Endorsements
I have known Gary for his entire life, and I am so grateful for how God continues to use him for His glory. You will see Garys tremendous passion for Jesus in God s Favor . Garys pastors heart comes through as he confidently and clearly shows how God wants to shower us with His favor, presence, grace, hope and kindness.
Nicky Cruz, evangelist and author
I have known Gary Wilkerson for almost 25 years, and in the last few I have had the pleasure of traveling to many places and ministering with him. Gary has found something of God that is quite enviable. He has found not only a depth of Christs love for himself but also a love from God that freely flows through him to others. In other words, he has discovered Gods favor. I have witnessed the tears of joy, release and healing flowing down the cheeks of waiters and strangers as Gary speaks and prays with them. Let the words of this book touch your life in the same way.
Carter Conlon, senior pastor, Times Square Church, New York City
Using examples from Scripture and life, Gary takes us on a journey to understanding the ultimate favor of God by encouraging us to walk in an attitude of favor to the revelation of Gods ultimate favor, His very presence. A refreshing, recommended read!
Jerry Nance, Ph.D., president and CEO, Global Teen Challenge
Gary Wilkerson has been a dear friend for decades. What you are reading is not something worked out at a desk but something lived out in real life. What Gary writes he believes, and what Gary believes becomes part of his everyday life. What makes God s Favor an exciting read is that its personal. Gary tells his story. Its not easy to read at times, but Gods favor seems to always come through. God s Favor is refreshingly honest, scripturally insightful and constantly challenging. On these pages you will find favor when it seems there is none in sight.
Tim Dilena, lead pastor, Our Saviors Church, Lafayette
Title Page
Copyright Page
2019 by World Challenge, Inc.
Published by Chosen Books
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.chosenbooks.com
Chosen Books is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2019
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1543-4
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled E S V are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations labeled N I V are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled K J V are from the King James Version of the Bible.
In some of the authors stories, the names and identifying details of certain individuals have been changed to protect their privacy.
Cover design by Darren Welch Design
Dedication
Having just celebrated forty years of what I believe to be the best marriage ever, I could not be more thankful for Gods favor in sending me the most amazing, beautiful, lovely, and God-pursuing woman imaginable. I know Gods favor in a richer way because you, Kelly, are in my life. Looking forward to 2050 together at ninety-two!
Contents
Cover
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Foreword by Barry Meguiar
Introduction
Part I: Gods Part
1. You Are Blessed, Not Cursed
2. Your Season of Increase
3. Favor Follows You
Part II: Our Part
4. Conquering Cynicism
5. Your Familys Greatest Season
6. Unprecedented Upgrades
7. Overwhelming Victory
8. Showing the Favor of God
9. Proclaiming Your Favor
Part IV: A Higher Calling
10. Special Favor
11. Ultimate Favor
About the Author
Back Cover
Foreword
Having been best friends with David Wilkerson for almost forty years, I knew his son Gary as a child. I know him now as a mentor. And I hear both voices through the pages of this book. It is more than powerful.
The search for purpose in life is embedded in the very core of human nature. Ultimate dignity and peace of mind come from attaining ones purpose for living. Most people, consciously or subconsciously, search for purpose their entire lives without finding it. It is like looking for love in all the wrong places. No level of success or fame or family or accumulated wealth can fully quench the human search for purpose.
Our search for joy and purpose is simplified by understanding almighty God as the holy TrinityGod the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spiritwhile we ourselves are body, soul and spirit. While our body feels pain and our soul experiences happiness, the fulfillment of joy and purpose in our lives is possible only when our spirit is in alignment with Gods Holy Spirit.
And guess what? Searching for Gods purpose for your life is not scriptural. God does not have one purpose for you and another one for Himself. He has but one purpose: to seek and save the lost. That is why He promises in Romans 8:28 to make everything in your life work together for good when you live your life for His purpose.
Gary explains that this is the sweet spot with God, when even the little things and bad things serve to fulfill Gods purpose. When things go south, know that God is up to something! He is putting you in the middle of an opportunity to lead someoneor maybe lots of someonescloser to Him. And their redemption is far more important than your temporary inconvenience or lifelong challenge.
This is where the favor of God takes over. When you live your life for Gods purpose, you live in His promise to make everything in your life work for good. This is when wholehearted, unwavering faith begins, and all the blessings that come with it. His favor is without limit, into the smallest areas of your life.
And there is more! In his last chapter, Gary takes us from Gods unlimited favor in the smallest of things into Gods ultimate favor that surpasses all things. You will find it hard not to moved to tears as Gary opens your eyes to the ultimate reward for living your life in Gods Favor .
Barry Meguiar, president, Meguiars Car Wax; founder and president, IgniteAmerica and Revival Outside the Walls
Introduction
We hear a lot about the favor of God these days. Thats a good thing. Without the Lords favor, we would not be able to breathe, stand or find true life anywhere. Our loving, compassionate God looks to bless us with His amazing favor.
But today the teaching of favor is being twisted by some. They use it as a means to gain material, physical and emotional blessings from God. Thats tragic, because it reduces the Lord to just another American commodity. They tell you to invest a little church attendance here, sow a bit of financial seed there, claim the power of your tongue to confess your way into the life you dream of, andboom!youre favored.