WHEN PRAYER BECOMES A "DO OR DIE".

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*WHEN PRAYER BECOMES A "DO OR DIE.*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Esther 4:13-17

*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 altogether 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 for such a time as this?*

*Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,*

*Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.*

*So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.*

*Insight Highlight.*

There are times when prayer can become a 'do or die'.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

The book of Esther remains the only book where God was not mentioned yet it underscores one of God's power to turn impossible situations to possible.

Though God was not mentioned, He was implied in every step in the book.

Though 'prayer' was not mentioned, it was implied through fasting.

It remains a book that encourages believers to know that prayers do change things.

Everything the enemy, Haman, needed to completely destroy the Jews was not only in place and ready, it was just a matter of time for the execution of the plan.

The decree to destroy the Jews was already approved, all the provinces and the people were already alert to destroy and the gallows was already made by Haman to destroy Mordecai etc.

The king and the people were on Haman's side but God was not!

lt was a mission completed by design, but not possible by divine intervention.

The story teaches us never to conclude that a situation is too late for divine intervention.

It teaches us that there is no power or human that God can not destroy or change.

It teaches us that those who live to lose or determine to die in the place of prayer or so desperate that if God can not answer their request, no one could, will live instead of dying and God will show up and come through for them.

Esther may be telling God a few things when she chose to fast:

First, is that 'let God take her rather than allow her to live to see shame or the eventual destruction of the Jewish people'.

ref (Moses in Exd 32:32).

Second is that 'It is either she lived and see the victory of the Jews over Haman or she died before the evil days came.'

Third is 'If going to see the king would mean death, let it be and if seeing the king would change or turn things around let it be, but all she knew was that God will not be silent to those who call upon Him'

She knew that life only belongs to God and though she knew *"A king's wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it,"*, Prov 16:14.

She knew that no one could die unless God allows it and more importantly the lives of those who call upon God are preserved.

She knew that the lives of those who have a divine encounter with God are preserved, (ref Jacob in Gen 32:30).

Fourth, her bold expression highlighted her faith as a foundation of the Christians' weapon of warfare (ref David against Goliath in 2 Sam 17).

She did not love her life unto death but rather she was ranked among those who *"....loved not their lives unto the death"* (Rev 12:11) but as a courageous witness, to the point of martyrdom. She became like Paul

*"......to live is Christ, to die is gain..."*

(Phillipians 1:21)

Fifth, desperate situations require desperate prayers and desperate prayers often move God. (David' prayer against Ahithophel, 2 Sam 15:31)

Sixth, Esther teaches us that when we try to save our lives, we will lose it but when we choose to lose our lives for God's Kingdom to prevail, we would gain it.

True life is not found in self-preservation but in selflessness. When you pray for others, you are praying for yourself.

Her duty to God and her people outweighed her own life, showing profound faith and self-sacrifice.

Esther did not perish but Haman and the enemies of the Jews did.

You can not waste time praying.

You can not lose when you pray.

Prayer changes things!

*Remorse corner.*

You can not lose when you sacrifice to God or choose to lose your life for God's mission and not gain it instead

*Call to Word action.*

Matt 16:25 *For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Those who kneel before God, stand before men. Esther stood before the kings who was bound by law not to see anyone he did not request to see!

*Prayer.*

Lord, please do not let me rest or be weary until every Satanic opposition is destroyed and hear me as l pray in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.