Signs of God's Favor

[Whit]

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm sure everyone reading this has been through some kind of trial or test that God has delivered them from and shown His glory. What are the signs, in your experience, that a breakthrough is coming and that God is about to show up and show out? How did you keep yourself/behave in the valley? Would you have done anything differently?

 

[blazingthru]

I really don't think it works like that. I think that you pray your way through whatever trial your going through I really don't see any signs, I know for me that God is working it through because I am still praying and I am still reaching out to others and not focusing on myself. Honestly, I haven't seen signs of God working things through until its done and finished then I can look at the trial differently.

For instance a few years back, I had my gas cut off and at the time, I was really good about paying my bill well I had the money. So I was like why did they turn the gas off, I should have been just thanking God but I wasn't I was like what the heck is going on. I was so angry so when they turn your gas off they make you pay all kinds of fines and crap so I did I paid it that day and that was on a Thursday they said well you have to wait till such and such time till we can turn it back on right! so later that day the man came out and he said oh no I can't turn this back on you got to get your chimney fixed it was cut to short and you have gas leaking in your house you would have died this weekend if they didn't turn your gas off. Isn't that something. two years later my house caught on fire. well the house next door and I had to pay gas at both my house and the rental house I was staying in and I wasn't working by then, The fines I had to pay way back then kicked in and I ended up having to pay nothing. So when I sat down and looked at it I knew that God was working it through the entire time. So no matter what we are going through we need to be praising. Now others might see it differently, but me I only see it when I sit down and go through the trail and then I start to see God's hand in it.

 

[TraciChanel]

Hi Whit! Personally, I can't recall any "sign" that I was about to get a breakthrough. In my experience, I would be going through something, and then all of a sudden something good happens. God moves. I have been hearing the term "a suddenly God" a lot lately. And that is my experience with Him.

But I must confess, when I am going through a real hard time, I put up a brave front on the outside, but when I'm in prayer (when I'm really down) I am whiny, "whoa is me", "why God, why!" and just downright pitiful

In hindsight, it would make it a lot easier on me to just trust Him completely when it's dark and not to pay attention to what it looks like in the present. My life would be sooo much easier! I'm still working on that. I'm a work in progress But, I have a prayer journal where I ONLY speak as if it already happened. I will write out a prayer and tell God how tired I am, and how I don't think I can do "this" anymore, but I always end it with thanking him for what I've asked him for as if it's already here. That helps me a lot.

One last thing...one time I received a financial breakthrough, and a job offer after I fasted and prayed that I was surrendering to His will. I told God that whatever position He wanted for me, was the one I wanted and I would no longer attach any emotion to any position nor would I worry about my finances anymore. Unexpectedly, I received a job offer the next week for more money than I asked for.

 

[TraciChanel]

blazingthru, Praise God! What a testimony!

I really don't think it works like that. I think that you pray your way through whatever trial your going through I really don't see any signs, I know for me that God is working it through because I am still praying and I am still reaching out to others and not focusing on myself. Honestly, I haven't seen signs of God working things through until its done and finished then I can look at the trial differently.

For instance a few years back, I had my gas cut off and at the time, I was really good about paying my bill well I had the money. So I was like why did they turn the gas off, I should have been just thanking God but I wasn't I was like what the heck is going on. I was so angry so when they turn your gas off they make you pay all kinds of fines and crap so I did I paid it that day and that was on a Thursday they said well you have to wait till such and such time till we can turn it back on right! so later that day the man came out and he said oh no I can't turn this back on you got to get your chimney fixed it was cut to short and you have gas leaking in your house you would have died this weekend if they didn't turn your gas off. Isn't that something. two years later my house caught on fire. well the house next door and I had to pay gas at both my house and the rental house I was staying in and I wasn't working by then, The fines I had to pay way back then kicked in and I ended up having to pay nothing. So when I sat down and looked at it I knew that God was working it through the entire time. So no matter what we are going through we need to be praising. Now others might see it differently, but me I only see it when I sit down and go through the trail and then I start to see God's hand in it.

 

[Divine.]

