In Proverbs 16:7, we read, "When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Praise God, if my ways please Him, then He will do something about my enemies.
So my primary goal should be to find out what pleases Him and make that my lifestyle. Then I can have the confidence that when my ways please the Lord, He will make even my enemies to be at peace with me. That sounds great to me!
Psalm 41:11 says, "By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me." The Psalmist says that one evidence of the favor of God in his life is that his enemies do not triumph over him.
Now if you are experiencing the enemy being constantly victorious over you, then perhaps you are without God's favor. God still loves and cares about you, but there are requirements that will cause the favor of God to be manifest in your life.
Sometimes we sense that we're not on target with God. One of the simplest definitions of sin is "to miss the mark." If we miss the mark, then obviously we're not going to enjoy God's best for our lives.
Usually, it's little things that are creating hindrances. Sometimes, just like our automobiles, we need a minor "tune up."
For instance, it's not a sin to watch television. But, it's not profitable to watch too much television. It's not sin to run around with people that don't believe like you do. But, it is not profitable for your spiritual growth to be in their company all the time.
Their fellowship can drag you down. When you detect relationships are not profitable, but you continue in them, then it is sin.
The favor of God will open doors that no man can shut! So make the adjustments needed in your life in order to experience His favor. The favor of God can go before you and make a way where there seems to be no way. The favor of God is vital to a life of victory!
In Colossians 1:9-10, we see what God says about pleasing Him:
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.Notice this is a Holy Ghost-inspired prayer, therefore it is the will of God "...That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will...." You must have a knowledge of His will.
(Col. 1:9-10)
You can't walk around all the time never knowing the will of God for your life and expect your ways to please Him. His will is revealed in His Word, so we don't have to remain ignorant about His will.
Knowing the specific will of God for your life is a result of obeying the general will of God outlined in His Word. His will is His Word, and He has sent the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us. We can know the will of God!
Knowing the will of God enables us to "...walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing...." Another translation says, "So that your lifestyle will please God..." I like that.
He is saying, I'm praying that you'll be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Why? So that it will produce in you a lifestyle that will please God.
"So that your lifestyle will please God" Lifestyle! We are not talking about a quick fix to relieve our momentary misery caused by problems. We are talking about lifestyle. It takes determination to change your lifestyle. It takes making demands on yourself. It takes commitment.
Notice in verse 10 the results of a lifestyle that pleases God: "...You will be fruitful in every good work...." The glory of God will be manifested in your life. "...You will increase in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness...."
With that in mind, lets look at 1 Thessalonians 4:1 in the Living Bible:
You already know how to please God in your daily living, for you know the commands we gave you from the Lord Jesus Himself. Now we beg you, yes, we demand of you in the name of the Lord Jesus that you live more and more closely to that ideal.He said you have already been taught what pleases God. Your heart will condemn you when you are not pleasing God. Your spirit man and conscience will let you know.
(1 Thess. 4:1)
In one translation of 1 Thessalonians 2:10, Paul tells us, "You witnessed my behavior as did God - I was completely absorbed in God's will, full of integrity and beyond criticism." Paul gives us these three points that indicate a lifestyle that pleases God. He was:
- Completely absorbed in God's will
- Full of integrity
- Beyond criticism
Completely absorbed in God's will; what happens when you become absorbed in something? You are consumed with it. Have you ever seen someone absorbed in television? They are consumed with it.
They can tell you what comes on every hour of the day! They talk about characters on the programs like they are real life! That's absorbed!
I am totally absorbed in fulfilling God's plan for my life and ministry. As a result of being absorbed, even though the attacks are severe at times, because our ways have pleased the Lord, He has not allowed our enemies to triumph over us.
Become absorbed in the will of God and it will open the favor of God to your life and the enemy will not triumph over you. Praise God!
I want to share a few scriptures that illustrate how Jesus was totally absorbed in the will of God for His life:
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.Discipline yourself to be absorbed in the will of God for your life, and you will see great results.
(John 4:34)
I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
(John 5:30)
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me.
(John 6:38)
...For I do always those things that please him.
(John 8:28,29)
Full of Integrity
The second thing Paul said that creates a lifestyle that pleases God is being full of integrity. A lifestyle of integrity is not just for ministers! It is a lifestyle for the Body of Christ. We are all to be full of integrity.
Integrity is defined as "a rigid adherence to a code of behavior." Where do you find that code of behavior? The Word of God. God's Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.
Psalm 89:34 gives us an example of God's integrity. He says, "My covenant will not alter the things that is gone out of my lips." That's the example of integrity that God wants us to follow. When He says something, He will not alter it. When He declares something, He will not break it.
One reason many Christians do not have the favor of God in their lives is that they lie all the time. They tell the pastor, "Yes, you can count on me, Pastor, we will be there!" and never show up.
"Yes Pastor, we are going to start tithing just as soon as our ship comes in." Well they are lying. They have never sent a ship out and they know it!
Christians must learn to be people of their word. We must make a decision to be people of integrity. It starts in little things.
When you are serious about learning to walk in integrity, the Spirit of God is going to bring things to your attention that require changing. Remember, it always starts with the little things.
Look up all the scriptures in your concordance on integrity and get them down into your spirit until it becomes a lifestyle to you.
Here are a few of the rewards for walking in integrity Proverbs 11:3 states, "The integrity of the upright shall guide them...."
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.Beyond Criticism
(Prov. 20:7)
Thirdly, Paul says that he is beyond criticism. What does he mean by that? The best example I can give you is found in Daniel, chapter six. It is speaking about Daniel's integrity and states in verse three:
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.The key to Daniel being beyond criticism was that he was faithful. There are two words which are synonymous with "faithful" that we do not hear enough about in the Church.
(Dan. 6:3)
They are: Loyalty and Fidelity. These are characteristics God is looking for. Evidently, it is hard to find because Proverbs 20:6 says, "A faithful man, who can find?"
Second Chronicles 16:9 says that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth looking for something...looking for a perfect heart. And He says when he finds that perfect heart, He will show Himself strong in that person's behalf.
The word perfect in Hebrews doesn't mean what we might think. It doesn't mean never having made a mistake, without sin, or no blemish. It means faithful, loyal, dedicated, consecrated.
God is constantly searching for faithful, loyal, dedicated, consecrated people. When he finds them He will show Himself strong in their behalf. That sounds like the favor of God doesn't it?
When He finds someone, He stops and says, "There is someone for whom I can show Myself strong. I am going to give him My favor. I am going to see to it his enemies don't triumph over him. I am going to make even his enemies at peace with him" Why? Because He has found a faithful, loyal, dedicated, consecrated person. Hallelujah!
Determine to honor God with a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him. You can be that person that he is looking for!
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Dr. Jerry Savelle was an average, blue-collar man who was struggling and needed God's help. While he considered himself a "nobody," when he became a believer God told him not to worry about it because He was a master at making champions out of nobodies. God has since taken Dr. Savelle from being a constant quitter to a man who knows how to stand on the Word of God until victory is experienced. Because of the life-changing combination of God's faithfulness and Dr. Savelle's "no quit" attitude, his life is totally different than it was thirty-eight years ago.
