Sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, 8 November 2020

Psalm 5:11-12- But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You [a]defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You. 12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour, yousurround them as with a shield.

Isaiah 10:27- It shall come to pass in that day, that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

• These days of fasting and prayer, the power of the anointing is going to break off certain yokes.

Psalm 69:13 (NIV)- But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

2 Kings 13:4 (ESV)- 4 Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.

The Holy Spirit is shifting the children of God into a different dimension (in your lifestyle, your perspective, your way of living, the way you think). Everything will be changed by the Holy Ghost. The Lord Himself will break every yoke that is coming in the way of this shift from happening.

I became very sure in my heart that God has to produce through me. You need the Holy Spirit, you can’t do everything by yourself.

• The Elephant is big and so is its poop! That which comes out of it is also big. As you are listening to the Word and hungering for His presence, that which comes out of you, will be large and big! The favour of God will ensure that.
• You will have favour to be reckoned with. God will give you such great favour.

It is favour that increases your influence. Favour brings supernatural turn arounds. Favour breaks off all limitations. Favour reawakens dreams. The favour gives you back opportunities that were lost. Wide open doors of divine possibilities. Heavens have opened a door for you because of favour.

• Give glory to God! This morning the anointing of the Holy Spirit is looking for you.

Isaiah 10:27 (NCV) version- Then the troubles that Assyria puts on you will be removed, and the load they make you carry will be taken away. The load they make you carry will be taken away.

• It could be guilt, shame, worry about your future, depression. You are carrying big loads. By the power of His anointing, His presence and His favour. The Holy Spirit is saying that the loads (that is not intended to be your inheritance) God will break it off. God did not give you that load.

Favour is the supernatural grace that God gives to accomplish His will and to move forward despite challenges, struggles and opposition and experience victory.

• There may be mountains, overflowing Jordans in front of you. This morning what you need is an anointing from God. Whatever are the odds against you, HE will make you move forward. He will give you victory against the odds.
• God is setting one youngster from a ganja addiction right now!

Psalm 5:12 says that we are Surrounded by favour.

It doesn’t matter which way you turn. There is favour everywhere. Whatever direction I turn, I see the favour of God. The Holy Spirit needs to give you a picture. You are not limited by location. Favour is always available.

Favour is a constant companion. Wherever you look, there is favour. Look to your right, say hello favour!

Look to you left, say hello favour!

Look behind, say hello favour!

Look in the front, say hello favour!

When you have favour, you become intense in worship and prayer.

Verse 11: But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You [a]defend them;

• The favour of God can work on your emotions. REJOICE. Be joyful in Jesus Christ!

This favour will promote you. It will be an uncommon promotion. If you rise higher up the ladder as everyone does, it is common promotion. But favour brings uncommon promotion. Joseph was sleeping in the prison one night and the next day he ends up in the palace. This is only by the Lord. Not by my smartness, but His favour!

• I am not saying that you will have NO issues or problems in life from today. Troubles will be there. That’s why God says I will defend you. MY favour will engage in your battle. MY favour will deal with your enemies.
• God’s favour is all around me. He will fight for me!
• God will release a Presence and grace to help me overcome struggles. When you walk in favour, there will be many who envy you, hate you, want to destroy you. Situations will come that may look like they will crush you, but supernatural favour will defend you.

In Mark 4, we see that the storms arose. The storm actually came to stop them from going over to the other side. If it was any other boat, it would have been torn into pieces. But because there was Jesus in that boat, it crossed over. No more the high winds and the strong waves. The favour of God will defend me!

Verse 12: He will bless the righteous.

There are two kinds of righteousness:

1. According to the law- this needs to be attained.
2. This is self-righteousness- ‘My good works, my fasting, my prayer’ – then you may end up becoming proud.
3. According to faith - By the conviction that the Blood of Jesus is sufficient to make you stand in the Presence of the Father

This verse refers to the second type of righteousness.

Set me on fire, oh Holy Spirit. Let your ministry move to another level, by the anointing of favour

WHAT IS THIS ANOINTING OF FAVOUR?