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm sure everyone reading this has been through some kind of trial or test that God has delivered them from and shown His glory. What are the signs, in your experience, that a breakthrough is coming and that God is about to show up and show out? How did you keep yourself/behave in the valley? Would you have done anything differently?

I don't think I have ever gotten a real sign that God is about to do something amazing in my life. I just "sense" it. I don't know if that makes sense No matter what my circumstances are, I just have faith that God will deliver me from it. I don't know the exact day or the time, but I know it will happen.

God has brought me through so much that my faith in Him has heightened dramatically. Whenever I am going through a tough time I always say, "God, I know that when you deliver me from this it will be a testimony to how mighty you are. In the end, You will receive all the glory."

That's honestly how I stay sane during tough times. Yes I cry and have my little emotional moments. But when I give Him praise despite my circumstances, that's when I "sense" deliverance is right around the corner. Everything boils down to my faith and trust Him.

I don't know if any of this makes sense, but this how it works for me

 

[Whit]

Hi Whit! Personally, I can't recall any "sign" that I was about to get a breakthrough. In my experience, I would be going through something, and then all of a sudden something good happens. God moves. I have been hearing the term "a suddenly God" a lot lately. And that is my experience with Him. But I must confess, when I am going through a real hard time, I put up a brave front on the outside, but when I'm in prayer (when I'm really down) I am whiny, "whoa is me", "why God, why!" and just downright pitiful In hindsight, it would make it a lot easier on me to just trust Him completely when it's dark and not to pay attention to what it looks like in the present. My life would be sooo much easier! I'm still working on that. I'm a work in progress But, I have a prayer journal where I ONLY speak as if it already happened. I will write out a prayer and tell God how tired I am, and how I don't think I can do "this" anymore, but I always end it with thanking him for what I've asked him for as if it's already here. That helps me a lot. One last thing...one time I received a financial breakthrough, and a job offer after I fasted and prayed that I was surrendering to His will. I told God that whatever position He wanted for me, was the one I wanted and I would no longer attach any emotion to any position nor would I worry about my finances anymore. Unexpectedly, I received a job offer the next week for more money than I asked for.

Praise God! I find that right before a move of God, life just gets crazy. For example, I'll use my love life: I've been waiting on The Lord for a man forever (lol...I'm only 27), but when I say I've been waiting...a sista has been waiting, ok? Well, my fiancé showed up in my life in January of 2013 and our relationship has literally been a love story right out of a fairy tale...until September of this year. Unbeknownst to me Paul, my fiancé, was about to propose. All in one month, I got laid off, lied on, deleted from FB by my two best friends, and had a huge fight with my mother about my misdeeds from 10 years ago. I just figured that if life is going this crazy, there HAS to be a blessing on the other side. While I did spazz out on my mom after some of her comments cut too deep, I stayed consistent and spoke Gods Word to all of those other situations. A few days later Paul proposed. I just wonder if I had acted differently, would my blessing have been withheld ?

 

[Whit]

I really don't think it works like that. I think that you pray your way through whatever trial your going through I really don't see any signs, I know for me that God is working it through because I am still praying and I am still reaching out to others and not focusing on myself. Honestly, I haven't seen signs of God working things through until its done and finished then I can look at the trial differently. For instance a few years back, I had my gas cut off and at the time, I was really good about paying my bill well I had the money. So I was like why did they turn the gas off, I should have been just thanking God but I wasn't I was like what the heck is going on. I was so angry so when they turn your gas off they make you pay all kinds of fines and crap so I did I paid it that day and that was on a Thursday they said well you have to wait till such and such time till we can turn it back on right! so later that day the man came out and he said oh no I can't turn this back on you got to get your chimney fixed it was cut to short and you have gas leaking in your house you would have died this weekend if they didn't turn your gas off. Isn't that something. two years later my house caught on fire. well the house next door and I had to pay gas at both my house and the rental house I was staying in and I wasn't working by then, The fines I had to pay way back then kicked in and I ended up having to pay nothing. So when I sat down and looked at it I knew that God was working it through the entire time. So no matter what we are going through we need to be praising. Now others might see it differently, but me I only see it when I sit down and go through the trail and then I start to see God's hand in it.

