Job 10:12 says, “You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit.” Deuteronomy 33:23 says of Naphtali, “…satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord…” 

Here is a verse in a new song called Extravagant Oil Of Joy. “With joy I lift my heart in song. A song that flows through me like a river. A song that cascades and rushes to be expressed. In pure worship knowing Your joy as You behold me.”

Do you truly believe that the Lord finds joy in His relationship with you? Hidden sin, and lies planted by the enemy through fiery darts will block that heart-felt knowing. Psalm 41:11 in the Amplified says, “By this I know that You favor and delight in me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.”

Last verse in the new song, “O the wonder. The marvelous wonder and awe. All my sins are cleansed in the power of Your blood. Let my joy be a fragrance that delights Your heart O God. An extravagant oil poured upon Your feet in worship.”

Psalm 30:5 says, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 63:5 says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.”

God’s favor is a gift wrapped around the life of one who walks in His righteousness. Though we may be tempted to sin, we must remember His favor is a shield. It is like a hedge of protection, or a wall around us. 

Zechariah 2:5 says of Jerusalem, “For I, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.” He is our Wall of Fire also. Think of Job’s hedge. In Job 1:10 satan said to God, “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?” So it is with us.

The enemy of our soul schemes to destroy our faith: walk in heart integrity and God’s favor.

I often use Psalm 5:8 and 12 in prayer.. Verse 8 says, “Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.” Verse 12 says, “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

These verses were played out in Joseph’s life. Though his brothers sold him as a slave, he flourished in Potiphar’s house. Genesis 39:3 says, “And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

Verse 4 says, “So Joseph found favor in his sight and served him…” Joseph’s character of integrity was revealed when he was alone with Potiphar’s wife. Though she tempted him, he replied in verse 9 that he would not sin against God.

She falsely accused him, and he was thrown into prison. Yet even there he prospered. Verse 21 says, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

James 3:18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” God’s wisdom fully displays His character. Pure, Prince of Peace, Gentle, Submissive to the Father, Merciful, Impartial, Truth embodied.

He bids us ask Him for wisdom when we fall into various trials. The wisdom He imparts will be a revealing of Himself. John 14:21 says, “…manifest Myself to him.” The Greek words means to make visible, present oneself in the sight of another, be conspicuous.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that as we are gazing at Him, He will bring about an inner transformation that will change us. Romans 12:2 is an expression of metamorphosis. The caterpillar that enters the cocoon literally melts. The old identity is gone, and the new emerges.

James 5:11 says that the Lord has an intended end for all our trials. As we embrace our trials, He does a hidden work to conform us to His image. Romans 8:29. Let’s seek to walk in His wisdom.

I came to the story of Joseph. He was young and did not use wisdom. He gave his father a bad report about his brothers. Genesis 37:4 recorded the fruit of their jealousy, It says, “…they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.”

He also didn’t use wisdom in telling his two dreams to his family. It increased his brother’s hatred. Verse 11 says that they envied him. James 3:16 says, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

Jealousy is a toxic poison to our hearts. It is rooted in covetousness. It is seeing something that others have and you want it. Jezebel had Naboth killed because of her husband’s covetousness. 1 Kings 21:1-16. 

There are two kinds of jealousy. One that is unrighteous and toxic, and another that is God’s description of Himself. Exodus 20:5 says, “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” 2 Corinthians 11:2 says, “For I am zealous for you with a godly jealousy…”

The Greek word for jealousy means: eagerness, enthusiasm, intense desire, passionate commitment.

Think of the prodigal son. Luke 15:17 says, “But when he came to himself…” Before he was senseless. He wasted his whole inheritance. When he realized what he was doing, he course corrected through truth. What was his father’s response? He was watching for his son.

The Lord waits for us. Jeremiah 1:12 says, “…for I am ready to perform My word.” God’s word is a mirror for us. It helps us see what we have forgotten. James 1:24 says of one who looks into a mirror, “For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

This is why we must continue in God’s word. His word is alive and powerful. Hebrews 4:12 says it is, “…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” 1 Corinthians 2:13 says that what the Holy Spirit teaches comes through comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

In our natural man we cannot discern. However, when we walk in the Spirit, He will lead us into truth that will set us free when we personally apply it to our lives. 

Have you ever been driving, and almost hit someone when you changed lanes? I have because they were in my blind spot. Self-deception is like that. The person who is deceived doesn’t recognize that they are.

James 1:25 says, “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Note the word continues, because it means that reading God’s word is an integral part of our lives. It is not an add on. 

Joshua 1:8 says to observe what we are reading, so that we can make personal applications. As we read for understanding, the Holy Spirit will highlight what He wants us to notice. It is truth that will expose the hidden lies that we have believed.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 says, “…so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” Derailment from God’s will.

I love Proverbs 11:3. It says, “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.” Integrity is a character quality that shows up best when no one is watching us.

I found it interesting that a pagan king used these words. In a dream the Lord told him that Sarah was Abraham’s wife. Genesis 20:5 says, “…In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

Verse 6 says, “…Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me…” Did you notice that his actions through integrity garnered the Lord’s protection from sinning?

Proverbs 20:7 says, “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” I recently read the book of Titus. Paul instructed him in 2:7. It says, “In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.” Lord, cause us all to walk in integrity of heart so that You are always glorified.

Isaac rightly discerned that Jacob was not Esau. Yet three times Jacob lied, affirming that he was. It is essential to note that lying was in Jacob’s bloodline of generational sins. His grandfather Abraham lied, as well as his own father. Rebekah lied, as did her brother Laban when Jacob went to work for him.

John 8:44 says of the devil, “…there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” 

Beware. All fiery darts are lies. We must discern where thoughts in our mind come from. I encourage you to read my book, “Where Do Thoughts Come From?” They come from three specific ways. 

Our defense against these attacks to our faith is to hide God’s word in our hearts. James 1:21 says that the implanted word will rescue us. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves.” Psalm 119:11 says that when we hide His word in our hearts it will keep us from sinning.

Years ago I read “Point Man” by Roger Helle. He described how the point man went ahead of his platoon to check for concealed landmines. It took experienced discernment to detect any nuance of changes on the ground. For instance leaves that were in an unnatural pattern. 

Hebrews 5:14 says, “…those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” The Greek words used indicated discrimination, constant use, habit, practice, perception, and judgment.

1 John 1:6 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Hm, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” As we practice truth, we learn to discern. Discerning takes attentiveness, being alert, and watchful. They are all action words. We don’t discern by osmosis. Walking in the Spirit teaches us to pay attention to every nuance.

Luke 4:4 Amplified says, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word and expression of God.” 1 Corinthians 12:10 says that discerning of spirits is a manifestation of the Spirit. That means it is given by the Holy Spirit.