ARISE SISTER!
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “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.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. (Esther 4:1-17 & 5:1).
Hey sister, LET’S ARISE. The destinies of generations are knotted to us. ARISE SISTER! Nevertheless, we don’t arise by our own strength or arise to showcase how powerful women are-NO. Neither do we arise by trying to override men or despise their role -NO. We arise from a place of intimacy with GOD, quickened by the Holy Spirit and the reason we arise is to glorify God by fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.
We arise primordially from a place of intimacy with God. It is the Spirit of God that quickens our spirit to arise. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).
The story is told of Esther who was a woman, mightily used by God for the liberation of the Jews. Esther was married to king Xerxes and lived in the palace at a moment when there was a plot to destroy the Jews. Apparently, Esther was living in the palace but she did not recognize that the palace was a God-given platform for her to influence policies which will lead to the liberation of the Jews. Mordecai, Esther’s uncle heard about the plot to destroy the Jews and informed Esther about it but Esther felt limited to act because of the prevailing circumstances around her. Mordecai’s reply to Esther was “Do not think because you are in the King’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Immediately Esther heard this, she went into a fast for three days. On the third day, we notice an Esther who had ARISEN. Esther approached the king and in the strength of her virtuous character, she found favor in the eyes of the king whom against all odds overturned the plans to destroy the Jews. God gave Esther the right platform, right people and she was at the palace at the right timing. The advice of Mordecai was important but Esther Arose and was quickened to maximize what God had endowed her with to fulfil purpose from a place of intimacy with God.
When we read the stories of great women who did great exploits in the bible, some of the traits we notice is that they all had a relationship with God, they were women of godly character and where endowed with talents. It is fundamentally from a place of intimacy with God that they understood their role, discerned their assignment and how to carry on with their assignments. They were greatly used by God and through their support and partnership with the men, God’s purposes for nations and generations were made manifest.
Also worth noting about the great women in the bible is the strength of their virtuous character. Esther’s virtuous character also contributed a lot in her ascending to becoming queen, finding favor in the sight of the King and fulfilling purpose.
Let’s also take a look at Deborah who is introduced in Judges 4:1 first as a:
– Prophet (she had a relationship with God, she was a worshipper who heard and obeyed God);
– The wife of Lapidoth (She was a good wife, a wife of noble character- the kind of described in proverbs 31:10-31)
– She was a judge (Greatly talented and used her skills to serve her community).
Deborah had all these qualities and she attributed her rising to accepting the call of God to service as a MOTHER of Israel who toiled for the liberation of Israel.
“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.” Judges 5:6-7.
The qualities of being a wife and mother speaks a lot about the character of Deborah – (love, submissiveness, empathy, kindness, respect, humility etc). Deborah was talented- a great judge, nevertheless, Deborah recognizes her role as a woman and worked in the strength of noble Character. Though she understood the times and seasons and was a great judge, she did go to override the men or despise their role. It is very important to develop our talents, grow professionally etc but let’s not downplay the strength of virtuous character and our role as women. Deborah portrayed virtue as she carried out her duties, respected the role of the men and they worked together in fulfilling the purposes of God and at the end God is glorified. Dear sister, this is a marker to us that there is strength embedded in virtuous character generated by the Spirit of God.
Reading though our write-ups this month, you may be asking Who am I? Why am I here on Earth for? What do I have in my hands? Do not be anxious. Just go back to God. The base for arising to fulfill purpose is a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Spend time in prayers, meditating on the word, fellowship with other brethren and seek Divine direction. Continually yield to the transforming power of Holy Spirit and keep growing in virtuous character. Submit to godly counsel, develop your skills and talents and put them to work. Let us walk at the pace of Grace, not running too fast ahead of God’s timing or lagging behind but allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you on what to do and how to do it in the right time and season. People are at different stages of life For instance, some people, may be at the phase where arising may mean taking that first step of believing in and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; for another it may mean going back to God, spending time with him and discerning his will and purpose for your life; for another it may be to patience during the training in the background which God is putting you through in preparation to fulfill purpose; for another it may mean enduring the hardships of the wilderness season which refines you in preparation for fulfillment of purpose; for another you may be at the stage of taking that bold step to act in line with your God-given assignment etc.
Whatever the case, the foundation is your relationship with God. Who you are and why you are here is discovered in your walk with God. The tools you need to do what you are here to do are in you but you discover them through your relationship with God your creator who continually unveils to you what you are made of.
Where are the Esthers of our time? Women of godly character whom God can place in palaces to influence policies for liberation of Nations? (Esther 1 – 8)
Where are the Deborahs of our time? Women after God’s heart who have an intimate relationship with God, are humble wives, are great professionals who can discern the will of God in time and in Season and though at the frontline, respectfully work with the men manifesting God’s plan of liberating nations? (Judges 4 and 5)
Where are the Jaels of our time, who are wonderfully blessed house wives yet understand their assignment and right from their homes aligned with God’s agenda and availed themselves as vessels whom God used them to liberate generations (Judges 5:24-31)
Where are the Noamis of our time, great mentors who lead the young women to God, help them nurture virtuous character, talents and skills and counsel young women on maximizing what God has endowed them with to serve the kingdom agenda? (Ruth 1 – 4)
Where are the Anna’s of our time who understand their call of women as intercessors, who pray continually until the purposes of God are made manifest on the Earth? (Luke 2:36-38)
Where are the older women who have to teach the younger women to be reverent in the way they live, urging them to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind and subject to their husbands? (Titus 2:3-5)
It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit refines us, equips us and raises us up to fulfill the very purpose for which we were created. LET’S ARISE SISTER but remember it is “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)