I totally get where you're coming from when you say that you're able to look at the trial differently after the fact. And I'm sure this is not the only situation you've faced in life so, in other circumstances do you ever find yourself asking God "what in the world is going on?" How do you stay motivated to wait on the move of God?

 

[Whit]

I don't think I have ever gotten a real sign that God is about to do something amazing in my life. I just "sense" it. I don't know if that makes sense No matter what my circumstances are, I just have faith that God will deliver me from it. I don't know the exact day or the time, but I know it will happen. God has brought me through so much that my faith in Him has heightened dramatically. Whenever I am going through a tough time I always say, "God, I know that when you deliver me from this it will be a testimony to how mighty you are. In the end, You will receive all the glory." That's honestly how I stay sane during tough times. Yes I cry and have my little emotional moments. But when I give Him praise despite my circumstances, that's when I "sense" deliverance is right around the corner. Everything boils down to my faith and trust Him. I don't know if any of this makes sense, but this how it works for me

I get you. On my behalf, I "know" a job offer/ promotion is coming that, in the past, my former manager said would take years. In a few days, we are going to be peers. Do I have an offer letter in my email inbox today? Nope, but God deals with me in dreams. Also, my spirit has been having me say repeatedly confess Gods favor over my life during my daily runs and at various points in the day. However, the way I KNOW God is about to show out is when my family starts clowning lol. I know it sounds crazy but, whenever my personal/family life starts getting funky, I've got some deliverance right around the corner. I feel that God allows certain things to see how I am going to act and to discern whether or not I'm ready for the next level. Trust me, I've failed several times and have had to sit there in my position until I learn to apply to Word of God effectively and adjust my attitude accordingly This time, in this situation, by the grace of God I'm on point. I'm ready for the breakthrough so I can bless people on a whole different level!

 

[TraciChanel]

^^ Yes!! Whit! I get dreams too. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that. Vivid dreams. I know it's from God because I never remember my dreams. But I always remember the ones God gave me. Shortly after, I will get confirmation. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[felic1]

I was out of work with my phone, internet and cable turned off. I felt like a big failure. One expected bill and my checks bounced and bounced. I seemed financially destroyed. I could not seem to get a job. I remained unselected. The one that became available had about one hour a week. I applied for unemployment and they sent the money to my overdrawn account. Decembers payments have not shown up yet. I could not pay my car insurance and the windshield cracked in half. What next? I thought, ok I will be changing the car insurance company. I got thrown off of my email and had to start a new one. I could not pay my electric bill and the light/gas company put me in the low income bracket and said I only had to pay about 375 of a bill over a 1000 and I could keep my lights on. I am just waiting to see what is next. At the moment I am in the stand therefore format. It is almost New Years, I do not know when the tide is turning...but it will!!

 

[Whit]

I was out of work with my phone, internet and cable turned off. I felt like a big failure. One expected bill and my checks bounced and bounced. I seemed financially destroyed. I could not seem to get a job. I remained unselected. The one that became available had about one hour a week. I applied for unemployment and they sent the money to my overdrawn account. Decembers payments have not shown up yet. I could not pay my car insurance and the windshield cracked in half. What next? I thought, ok I will be changing the car insurance company. I got thrown off of my email and had to start a new one. I could not pay my electric bill and the light/gas company put me in the low income bracket and said I only had to pay about 375 of a bill over a 1000 and I could keep my lights on. I am just waiting to see what is next. At the moment I am in the stand therefore format. It is almost New Years, I do not know when the tide is turning...but it will!!

It's on its way--stay encouraged! I've been there with the overdrawn accounts and I'm standing in agreement with you that things are turning around.

 

[felic1]

I keep looking up. It is a transformational process. God is changing things in my life. He had to take me off of my job, sit me down so to speak, just so he could show himself strong. When I first had to come off my career job, I was puzzled. Go Home? He told me I was needed at home. This was before my parents became seriously ill. I worried about my bills and financial state. My house ended up being paid off. The mortgage company cancelled 89,000 plus on the mortgage. The car got paid off. He said forsake not thy mother when she is old. Well, the lady is old. I am still glad to have the 80 year old lady. The best is yet to come. The church mother told me that at prayer a few weeks ago. It is definitely the truth! You know how we say some product is the truth? Walking in the Spirit with Him is the sho nuff TRUTH!!!!

