Dharius Daniels - Favor Is Not Always an Opportunity

Need a team; you can’t be your best self by yourself. The problem with some of us is that we have people around us whom we like to be with, but nobody we can build with. All you have in common is a version of yourself that you used to be. Did y’all hear what I just said? It’s your affinity for a season you know you don’t need to revisit. But we need more than people we like to be with; we need people we can build with. Noah found favor with God. Can I have eight minutes? Here it is.

The favor manifested in Noah’s life in the form of inside information. God favored Noah with information about something that was impending and then gave him a strategy on how to survive it. Favor is not always a check; favor is not always an opportunity. Sometimes, favor is information. It’s when God finds a way to get information to you that would not have reached you if God had not orchestrated and arranged it. God told Noah, «Favor, it’s gonna rain.» He told him what to build to survive it and how to build it. Don’t miss this. But that’s all God did. I’ll say it one more time: He told Noah it was going to rain. He told Noah what to build; He told Noah how to build it. But that’s all He did.

God told Noah it was going to rain. He told him what to build to survive the flood and how to build it, but that’s all God did. He didn’t build it for him. He told Noah it was going to rain. He told Noah what to build to survive the flood, gave Noah specific instructions on how to build it, and then stepped back and said, «The rest is on you.» «Bruh, I give blueprints; you do the building.» The reason some stuff has not been constructed in our life is that some people are confused about who is responsible for what. God’s like, «I’m gonna give you the blueprint, but you have to have the faith, fervor, and tenacity to build it.»

I don’t know who I am talking to in this room, but I want you to know that spirituality is not magic. Therefore, much of what happens in your life will not just be from what God does for you, but from what God does through you. He will do exceedingly and abundantly above all you ask or think, according to the power that is at work in you. There are times when we are sad about and sick of settling for what has not happened, not realizing that God has given you the blueprint, but you’ve got to build.

I have two words before I take my seat for some people in this room and those tapped in online: This is your season to build! The marriage you want, build it! The career you’re chasing, build it! The mindset you need, build it! The ministry you’re called to, build it! God will give you the blueprint, but you have to do the building.

Do you know that the quality of your life is based on the quality of decisions? And the quality of your decisions is based on the quality of information that you have? That means you need reliable sources of information. The most reliable source of information in the world is the Bible, but you know what? Most people don’t understand it. If you want to understand the Bible, God is enough, but Sunday is not. I want to help you understand; I want to help you interpret and apply. I want to help you explain the Bible better. This is why I’m inviting you to be a part of my Tribe Called Bible.

Somebody say, «I’m building something.» His plans require our participation; His calling requires our construction. He gives the blueprint; we do the building. When you examine Noah’s story, I’m out of here, but when you examine Noah’s story, it gives us insight into what you and I need to build our ark.

Noah’s story gives us five quick things that we need to build our ark. Do I have your permission to share these things with you? Do you want me to share these five things with you now? Okay, here it is.

Number one, for my note-takers, building my ark requires—here’s the first thing—truth. In Matthew 7, Jesus gives an analogy of two people building houses, and the sustainability of what they built is based on what they built upon. «Sanctify them by that truth» (John 17:17). «Thy word is truth.» Am I making sense? So many people—it’s scary—they’re building houses, but they’re building them on sand, not on the rock. Did you hear what I just said? Houses? They’re building companies; they’re building relationships; they’re building ministries on sand. What’s scary about building on sand, and on rock, is that when Jesus tells that story, both houses look the same. You don’t know the difference until after the storm.

Y’all missed what I just said. The evidence of what they were built on was revealed after the storm. Both went through the same storm; one crumbled, but the other was still standing. Did you hear what I just said? Truth may not cause you to avoid floods, but truth will put you in a position where you’re floating and not drowning. I don’t know who I’m talking to.