1 Chronicles 12:1,17, 18- 12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag when David was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who helped David in battle. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come

peacefully to help me, I welcome you. Join me. But if you have come to turn me over to my enemies, even though I have done nothing wrong, the God of our ancestors will see this and punish you.” 18 Then the Spirit entered Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said: “We belong to you, David. We are with you, son of Jesse. Success, success to you. Success to those who help you, because your God helps you.”

• This was the time that David was hiding in the cave. God’s anointing will attract the right people into your life. You need to be able to make the distinction between the right and wrong people into your life.

God is telling 3 people who are feeling like they are too old and yet unmarried-- get under the mantle of favour. The right person will get attracted into your life. The right person is coming into your life.

• These were people who were also with Saul. But God brought them to David They used a word- help

Verse 12: They were helpers of the war/ in the battle

• This is the anointing of favour. God will help you. God will send even those from the enemy’s camp to come to help you.
• “Lord I seek your anointing of favour- to bring me to the other side, open my eyes to see this Lord. It is God helping you, that is called divine favour”.
• Man’s help can get me to one point but if your dreams have to be fulfilled, you need the help of God. Father I need your help!

God is healing someone of gall bladder stone

How can these people help David aren’t they with Saul? Aren’t they of the tribe of Benjamin?

• David’s parents did not help him. In fact, they sidelined him even when the prophet called for him. His own brothers too looked down upon him.
• Those who were meant to help you, did not. But then God says, ‘I will send destiny helpers. The right people into your life, business, ministries’.
• Your blessing does not excuse the enemy. It will only make your enemies larger. But their hate cannot stop you!
• Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin. God made them to stand with David. • Jesus Himself says, I will send you another helper. Holy Spirit is a HELPER. • The ministry of the Holy Spirit activated the favour of God in our lives.

HOW DO YOU ACCESS THIS/ ATTRACT THIS FAVOUR?

You attract this favour when you have a mind to engage with the what is in the heart of God. That is evangelism. Spreading of the gospel.

• God knows that HE needs to show such people favour- those who consider God’s kingdom bigger, the church is bigger and more important. God knows you will engage in HIS work.
• One verse that made me cry

Mark 14:1-9- A Woman with Perfume for Jesus: 3 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. While Jesus was eating there, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head. 4 Some who were there became upset and said to each other, “Why waste that perfume? 5 It was worth a full year’s work. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” And they got very angry with the woman. 6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She did an excellent thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want. But you will not always have me. 8 This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”

• She has done what she could. MSG BIBLE says She did what she could, when she could. Contemporary version says She has done ALL she could. She has gone to the maximum limit to do. Whatever she could do for JESUS, she was ready to do ALL of it. MAXIMUM, what she could do. That attitude, think of it!
• The Holy Spirt asked me how far will you go for Jesus? Good---better ---best – Improvement of good is better. Best – you can’t go beyond it. Do your best for Jesus!
• What is the best that you can give Jesus? You should be able to come to a point where you think that you want to do your best for the Lord. People want to minister for themselves, not for Jesus, many a time.
• You can only do your best when you remember what God has done for you in the past.Otherwise you won’t give your best. The problem with many people is that they forget what God has done for them in the past.
• This woman is believed to be Mary, sister of Lazarus. Lazarus had died. It was a male dominated society way back then. If the women had to do anything in life, it had to be done by the brother for them. Women had to sit at home. The brother was everything for them. He was pretty much indispensable. When he died, they cried and Jesus came and rose him back to life. Mary couldn’t forget that. She decided- I have to give this Jesus MY best!
• Many of us forget what God has done for us. Those days, there was no bank. That perfume was her savings. But she gave. It was her life, her labour!• When someone gives something really good for God, we criticize him. Oh! why is he jumping so much and singing so loudly. That person is not able to forget what God has done for him. That is why he is jumping and praising.

Psalm 114- what will I render unto God for all HE has done for me. Psalm 103- Forget not all His benefits

• If you forget, you can’t give him the best.

Deuteronomy 8:10- 10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

We all thank God before we eat. The Word says, after you eat, thank Him!