 

[blazingthru]

I totally get where you're coming from when you say that you're able to look at the trial differently after the fact. And I'm sure this is not the only situation you've faced in life so, in other circumstances do you ever find yourself asking God "what in the world is going on?" How do you stay motivated to wait on the move of God?

What I have learned is that we have to be obedient no matter the circumstances, it may not come out in our favor, we might lose someone, we might gain something that seems a burden. Even our own life, We must remain obedient. Right now I am probably at the lowest I have ever been in my life, and I am thanking God its not lower then, it could be and might still be, but for now I am grateful for every moment I have of peace and the comforts that I still do have, who knows what will happen. I must remain faithful and obedient and let God work it all out. Like I said it might come out in my favor and it might not. There are three things that I think of. I know that God loves me and in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ALL THINGS so I have to have faith in that. Then I think about the Hebrews boys and their statement to the King Nebuchadnezzar that they would not bow to his statue and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. So God has given us examples of those he has delivered and those he has not. There may be an end to a trial and there may not be an end. So many people have been encouraging me regarding my situation and saying this or that but they have been wrong each time.

Girl this will not happen to you and when you go here or there this is what will happen and they have been so very wrong. I had a horrible judge and she was a female and she awarded me the lowest amount of money to live on. so low, there is no way I can pay my bills keep the gas water and lights on and eat. No way at all. I have been out of work for a long time, I was not able to walk for the past six months. Going up the stairs was a nightmare, I had to drag each leg up there. Who knows what was up with that, I was in tears trying to walk, do simple things. NO reason for it all. I am much better, but I still have trouble with the stairs and one leg is larger then the other, I just look at it. What can I do about it. Doctors don't know what happen to me.

See all this stuff I am going through is a testimony for someone else. Its not for me its for someone else. One day I am going to go before the service and tell my testimony. I can't thank anyone. I have told them of the many trials I am enduring and no one has reached out to help me so hey, God is blessing me in that area I am still surviving. I am getting through so I can be a blessing to someone, someday.

 

[ToyToy]

I think it works differently for different people and according to how (solid) your walk with God is.

For me - I dream a lot, and so a few years ago when I was unemployed for an extensive period of time, I began to dream about breakthrough about a month prior to receiving 2 job offers on the same day. But during that time I was extremely prayerful, had been fasting and was generally spending a lot of time in the Word. I *knew* I was close to my breakthrough when one afternoon I was sitting at our dining table and felt something kick in my stomach (no baby ;-)). On that afternoon I jumped up and just started smiling. If someone had seen me I wouldn't have been able to explain it.

What I'm saying is that, the closer you come to God, the more easily you will understand when He is speaking to you. And more often than not, He does speak to us. We just don't hear Him in all the "noise" of life.

Regarding favour: The favour of God you can experience every single day. I know I do. We are always seeking that something "amazing" or "big". But God's favour begins in your everyday life.

For example, a couple of months ago I was meant to travel to Ireland for work. My job booked a flight from one of the airports I am not too crazy about, and that the time, I must admit I moaned a little. Fast forward to the Friday before I was meant to travel, and there was a weather warning for an upcoming storm on Sunday night. On Monday morning, the day I meant to travel all trains and various flights had been cancelled. Flights to Ireland were cancelled too but only at the airport that I preferred. But no flights were cancelled from the airport I was flying from. That was my first testimony.

Then I still had to get to the airport and trains weren't running. I decided I was going to go to the station anyway and just believe that God has prepared my path. I went ahead, and just as I got to the station, trains started running. But not only that. I bumped into an old family friend who happened to be a conductor but was placed at that particular station on that day to check tickets (something he never does, according to him). He saw me and bumped my train ticket to first class straight away. So while people were getting squashed in Coach (and I mean that with every sense of the word), I was sitting comfortably in first class, stretching my legs . That was my second testimony.

