique task and privilege she had to be the earthly mother of the Messiah, through whom salvation would come to all humankind.
“Gabriel’s emphasis was on the privilege Mary had received, not on her status as a virgin or a member of the house of David, but just that she had found favour with God and become the recipient of His grace; His undeserved favour,” he explained.
The General Secretary further noted that, just as people usually favour those who favour them, God also shows favour to those who honour Him with their words and deeds.
Quoting Isaiah 66:2 and 2 Chronicles 16:9, Apostle Kumi-Larbi advised Christians to develop an intimate relationship with God and to delight in, connect with, and give honour to Him daily so as to be rightly positioned to receive the Lord’s approval (favour).
“Mary gives us an example of her total devotion to the Lord in her answer to the angel Gabriel: ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May it be unto me as you have said.’ [Likewise], may we have the wisdom and grace to answer God’s call, whatever it is,” he said.
Touching on the benefits of divine favour, the General Secretary noted that people who are divinely favoured receive special strength to outrun their competitors and accomplish great feats even with little effort.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi further noted that people who are divinely favoured are selected among many other qualified persons.
“Divine favour is also said to be in operation when a man seeks the face of God in prayer and has all his request granted, and also when help is made available unto a person at a time and from a place they least expected as was the case of the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda in John 17: 1-15,” he said.
The General Secretary also stated that divine favour is seen at work when one is called by God for the work of ministry when they least expected; when one always receives kindness from others; when one is singled out of a crowd; and when, all of a sudden, every endeavour one undertakes begins to succeed or prosper.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi, however, cautioned Christians who have obtained God’s favour not to take it for granted like Saul, Samson and Lucifer but to guard it jealously.
He mentioned disobedience to God, immorality, pride, stinginess (selfishness), wickedness and prayerlessness, among others, as some actions that could cause one to lose God’s favour.
PENTECOST NEWS.
