July 6
2014
Stand Fast
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36
STAND FAST!
After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.
Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?”
Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
Esther 3:1-4
I always like that phrase “after these things” – that means that something has already gone on. In the first two chapters of Esther we see Queen Vasthi demoted, Esther chosen as Queen and Mordecai promoted. Also, Mordecai has reported an assassination plot against the king and saved the king’s life.“and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king”. Esther 2:23
And now we find Haman promoted as well. All those around him honoured him by bowing in his presence. But Mordecai refused to do so. And when the people asked why he told them he was a Jew.
Mordecai stood fast. Not only did he acknowledge openly WHO he was, he refused to bow before Haman despite the command of the King. Mordecai knew the power that Haman held and He surely knew that Haman would seek revenge at least on him if not on his people.
But Mordecai stood fast. He refused to bow to the pressure of the world he found himself in and openly spoke of why he stood fast and refused to bow.
He stood strong and fast despite the potential consequences and the uncertainty of what those consequences might look like.
Haman was amazed and enraged.
The world around us becomes enraged when we don’t bend to its demands.
Demands for time, speed and money, expectations and pressures.
When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath.
But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month,until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar
Esther 3:5-6
How we respond to the world impacts those around us – just as Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman enraged Haman, not only to take revenge on Mordecai, but on “his people”. Haman was so enraged and so certain of his plan to destroy the Jews that he cast the lot to determine the time even before he went before the King.
The power of the prince of the air (Satan) sets out a plan to destroy us – the lot is cast, the time is determined. Satan does not consult the King of Kings for he is an enemy and so certain and arrogant in his plans to come against the children of God.
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.
“If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”
Esther 3:8-11
Just as Haman twisted the facts when he went before the King, so does the enemy of our soul twist the truth all around us. A road of lies and turns and twists until we are dizzy and confused.
King Ahasuerus handed over Jews to Haman – and Haman planned to destroy every last one of them.
But Mordecai stood fast and firm.
As we must.
And in order to stand fast and firm we must know what we are standing on – The Rock – Jesus Christ. The Lover or our Soul. The One who sees and hears us – the Lifter of our Heads. We must KNOW the Lord and we must take the time to be in His Word so that we see the path clearly “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” Ephesians 4:14.
What are you standing fast on today?
Yesterday Tropical Storm Arthur hit
Many of us unscathed, a minor inconvenience
Others tossed and twisted in heavy rain and wind, under fallen trees, without power and overcome with waves.
Everyone is not called to stand fast for the same things at the same time.
You need to understand when you have been called and to what.
You need not look around to see what others are called to.
You need to stand fast where you are, even now.
Queen Esther was called to the Palace
Mordecai was called to the King’s Gate.
Queen Esther was not asked to bow before Haman as Mordecai was
But Queen Esther would soon be called to give her life in approaching the King uninvited.
This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
Be joyful in the Lord each and everyday regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in. You are a spiritual being – rejoice in the spiritual realm. Stand fast!
Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
When you can’t stand, dance. Rejoice your way through. Praise from your knees,your sick bed and your place of discouragement. The Lord will strengthen you in your praise. Stand fast!
“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Matthew 25:21
Can the Lord trust you with the small things – your time, your money, your family, your friends, your job – the things that he has given you and called you to care for? Don’t be deceived by the enemy – holiness is not a matter of great piety and performance but of living the everyday mundane moments as if they were they were your last moment on earth – in awe and thanksgiving and with great care and attention. Don’t wish away your time or your life. Stand fast!
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Philippians 1:27
Together we stand, divided we fall. Stand fast!
