Not a Candidate Anymore (Your Revealed Enemy, pt. 3)
Opening Prayer Your Revealed Enemy, Pt. 3When I grew up I heard frequently that it’s not what I said, it’s how I said it that matters most. It’s not what I do, but how I do it. Now I know that it’s both. Approach matters, and that’s what this lesson is about (see link above). The second strategy against a revealed enemy is Esther’s positional approach through the banquets of wine.
Let me share with you the principles we discussed–
- The king’s public acknowledgement resulted from his private relationship with the queen.
- You are not a candidate anymore. (personalize that!)
- God reveals an enemy to one with experience.
- You approach the king. The king commands your enemy.
- The king doesn’t want to know your request. He wants to know your request of him.
This is powerful to absorb. The prevalent logic goes this way:
I want something from God.
I will do what it takes to convince God I need this “something” and get it from Him.
In the process I watch to see how others are “being blessed” and internally begin or continue a competition to get the “something” I want.
If i do not get what I want or it appears that there is some sort of delay, then I question the effectiveness of what I did…and think about what else I need to do to convince God.
This is candidate thinking. You (and I), my dear Kingdom queens, are not a candidate anymore. Consider the exhaustion and fatigue of living a works-based life. We are born again by faith, and our growing faith and confidence in God is what pleases Him. Yes he created us for good works, but those good works are not the basis of our relationship with Him.
In Esther’s choice of the banquets of wine as a way to approach the king, she gave the king what he liked — drinks. She acted from a queen’s position, not a candidate’s search for position. She acted from a position of intimacy and relationship with the king. And, he responded…he said yes to her request TWICE before she asked.
I encourage us to take a look at our how; that is, our approach to the King. There is not a need to prove who we are…that’s us convincing us of our righteousness and worthiness. And that train of thought leads to cycles of up-again down-again confidence in our relationship with God. Let’s remember that God is a covenant keeper, and trust His absolute standard of truth.
I pray you’re available to hear the lesson. God bless you.
Blogs I Follow
The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 