Esther, The Woman On Assignment

Est 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."

The book of Esther is the only book in scriptures that has no mention of God, even though in our Bible text above, Esther and her people were going to pray and fast, but no mention of whom in particular they were praying to. However, it's not unclear to us who they were praying to. The same God who delivered them from other nations could deliver them from that particular challenge.

The matter that is of interest to me is the role Esther played in the deliverance of her people which I believe would be of great lesson to us especially when we are privileged to occupy positions of authority in our different spheres of endeavor. She thought it wise enough to lead her people in prayers to God so deliverance would come from Him for them. You probably might not see the point I am making until you bring it home.

Have you seen or heard of someone who was a 'nobody', someone nobody paid attention to except maybe their immediate family but by divine providence, then occupied a position or wields certain amount of societal influence? That was Esther for you. In fact, her biological parents were no more and she was living with her uncle when the opportunity to become queen came to her.

She probably didn't grow up like other girls of her age. She was living with her uncle and might not be privileged to enjoy all the pleasures of life like having your own parents. But her uncle gave her a good upbringing. Esther became a queen, and did something differently.

It is easy to dissociate yourself from the same people that you have lived most of your life with in the past. We see this play out every time in our society. People who rise to leadership positions by divine mercy forget about the same people and place where they come from. Some even begin to inflict pains and sufferings on their people. 

Esther didn't follow this common path, instead she was ready to pray and fast with them and even speak with the king for her people. 

No matter where you find yourself, don't forget where you came from or the people you have been with. If it's in your power, pray for them, stand up for them, speak for them and God will grant you victory. 

The Holy Spirit

 1. He is the third person of the trinity. He is not a wind or fire or dove.

 He is the Spirit of God: He came upon those of the old testament but lives in us believers.

When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. *1Sam 10:10*

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God... *Ezekiel 11:24*

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. *Romans 8:14*

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. *Romans 8:11*

2. He is God's gift to all believers: He makes his abode in us. 

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. *Act 1:4-5*

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! *Matthew 7:11*

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. *Acts 10:45*

Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. *Acts 2:38*

3. He is our counselor, guide and revealer of truths/secrets: We have access to the mind and plans of God because of the Holy Spirit.

But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. *1 Corinthians 2:10-11*

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do… *John 14:16-17*

Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. *John 16:12-13* 

4. He empowers and helps us: Our lives as Christians can only be lived with the help of the Holy Spirit.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;.. *Acts 1:8*

And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. *1 Corinthians 2:4*

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.... but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. *Acts 16:6-7*

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. *Romans 8:26-27*

5. Speaking in tongues is the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit: When we speak in tongues, we build up ourselves (innerman) like an edifice and communicate mysteries with God. 

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; *Mark 16:17*

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. *Acts 2:4*

Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. *Acts 19:6*

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues... *Acts 10:44-45*

For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit... Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves. *1 Corinthians 14:2-4*

6. We need to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit: Praying makes us filled with the Holy Spirit and we are thus in tune with him.

 

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. *Acts 7:55*

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. *Acts 4:31*

7. He gives spiritual gifts for the profit of the church and produces fruits in our lives.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. *1 Corinthians 12:7-11*

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! *Galatians 5:22-23*

*Note*

The special faith, healing and diverse kinds of tongues mentioned here(1 Corinthians  12) are spiritual gifts given at the discretion of the Holy Spirit(in heavy dose) and should not be mistaken with the faith, healing and tongues that is for every believer(Mark 16:16-18 and others).

JESUS

 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!" John 5. 39

He is at the center of it all.

1. The promise of the messiah

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. Gen 49:10

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means 'God is with us'). Ishaiah 7:14

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7

2. The son of God

All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 1John 4:15

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." Matthew 3:17

But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name. John 20.31

3. Our access to God

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:16

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:18

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe..So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:14-16

4. He died and rose again for us

The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 2 Corinthians 5:15

5. He is our righteousness: we have right standing with God

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5.21

For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.    Hebrews 10:10

The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:24

... I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Phillipians 3:9

6. He is our substitute: he became a curse for us, bore our diseases and died to give us life

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus... Galatians 3:13

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

7. Our coming king

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. Matthew 25:31

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:44

Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Matthew 24:30-31

Who is God? 4

In our consideration of who God is, we have seen who he says he is, what the Bible reveals as his nature & character, and who his actions and works reveal him to be. This week we will be considering the last parameter, who people say he is.

Now the comments/opinions of people about you do not really define you, but what those close to you say about you is a good enough approximation. Let us hear from six persons who knew God in scripture what they have to say about God.

1. The first person and indeed the last person we will hear from is God in human form, Jesus Christ. His testimony of God is the most crucial as he alone came down from heaven and has seen the Father. And we know that his testimony is true.

But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit & in truth. John 4:23

2. Abraham: the friend of God

And Abraham came close and said, Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) together with the wicked?... Far be it from You to do such a thing--to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Gen 18:23

Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously? Gen 18:25

3. Moses: the servant of God who spoke with God face to face

He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes. Duet 10:21

But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him... For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made... Duet 4:29-31

4. David: the man after God's heart* David has a lot to say about God, he wrote 73 chapters of the book of Psalms after all. (No, he didn't write D whole of Psalms)

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. 

Psalm 103, 11-14

5. John the beloved: the only Apostle of the lamb that was not and could not be killed. (he came out unscathed from hot frying oil)

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 1John 1:5

Because God [is] love--so you can't know him if you don't love... (John 4:9) God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us.1John 4:17

6. Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles Paul with the help of the Spirit wrote the most books in the Bible.

 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. "His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist... Acts 17:26-27

For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:31

7. Jesus the image of the invisible God He is the final authority.

But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike… Matt 5:44-45

Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible. Matt 19:26 

The Father and I are one. John 10:30.

Who is God? 3

 In our consideration of who God is, we have seen who he says he is and what the Bible reveals as his nature & character. 

This week we will be considering his actions & works. 

How does his actions align with his revealed nature.

Now, it is often inaccurate to define a person by one action, but a body of actions presents a correct representation of the person and as Jesus said "by their fruits you shall know them"

So what do God's actions and works reveal about him?

1. His works are good

God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning--Day Six. Genesis 1.31

2. He has made provisions available before you need them

GOD said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion."... Genesis 2.18

GOD put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. GOD then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man. The Man said, "Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh! Name her Woman for she was made from Man." Genesis 2. 21-23

3. He is merciful even in judgment

And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife... Genesis 3.21

Cain replied to the Lord, "My punishment is too great for me to bear!... Genesis 14.13

Anyone who finds me will kill me!" The Lord replied, "No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. Genesis 14.15

4. He is a just God

GOD said, "I'll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds--the works. I'm sorry I made them." But Noah was different. GOD liked what he saw in Noah. Gen 6.7-8

5. He restores times and lost opportunities

After Job had interceded for his friends, GOD restored his fortune--and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble GOD had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts. GOD blessed Job's later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. 

He also had seven sons and three daughters. Job 42.10-13

6. He attends to our call for help and mercy

Finally, Abraham said, "Lord, please don't be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?" And the Lord replied, "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."... Gen 18.32

"All right," the angel said, "I will grant your request. 

I will not destroy the little village. But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there."... Gen 19.21-23

But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain. *Gen 19.29*

7. *He loves us and gave his son for our salvation*

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. *John 3.16*

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? *Romans 8.31-32*