sday, February 21, 2012
Fabulous and Favored
When we think of the words, "Fabulous and Favored", all sorts of things come to mind. We think of women that are stylish, wealthy, kind, self-assured........normally all the things we don't think we are. However, I want to challenge you to look beyond where you are and realize that God has placed "fabulous and favored" inside of you.
Joshua 2 tell us of a woman that initially doesn't look fabulous or favored; however, when we examine her a bit closer, we find she is fabulous and favored - it's just hidden. Let's look at six qualities that made this woman fabulous and favored.
1. Courage - Rahab had courage. She built something out of her life even though she should have been hidden. Many times we think people are only courageous if they look "blessed". This isn't true. It takes courage to function and survive in dysfunction. Rahab learned courage in her situation. She learned to go to the well everyday and draw water, even though she was faced with rejection. She spoke with people everyday, even though she should have been an outcast. Rahab had the courage to develop a career - even though it wasn't one we might have chosen. The courage that Rahab developed in her dysfunction helped her discover her destiny. She drew on that courage when she hid the spies, talked to the king's soldiers, left the red cord out her window and when she stepped out of her home on the day the walls fell. Beyond that she took that courage with her into the camp of the Israelites and she drew on it to create a new life. A Fabulous and Favored woman has courage even when it is distorted.
2. Faith - Rahab heard the reports of what God had done for the Israelites and she believed it! Beyond believing Rahab acted on it. Faith is the combination of believing in your heart, confessing it with your mouth AND acting on what you say. Faith is an action word. Rahab took what she heard about God and implemented a plan to trust Him. Faith is more than your words. Faith will make you act. Rahab prepared her family, she walked out when the walls fell and she chose to live a new life - by faith. Faith is a characteristic of a Fabulous and Favored woman.
3. Patience - Rahab had the patience to wait and trust God between the time the promise was made and the deliverance took place. She had the patience to not give up or give in to the naysayers, the pressure of the king, the feeling of disappointment when they didn't come in her timing. She also didn't get discouraged when she saw her deliverer come - and then leave - six days in a row. She had the patience to wait and watch God move. A fabulous and favored woman is a patient woman.
4. Obedience - Rahab was obedient. She kept her word. She obeyed the instruction of the spies. She did exactly as they said - and she received her deliverance. She didn't try to change the directions in mid-stream. She was obedient regardless of the risks - would people know something was going on by leaving the red cord out? What about her family? Why this reconciliation so soon and sudden? Were the risks worth the obedience? Absolutely! A fabulous and favored woman is a obedience to the word of the Lord.
5. Compassion - Rabah was compassionate. When she made the arrangement with the spies she could have thought of only herself, but she didn't. She considered her family and made provision for them. It wasn't easy for Rahab - her family knew who she was, but now she had to tell them she was going to be their deliverer - from hooker to deliverer - really? She didn't consider her reputation or her current relationships with them, she considered their future and their deliverance. Our families need us to consider their future. They need us to reconcile and love them in-spite of what is going on now and realize that the future is bigger than the here and now. Be a minister of reconciliation. Bring restoration. Be a woman of compassion - your family's future depends on it. A Fabulous and Favored woman is a woman of compassion.
6. She had the ability to produce a future - Inside of Rahab was the ability to produce a kinsman redeemer. She possessed the key to someone else's future. Rahab was the mother of Boaz - Ruth's kinsman redeemer - Kind David's great grandfather. Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. All the qualities that she possessed in her dysfunction, God used to produce life in her destiny. A Fabulous and Favored Woman produces life - destiny.
No matter where you are today, God can use you and the gifts and talents that are in you for His glory. He loves us enough not to leave us in our dysfunction. He wants us to trust Him and believe Him and come out into the destiny that He has for us. Don't allow the enemy to tell you that all is lost because of your situation! This is just a bump in the road.....it's not your final destination. Know today that you are fabulous and favored and He loves you - even in your dysfunction!
Joshua 2 tell us of a woman that initially doesn't look fabulous or favored; however, when we examine her a bit closer, we find she is fabulous and favored - it's just hidden. Let's look at six qualities that made this woman fabulous and favored.
1. Courage - Rahab had courage. She built something out of her life even though she should have been hidden. Many times we think people are only courageous if they look "blessed". This isn't true. It takes courage to function and survive in dysfunction. Rahab learned courage in her situation. She learned to go to the well everyday and draw water, even though she was faced with rejection. She spoke with people everyday, even though she should have been an outcast. Rahab had the courage to develop a career - even though it wasn't one we might have chosen. The courage that Rahab developed in her dysfunction helped her discover her destiny. She drew on that courage when she hid the spies, talked to the king's soldiers, left the red cord out her window and when she stepped out of her home on the day the walls fell. Beyond that she took that courage with her into the camp of the Israelites and she drew on it to create a new life. A Fabulous and Favored woman has courage even when it is distorted.
2. Faith - Rahab heard the reports of what God had done for the Israelites and she believed it! Beyond believing Rahab acted on it. Faith is the combination of believing in your heart, confessing it with your mouth AND acting on what you say. Faith is an action word. Rahab took what she heard about God and implemented a plan to trust Him. Faith is more than your words. Faith will make you act. Rahab prepared her family, she walked out when the walls fell and she chose to live a new life - by faith. Faith is a characteristic of a Fabulous and Favored woman.
3. Patience - Rahab had the patience to wait and trust God between the time the promise was made and the deliverance took place. She had the patience to not give up or give in to the naysayers, the pressure of the king, the feeling of disappointment when they didn't come in her timing. She also didn't get discouraged when she saw her deliverer come - and then leave - six days in a row. She had the patience to wait and watch God move. A fabulous and favored woman is a patient woman.
4. Obedience - Rahab was obedient. She kept her word. She obeyed the instruction of the spies. She did exactly as they said - and she received her deliverance. She didn't try to change the directions in mid-stream. She was obedient regardless of the risks - would people know something was going on by leaving the red cord out? What about her family? Why this reconciliation so soon and sudden? Were the risks worth the obedience? Absolutely! A fabulous and favored woman is a obedience to the word of the Lord.
5. Compassion - Rabah was compassionate. When she made the arrangement with the spies she could have thought of only herself, but she didn't. She considered her family and made provision for them. It wasn't easy for Rahab - her family knew who she was, but now she had to tell them she was going to be their deliverer - from hooker to deliverer - really? She didn't consider her reputation or her current relationships with them, she considered their future and their deliverance. Our families need us to consider their future. They need us to reconcile and love them in-spite of what is going on now and realize that the future is bigger than the here and now. Be a minister of reconciliation. Bring restoration. Be a woman of compassion - your family's future depends on it. A Fabulous and Favored woman is a woman of compassion.
6. She had the ability to produce a future - Inside of Rahab was the ability to produce a kinsman redeemer. She possessed the key to someone else's future. Rahab was the mother of Boaz - Ruth's kinsman redeemer - Kind David's great grandfather. Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. All the qualities that she possessed in her dysfunction, God used to produce life in her destiny. A Fabulous and Favored Woman produces life - destiny.
No matter where you are today, God can use you and the gifts and talents that are in you for His glory. He loves us enough not to leave us in our dysfunction. He wants us to trust Him and believe Him and come out into the destiny that He has for us. Don't allow the enemy to tell you that all is lost because of your situation! This is just a bump in the road.....it's not your final destination. Know today that you are fabulous and favored and He loves you - even in your dysfunction!
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