|
Introduction:
Definition of destine (root word of destiny): To assign for a specific end, use or purpose. Pursue means: To follow in an effort to overtake or capture; to chase.
For our destiny to be fulfilled, we need to realize that we, God’s people, have been set apart for a specific purpose in life. Each of us has a destiny in God that needs to be fulfilled.
We will be looking at the life of Esther and how she chose to walk in her destiny. Esther was a great woman of God. She played a significant role in what God was doing in that day. (See Esther 2:2—12.) These verses begin the story of the king’s search for a new queen after he had banished Queen Vashti for her disobedience.
1) Pursuing Our Destiny Requires Preparation
a) Prepare Ourselves To Go Before Our King
Esther had 12 months of beauty preparations before the king saw her and chose her for his queen. Her destiny was in his hands. Our destiny is in the hands of our King, Jesus. Esther’s king was interested in her outward beauty; our King is interested in our inner beauty. Therefore, we need to approach His throne with a pure heart. We need to cleanse our hearts before we go before our Lord in prayer. “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).
As we go before God, our inner beauty comes out as we become more like Him. We can only become more like Him when we spend time in His presence and in His Word, allowing Him to wash us with His Word and Jesus’ blood that was shed at Calvary.
b) Be Prepared To Accept God’s Will
Esther was willing to be part of the king’s harem (vs 8). She was prepared to accept that part of God’s will. God’s will for our lives is our destiny. If we seek and pursue it with all our hearts, we will walk in our destiny. We need to let God shape and make us. We don’t have the power in ourselves, but we know that in Him we can do it all because He equips and strengthens us to accomplish His will.
c) Be Prepared To Receive God’s Favor
Favor means: to show kindness; to encourage; to befriend.
After 12 months of preparation, Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her (vs 15). She also won the favor and approval of her king and became his queen (vs. 17). Because she had God’s favor, she had favor with man. Esther became queen because God wanted her in that position.
As we prepare our hearts and spend time in our King’s presence, we receive His favor and approval. “For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psa. 5:12). God gives us favor with people so that we can accomplish what He has called us to do.
2) We Need To Learn To Receive From People In Positions Of Authority
a) Mordecai Speaks Into Esther’s Life.
Mordecai had forbidden Esther to reveal her background. He was her stepfather and thus had authority to speak into her life. God has placed parents in that position. Esther obeyed and followed his instructions (vs. 20). She was wise enough to realize that Mordecai had wisdom and she accepted it and obeyed.
We all have persons of authority in our lives: our employers, spiritual leaders, parents and others. They have the right to speak into our lives. If what they say is Scriptural and the Lord confirms it, we can act on it. People in authority must not become dictators, and we are not to allow people to dictate to us. But we need to be open to what God may say to us through persons of authority to help guide us toward our destiny. We need to be accountable to somebody.
b) God Will Allow Us To Be Challenged By People In Authority
Haman was a high ranking nobleman with a plot to destroy all the Jews (chapter 3). Mordecai instructed Esther to go before the king and beg for mercy for her people (ch. 4:6-8). She hesitated to accept Mordecai’s instructions because she was fearful. Anyone going into the king’s presence without being summoned was put to death—unless the king extended the golden sceptre to that person (vs 9—11). Esther knew she would be risking her life. Mordecai challenged her saying that she, a Jew, would not escape death even if she was the queen. He reminded her that her position was a gift from God, and if she refused to intercede for her people, God would raise up someone else (vs 12—14).
We do not have to fear going before our King. He sits on His throne just waiting and yearning for us to go before Him. We can approach our King anytime because of the Blood of Jesus. God has a divine purpose for us on this earth, just as He had a divine purpose for Esther. God wants to bless us so we can bless others. Rise to the occasion and respond to God when He calls you. Our response to God’s call to walk in our destiny affects others. When we live our lives for the Lord, we are touching people whether we realize it or not. It is not about us, it is about serving God. That is what our destiny is all about.
3) We Need To Deny Self And Decide To Walk In Divine Destiny.
When we make a decision to deny ourselves, we are saying, “Lord, Your will, not mine.” Esther made the decision that she was going to do God’s will even if it cost her life. She had the right attitude. She knew that whatever happened to her would be according to God’s will for her.
Esther asked her uncle and all her people to fast for her. (See Esther.4:15-16.) She was more concerned for her people than for herself. In our lives, we also should be more concerned about others than we are about ourselves. Jesus did that. He paid the ultimate price. So the things that He asks us to do in life are not too much when you look at it in the light of what He did and in the light of eternity.
a) We need to have faith to go all the way with God.
Esther did not have the full picture and know what was going to happen. She did not know how the king was going to react to her, but she was willing to take that step. As we take that first step of faith, God will lead us and guide us and the picture will begin to unfold little by little. But we have to keep taking one step forward in God. We need to have faith to go all the way with God.
Our destiny (God’s will and assignment) will not be fulfilled until we go home to be with the Lord or until He comes back—whichever comes first. Our destiny is constantly being unfolded. It is a work in progress.
b) The decisions we make can alter the course of our destiny forever.
Bad decisions we have made are sometimes irreversible. But when we repent, God can overrule them. Mistakes sidetrack us from God’s best. So we need to consult the Lord when we make decisions in life. We must allow Him to show us what He wants us to do so that we will be right on course and end up where He wants us to be.
We’ve all made mistakes. God forgives us for those, but we don’t want to continue making them. We don’t want to alter the course of our destiny. We all want what is God’s best in our lives. We will not receive that blessing unless we seek our God and find out what He wants from us.
4) God Empowers Us To Walk In Our Destiny.
Esther was empowered by taking a spiritual approach when she called the fast. Often, we try to fix everything before we pray. When we fail, then we ask the Lord what we should do. Esther recognized that she needed the support of others. We, too, need each other. We need a lot of prayer because when we serve Christ, the enemy really comes against us.
a) Esther recognized that the source of her power was God.
She was not summoned by the king, so he didn’t have to accept her—even if she was his queen. She also recognized the importance of God’s presence—that she needed God’s presence to go with her when she approached the king.
Our life experiences are similar. I don’t want to go out to do what God wants me to do without His presence in my life, and that comes about through fasting and prayer. I need to be consistently seeking God for direction to walk in my destiny until my destiny is fulfilled.
Esther realized that her people would be blessed through her obedience. It is strengthening to know that God can bless others through our obedience, through our destinies being fulfilled.
b) God did set Esther’s people free (8:11).
The king received her, extended the scepter to her and asked her what she wanted. She made several requests, and all of them were fulfilled—including the death of Haman who wanted to kill all the Jews.
c) God empowered Esther with authority (9:29).
She rose from being a Jewish orphan to a queen with power. The fulfillment of her destiny was a tremendous blessing to the Jews that continues to this day. They are free today because of what she did and still keep the Feast of Purim that Esther declared to celebrate the victory that day.
God empowers us to do things on the earth that will benefit His Kingdom. Some things He has us do will continue on. Our destiny blesses others and causes them to walk in their destiny, but we have to make a choice to walk in it.
God has set us, each one, apart for a specific purpose. He doesn’t give us the full picture because we would not be able to handle it. We need to walk in what He has called us to walk in today. Let us not forget that God’s destiny for us is His will.
Top of page >
|
