Call On God’s Favor Before You Give Up

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ho or what says you cannot decree a thing and it will be established?

Some weeks ago, on a trip to visit my brother and his family in Atlanta, Georgia, I wanted to change my itinerary and stay one more day. I knew that it was going to be a 50-50 proposition for success because the penalties involved might not be worth it at the end of the day. After expressing my desire to my brother, he asked us to pray and decree favor. I willingly obliged, especially since memories of a similar situation some years back flooded my mind.

It happened around the month of May 2002. I was scheduled to depart from Dallas for London on a Wednesday evening for my best friend Claire’s wedding, but there was one big problem. My passport with the required visa had not made it back from the British Embassy in Los Angeles, California. I was in difficult straits because my ticket was non-refundable–I bought it from a popular online booking website that was very unforgiving when it came to changing your itinerary. I spent that Wednesday sulking and dejected, because I was most likely going to miss Claire’s wedding.

The next morning, my brother Osa called and said he had a vision in which he saw me find favor with a reservations clerk and board the plane to England. He asked us to pray and decree that I would find favor. I agreed with him outwardly but disagreed in my mind. “What kind of favor is he talking about when my passport hasn’t even arrived?” That was the doubt-induced echo bouncing off the walls of my faithless mind. After praying, I got up and went about my day.

I returned home from work that day and found my passport waiting for me. I was excited until I remembered my flight situation—and my joy gave way to sadness. I called my brother, and he insisted I go to the airport and “just try against all odds.”

At the airport, I was told the only option would be a brand-new ticket to London. There was no way I could afford that. I called the online booking website and was told the penalty fee and other charges were going to amount to a brand-new ticket anyway. I must have talked and pleaded with about three different reservations clerks. My pleas fell on deaf ears till I started looking like a nuisance from the planet of stubbornness. After the third person said no, I gave up and began heading for the exit door.

“Excuse me, excuse me,” a voice called. I turned back and saw a new reservations clerk beckoning for me to come. “What is the matter?” she asked. I explained everything. To my amazement, she asked for my passport, typed and typed on her computer and then looked up and said, “How about leaving for London tomorrow morning?” I was so shocked and hoped she wouldn’t see something amiss and apologize for having made a mistake. She reissued my boarding pass, handed it to me, and said, “Safe journey tomorrow.” I was elated—I wasn’t going to miss Claire’s wedding after all, and I ended up not paying a dime for changing my ticket. Who else but God could have made this possible?

Knowing that the same God who did it for me in 2002 is able to do the same thing once again was the air that propelled my wings of faith. Of course I heard the same story of “It’s not possible” from three different reservations agents and watched doubt resurface. After the third person said the only way was to pay the ridiculous penalty, I wondered where favor was hiding. As we headed for the airport, I decided to check in my luggage from my phone. That was when I realized I was mistakenly booked to Washington Dulles instead of Dallas-Fort Worth. I immediately called, and the reservations agent apologized and put me on the flight I really wanted to be on. Who says it’s not possible?

I pray that this year we will decree favor in things that concern us and watch them come to pass, in Jesus’ name.

May E. Olusola is the Publisher of MannaEXPRESS.