The story of Esther began with orphanhood, powerlessness and a seemingly silent God. In this final message, we witness the undeniable reversal by her God who, though invisible and quiet, was relentlessly working for Esther’s good. Now she is the most powerful woman in the land and, together with Mordecai, was positioned to save a generation of the Hebrew people. The story of the Christian also holds pain, loss and seasons where we find no visible evidence that God might be moving on our behalf. Yet, when the final chapter finds us, we will experience the thrill of our perfect victory, the fullest overcoming of every one of our enemies, and a never-ending reign in glory alongside our King. The pathway to our celebration is full of danger and battle. For those who never retreat, the victory is promised.
Freed Up to Fight Back
November 7, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
When Jesus taught His listeners the value of learning how to turn the other cheek, was He instructing us to never, ever fight back? Is pacifism a pillar of the Gospel? A comprehensive view of what the Bible says about fighting back does not leave the Christian in a position of being a doormat to his or her enemies. There are times when God calls us to protect and defend our lives. Scripture even goes so far as to declare that the Lord is “a man of war” (Exodus 15:3). In the continuing story of Esther and the Jews, there is still a date on the calendar when they will be attacked by their enemies. This message reveals the amazing providence of God and how He leads His children to fight back against a hostile assault on their well-being. We can also learn much about how we are to fight our battles.
The Rock-Bottom of Rebellion
October 31, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
When we have been wronged, we all want justice. And we typically want it in a right-now type of action from God. Esther and Mordecai have been patiently waiting on the Lord to bring deliverance to the Jews. Haman has seemingly gotten away with his wicked plans. Yet, God is now going to completely reverse the course of all that is happening. God will balance the scales of justice in an astounding way. Rebellion against God will not go unaddressed. Haman is a wicked rebel and is about to find out what it means to hit a rock-bottom from which he will never bounce back.
What A Humbling Looks Like
October 24, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Let’s admit it: we get frustrated when the bad guys win and good guys lose. We usually prefer quick justice. Haman, the proud and dangerous anti-Semite keeps walking in victory while the Jews are all about to die. In this message, we see the sovereign hand of God begin to turn the tide against evil Haman. Fewer things prove to be more satisfying in the book of Esther than the events in this chapter. We learn why it is so important to wait on God to take care of our enemies. He may seem to move slowly at times, but it is glorious when His moves begin to make sense.
The Autopsy of Arrogance
October 10, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Flagrant pride in an individual is among the ugliest traits we can witness. The inflated sense of ego, the aroma of self-importance, the insistence on being the center of everyone’s orbit…these are things that repulse us. In Esther’s story, Haman was such a person. This message reveals with no restraints just how nauseatingly arrogant the enemy of the Jews is. As we behold his words and actions, we must be willing to examine our own hearts to see if anything similar might be growing in us. God exalts the humble and resists the proud of heart. Haman’s testimony makes this abundantly clear.
Destiny Via Disturbance
October 3, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Sometimes, a Christian’s most important moments come through his or her most intense challenges. Many people do not realize that the most famous verse in the book of Esther flows forth from her personal nightmare where she was being asked to put her life on the line. This message will reveal that God will bring sometimes about our divine destinies by presenting us with circumstantial disturbances. If you are in trouble during this current season, it may very well be the activity of God bringing you into what He has prepared for you from before the foundation of the world.
Haman Hopes for Holocaust
September 26, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
By now, we all know that wicked people, deviant cultures and demonic governments are an undeniable part of our experience here on earth. We would prefer that God remove all of these things because we know they stand in opposition to His heart. Perhaps no wickedness has been witnessed in human history more so than the repeated attempts to eradicate Jews from the planet through multiple attempts at holocaust. This message exposes the immeasurable wickedness of Haman who crafted a plan to rid the earth of all the Hebrews living at that time. Unfortunately for Haman, he did not know that he was not only fighting the Jews, but also the mighty God of the Jews who would be the defender and shield.
The Silent Seed of Providence
September 19, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
God often moves silently. Sometimes, it seems as if He does not move at all. While God is nowhere named in the entire book of Esther, the Holy Spirit reveals His intentional activity to the discerning reader. God is working in your life in ways that you cannot see and do not currently understand. This message teaches us to look for the invisible hand of God who is frequently planting the seeds of His providence in the normal, unspectacular moments of our lives. On any typical day of the believer’s life, God is silently, invisibly working on countless levels to accomplish His powerful plans for us.
All Eyes on Esther
September 12, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Sometimes we cannot discern the presence or activity of God working for us. In weaker moments, we might struggle with the possibility of Him having forgotten who we are or where we are. Esther had everything removed from her and now she was caught in a process beyond her control. A pagan king demands a night to “sample” her body to see if she met her standards. What would God do to help her? This message takes us on the roller-coaster ride of dark danger and glorious breakthrough. Esther would become the queen.
Born Beautiful
September 5, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Four years after King Xerxes banished his wife from the palace, the stage is now set for God to elevate one of His own children to center-stage. Esther is completely unaware that her invisible God has been preparing everything for her to step into her destiny. God now uses normal circumstances to accomplish His eternal purposes. This message teaches us to remember that we never see all that God is doing on our behalf. A life of faith requires that we trust that God is for us even when He seems to be both silent and still.
Full Egos & Empty Souls
August 29, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
When a jeweler wants to highlight the brilliance of a diamond, he often lays the gem on a black cloth. The contrast between the cloth and the diamond reveal the highest brilliance of the jewel he is showing. While Esther is going to be revealed as God’s shining diamond, this first message is nothing but the black cloth being laid out. Power, vice, lust and misogyny highlight a wicked king in a foreign land. See the enemy’s plans to maintain hostility between male and female. Esther would appear later on a scene marked with one man’s power spun out of control.
