WHATEVER WE ASK IN JESUS’ NAME WE WILL RECEIVE
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 royal position for such a time as this?
Life for Esther had certainly went from being on top of the world to the world being on top of her, and it was really none of her own doing! Her uncle Mordecai that had been taking care of her during their exile to the Persian Achaemdid Empire. Now he had single handedly endangered the entire Jewish race to being killed. It all began when Mordecai refused to time and again bow down to a man that was in second command to the king. The king even commanded that everyone do this to show Haman honor. And even through Mordecai was given several chances to do what was right and bow down before Haman, Mordecai would not. Possibly Mordecai felt that Haman had received the reward for saving the king’s life instead of him, or he may just not have like Haman we don’t know. We do know that when Haman was confronted about what he intended to do, he went to the king and a decree was made to kill all the Jews in the entire empire.
When Mordecai realized what he had done, he sent word to Queen Esther that she needed to do something. When she hesitated, this is when Mordecai told her that maybe this is why she became king. The problem for Esther was that if she went uninvited before the king she would be killed. The only exception was if the king would extend his golden scepter to her showing that he would spare her life. So what Mordecai was asking Esther to do was risk her life to undo the mess that he had brought on the entire Jewish race. Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner court in front of the king’s hall so he would see her. What a very brave woman she was to do this. I am sure she knew that the king would never let her or her family to be killed as Mordecai had suggested, but she went not only out of obedience to Mordecai, but because of her love and loyalty to her Jewish race. When King Xerxes saw her he extended his scepter to her. In humility she touched only the tip of it. I believe in doing this she also touched his heart, and she was not only pardoned for coming uninvited before the king but welcomed. The king was so impressed that he was willing to give up to half of his empire to her.
As Christians are the Bride of Christ and the children of God, we too are put in a unique position of influence. Jesus has said in John 14:12,13 that, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. The in Matthew 18:19,20 it says, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
What this is telling us that we have come to a position much like Esther, but our level of influence is exceedingly greater. We can not just influence a king as great as that is, we have the privilege and honor to influence Almighty God! In many ways even for Christians this is hard to really get a handle on. How could we as God’s creation, as unworthy as we are, influence God. And this is not just for our own behalf, but we can influence God to intervene and help other Christians and even non-Christians. In some ways the boldness we have to come before God this way is extremely bold. Who are we anyway to do this? We are only Christians because we begged to be one. There is not one Christian that deserves to be a Christian. We are Christians by our faith in the grace offered to us in the atonement of God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ! So in some ways it not who we are to begin with, but whose we are!
When we go before the Heavenly Father in prayer, we are accepted and received because of the priceless scepter he extends to us. This scepter is of course is Jesus. When we reach out to touch Jesus, we have touched the heart of God and God’s mercy and grace draw us closer to God. Never count it a burden or obligation to pray for someone. It is not just a privilege, but a great honor. Just as it tells us in Romans 8:34 that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the Father and in interceding for us, we too can be Christ-like and become intercessors on behalf of others and God will answer our prayers. So don’t become weary, but become steadfast and sure that because we belong to Jesus our prayers are very important. They are indeed powerful and effective even to the point of pulling down strongholds in the spiritual realm. And remember that since it is all because of Jesus, he deserves all the praise and glory!
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for giving us the privilege and authority to come before you, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit in prayer and at any given moment and about anything! You are so good! We love you Jesus, Holy Spirit and Heavenly Father!