• A hungry man will never forget to call upon God. The man who is in trouble will take refuge in God. But once his hunger is quenched, and the situations improve, they forget. That is why it is written here, after you are eaten and full, thank Him.
• When I go to my ancestral home, I remember the maids who helped me and carried me around. So even when I see them now, I give them whatever I have. They took care of me.
• Some body gives you a glass of water, don’t forget them. Don’t make that small. • Thank Him for every single good thing HE has done for you. This lady was spoken of wherever there was the Lord’s ministry. Because she gave her best.

NEVER FORGET WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE.

When I look at you, I know how you were when you came first to church. Now, you all are big people! But sometime in the past, you needed this pastor’s prayers. But you forget. People will use you to get to the place where they want to be and they will forget you.

Romans 12:1-2- I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

• By the mercies of God, you can give your best. You can surrender yourself only by the mercies that GOD showed you. We were sinners. We were enemies who were against God. He sent His only Son for us. Can HE look at us and say that we are worthy of the price of the Blood of HIS Son?
• Even the angels could not understand why Jesus had to die on the Cross for ‘these people’? We were Trash. Yet Jesus gave His life for us. Think about His mercies, give your best.

2) She refused to compare herself with others

God gave 5, 2 and 1 talents based on each one’s capacity. The one who got 1, he gave somebody one glass of water. The one with two talents, gave 2 glasses of water. The one with 5, gave three glasses of water. 5’s capacity would be to give 5 glasses of water. But 5 did not do his best. The best from him could have been giving all 5. See, it is good. But it is not the best for your capacity! He may have felt that it is good compared to 1 and 2!

But some people are not like that. Another example: When you are running a race, a person is far ahead of the others. The people behind are still running. The one ahead of them can see that they are all behind. He now begins to feel that he can slow down and doesn’t need to run that fast anymore. He is not giving his best. Those behind also begin to think ‘what is the point running now!’. You are not giving your best. There may be people who are running ahead of you. You don’t compare with the better or the lesser. But are YOU are willing to give Him your best.

Giving your best is never a waste.

Some people express their worship like they are giving their best. They sing, jump, cry.

• Give your best to GOD. Only when you give your best, opposition comes. Judas said you should have given this money to the poor instead. He did not say this because he was concerned about the poor. He was a thief.
• Until the queen sleeps, the maids cannot sleep. They have to be vigilant at all times. We do not work at our convenience for God. Some people called me and said, we were free and so we came to meet you! Don’t look to serve Jesus at your convenience. It has to cost you something!
• Judas seemed very spiritual. Did the poor raise the dead? Did the poor heal the sick? But you need give your best to Jesus for what HE has done for you. Where you eat food, that is where you pay the bill.
• The greatest concern you can have is to see that you have given your best to Jesus. People say that they have concern for the church and for me. That is not concern. Most often they have their own agenda behind it.

Acts 15:25-26 (NKJV)- 5 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one [a]accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• They gave their best for God. They took a risk. There is a saying-- if you say you are leader and nobody is following you, then you are only taking a walk. Because leadership is costing you something. It costs you time, energy, effort.

3) You will not always have the opportunity to give your best

• The Lord said, ‘the poor you will always have with you but you won’t find ME here.’ You may think I will give you the next time. There will never be a next time. This was a week before HE went on the Cross. Mary would have missed that opportunity. When God gives you an opportunity, give your best.
• A man of God told me---There was a season where you gave your prime years for this church. Now that season is going to end. You gave your time, your life for this church.

That window of opportunity will not be open always.

John 9:4- the night cometh when no man can work. When you have the health, when you have the wealth, when HE gave you grace, do you best for God.

One man of God has churches in 50 nations. He was 62 years old only. He went to be with the Lord when he was driving back from church. Many other men of God saw a vision of the Lord saying to him, ‘Well done good and faithful servant.’ We do not know how long we are

going to live. Don’t think that you will have the opportunity to fast at all times. Fast now. When you can, give your best for Jesus.

The anointing oil of favour. Mary got the priority, prominence and preferential treatment because she did not miss the opportunity and she gave her best for Jesus. In fact, she did not even that she was preparing the body of Jesus for the day of burial!