Philemon 1-25

Recurrent Thought

Friends make or break you. Good Friends carry favor for you; however evil friends can bring you to ruin (Pro. 18:24)

Favor is divine enablement, where God in Partnership with human beings provide help to your life and destiny. God blesses you, but he does it through others. People are avenues through which God blesses People. They are a few ways when God sends blessings mysteriously and sovereignly without the use of people. God normally uses people to bless people.  This is what is called Favor. Favor is when God grants a person specific destiny-impacting support through human instrumentality. Favor is when people invest time, resources, and credibility in their life and destiny. Some Keys to releasing Favor include Honor, Value, Relationships, Prayer, etc. In this message, we want to reflect on unlocking Favor through Relationships.

Human beings are the means through which God commands Your destiny. In the text, we notice the power of Friendship in granting favor to others. God in his most holy and wise counsel can use all sorts of people to impact our destiny. Some we may know but others would be strangers. Some may stay in our lives for a long time, but others may appear in our space like a lightning flash. Whoever, they may be, the fact is, God usually uses people to bless people.

As stated in the previous message, Paul writes Philemon to request Him to forgive and accept, Onesimus who was at one time his slave but ran away. Paul asks for something that was nearly impossible in those days. He asked Philemon, not just to forgive him but treat him as a brother.

In persuading Philemon, to do this activity, which was socially explosive, Paul uses some statements that are smart and uncommon. Some are very strong statements and they sound heavy-handed in tone. Some have called out that Paul crossed the line in his demands. Some have called him a manipulator who took advantage of Philemon. The criticism against Paul in this regard is indeed correct in the sense that Paul was very persuasive but it misses the point altogether in relation to understanding the Favor locked in Friendship. Paul shows that what he is requesting is huge, but he is requesting it from a dear brother, friend, and covenant partner. Paul knew that Kingdom partners are powerful carriers of God’s Favor for others; when properly engaged they can deliver help to others. Let us quickly look at four Keys that help to unlock Gods Favor

1. Honor Healthy Friendships, for they are the Channels of Favor

   • Paul entreats Philemon as a Friend. He is called a beloved friend, brother, and co-laborer
   • Friendship generates Favor. Paul appreciates this and he informs Philemon that he does not want him to deliver this destiny-changing blessing to Onesimus by Law but by Love (8-9)
   • Paul would have found it difficult to demand from Philemon if they were not friends
   • Ensure to grow and cherish healthy lifelong Kingdom of God-based friendships
   • Life Changing Favor is dispensed through Networks of Friendships;
2. Practice Mutual Friendship to Unlock Favor
   • Although Friendship is an advantage; it works well with mutual respect.
   • Paul writes that “I won’t do nothing without your consent” (14)
   • Friendships are also avenues and networks of mutual blessings.
   • Blessings that friends share with one another exceed physical blessings. Essentially, it is the camaraderie, the brotherly love, and the essence of being available for each other in the activities of our life journey.
   • The Demand you place on Friendship should recognize the depth of relationship
   • Paul is demanding from a friend whom he has related with at a deeper level, yet still he is polite (verse 14)
   • Strong Friendship easily responds to Open Demands (verse 20)
   • Paul was able to ask freely and openly because he had a strong relationship with Philemon;
   • It is unethical to put a demand on a friendship you have not built.
   • Can Your Friendship respond to your open demands?
3. Recognize the Power of Association in Communicating  Favor to Others (v17).
   • Kingdom Partners continue to be a blessing beyond the people they normally related with
   • One major way to tap on other people’s favor is through the principle of association.
   • When You introduce your good friend to another person, you allow them access to God’s favor spread in your relationships.
   • It is unethical to introduce a bad, ill-tempered, and crocked person to your friend. Protect your friendship; protect the brotherhood of the faith
   • Paul covers and allows his son in the faith (mentee) to enjoy the credibility of his network (17)
   • Credibility, which is built over a long time is a currency of Favor
   • Friendship is sacrificial, If he has wronged you at all set it to my account
4. Be Deliberate to Grow Great Friendships (Prov. 18:24)
   • Paul and Philemon developed a kingdom brotherhood over some time.
   • Notice the words of endearment that Paul states about Philemon
   • Notice that Friendships are grown by deliberate fellowship and the usage of your giftings in different ways. Paul ministered to Philemon in the things of the Spirit. Philemon was a generous giver to the work of Paul and other apostolic teams
   • Notice also that Paul invests in the brotherhood relationship he is creating with Onesimus.
   • The bible says “A man that has friends must show himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” (Pro. 18:24)

Altar Time

1. Pray for relationships that you carry on your life journey (Family, Business, Kingdom of God).
2. Pray that You may be a blessing to others by sharing your Christian Faithfulness and credibility