“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther; Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the King’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou all together holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom at such a time as this?” (Esther 4: 13-14 KJV).
The Jews were being confronted by such animosity and life-threatening decrees from the powers that be! Fear had gripped the land and everyone was bracing for imminent execution. No one to run to; nobody to rescue them, no prophet, and nobody knowing what’s happening and where to turn to.
The world today is on the verge of something: the systems are failing – just like when someone would be in an operation room for a delicate heart surgery procedure; and suddenly, the power goes off. The doctors are on the run to salvage the situation.
The political systems are dwindling; governments are trying hard to sustain the masses – because the economic systems have been punctured by the greedy and those who have gone free gear on human and leadership ethics. Morality is broken into pieces; there is no role model and it only looks like it is survival for the fittest.
But at the same time, while the growth in world technology is exponential; with the e-commerce slowly taking over; the government bodies beginning to merge and work together; borders opening up for business, and so on; the church must rise to the occasion and leverage on the positive change and movement.
Mordecai’s urge in response to Esther is the cry of the Holy Spirit to the church. Esther represents the church. We must not, in anywise, think of comfort this time around. Things are tight! We must think of a way out; we must think outside the box, they say!
As Mordecai would further insist, it is true that even if the solution would come from elsewhere, we still cannot sit pretty and think to ourselves, that it will be business as usual. The enemy’s strategy is so meticulously done that not a single Jew will be spared! Covenants have been made; vows have been taken; deadlines have been set; documents have been signed; and in fact, some people’s heads are on target – even if it means bloodshed. The spiritual confrontation is fierce and real! The battle is not really between the ‘have’s and have not’s, and neither is it between the political parties and camps? It is not even between the blacks and whites, or this tribe versus this other tribe; neither is it between the young and the older generation. The battle is between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light (Acts 23: 12ff, Ephesians 6:10-18).
The soul traders and merchants of evil are waiting to deliver their merchandise and receive their rewards and profits. The gallows of Haman have been prepared outside; the fiery furnace for the “three Hebrew boys” is getting more heated; the den of lions is waiting and is not about to be reduced to a kennel of dogs? Getting John the Baptist’s head is not a big deal for Herodias; Saul of Tarsus has literally acquired all manner of ‘papers’ and legal backing to execute and enforce persecution against the church; King Herod is breathing fire against the elect; Peter and John will be put behind bars; Paul and Silas are just about to be cast into prison; James will literally be killed and Stephen will actually be stoned; it is a matter of life and death!
This is a wake-up call for intercession: the destinies of our nations are being contended for; the same way the body of Moses was contended for and the archangel Michael had to intervene and demand a rebuke from the Lord against Satan (Jude 1: 3, 9).
The Apostle Paul’s question is still valid: Where is the scribe and Where is the wisdom of the wise? The world’s scientists and weather experts are all experiencing multiple surprises and are in for a rude shock! Nothing is holding; nothing can be predictable anymore.
The days of saying “something is about to happen” and “get ready – get ready” are over! We must rise and make it happen! But “whom shall I send and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8) Someone must answer the divine call and be obedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). We must pass the test of going round the circles of disobedience and repentance. Like Gideon, we must bring an end to perennial defeat and build God His abode (Judges 6).
The Esther church is a violent church and ready to take every risk (the violent shall take it by force – if I perish let me perish – Matthew 11:12, Esther 4: 16). The Esther church is in the company of the Nehemiahs; the Ezra and the Zerubabels. This church takes responsibility – it doesn’t just sit and watch. They are willing, if possible to sign it down with their blood, but bring permanent freedom and victory to the society around them. They are the Shadrachs, Meshach, and Abednegos who can’t take a damn from the King’s purported highest sentence. They are the Daniels – the government officials, who keep their track record of excellent performance without compromising their faith (you couldn’t just stop them from praying).
Revival will not spring from a quiet place, it springs from a praying church, in the upper room: it must be noisy and sometimes messy to get there.
I feel the birth pangs of revival! I am picturing the church in a labour room environment and experience. The Church of Christ must arise and shine for our light has come! Let us be on the move – the end time move! Revival will not spring from a quiet place, it springs from a praying church, in the upper room: it must be noisy and sometimes messy to get there. It may disrupt your normal – cute program. It sometimes stretches beyond your ‘one-hour’ service and can even turn your final “second service” into a third one that has no end. It goes into the late nights with people groaning in the spirit and there will be no room left to “officially” start the service or end it!
We surely cannot afford to remain dumb in this present generation! Let’s shout from the rooftops what we hear in the secret and let’s call out an army to march against all manner of evil; let’s make a delegation that will march through the streets and turn our cities and nations back to God! This is the time.
This is the time to expect more than the Azusa street revival; let the young men shake their schools and colleges with the gospel; let hospitals and prisons be bombarded by some women on fire for Christ. Bring back the overnight prayers; get the trucks ready for crusades; prepare your house for small group fellowships and to host brethren on missions, and let the choir compose, sing about and call out revival.
We cannot afford to operate on parking lights, church! Let’s go full lights! We have no time left. Let’s be the church – let’s speak out or remain silent forever. It is now or never! Forward ever and backward never!
I hear this song in the air:
“These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of great trial
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”
Behold, He comes riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, the year of jubilee
And out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes
And these are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of Your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise
Oh, these are the days of the harvest
For the fields are as white in Your world
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard
Declaring the word of the Lord!
Behold, He comes………..
There’s no God like Jehovah; there’s no God like Jehovah! “
Yes! This message echoes the words of Jesus: ‘Since the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of God suffers violence and on the violent take it by force.The church in the labour room cannot be silent! It must be messy and even noisy! Thanks for this powerful call to intercession!
We cannot remain silent at all,,,,We are rising up.
Hallelujah!another powerful insight.God help us to step out and step up the course.thank you pastor
So true Pst. Mike. The urgency of it is an understatement. May the Lord help us
Thanks servant of God for such great insight. Indeed the foundations are shaken and what will the righteous do? It is a time we rise up and seek God as never before. The lord is after one person who will stand in the Gap and will come down to heal our land. That one person is you and me. Shalom
Thanks for sharing bro.
It’s an urgent wake up call back to the Upper Room.
It’ was the noise of the blind man that gave him sieght therefore we can’t keep quiet
Revival MUST break out. Let us rise to the occasion as a church and equip ourselves with the Word, then march to declare war against the darkness!
God bless you pastor Micheal for echoing out what the Lord is telling the church of Christ!
Amen,thank you Pastor Mike for the urgent call,indeed church let’s go full lights! We have no time left.
Churches must stand like Esther and the holy spirit lead us like the way lead mordecai
A call for revival indeed
Amen and amen! True, the church cannot afford to sleep at this time. Believers must rise up and pray continually like true soldiers of Christ! God bless you Pastor for such a compelling and inspiring article!
The spirit of fear shall not prevail!
Thank you pastor Mike for reminding us to violently take back what the devil has stolen from us.
These unusual times call for unusual revival!
Its time to get out of our comfort zones!
Thank you Pastor Mike for sharing, God bless you. Indeed it’s a time to wake up, and allow the voice of God to speak
Waaa