Keith Battle - The Gift of Favor - Part 1

I’m starting a series today called «The Gift of Favor,» and I’m in Luke chapter one, beginning at verse 26. It says, «In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee.» Let me read this because I have the old version: «To a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.» The angel went to her and said, «Greetings, you are highly favored; the Lord is with you.» Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, «Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You have found favor with God.» That’s good right there! It’s interesting that Gabriel would say, «You have found favor with God,» and she wasn’t even looking for it. I’m telling you, favor will find you; you don’t have to look for it. Favor will find you! Favor will find you! I’m all right; I can’t even read anymore. I’m gonna stop right there because I have a word for somebody. God put this in my spirit, and I need to tell you—I don’t know where you are, but I have three words for you. Are you ready? Put in the chat, «I’m ready.» Are you ready for these three words? Let’s put it in the chat: «I’m ready.» Here are my three words for you: «Favor is coming!» Yes sir, yes sir, favor is coming! It’s coming, it’s coming; I can sense it, I can feel it. Favor is coming! You won’t have to look for it; it’s going to catch you while you’re minding your business. Favor is coming! While you’re planning your wedding to a man named Joseph, here comes favor! While you’re walking around trying to figure it out—how am I going to do it this year? How am I going to figure it out? How are we going to pay this? How are we going to do that? Favor… I don’t know who I’m preaching to, but favor is coming! If you know favor is coming, give God a praise for it, because you know it. I know it; it’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming! Favor is coming! You can’t even stop it; it’s coming! You’re going to wonder how it happened: «God, I wasn’t even expecting this!» God will do something unexpected. Is anybody expecting God to do something? That’s what makes sense of all the hell you’ve been through. That’s why you had to deal with so much sickness, so much death, and so much darkness, so much anxiety, so much stress, so much drama, and so much pain—it’s because favor is coming! I’m telling you, it’s coming! God’s going to balance the books! Who am I talking to? God is about to balance the books and give you an exceeding and abundant good measure—pressed down, shaken together, running over! Favor! Favor is coming! It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming! Put those three words in the chat: «Favor is coming!» If you’re in here, reach over to somebody near you; just go find somebody. Favor is coming! It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming! Favor is coming! Emails are coming, doors are coming, letters are coming, applications are being accepted, money is showing up! Who am I talking to? If you—hey, I just need five people in here that know favor is coming. Just give me a pound right here so I can go! I just need five people. That’s three, that’s four, that’s five! Favor is coming! It’s coming, it’s coming, and it’s coming to you! God knows your address; He knows your phone number; He’s got all your contact information. You won’t have to go looking for it; favor is coming! It’s coming, it’s coming! Let me get back to Mary. So Mary, verse 31, He says, «You have found favor; I wasn’t even looking for it.» He says, «You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.» And Mary said, «How will this be, since I am a virgin?» You know it’s crazy—favor when it’s confusing! I wish I had everybody here because I know how I’m talking to; I just can’t see you. But you know it’s crazy favor when it doesn’t make sense, and you’re scratching your head wondering, «What did that happen? How did that happen?» Watch this—"I got the job, and they did a background check on me; they did a background check on me and still hired me!» Y’all ain’t ready! «How did I win the award? I didn’t even have a good presentation. I was off that day; I don’t even know anybody in that organization. I’m not an insider; I’m an outsider, and they still brought me in.» That’s called favor! How am I going to have a baby? I don’t have a husband; I’ve never had sex. It’s called favor! God is going to do something that confuses you! Then the angel Gabriel said, «This is what’s going to happen.» Let me tell you.