Sunday Aug 18, 2024

Why God is Raising Up Davids and Esthers for Such a Time as This? • Friday Service

We will delve into the stories of David and Esther—two remarkable figures in biblical history who were raised up by God for critical moments in their respective eras. Their decisions to embrace God's call shaped not only their destinies but the destinies of nations. As we go through their stories, I want us to reflect on why their obedience was crucial and how their lives serve as a prophetic mirror for us today. We are the modern-day Davids and Esthers, and the decisions we make now will have a profound impact on our families, communities, and the world.

Scripture 1: David's Anointing

1 Samuel 16:12-13 (NKJV):
"So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!' Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah."

Scripture 2: Esther’s Rise to Queenship

Esther 2:17 (NKJV):
"The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti."

Scripture 3: David and Goliath

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NKJV):
"Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.'"

Scripture 4: Esther’s Dilemma

Esther 4:13-14 (NKJV):
"And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: 'Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 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?'"

Scripture 5: David’s Leadership

2 Samuel 5:3-4 (NKJV):
"Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years."

Scripture 6: Esther’s Boldness

Esther 5:1-2 (NKJV):
"Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter."

Scripture 7: David’s Worship

2 Samuel 6:14-15 (NKJV):
"Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet."

Scripture 8: Esther’s Intercession

Esther 8:3 (NKJV):
"Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews."

Scripture 9: David’s Legacy

1 Kings 2:1-3 (NKJV):
_"Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: 'I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses

1 Kings 2:1-3 (NKJV) Continued:
"…that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn."

Scripture 10: Esther's Victory and Legacy

Esther 9:1 (NKJV):
"Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them."

Conclusion: We Are Modern-Day Davids and Esthers

In the stories of David and Esther, we see individuals who were called by God for specific purposes in critical times. They were not perfect, but they were willing to say yes to God's call. Their obedience, faith, and courage changed the course of history.

We are the modern-day Davids and Esthers. The times we live in are marked by challenges and opportunities, and God is calling us to step into our divine assignments. Just as David faced giants and Esther faced a powerful enemy, we too face spiritual battles and cultural challenges. But God has equipped us with His Spirit, just as He did with David and Esther.

We need to understand that our obedience to God’s call is not just about our personal destinies; it’s about the destinies of those we are called to influence and lead. If Esther had not stepped up, her family would have perished, and the Jews could have been annihilated. If David had not faced Goliath, the Israelites might have been defeated. Our actions today can have far-reaching consequences.

God is raising up Davids—people after His own heart who will lead with integrity, worship Him wholeheartedly, and face the giants of our time with unwavering faith. God is raising up Esthers—men and women who will stand in the gap, intercede for their people, and use their influence to bring about justice and deliverance.

The call is urgent. We must take a stand now. Our world is in desperate need of leaders who are willing to say yes to God’s call, no matter the cost. Just as David and Esther were positioned for a specific time and purpose, we are positioned in this time for God’s divine purpose.

Let us, like David, be people after God’s own heart, and like Esther, be willing to take bold risks for the sake of others. When we align our lives with God’s will and step into our divine assignments, we will see His power at work in and through us, bringing about transformation and victory.

Let us pray.