Opening the Gates of Heaven Perry Stone

delivering him about twelve hours before he was scheduled to be beheaded (Acts 12:1–18). Favor can bring a double blessing. Job’s blessing was lost by a battle but regained by divine favor. In fact, the increase after the battle came in the form of a “double portion” (Job 42:10). Elisha received a double portion of the anointing of Elijah (2 Kings 2). Elisha found favor because he stayed with the prophet until the very end. While many sons of the prophets viewed Elijah from afar, Elisha followed Elijah until the end, and the double portion blessing fell on him. Favor can speed up your destiny. You may have waited for years to see the promises of God come to pass in your life. But one act of God’s supernatural favor can move you from obscurity to prominence. Esther saved the Hebrews because she stood before the king. Ruth married a wealthy businessman and became famous in Bethlehem because of one night of favor. Joseph went from the pit to a prison to the palace because he had great favor. God revealed Joseph’s future in a dream, but the dream got him in trouble with his family. He ended up in an Egyptian prison. Yet God used Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams to reach Pharaoh. The gift that seemed to bring such trouble was instrumental seventeen years later in making Joseph second in command over all Egypt.