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Bishop Prof B. Manjoro Dunamis
One surprising thing about the favour of God is that it works even on people no one expects would amount to anything in life. It works even with nobodies, outcasts and the rejected make them great people. Throughout history and the very Word of God itself we continue to see examples of men and women whose lives were transformed by God’s favour.

Yet they all had one thing in common — faith in God. All of them mixed the Word they heard with faith and they harvested great blessings from God.

As we saw last week, two of the wisdom nuggets caused Peter to experience a great catch of fish, that is, hearing the Master’s Word and secondly mixing it with faith.

Today, I give you the third nugget, which is action and the very essence that stirs favour into motion in your life. This is a good season and your life will never be the same again. It is not a season of dead faith, but active, radical faith that draws favour from God. Read on and experience the power of God’s Word.

“Let us therefore, lest, a promise, being left us of entering his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them, but the word preached did not benefit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:1-2).

You see, the word of God, all preaching, sermons, teachings, seminars, conferences can only produce results in your life when you do one thing — mix the word you hear with faith. As we see in the scripture above, they heard the gospel, yes, but it did not benefit them.

It is not enough to go to church; you need to desire in your heart to be a man and a woman of faith for it is faith that will unlock the promises of God in your life. Had Peter not mixed the Word of Jesus to launch into the deep for a catch, he would not have seen the great favour he saw, Luke 5:5.

Had he dwelt on doubt and kept asking is it possible, it would surely have been impossible for him and he would have missed the favour. Oh I pray you miss not your favour this year. Miss not the promotion, the joyful family, the flourishing marriage, fruitful business and projects and rewarding opportunities of life. Do not miss it; grab it in Jesus’ name! But how do you do it? How do you grab it or mix the word with faith?

It brings us to the third nugget and, as I told you earlier, this is action. There is no substitute for this one. A person of favour is a person of faith and a person of faith is a person of action! Do not just desire to preach or wish you could preach.

Seize the moment and preach wherever and whenever you get the opportunity. At the market place, at work, in the bus, at family gatherings and wherever the door opens preach the gospel.

The year of favour is a year that born-again believers will be mightily used by God to do the impossible and do great exploits.

For all who preach, it is time to preach powerfully, healing the sick and setting the oppressed free. To you who have been preaching already, do not just preach everyday and go home with a dry jacket. No. Preach like your will be dying tomorrow.

O hallelujah, I like it, I like it. Act on the word of God, act on the thing He put on your heart! I told you last week about the shoes God told me to give; I did not just wish I had obeyed — I obeyed. I acted on the Word.

Actually the following day the Lord blessed me with something I long desired. But here is the key to favour — action.

King Ahab’s general knew how bad the situation was in Samaria hence doubted how the great drought and hunger would suddenly turn around into great prosperity and provision. 2 Kings 7:1 gives us the Word that came from God through Elisha: “To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria.”

The General could not believe it and voiced his doubt that even if God were to open the windows of heaven it would be impossible. The word was heard yes but resisted. However, the prophetic word was so powerful that it sought nobodies, outcasts and lepers who believed it.

Take note, they didn’t just believe the Word and kept sitting outside the gate. No, they believed the Word and acted on it. They agreed and saw that if they entered the city they would die of hunger and if they stayed where they were they would still die again but if they went forward — into the enemy’s camp, yes they could die but they could live also! All four began limping and now used to walking and shouting at the same time, “Unclean, Unclean,” (for so required the law so that people would get off the way and not be contaminated by the lepers).

Listen to me friend even if you were like a reject in your society, with people looking down on you; even if you are down there in the rural areas, locked behind bars, struggling with your marriage or finances — favour is coming your way. O hallelujah. God is not a respector of persons.

As the lepers acted and walked to the enemy’s camp, a miracle happened. God amplified their steps so much such that when the Syrians heard it they thought a great Egyptian army had been hired against them. Do you know what happened next? O I like it, I like acting on God’s Word. The enemy fled from the four lepers.

O your enemy is going to run away from you this year. That generational disease, persisting curse, attacks on your family, marriage and job will actually run away from you — if you act on the Word of God.

They got to the camp, found nobody and began to enjoy the favour: food, silver, clothes and much wealth was scattered all over the camp. After having a good share of their own, like what Peter did to beckon to his partners, they too called to people in the city to come and enjoy the spoil!

My friend, what are you facing today? What is discouraging you, holding you back and seeming impossible? I have one word for you today — act on the Word of God! For with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).