FEBRUARY 9, 2025
Topic: “Building Intimacy in Prayer: Esther’s Model”
Text: Esther 4:1-16
Memory Verse: Esther 4:16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther is an orphan who was raised by her uncle Mordecai. Esther turned out to be submissive cooperative, beautiful and useful in the hand of the Lord to deliver the Nation of Israel. As the story of her life began to unfold, the reigning queen Vashti was deposed, and King Xerxes ordered a search for a new queen. As God will have it, Esther was favoured and she became the queen.
Then problem started. There was a plan to wipe out all the Jews and Mordecai got wind of the plot and had to inform Esther to do something about it. This problem reveals the true character of Esther. To handle the problem, she called for three days of fasting, and it was implied they added prayers. This prayer and fasting gave her the courage to put her life on the line by appearing without invitation before the king. She prayed, but she also planned and developed a wise strategy.
Esther’s prayer was in the secret. God’s active presence in our lives can be just as pervasive as demonstrated in the story of Esther. Even if we do not talk a lot about our prayer lives, we can see that He is involved and that He provides grace to help us in our time of need. As we step out today, let us not ignore our moral obligation to pray and pull down forces of evil trying to attack the people of God. Remember that God has given us the means to defend ourselves and our communities, He has given us the ability to protect ourselves, with prayers.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, there are many evils in our land threatening to destroy us, give us the courage to stand up like Esther and confront the enemies at the gate, and grant us victory in Jesus’ name.