To God be the Glory! What a fantastic beginning we’ve had in the first quarter of this year. From the very first moments we experienced on New Years, filled with songs of praise and powerful words of prophecy, we set our hearts to receive all the beautiful promises God has for us. Now, as we look forward to the rest of 2024, let’s keep our theme close: "Open Heart = Open Heaven – Come Home to Intentional Faith." I shared with you all that by opening our hearts wide to God’s Word, claiming His promises boldly, and seeking His plan with all of our hearts, we’d see those promises come to life right before our eyes, just like in Deuteronomy 28:12-13 KJV  

“The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 

As the year began many of you received this incredible prophetic promise from God, claiming it for yourself praising Him and looking for manifestation.  I have taught you that  faith is a fight, but it is a fight that we win.  As I have been involved in the fight of faith for the promises of God this season, I have experienced first hand and by the testimony of others the difficulty of the delay of God's promises attempting to distress, depress and discourage us.  

However, earlier this month, Angela and I saw God’s hand move in an incredible way in our finances, showing us that when we are in agreement and stand firm in faith, even when it seems like a no-go, God makes the impossible possible. This miracle wasn’t just for us; it’s a sign of the Miracle Favor Anointing God is pouring out, where He’s ready to protect, provide, promote and prosper us beyond our dreams. Several months ago we were in faith for a door of favor in an area of our finances but later found out that because of current documented policies in place, there was a great chance we would be denied the opportunity.  

Undeterred by the news we came into agreement with each other determined to believe that God already knows what He is going to do, and that we would trust Him and it would work out in our favor.   Months passed with no answer but then, in the first week of March we received some letters in the mail saying that we were denied because of the policy we were told about. However, before we could become disappointed,  as we shuffled the mail, there were additional letters from the same company.  As we read those letters, they said that in spite of the policy that hindered them from helping us, someone in the company agreed that we should be granted an exception!   In addition to this, there were checks addressed to each of us that were more than enough to satisfy our financial need. In addition to that the increase was enough to provide a First Fruit seed of five thousand dollars into Great Faith Church on our upcoming giving day in April.  

When this happened for Angela & I, God told me that He has released a “Miracle Favor Anointing” in the month of March where we would see a manifestation of His Power in the presence of our enemies that would overshadow us with protection, overwhelm us with provision, overcome us with peace & overtake us with promotion. God’s Miracle Favor Anointing will cause our life to overrun with prosperity!  Manifestations of this Miracle Favor Anointing continued the next day as we received a call from someone who had a legal matter that was not supposed to be resolved until March of 2025, and they received notification that their liability had been resolved this Month, March 2024.   Then again the next day at our First Thursday prayer event,  a member said that she had been diagnosed with fibroids, but during our time of prayer she experienced a sensation in the area of the diagnosis and she heard God say she was healed.  After going to see her medical provider  He confirmed that it had disappeared. 

At this time God is directing our focus as we dive deep into understanding how Jesus was the ultimate First Fruit Offering, given by God out of pure love for us. I am beginning a lesson series to increase your capacity to believe for Miracle Favor entitled: “Jesus” The First Fruit Gift Given from the Heart of God. Our campaign is all about stepping into this flow of giving and receiving. We’re focusing on supporting missions through Compassion International, reaching out to bring more souls into God’s Kingdom this Easter, and making a difference by sowing into the ministry of Great Faith Church on First Fruit Giving Sunday.

Why is this important? Because when we give, especially a first fruit offering, we tap into God’s cycle of blessing. It’s like planting seeds that grow into a harvest far beyond what we could imagine, bringing supernatural supply and abundance into our lives and those around us. 

Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the first fruits of all your income.  So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 KJV

Here’s our action plan for this season:

• Support Kingdom Missions on Compassion Sunday, March 24th: Let’s come together to sponsor at least 25 children. It’s our chance to be Jesus’ hands and feet to those in need. 

• “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  Matthew 25: 44-45 NIV 

• Seek Men for the Kingdom on Easter Sunday, March 31st: Invite someone to church this Easter. You never know, the person you bring could be the next big change-maker in God’s Kingdom.

John 1:40-42 KJV One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.   He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.  And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

• Sow into Kingdom Ministry on First Fruit Offering Day, April 7th: Angela and I are leading by example with a $5000 offering. Let’s all prepare to give generously, believing for God to multiply our seeds sown.

Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the first fruits of all your income.  So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-19 AMP

The promises for us as we do this are huge – expect to see seven benefits of God’s provision and protection increase in your life, just as He promises in Ex.34:22-26 KJV 

And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.  For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year.  Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.  The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God.

1. God will cause your seed to bring supernatural supply in the kingdom of God.

2. God will increase the flow of abundance in your life.

3. God will take away the desire of your enemy to hurt you.

4. God will expand your land holding.

5. God will drive out opposition to your increase and make room for you.

6. God will place His commanded blessing on your entire Household.

7. God will consecrate a blessing on all that you touch.

I’m asking you to join us in this journey of faith. First, for Compassion Sunday, March 24th, to show God’s love in action as we solidify our commitment to foreign missions. Second, to make Easter Sunday special by bringing someone along to hear about Jesus on Sunday, March 31st. And third, to prepare your heart and resources for an impactful time of giving on First Fruit Offering Day, April 7th that will help propel our ministry moving forward.

Remember: What we do for God out of love and obedience has a way of coming back to us in ways we can’t even imagine. Let’s give, not just from our wallets, but from hearts full of faith and love.  

Eph 6:8 KJV Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

I’m so honored to walk this journey with you. Together, we’re not just going through the motions; we’re making lives better by faith.

Let’s also come together for prayer on March 21st and 28th at 7:30 PM in person or live-streamed. It's a powerful time to unite our faith and ask God to move mightily in and through us this Easter season.

With all my heart,

Pastor Patrick Ligon

Making Lives Better By Faith