Lessons I Learned from Esther

1. Esther had a rough childhood.  She was an orphan so she had rejection/abandonment issues.  She did have someone to care for her however those wounds went deep as they were root issues.  Her identity was affected because her parents were a part of her identity and yet they were not there to speak into her who she was.  To show her who she was.  So Esther was not perfect by any means.  She more than likely struggled with rejection and abandonment issues and she probably did not know her eternal identity in God.  She probably did not know her earthly purpose because knowing one’s purpose goes hand-in-hand with knowing one’s identity in God.  Indeed Christ will reveal His will concerning these things over time.  An unfolding of the life story He has written for each child.  But it’s safe to say Esther did not yet have these revelations given as an instantaneous gift.  Instead, it would be revealed in her walking out her obedience one step at a time.
2. Although Esther was an orphan, she did have a caregiver.  An overseer.  She had a safe place for her to grow up in.  She had someone who loved her and provided for her.  Someone who was instrumental in healing her from those rejection and abandonment issues.  A safe place.  Even Christ promises to not leave us orphans.  Esther was not left an orphan.  She was not alone.  She had community.  She had guidance.  Mordecai.  And that man would be a great factor in her fulfilling her purpose.  There are people God entrusts us to and they can hear and see God’s will for our lives even when we cannot.  They are safe people.  They are not selfish and do not want our anointing or our gifts for themselves.  Instead, they want His will to be done in us.  They are like John the Baptist.  They are here to prepare the bride for the king.  They do not want the bride for themselves.
3. Esther was beautiful.  Not just beautiful but lovely and beautiful!  Christ values beauty.  He values inward beauty as well as outward beauty!  Our culture (American culture) misleads this generation in what true beauty is.  It says that beauty is a certain skin tone, a certain body type, and a certain age.  But beauty in God’s eyes surpasses these temporal standards.  Instead He is drawn to a humble spirit and a contrite heart.  Once the inward beauty of a person is established it cannot help but shine brightly to the exterior.  It cannot help but make one’s outer appearance even more radiant.  Esther’s beauty was instrumental in her calling.  It is what would draw the King to her.  Our outward appearance is a necessity to our purpose.
4. Esther was in position.  She did not have to strive or fight to receive the next step in her calling.  She simply walked forward into it.  She was chosen to be the potential wife of the King.  And because she fit the qualifications to see him (being a young, beautiful virgin) she did not have to scurry around and get ready.  She just was.  And because of who she was, she was qualified.  This qualification allowed her to outshine all those she was competing against.  No one could take from her what God has prepared her for.  No one could steal her calling.  In truth, there really was no competition.
5. Esther was obedient and submissive.  When Mordecai asked her not to reveal her heritage, her family, her people, she was not offended.  She did not talk back and ask him why.  She obeyed.  Little did she know He was hearing from God and her keeping her identity a secret was instrumental in delivering a whole people group.  She had served and submitted to Mordecai for numerous years.  Her servant hood was preparation in serving a King.  In serving a people.  She also submitted herself under the leadership of Hegai, the king’s eunuch.  She used wisdom and knew that the King’s eunuch would have the most insight into what she would need to win the king’s heart.  She was humble and had a teachable spirit and it paid off greatly.
6. Esther needed encouragement in her calling.  Yes she was called and prepared and in position, BUT when the time came for her to rise to the occasion and use her authority, she struggled with fear.  When she was asked to go to the King on behalf of the Jews she allowed reason and logic to keep her from moving.  And really, who wouldn’t?  Death is a pretty big price to pay for going to see your husband un-announced!  But fear is not of God and almost kept her from manifesting her purpose in the earth.  Thankfully, Mordecai, her safe place, reminded her of God’s will.  “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?”  Did you hear that?  God will use someone else in your place if you refuse!  No that is not his first choice.  You are his first choice!  BUT His will, will be done!
7. Deliverance comes through the battle.  The King’s decree to kill the Jews could not be reversed simply b/c Esther asked it to be.  Instead, the King had to make another decree that the Jews could defend themselves.  How often do we want our freedom and deliverance to come the easy way?  We want God to just snap His fingers and poof, we are no longer struggling.  While it is true He paid for our freedom on the cross, and we are in fact already delivered, we still need to walk in the manifestation of that deliverance.  There is protocol in walking this out.  There is preparation and testing and position.  Obedience, and trust and submission.  There is the process.  Esther followed the process.  She yielded to the process God was doing in and through her.  And when she could not yield, He used others to encourage her in her yielding.  The time of the deliverance for the Jews under Esther was key.  She called a 3 day fast on the 13^th day of Adar and we now celebrate this time as Purim (a time to celebrate and remember God’s deliverance of the Jews).  There is a time and season for everything.  Under Christ we are in a time of freedom.  Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.  The new covenant offers us victory every day.  Every day that we live for Him He offers us victory.  When we choose anything but freedom, which normally comes by the narrower path, we are cutting ourselves short and missing out on our riches in heaven.  When we choose His way, we are promised to receive His blessings:

Esther 9:15-17 “So Mordecai went out from the presence of the kings in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.  The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.  And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday.  Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them”. SHALOM