Be Established in FaithSpeaker: Sis. Stella Dhinakaran Gist: For most of us, fasting is a bitter experience. When we learn to fast and pray, we will find that God's blessings pervade all our activities. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
The eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which is a general sermon on faith, refers to the invincible faith found in Abraham. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only begotten son, Isaac, he obeyed implicitly. On the way to the spot of sacrifice, Isaac finding no lamb, when other necessities were ready, asked his father innocently, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham replied, "My son, God will provide for Himself for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." The faith underlying this statement is that through this son a great nation would be shaped up and blessed. "In Isaac your seed shall be called". Abraham dared to offer his son, as a sacrifice as he had the conviction that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. Seeing the faith Abraham had in God, He gave him back a life-gift, his son (Hebrews 17-19). Thus, now we will realise that the affirmation of our faith is the great love we have for God.
We read of Esther in the Bible. She is an ordinary woman, belonging to the Jewish race. But yet, God gave her a blessed opportunity to become the wife of a king. Yet Haman, the bitter enemy of the Jews very cunningly brought into force a decree to annihilate all the Jews. The information about the decree reached Esther through her Kinsmen Mordecai, who had brought her up as an adopted daughter. Mordecai sent a request to her 'to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people (Esther 4:8). Esther knew that no one could approach the king unless called by him. Yet, she boldly sent this message to Mordecai, "Go, and gather all the Jews and fast for me. My maids and I will fast likewise. And I will go to the king, which is against her queenly coat. God made her find favour in the king's eyes and filled her with promise and went to the King wearing her queenly coat. God made her find favour in the king's eyes and filled her with divine wisdom so that she could plead with the king for her people and expose the conspiracy of Haman. God saw that, through her, the king destroyed Haman, who had planned to eliminate all Jews, who after being saved, could live happily with joy and honour. "Then many of the people of the land became Jews" (Esther 8:17).
My dear friend, if we also can exhibit the same strong resolve and steely-will power as Esther, we will be able to help build God's vast empire, bringing in not only our family, but also many other families too to the fold of God. A life in union with God alone can create this iron-will. We also note Esther's strong rooting in fasting. For most of us, fasting is a bitter experience. When we learn to fast and pray, we will find that God's blessings pervade all our activities.
I brought up my son in the most upright ways. But in his youth, he started living according to his own whims and fancies. So, in order to bring about a change in him, I started to fast and pray with tears, on a particular day in every week. I revealed to God my mental agony; holding on to all the promises of God found in the Bible, I poured out my soul to Him. I cried out wailing, "O, Lord, it has been recorded in the Bible, 'Your children shall be like Olive plant', but my child, has been inflicting pain and anguish in my heart. Please transform my son." My prayers were heeded by the Lord who changed my son completely and wonderfully. Today he has become a pillar of strength to us in the ministry. What a wonderful life! Our Lord is longing to bless us thus in our lives.
Prayer:
Great and mighty God,
Grant me Your grace to obey You implicitly. No matter what happens help me to have all my confidence only in You. Lord, You are able to do everything. There is nothing impossible for You Lord. As You helped Esther to find favour of the King, sustain me also to find favour of the people who are in higher authority over me in this world. Facilitate me to pray without ceasing in fasting. Help me to hold on to Your promises. Transform my life totally and make it a blessing to everyone. Please heed my prayers, Lord. Change my life and let me live a life of testimony to Your name. In Jesus' mighty name I pray.
Amen. |