2 Corinthians 2:14–16 (NLT) 14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.
We carry the fragrance of another.
Infusing the atmosphere 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NLT) You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. Culture is obsessed with artificial influence. "Just because you are impressive doesn't mean you have influence."
When we speak of leadership, we are speaking of influence. The currency of leadership is respect and relationship.
Joesph -Genesis 37-50
It's one thing to have God's favor; it's another to walk in it.
Favor's Fragrance. Joseph is favored by his father. Genesis 37:3–4 (NIV) 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
1. Favor produces confidence. Honoring others requires confidence. We can only honors others when we feel like we don't need it for ourselves.
Genesis 37:11 (NIV) His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Joseph is sold into slavey. Genesis 39:2–5 (NIV)2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.
2. Favor isn't (just)for you. "When we carry God's favor, it is not just to bless but to bring increase the environment we are in."
Genesis 39:6-7 (NIV) Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"
3. Favor is attractive Favor will open doors you should not walkthrough. Favor doesn't mean we won't face difficulties; sometimes it attracts them.
Joseph is thrown into slavey. Genesis 39:20–23 (NIV) But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Joseph promoted before Pharaoh Genesis 41:41–43 (NIV) 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
4. Favor grants us access to honor others. Genesis 50:20 (NIV) You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Points of honor: 1. Honor the Lord in labor. Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.
2. Honor the Lord in purity 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 (NIV)18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