But there were many other things that happened on that trip, such as my boss making sure my transportation is taken care of from start to finish and the fact that I barely paid for anything out of my own pocket.

For me, this is God's favour.

Sorry this is long. What I'm trying to say is that when you recognise His favour in your every day, it will become easier to recognise His hand in your life when things get really rough.

ETA: If I had a life time, I would list up my experience with God every single day. If you look close enough, you will see how He tells you He loves you every day of your life .

 

[ToyToy]

Also wanted to add (sorry I'm feeling particularly chatty today...)

Whoever said being obedient is paramount is absolutely correct. Being able to surrender to God no matter how uncomfortable it is is so important.
When you are in God's will, His grace and favour become palpable. It's unmistakable. It's when we fall out of line that we begin to feel desperate.

Also, being grateful no matter now things look. I've heard many times that praise leads to breakthrough, and I can personally vouch for that.
There was a day where I was feeling a little moany and complained to God about what He hadn't done. He told me to go away and write down 30 things He has done for me this year. And when I went away and started writing them down, I was amazed at how much He has done for me. It's so important to still say Thank You. And there are so many things: the fact that we are alive, sane (only takes a small incidence to lose your mind), able to laugh, have a functioning body and organs, etc. The list is endless.

Psalms 34:1; Philippians 4:4

 

[BostonMaria]

For me... If I see someone else have a breakthrough I'll thank Him because if He did it for that person then I know he will do it for me.

 

[Whit]

For me... If I see someone else have a breakthrough I'll thank Him because if He did it for that person then I know he will do it for me.

That's how I feel. If God can clothe birds and make sure roaches always have something to eat, He's got me. My issue comes when I try to help God along but, lately, I've come to understand that He doesn't need me to help Him in the blessing department because He created it.

 

[Whit]

Also wanted to add (sorry I'm feeling particularly chatty today...) Whoever said being obedient is paramount is absolutely correct. Being able to surrender to God no matter how uncomfortable it is is so important. When you are in God's will, His grace and favour become palpable. It's unmistakable. It's when we fall out of line that we begin to feel desperate. Also, being grateful no matter now things look. I've heard many times that praise leads to breakthrough, and I can personally vouch for that. There was a day where I was feeling a little moany and complained to God about what He hadn't done. He told me to go away and write down 30 things He has done for me this year. And when I went away and started writing them down, I was amazed at how much He has done for me. It's so important to still say Thank You. And there are so many things: the fact that we are alive, sane (only takes a small incidence to lose your mind), able to laugh, have a functioning body and organs, etc. The list is endless. Psalms 34:1; Philippians 4:4

True, and I know how the desperation feels. God was like " are you going to trust me or what little girl?" Lol. Like you, I also feel God's favor every day and I find that the more grateful I am, the more I have to be grateful for! 2013 has been an absolute blast because God has taken me from a zero to a hero!! This is the second year in a row where I don't feel like I have to start fresh...me and God are just gliding into 2014! If anyone here has ever just relied on God to carry you through and ridden on his coattails then you know what the glide feels like

 

[Flourishnikov]

Great thread! God is awesome, ever-working and all ways on time. I stopped to pray this morning to thank Him for His goodness before getting ready for work and literally lost track of time. lol I couldve kept praying, but I didnt want to be late.

I agree with the other posters that God is always working behind the scenes whether we know it or not. His mercy is ever-present throughout the day and I routinely Thank God and give Him aaaallll the glory for the big and small. Many people would love to say that its merely coincidences or they thank "he/she" for doing something that benefitted them, but I always give God all the credit and thank Him for using "he/she" to bless me and for creating that seeming "coincidence" to bless me.

Because I know that God is always working things out for my good, I constantly remind myself of that whenever Im tempted to get sad or feel discouraged. There's no question about if the breakthrough is coming, it's the when that we dont know, but because I know that God's timing is the perfect timing I dont even get stressed out about the when. I just maintain a spirit of expectancy and praise and thank Him in advance!!

Our Faith is all we have, so as long as we stay faith-filled during our valley experiences we can maintain a positive attitude while we wait for God to show up and show out like he has always done in the past.