“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13 and 14
I love the story of Esther, I have read it many times, and I have watched the adaptation of the story in the movie that Tommy Tenney made “One Night With the King” countless times. The movie was created beautifully, from the choice of actress to the setup to the beauty pageant and, of course, the colorful wedding of Esther to the King. As much as everything else is beautiful, it does not take away the purpose of why Esther was chosen by God to be Queen. She was to fight for her people and deliver them from Haman’s vicious plot. After seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, Esther used the only weapon that was available to her—food. She prepared a feast for the King and Haman. After they had eaten, Esther told the King what Haman’s plot was: to wipe the entire Jewish nation from the face of the earth. Well, Haman’s evil plans did not succeed because of the courageous act of this Warrior Queen Esther.
Esther is a true example of the Warrior that we all are. Just like Esther, each one of us faces battles in our everyday lives. They may not be as enormous as preserving the existence of a nation, but we cannot deny that they weigh us down, causing us grief and many sleepless nights.
As long as we are alive, we will be required to put on our armor and fight. We may be called the “weaker sex” but we are not weak. We are warriors too. We are in the war zone the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed and the next day is no different. Some of the battles may seem mundane but still they give us stress. We battle with our looks when we glance in the mirror; we battle with comparison just as soon as we walk out the door; we look at how others are dressed and we wish our clothes fit the same way.
Then there are battles that we face that are relational, such as misunderstandings with our families that distress us. The workplace is no different. We don’t agree with our colleagues, our bosses take us for granted, and we are overworked and unappreciated.
Throughout the day we are bombarded with decisions that we need to make whether we are at home, work, or school. What happens during our day can make us feel great about ourselves or depressed.
So much of what happens in our day attacks our minds more than any other part of our body. We need to guard what goes through our minds more than anything else. Once a thought comes in, we think about it some more, it develops and the more we think about it the more it takes root and then it becomes an action.
It is so important that when we wake up in the morning, we should prepare for the battle that is ahead of us. No warrior goes to battle without ammunition. In the same way, we cannot wake up and begin the day without putting on the armor of God. Just like Esther had to pray and fast to meet with the King, we, too, ought to prepare for what’s ahead of us.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Prayer should be part of our lifestyle as Warrior Princesses; we need not wait for a situation to arise that is beyond us in order to invoke a prayerful attitude. Just like a soldier takes instructions from his superiors, we too need to meet with our Maker to take instructions for our daily living. Our enemy is real and he is not chained. He is “…like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). If you are not dressed for battle then he will prey on your mind, body, and soul.
I pray that as we go through this chapter this week, we will be prepared to fight our daily battles knowing that we are more than conquerors. Christ won the battle on the cross for us and we need not fear for THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD. Face each day like a true Warrior Princess. Not only are you beautiful, but you are also wise, cunning, strong, courageous, and victorious.
In closing let me leave you with thes words that Paul spoke to Timothy and permit me to change them to suit us Warrior Princesses.
“You then, my daughter, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (2 Timothy 2:1-7).
Be Blessed
Jackie
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LET’S PRAY
Father, thank You so much for giving me Your armor so that I can wear it in readiness for the battles that I face each day. I will face each day knowing that the battle is already won. May I seek Your face so that I may not be unaware when trouble comes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Read Ephesians 6:10-18 about the full armor of God. Take time to know what each piece of armor means and literally practice putting it on.
Why would Paul tell us to put on the full armor of God?
Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book Study begins March 24th!
Click on the Girls with Swords book to the left, complete the registration process, and we will email you further details! We hope you will join us for this amazing study!
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If you would like to send Jackie a private email in regards to this blog post, you may email her at: Jackie@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com
