This past weekend we celebrated the Feast of Purim! I apologize for this blog getting out so late, but I was having too much fun celebrating and teaching on Purim in Dallas! And, it’s never too late to apply the life-changing lessons from the book of Esther! There are so many important themes found in Purim, such as: God is always working behind the scenes even when we don’t “see” Him, or even when we might feel He is not there at all or has abandoned us; that the Jewish people will never cease to be, that there are no “coincidences” with God, that what the enemy intends for evil – God will use for good, and so on! But, there were two themes in particular that I felt God was putting on my heart to share and teach during this Feast of Purim.
1) God has a specific purpose for each one of us for this day and time, and especially in these uncertain times. He has called us for “such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14) We might complain about living in such uncertain, ungodly, difficult times, but yet it’s no mistake, it’s no surprise to God, and He has a unique purpose for each one of us to fulfill in this specific time.
Our purpose is four-fold: First, it is to experience intimate relationship with Him, to go “back to the garden” with Him and experience closeness, His presence all throughout each day. (John 17:21-24; Gen 3:8; Ex 29:43-46). Believe it or not, our purpose in life is not to get our “to-do” lists done! Once we have that intimacy with Him, then we can be His lights in the darkness of this world, and draw others to Him (Matt 5:14-16; 1 Cor 6:19-20; 2 Cor 3:18). Third, we are to partner with God to accomplish His will here on earth (Matt. 6:10, John 20:21, Gen 1:26-28). God in His sovereignty has chosen to limit Himself by choosing to work through us! What an exciting privilege we have to partner with Him to accomplish His will! We are not passive victims in life, we have His authority to enforce and release Yeshua’s victory here on earth. We can make a difference in this world by establishing “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” And fourth, we can establish His will on earth by choosing to release God’s power (Gal 5:22-23; 2 Chron 20:22; Prov 18:21; 1 Pet 3:9; Phil 4:8-9; Deut 30:19) instead of Satan’s power (Eph 4:27; Rom 5:12; John 8:44; Rom 6:23; James 1:15; Rev 12:10) in our moment-by-moment daily lives, with every thought, emotion, word and action.
2) Esther is victorious in saving the Jews because she recognizes that Haman’s plot to kill them is first and foremost a spiritual battle! The first thing she does is to “gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan and tell them to fast, neither eat nor drink 3 days, night and day, and she and her maidens will also fast!” (Esther 4:16). Esther recognizes that in order to be victorious in a spiritual battle, she needs to use SPIRITUAL weapons of warfare, fasting being one of them. In fact, the literal meaning of “Megillat Esther” (Scroll of Esther) is “revealing the hidden!” I believe that God is telling us this Purim that its time we ask Him to “reveal the hidden in our lives!” We need to get our eyes off of what we can see, and get them onto what we cannot see — the hidden — the spiritual battle that is going on behind the scenes in our lives (2 Cor 4:18). The enemy wants us to focus all of our attention (our eyes) on what we CAN see – on ourselves, our circumstances, other people in our lives. He wants us to think that these are our enemies, and that we can fight these enemies in our own strength, in our flesh. As a result, we never experience the victory that Yeshua has already won for us. When we get our eyes on what we CAN’T see — on the hidden, on the spiritual battle — then we realize that our true enemy is not ourselves, others or our circumstances, but our true enemy is Satan himself. When we see the spiritual battle behind the scenes of our lives, then we see we need spiritual weapons of warfare! When we use our spiritual weapons of warfare, we release God’s power in our situations and we not only experience victory, but at the same time, we accomplish our purpose for such a time as this – we draw closer in intimacy with the Lord, we show forth His light in the darkness, we partner with Him to establish His will on earth and we release His power in our lives.
What are the keys to releasing God’s power in our situations? There are seven:
1) Use Spiritual Weapons of Warfare to break free from these barriers to God’s presence: Strongholds, Misperceptions of God, and Negative Emotions
2) Intercessory Prayer
3) Speak Words of Blessing for Others
4) Fast
5) Speak out Words of Praise
6) Thank God in Advance in Agreement with His Will
7) Take Captive the Accusing and Negative Thoughts and Words/Think and Speak what is True and of Good Report
So in this season of Purim, let’s ask God to “reveal the hidden” in our lives! Let’s get our eyes off of ourselves, others and our circumstances and begin using the SPIRITUAL weapons of warfare that God has given us to be victorious in the spiritual battle and to release God’s power in our lives and situations. Let’s confess our fears, anger, accusations, hopelessness, passivity and feelings of being a victim in these uncertain times. These feelings are not from God (Rom 14:23; 2 Tim 1:7; Heb 12:15; Col. 3:8; Eph. 4:29; Eph 4:31).
There may be a lot that we don’t know about the future, but we need to focus on what we DO know (our purpose and our spiritual weapons of warfare). We have much more power and authority than Satan wants us to believe! Like Esther, we have the power and authority to change our environment, to change our world, but it has to start FIRST with using our spiritual weapons of warfare and releasing God’s power (instead of Satan’s power) in the moment-by-moment of our daily lives.
If you’d like to learn more about overcoming in uncertain times, and how to use these spiritual keys to releasing God’s power in your lives — I have four new teaching CDs available for only $5.00 each. They are not yet on my website, but you can order them by emailing me at info@jeannenigroministries.com.
1-Purim – “Revealing the Hidden” – to release God’s power in your life ($5.00)
2-The Spiritual Keys to Surviving in Uncertain Times ($5.00)
3-Intercessory Prayer – Part 1 ($5.00)
4-Intercessory Prayer – Part 2 ($5.00)
Also – my 6 CD set – “Breaking Through (barriers to God’s Presence)” is avail for only $30.00. Addresses barriers such as: Unforgiveness, Fear, Rejection, Blame, Self-Condemnation, and Performance.
Chag Purim Sameach! (Happy Festival of Purim, belated!)
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Esther 4:14 – For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
John 17:21-24 – that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Gen. 3:8 – They heard the sound of the LORD G-d walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD G-d among the trees of the garden.
Ex. 29:43 -46 – I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory…I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their G-d. They shall know that I am the LORD their G-d who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their G-d.
Matt. 5:14-16 – You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
1 Cor. 6:19-20- …You are not your own; For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify G-d in your body.
2 Cor. 3:18 – And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Matt 6:10 – …your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
John 20:21 – …as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.
Gen 1:26-28 – Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.G-d blessed them; and G-d said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Gal. 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
2 Chron 20:22 – At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
Prov. 18:21 – ..death and life are in the power of the tongue.
1 Pet 3:9 – Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Phil 4:8-9 – Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the G-d of peace will be with you.
Deut 30:19 – This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.
Eph. 4:27 – Do not give the devil a foothold.
Rom. 5:12 – Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
John 8:44 – The devil was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Rom. 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of G-d is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua.
James 1:15 – …And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
Rev. 12:10 – …For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our G-d day and night….
Esther 4:16 – Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.
2 Cor 4:18 – So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Rom. 14:23 – …everything that does not come from faith is sin.
2 Tim. 1:7 – For G-d has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Heb. 12:15 – …Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many
Col. 3:8 – But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Eph. 4:29 – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Eph. 4:31 – Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
