Sunday, 8 May 2016

REPRESENTING GOD'S KINGDOM – VESSEL UNTO HONOUR



Esther 2:8-17; 2 Tim. 2:20-21

God has given us a mandate to represent His kingdom among the nations of the earth. It is through the power of God that we can truly represent His kingdom (1 Cor. 4:20).
Today, we want to consider the life of Esther, the queen, who became a vessel unto honour in the hand of the Master, and fulfilled God’s purpose in her generation. Through strict adherence to divine prescription, this lady was able to move from nothingness to greatness, such that God reckoned with her, even in her generation!
Having grown under the tutelage of Mordecai, Esther became truly convinced that she belonged to a kingdom which surpassed the Babylonian kingdom – the heavenly kingdom!

SOME LESSONS TO DRAW FROM THE LIFE OF ESTHER

LABOUR
Esther was indeed a labourer. She laboured under grace. She gave herself to learning and grooming under the watch of her mentor, Mordecai. She submitted herself to series of chastisement and brooding, as God was preparing and nurturing her for the palace…
There is the right time to labour…Don’t forsake your God-ordained time of labour. Seek ye the Lord while He may be found…(Isaiah 55:6). Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…(Ecc. 12:1).
Furthermore, she laboured consistently in the place of prayer, in service to God and humanity, in worship and praise…
It takes a lifestyle of worship and praise to stand in the inner court of the King of kings (Psalm 100:4; Esther 5:1-2).

FAVOUR
She obtained favour with God and men. Right from the beginning of the contest, God granted her favour before Hegai, the king’s custodian (Esther 2:8-9). Esther never for once, underrated the favour of God, she never took for granted, the instructions given to her by Mordecai…
She held the Word of God in high esteem…no wonder she obtained favour in the sight of God and men (Prov. 3:1-4).
Divine favour displaces human protocols…When God sets His favour in motion to work for you, human laws and traditions are put into suspension.
You will obtain the favour of the Almighty God!

HUMILITY
Esther was a humble woman. This made her to attract God’s grace. The Bible says, ‘…He gives grace to the humble…(Prov. 3:34; James 4:6)’.
The real test of humility comes in the time of affluence.
Esther kept receiving orders from her mentor even after she became the crowned queen of the kingdom. Even when she was about to go astray, Mordecai chastised her, and she quickly re-ordered her steps (Esther 4:1-17).
It takes humility to locate the place of purpose. It takes humility or meekness to fulfil God’s purpose for one’s life and to finish strong (Psalm 25:9).

HONOURABLE VESSEL IN THE MASTER’S HAND
The purification materials given by the king’s stewards could only cleanse the external impurities, not the heart. The antidote for a defiled and corrupt heart is sanctification by the Truth, which is the Word of God (John 17:17).
In a great house, there are different kinds of vessels…you can decide which one you want to be. A tried and tested vessel (which has gone through the purification exercise) will never lack oil…

Receive grace to be a worthy vessel in the hand of the Master, fit for His use…



PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA
        Resident  Pastor

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