The Book of Esther in the Old Testament records her wonderful testimony of her destiny in divine purpose. Mordecai’s appeal to Esther for help is well known in Christendom – “…and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Indeed! Those words resonate in the depths of our being as the Spirit of God quickens them to us. We thank God for the priceless awareness of His Presence to be involved with His purposes for this moment in time, we are in the kingdom “for such a time as this.”

Proverbs 4:18 “The path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto that perfect day.”

Lesser men in a greater day can see more than what greater men saw in a lesser day. We all know that there are no “great” men but certainly there are men greatly used of our great God!….e.g. the Apostle Paul, who received tremendous light and revelation from God and whose priceless epistles form most of the New Testament. But we are in a “greater day” than the window of time that Paul occupied because we are on the threshold of fullness.

We have been on a journey since Pentecost. Sadly, men have often got in the way of God’s purpose, making void the word of God by their traditions, Mark 7:13 – the words of Jesus challenge – “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered,” – religion! Sound doctrine is necessary, men’s doctrines are ineffective.

As we are living in a greater day than Paul, why is there such controversy and ineffectiveness in many areas in our lives? In the natural we go to any lengths to get things working properly. We do not tolerate a car that repeatedly breaks down, a washing machine in need of repair – we get them fixed in order to perform the necessary function they were made for! So why then, in the spiritual, if some kingdom principal is not working, do we accept it and just sweep it under the carpet?

Consider this: God does not do anything except for His glory, and He is righteous in that. Some men have a passion to see souls saved, and if God is using them in that area…wonderful! But the man cannot take any credit for those souls receiving salvation because it is only the work of the Holy Spirit that draws a man to Jesus. John 6:44 Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him…, So then, it is God who “saves” for His glory, “delivers” for His glory and “heals” for His glory.

There is much controversy in the church over healing. Praise God for every evidence of His healing that is taking place in the world today, but we all know there is also a severe lack of coming up to the mark that Jesus spoke of in John 14:12 “Verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.” 2 Timothy 3:5 speaks of a “form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” We know the scriptures so why do we have things going on in our bodies that do not come in line with the words of Jesus? GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF SICKNESS. So often when our bodies do not function properly we “eat from the tree of knowledge” Genesis 3, (which God has forbidden us to eat from), and accept a natural explanation for our condition. Does not the blessing of God stand for us?…”As thy days, so shall thy strength be,” Deut.33:25.

Thank God for every advancement of modern medicine and surgery but at this point, let us move away from the medical position. Our final position is God Himself. He is the source of life for us and our final court of appeal. Paul spoke of the “thorn in his flesh,” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. He appealed to God three times for the Lord to remove it.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul called the “thorn” a messenger of Satan to buffet him so that he would not rise in pride over the revelations God had shown him. The thorn kept him in humility. So there is a place in the permission of God that allows Satan to buffet me, but it is not a final place. If we do not walk in the light/truth God has shown us, the light turns to darkness and Jesus said “How great is that darkness!” that should be light, Matt. 6:23. We have responsibility to walk in the light. Have we not all walked in permission at times in our lives instead of purpose? But let us remind ourselves again of the scripture: “The path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day,” Prov. 4:18. Does God want us full of “thorns ” like a spiritual porcupine to keep us humble? That is compulsion God permits because I will not humble. There is a more excellent way. 1 Peter 5:6 declares, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” If God exalts a man there is a place in humility where God’s glory is safe, the man recognises that the credit is all God’s and does not try to wrestle it from Him for his own glory. Humbling is something I do in my closet to the Lord but He often also requires me to humble before men.

It has often been stated before: What I am speaks far louder than what I say. People may, or may not listen to what I say, but they cannot deny what I am! A demonstration speaks far louder than words. Talk comes easily…or as the world puts it: Talk is cheap! The whole world awaits the manifestation of the sons of God!

My weakness is not a problem to God, that is where His strength is perfected, thus “Thine is the glory!” If I become desensitised to the Holy Spirit then I return to the “tree of death,” and eat from it,” like “a dog returning to it’s vomit,” see Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly.” Because I am not aware of it, does not mean that I am not doing it….but praise God!…in His love and mercy, God is seeking to encourage me out of it. All the time, His healing hand is a hand of love that seeks to encourage me in a truth that maybe I am unaware of, a need to eat from the “Tree of Life,” a place where I can walk with Him in maturity, health and strength. If I am not walking in this place it is my fault, not God’s. I am not going to drag God down to my standard, I am looking to coming up to the mark that Jesus spoke of. The Holy Spirit woos me to come to a place of living in His presence where everything He has promised me IS.

We may have many explanations for where we are, but ultimately God is in control of my life to lead me to overcome and fulfill my destiny in Him.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Help us to keep our sense of destiny in You amid so many distractions of life, empower us to do all that you have placed within our hearts for the extension of Your kingdom. May we totally abandon to You, burn our past bridges, sink the boat, ditch Plan B……and learn to trust You and live in Your Presence….as Your light in our lives “shines more and more unto the perfect day!” TO GOD BE THE GLORY, FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN!