Worrier or Warrior – Part 2

Last week I confessed that I can be a worrier.  This week’s confession?  I am also a warrior.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven to stand up for what I believe is right.  This is especially true if I think there is injustice or unfairness.  I can vividly remember walking out of a high school English class when the teacher kicked out  my friend whom she picked on for months.  She said if anyone had a problem with it, they could follow him to the principal’s office.  I was first in line out the door. 

I’ve stood up for individuals who were being unfairly judged.  I’ve held public officials accountable both privately and publicly speaking at school board and public meetings.  I’ve attended rallies for causes that I believe in.  And don’t get me started on the warrior that arises when my child is involved. 

So, you may wonder, if you are such a warrior, Rhonda, why are you writing this blog?  Because the common thread in everything I just shared with you, is that I fought for people and things that mattered to me.  And I relied on myself.  And often when I did, I felt self-righteous and proud.  I’m shocked I didn’t dislocate my arm patting myself on the back.

Being a warrior – a true warrior – isn’t about any of that.  Being a warrior that makes a deep and meaningful difference starts and ends with God.  It is looking to Him to tell you if He wants you involved.  It isn’t suiting up for every battle and arming yourself for every war.  Yes, God needs soldiers ready to move.  But only He knows the strategy that ensures success.  If you don’t agree, just think back to a time you got involved in something and it just made it worse.  Every one of us has regrets for saying something or doing something when, in hindsight, we shouldn’t have.  And I’m betting if you are like me, those times were because you didn’t ask God if this was your fight.

A warrior of God isn’t always what we think of when we picture a warrior in our mind.   God’s definition of warrior and ours are not the same.  When you think warrior, you think Goliath, not David.  When you think warrior, you likely don’t think of a teenage virgin who will bear the Son of God.  And you may not think of Deborah (Judges 4 and 5), the only woman among 14 men who ruled and judged Israel.  And you may not think of Esther.

Oh Esther – my favorite woman and favorite book of the Bible. Esther 4:14 is a well-known verse, often paraphrased.  But the verse in its entirety is: “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 your royal position for such a time as this?”  The story of Esther is a beautiful story of faith and courage as well as of excess, evil, and manipulation.  If you haven’t read it, I strongly suggest you do.

In a nutshell, Esther (meaning “star”) was a young Jewish woman (a Hebrew) living in Persia with her Uncle Mordecai.  She was orphaned when her parents died.  Her Hebrew birth name was Hadassah, and she was from the tribe of Benjamin.  Her uncle changed her name because Hebrews were a minority and viewed in low esteem.  King Xerxes was in power.  Xerxes was extremely wealthy, liked women, and enjoyed a good party.  At one such celebration, he demanded his wife, Queen Vashti, come to entertain his guests.  When she refused, she was banished, and a search began for a new queen. “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. (Esther 2:2).

Esther was taken but Mordecai told her to keep her Hebrew nationality a secret.  Fast forward a year; Esther was chosen from all the young women to be Xerxes’ Queen.  Haman, an Amalekite, was an advisor to Xerxes.  Amalekites were the original anti-Semitic race.  Haman was born and bred hating Hebrews.  Haman tricked Xerxes into signing a decree to destroy the Hebrews on a designated day.  Anyone who killed a Jew could plunder their possessions; Jews would be hunted and unable to protect themselves.  Esther learns of the decree from Mordecai who tells her that she must now reveal her identity to King Xerxes and ask for mercy for her people.

OK, now this is really important.  Even though she is queen, it is against the law to approach the king without being summoned.  The penalty, apart from the king’s favor, is death.  But if she does nothing, Mordecai warns her, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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 your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 3:13-14).

Now, Esther doesn’t just jump in with both feet and say, “I’m storming the King’s quarters!”  No.  She was afraid.  She was confused.  She wasn’t brave.  If Esther had relied on these human feelings, she might never have had the courage to follow God’s plan for her life.  But thank goodness, Esther decides to put her hope in God.  She sends word to Mordecai for everyone to fast and pray for three days saying, “If I perish, I perish.”  (Esther 4:16).  Esther goes to the King Xerxes, and he grants her favor – meaning he will see her.  She exposes Haman’s scheme and reveals her true identity.  Xerxes issues a new decree that the Hebrews may protect themselves from attack.  Haman’s plan to exterminate the Jews is thwarted and He is hung.  God delivered the Hebrews by using a warrior.  A warrior named Hadassah/Esther.  A warrior who returned to her true self to accomplish God’s plan.

We aren’t that different from Esther.  She’s human.  And, when she relies on herself, she is forced to hide behind a false identity.  To deny her true self. To fear the truth.  And that is exactly what we do when we choose to worry rather than war with the power of God.  What did Esther do first? She asked for prayer and she prayed as well. For three days she prayed and fasted. Esther knew that her greatest weapon wasn’t her beauty. It wasn’t her intellect. It wasn’t her favor from the King. It was prayer. It was bowing before God and giving herself over to His will; choosing to walk in obedience to her calling.

Our true identity isn’t earthly.  Our true identity is eternal. 

Our fear is from the enemy.  Our courage and bravery is the blood of Jesus that fills our veins and the Holy Spirit that fills our hearts.

Our true self is powerful because of and with God.

We need to be Esther’s in the world. Now more than ever.  To go to God in prayer and humility, seeking guidance and direction.  And when asked by Him, to step out in faith even when we are terrified.  To trust that His outcome – even if not what we want – is the holy and righteous outcome.  To lay it on the line for the things that matter to Him.  To be warriors for Jesus.  To change the world because Jesus changed us. 

The path from worrier to warrior isn’t easy.  It requires a deliberate dedication day in and day out to be available to God.  It means that you are armed with scripture to battle the enemy.  It means you invest in your walk with Jesus.  It means you exchange your desires for the desires of The Father. 

So go on.  Get your armor.  God has a mission for you.

What can you learn from Esther?  What scriptures can you rely on when you are scared or fearful? What steps can you take to move from worrier to warrior?

• If you want to learn more about Esther, I suggest after you read her story in the Bible, you purchase, “You Were Made For This Moment” by Max Lucado.  In Lucado’s signature casual style, you will learn so much about this extraordinary woman and how you can be like her.