Esther Chapter 4 Verses 1 – 14

· This is a super interesting scene with quite a remarkable dilemma. Mordecai trusts the Lord and He knows that no matter if he can see it or not, understand it or not, predict it or not, regarding what specifically is about to happen, he knows that God’s promise, God’s Word won’t fail! This is faith with works as James would put it and perhaps even better said, this is faith THAT works!

· Just want to point out, Mordecai’s faith that works, at this time in the playing out of the situation, looks like hysteria… James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials…” COUNT (accounting term), because it’s not going to feel like joy… 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, in everything give thanks…” Not FOR everything but IN everything…. It’s alright and even expected to fall apart. That doesn’t mean you are without faith; it means that it hurts…

· This kind of faith allows Mordecai, us, me to live in such a way that even though, even if, even because, even through, even so…, God is and will be faithful to His Word. That kind of confidence is an underlying foundation for all kinds of success in a life and look, there’s a portion of this, a portion of faith, that ultimately has nothing to do with outward circumstance!

· There is an element of faith that seeks not to comfort the outward circumstance of your situation or maybe even your life but rather to build, part by part, brick by brick, a character that resembles the temple of God in you! Even though Mordecai was facing imminent death, he is confident AND his confidence looks like torn clothes, sackcloth and ashes, loud and bitter tears! I look at that and say, “he’s on his way!”

· Jesus was facing imminent death as well. There was a time where His boat was taking on water and his disciples, smart, astute, sharp guys…, they looked at the situation and said essentially, “we’re dead!” And yet Jesus was peacefully sound asleep! Facing, face to face the man that had the power of life and death over Him, Pontius Pilate, Jesus calmly remarked to him, “You could have no power over me other than what has been given you from My Father…”

· There’s a similarity there with Mordecai and there’s a contrast. The similarity is the solid confidence in the integrity and faithfulness of God. The contrast is the maturity of character and stillness of emotion, perhaps better said, self-control of emotion, we see in Jesus as compared to Mordecai. The point is that faith moves mountains and sometimes those mountains are within… Maybe even I’ll say, more important, profitable when they are within…

· Mordecai makes an intriguing statement here… He says, “If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.” It could be that Mordecai sees that through Esther’s immediate and early influence, she could somehow stop this massacre before it starts and if not, those that rise up will do so through bloodshed…

· That’s the most likely practical explanation for Mordecai’s predictive statement. There is however a spiritual principle here in that God’s Word will always prove itself and God Himself to be certain. However, (this is the principle) my personal faithfulness can many times decide which side of the truth of God’s Word I personally come out on.

· Example, Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” That is a perfect example. God’s integrity is solidly founded if your life, situation, circumstance and the result of God’s impeccable integrity is life OR corruption. Which one of those outcomes is up to what you do with what God has said…

· And this next most popular statement of Mordecai is a call to action to not miss your shot at what God can do with your life, in your life, with you and within you! Mordecai says, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

· This statement is an effective motivation motto but it is much less that than it is a reminder that God puts us into positions, places and situations for His predestined purpose. It’s like the camera zooms out… From the room that Esther is in all the way to the eternal perspective of the main plot point of this book and its not the situation, the problem, the antagonist or the protagonist…, it’s a point in time far more significant that any other where the main character makes a decision whether she will be significant or insignificant…

· God’s going to fulfill His Word… Absolute impossibility for any other scenario to play out… and at this moment God’s highest purpose for Esther being created is revealed, and the decision is hers to step into it or not…

· Some folks never get to this decision point and that is tragic. Never getting to where it is made evident, it is discoverable, what is God’s highest purpose for your life. Why? Remember how it is that her position came about… Yes, it was her beauty…, but it was her wisdom, her humility, her compliance and her care for others…, her father, Mordecai…, her guide Hegai…, it was her willingness to yield and be insignificant that has led to the unveiling of her true significance. It is not a wonder at all why this is missed by the majority of people…

· So, the camera zooms out to the host of heaven, lined up, observing, what will she do… Will she find her significance as pre-ordained by her Creator…, or will she fade into obscurity? The point for us tonight is that our purpose, or better said, God’s purpose for our life will be discovered through wisdom and humility and God’s purpose for our life will be achieved through obedience…

· His purpose will still be accomplished if we disobey…, but we will miss the opportunity to be part of His plan. Luke 19:40, the Pharisees demanded that the people stop praising Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, and yet Jesus says to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out!”

· This is her moment and here’s the thing…, to walk in her greatest calling and purpose, she has to be willing to put everything on the line for the sake of doing what is right in relation to what she is able to do… That statement is thick with substance.

· First, what is right for me to do and what is right for you to do can sometimes depend upon what we are equipped and able to do in the first place. Simple illustration. Is it right for me to give $1M to this church? Um, no… why? Because I don’t have $1M! But for one who has created $10M of income for himself or herself, is it right for them to give $1M? Absolutely! Why? Because they are equipped and able to do so and that is entirely in alignment with the Word of God. Make sense?

· So, for you and for me, its not what anyone else should or should not do in some circumstance or situation… They’re not in your situation and they don’t have what you have… So, given how you are equipped and what you are able to do…, what is right for YOU to do? Esther has been equipped unlike any other woman in the Persian Kingdom…, and therefore she alone, this alone, is RIGHT for her to do!

· Second. Exodus 20:3, the first of the Great Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Are you willing to put whatever it is that you love so much, that creates your idea of who you are, are you willing to put whatever it takes second to what God would have you to do? (This goes not only for the good things about you but also the wrong things that have happened to you).

· This is Abraham and Isaac. This is David and his kingdom. This is Noah and his reputation. This is Daniel and his people. This is Joseph and his brothers… God has a plan and a purpose, a high plan and a divine purpose for me and for you and for every person created in His image… And you will only find it if you’re willing to put everything on the line in order to do so… Welcome to stepping forward in faith!

Esther Chapter 4 Verses 15 – 17

· The Hebrew word is not “if.” The Hebrew word is a definite, it is “when.” Esther cannot proceed with what God has called her to do thinking and striving for her own deliverance. Wondering IF God will save her. That will not give her the strength she needs. She has to resolve WHEN. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walked into the fire with confidence not that God would save them but that even if he didn’t they were resolved within themselves to serve Him. This is incredibly foundational in your surrender to Jesus. Let me show you…

· Romans 12:1, Paul begs us to find what is hidden for us in this type of commitment to God’s heart and plan for our lives, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Here’s the revelation, until you get to where Esther got, to where Abraham got, Daniel, David, Joseph, Paul, even Jesus, your true self is suppressed and your true strength is concealed… Jesus said (Matthew 16:25), “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

· These verses are also a most excellent Biblical picture of why we are commanded to fast as Christians. This call for fasting is not in any way so that God will answer a prayer or to get God to move on her behalf. This call for fasting is to prepare Esther spiritually with the inner strength she will need to walk forward in her high calling!

· Fasting starves the flesh…, makes you desperate, reminds you of your own mortal weakness…, and in that fasting illuminates and energizes the spirit and declutters the heart that it may show up with the appropriate perspective. That is why we fast. Any other reason is lesser….

· Check this out…, last point. In Esther stepping into her calling what is it that she needs…? Others… It’s just simply how we are designed… In the beginning He made them male and female… Genesis 1:27. Jesus sent the disciples out two by two… Mark 6. Jesus taught us how to pray beginning, “OUR Father,” Matthew 6… It’s just simple the design of creation… Even God Himself is 3 in 1… Calling upon others to help you in your calling is not just wise, if you don’t do it, you’re simply not walking in your calling at all….