QUEEN ESTHER: A PRAYER WARRIOR

CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 26^TH 2023

SERMON BY PASTOR MARC E SIMEON

QUEEN ESTHER THE PRAYER WARRIOR

Esther 3:5-6

Es 3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath.

 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus-the people of Mordecai.

Esther 4:15-17

Es 4:15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:

 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

 17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

BACKGROUND

• After the Babylonian Captivity ended, many Jews were still scattered in all the surrounded nations as well as in Babylon and in Persia.
• While living in the Medo-Persia Empire, Esther a Jewish woman became the queen of the land, but she did not disclose her Jewish identity.
• Her Uncle Mordecai who raised her had a job in the king’s palace.
• Being a Jew, he did not bow in the posture of worship before a high rank man named Haman as was required by the law.
• Upon informing that it was the custom of all the Jews, the prideful officer Haman decided to eradicate all the Jews in the kingdom on the account of Mordecai.  

INTRODUCTION

• What do you do when the way you serve God brings offense to someone else?
• What do you do when you face a tyrant like Haman was to the Jews?
• What do you do when the law in not on your side?
• What do you do when your silence can cause a great danger to others and your speaking out can cause you your life?
• What do you do when you don’t know what to do?
• What do you do when it’s your turn to make a stand but you lack the courage to do it?
• What do you do when someone invade your little paradise with turmoil and fear?
• What do you do when you find yourself in the middle of a fight that you did not start?

Esther began her day like any other day, before long the darkest cloud imaginable was looming over her head. She was about to find herself in center stage with a huge audience staring at her. Everything she did or did not do was going to have a lasting effect.

First, she learned that Mordecai her uncle, the dearest person in her life next to God, was in trouble

Esther 4:1-4

Es 4:1 ¶ When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.

 2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

 3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

 4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.

THE SITUATION AT HAND

Esther was overwhelmed by the circumstances around her.

Unknown to her, her entire race was purchased to be slaughtered in one day.

Unknown to her, there was great chaos in the kingdom.

Unknown to her, Satan had raised a pre-incarnation of Hitler named Haman to eradicate the Jewish people.

Unknown the her, the day of execution was around the corner.

Unknown to her, the little bubble she lives in was about to be popped.

THE PROBLEM ESTHER FACED

• She was forbidden to approach the king without his invitation, (punishable by death penalty.)
• She was informed too late to prevent it, the law was already in effect and the verdict was irreversible.
• She had no financial means to outbid Haman’s offer.
• She had not yet disclosed her Jewish identity.
• She had never disclosed her relationship to Mordecai to anyone in the palace.
• She could not look the other way and dismiss her uncle’s insistences.
• She could not escape the dilemma.
• She certainly would not have been able to face God had she failed to intervene on behalf of the Jewish People.
• She was under pressure from all angles.

Es 4:13-14

Es 4:13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.

 14 “For 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. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

ESTHER NEEDED FOUR FAVORS FROM THE KING

• She needed access to the king without following the protocols.
• She needed the king’s attention and favor.
• She needed the mercy of the king to reverse the order.
• She also needed vindication for her people.

ESTHER DECIDED TO TURN THE SITUATION INTO A SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Es 4:15-16

Es 4:15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:

 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

• Esther decided to seek the Lord
• Esther decided to saturate the problem with prayer
• Esther knew that she was not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against all the power of the enemy
• Esther knew that she was walking on land mines but; (If God be for us who can be against us).
• Esther knew that a shallow prayer would not do the job.
• Esther knew that God seats in the midst of the praises of His people.
• Esther knew the power of fasting (dry fasting).
• Esther knew that the prayers of the righteous can neutralize all the forces of the enemy.
• Esther knew that Haman was no match to her Great and mighty God.
• Esther had confidence that she would be ready after the fasting ended.

