Genesis 39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Christians have favor with God because they’ve been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are seated with Christ at God’s right hand, the side of His favor (Ephesians 1:20; 2:6). In the Old Testament when blessings were distributed, the right hand or right side came first, as when Israel (Jacob) divided the blessings to Joseph’s sons before he died (Genesis 48:13, 14). When a person of high rank put someone on his right hand it was to be placed in a special place of honor, favor, and authority. Psalm 5:12 also tells us that the righteous are blessed with favor, “For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”
This favor with God can at times and in certain situations cause you to receive favor with men (Luke 2:52). Genesis 39:21 says of the Joseph, “But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” The phrase “found favor in the eyes of” or “in the sight of” can be found not only here in Genesis 39:21, but in numerous passages of Scripture in the OT. Favor is God’s gracious kindness, blessing, and Divine influence upon you that:
- Causes good things to happen in your life.
- Causes people to like, notice, promote, and treat you well.
Joseph was in prison (a confining circumstance) but prison couldn’t stop the favor of God influencing men to show favor to him. It is not a substitute for having good character and conduct. We cannot act like the devil and then claim God’s favor to override the bad seed we’ve sown. We cannot violate sound Biblical principles and wisdom and then expect God’s favor to bail us out. It is as we are doing all we know to do to live right and we need God’s favor to help us. Ask God to give you favor in the sight of all the people in your interactions, appointments, and contacts in your world today.
Pastor John Rasicci is the founder and Pastor of Word of His Grace Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where we are building people who are building the Church. Pastor's ministry mission is to help people discover God's dream for their Life, the Local Church, and the Last Days' Harvest. With a strong emphasis on the grace of God and with a prophetic voice, Pastor John preaches and teaches in churches, conferences, and crusades both locally and throughout the world. He has produced books, tapes, and other teaching materials to empower, enable, and equip Believers with the Word of God. Pastor John is married to his wife Candy who with their three children, Krista, Joanna, John Anthony, and two son-in-laws, Matt and Doug, serve together in the ministry. After graduating from Kent State University, Pastor John pursued a career in professional baseball before accepting the call to the ministry. He and his wife, Candy, received their ministry training from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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