THE CONTENT OF ESTHER’S PRAYER

• Esther prayed for boldness and bravery
• Esther prayed for God’s intervention in the matter
• Esther prayed for God to give her control of the situation
• Esther prayed for a strategy to approach the king
• Esther prayed for wisdom to deal with everyone involved
• Esther prayed for self control (she did not cry, nor show signs of sorrow)

THE EFFECT OF ESTHER’S PRAYER

Esther 5:1-3

Es 5:1 ¶ Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.

 2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

 3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you-up to half the kingdom!”

• Esther found a supernatural grace from the king
• God had already melted the heart of the king
• At this time the king was in a trance, the Creator of the universe was in control of his body mind and soul.
• Esther did not have to say a word.
• Whatever you want dear, just name it, it’s yours.
• The good disposition of the king was nothing more than God in action.

NOTICEABLE ACTIONS OF ESTHER

• Notice that Esther did not make her demand right away even though she was granted favor from the king
• She had to stick to the strategy that God gave her.
• After two separate parties and an amazing intervention of God, then she made her petitions to the king.

Esther 5:4 -9

Es 5:4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

 5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

 6 At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”

 7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this:

 8 “If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

 9 ¶ So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

• Most of us would ruin the plan of God in our haste to bring a resolution to the problem.
• Esther kept the suspense going for the king and for Haman.
• She did not try to poison Haman
• She did not plot for Haman to be assassinated.
• She did not show any lack of respect to Haman.
• She fed Haman’s ego all the more, by exhibiting distinguished honor toward him.

GOD REVERSED THE SITUATION FOR MORDECAI

Esther 6:1-3

• Es 6:1 ¶ That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
•  2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
•  3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”God did not allow the king to sleep that night
• God lead the king to seek to read book of the records of the chronicles on that very day.
• God caused the king to be aware of Mordecai’s unrewarded good deed on that day.
• God prompted the king to take immediate action to show his gratitude toward Mordecai.
• God prompted Haman to be at the court of the king at that same juncture of time.
• God prompted the king to ask Haman’s for his advice on how best to show honor to a noble man in the land.
• God prompted the king not to reveal who the man in question was.
• God hardened Haman’s heart to seek the glory for himself, thinking he was the man in question.
• God prompted the king to ask Haman to do the job to contrast what he had in mind to do on that day.
• God laughs at the plans of evil men.
• When God is in full control, wait for an amazing orchestration of events to unfold.
• God allowed the situation to reach a climax by allowing a eunuch to tell the king of Haman’s plan for Mordecai to be hung on a huge pole.
• God allowed no one to have mercy upon Haman on that day.

CONCLUSION

The story did not finish there

• Haman, the prime enemy of the Jews got hanged in the place of Mordecai on the very day and on the pole he had prepared to hang Mordecai.
• Mordecai got promoted in the place of Haman on the spot.
• The Jewish people got their vindication over their enemies in the same day and in the same fashion they were to be slaughtered.
• The ones who were preparing to laugh were crying, and the ones who were preparing to cry were laughing.
• Another failed attempt of Satan to eradicate the Jewish People.
• Many more Haman(s) will follow, but God will always protect the seeds of Abraham.
• Everyone is an Esther of some sort.
• All of us will someday face the ultimate battle in their lives, the very mission that climaxes all others to validate one’s existence on earth.
• Everyone will have to make ultimate decisions that will determine the near and the distant future of his life, and that of the future generations.
• Esther flamboyantly passed her test, and consequently, her life was spared, and that of all the Jews in that kingdom was also spared.
• The day that was reserved for the genocide of the Jews is still now celebrated as a day of rejoicing among the Children of Israel.

THE NEW JEWISH MEMORIAL DAY (THE PURIM)

Esther 9:27-28

Es 9:27 the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time,

 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail  to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

• God can make a memorial out of what is now threatening your life.
• It all happened because Esther was a prayer warrior.
• May the Lord grant you to be bold and prayerful in the day of your great test in life.

AMEN