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Outline:
Finding Your Purpose in Life Series
Review Esther Part 1
Fulfilling Purpose Requires Courage Over Comfort
Fasting Can Help You Achieve Your Purpose
Honor Unlocks Elevation
True Purpose Extends Beyond Personal Success to Legacy
Leave the Results to God
Scriptures:
Esther 4:14
Esther 4:15-16
Esther 5: 2-4
Esther 9: 24-29
Finding Your Purpose in Life Series
The two greatest days in your life are:
the day you were born
the day you figure out why you were born
– Mark Twain
The Bible tells us that everything was created by God, the Designer, for a reason
If you want to find your purpose… You have to start with God
Your calling is the purpose that God created you for
It's the end goal of your assignment on earth
It is how you serve His purposes in the world
A Christian’s Callings
Christians have
General callings
A Unique calling
General Christian Assignments
All Christians are called to:
To Love God
Love your neighbor
Make disciples
Be conformed to the image of Christ – sanctification
Unique Calling
You were given unique
Natural ability
Acquired skills
Spiritual Gifts
Personality
Desires and preferences
Life experiences
All of this makes you uniquely qualified to serve others, and to glorify God
In this series we will discover:
What a purpose is
Why it matters
What makes you unique
How your life experiences have prepared you for your calling
Methods to uncover your purpose
How to overcome the barriers preventing you from pursuing your purpose
Throughout this next year, I will walk alongside you and help guide you to finding your purpose
Review Esther Part 1
The Persian empire of King Xerxes spanned 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush (modern-day Ethiopia)
The King had a 7 day banquet and asked his wife Queen Vashti to come display her beauty to the people and the officials.
She refused
In order to prevent women throughout the kingdom from disrespecting their husbands, the king took away her position as Queen
They searched for a replacement
A Jew named Mordecai was guardian and “uncle” of a girl named Esther
Esther was beautiful and was taken to the king's harem
Your Purpose is a Process Not a Destination
Esther had a 12 month beauty process that she had to go through
Purpose is not just a task you achieve
It is a person that you become
In the quiet seasons you are developing:
Discipline
Character
skill
emotional maturity
preparing you for the weight of what comes next.
The preparation is where your character matches your calling
Wise counsel accelerates purpose
Esther consistently heeded the advice of Mordecai and Hegai (the king’s keeper of the women).
Listening to trusted, wise advisors protected her and positioned her for favor.
Unlocking your purpose requires the humility to take wise counsel
There will Be Pivotal Moments in Your Life
Esther became Queen
Mordecai told Esther of a plot to kill the king
Esther told the king and they foiled the plan
Haman worked for the king and Mordecai refused to bow to him
Haman devised a plan to kill the Jews
Mordecai found out about it and asked Esther to speak to the king
Esther 4:14
14For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Mordecai suggested that Esther had come to her royal position "for such a time as this."
Your purpose is a lifelong journey of faith and growth, but you may have a profound "singular moment" that has a strong bearing on your purpose.
Fulfilling Purpose Requires Courage Over Comfort
Esther 4:15-16
15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Esther had relative safety inside the palace,
Stepping into her purpose meant risking her comfort, and her life
The Principle
Purpose will eventually cost you something
Fulfilling your calling requires
stepping outside your comfort zone
overcoming fear
choosing conviction over convenience
You May Have to Leave a Comfortable Situation
You have to leave one season to enter another
That may mean
Leaving your job
Leaving a relationship
Breaking ties with toxic friends
Giving up worldly status
Being embarrassed
Your neighbors thinking you’re weird
Being politically incorrect
Walking away from something you prayed for
Changing the music you listen to and the movies you watch
Quote: A cat that wants to be a lion must first lose his appetite for rats
Discussion Questions
Can you think of a time you had to leave your comfort zone to obey God?
Can you think of a time you chose not to follow God because it would have been uncomfortable?
My Story: stopped posting as much Bible to keep followers
Had 5K followers in one year
Video went viral
Got 20K new followers
You’re Hiding Your Identity
For years, Esther kept her Jewish faith hidden on Mordecai's instruction.
But when destiny called, she had to drop the secret identity and step into the open, risking her comfort and safety.
The Principle:
Concealing your faith or trying to blend into the culture can hold you back from walking in the authority and assignment God designed for you.
Do you hide the fact that you’re a Christian at your job?
Esther had to expose her identity in order to fulfill her destiny
You may have missed an opportunity to lead someone to Christ because they didn’t know you were a Christian
Discussion Questions:
Is there anywhere in your life that are you currently tempted to keep your faith 'under cover'?
What is one practical step you can take to be more open and unashamed about your faith in your everyday life?
Has someone you knew gotten saved, but you didn’t witness to them?
Example: onsite at project
Found out last day
Missed out on connection
Fasting Can Help You Achieve Your Purpose
Why Did Esther Request the Fast?
She needed God to step into her situation
Unity and Collective Strength
We continuously see in scripture the example of people fasting and praying in order to:
Hear from God
Obtain a desired response from God
Universal Spiritual Tool
Fasting serves as a tool for inner transformation in
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Buddhism
Hinduism
Baha’i
Jainism
Results of fasting:
Breakthrough & Clarity: Throughout scripture, fasting is paired with prayer before pivotal decisions or high-stakes trials to seek direction, alignment, and breakthrough.
Humility and Dependence: Fasting acts as a physical posture of humility, shifting reliance away from material comfort and toward spiritual trust and reliance on God.
Autophagy - When the body enters a fasted state, it stops spending energy on digestion and initiates autophagy—a process where cells clear out damaged components, misfolded proteins, and dysfunctional organelles. This acts as a cellular "repair and recycling" program.
Ketone Production & Mental Clarity: As glycogen stores are depleted, the liver produces ketones, an exceptionally clean-burning fuel source for the brain. Many people report heightened focus, mental sharpness, and reduced brain fog while fasting.
Discussion Questions
What is your typical first response when facing a major crossroad or challenge?
What role has fasting played in your spiritual life so far?
Honor Unlocks Elevation
Haman Plans to Kill Mordecai by hanging him
Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet in their honor
Esther 5: 2-4
2When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Up to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.” 4Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
Half of the Kingdom
Esther was offered half of the kingdom
She could have saved the Jews in her half of the Kingdom
But after fasting and praying, she had been given a divine plan
Esther Chose Honor
Instead Esther asked to honor the king
Vashti was removed from the palace because of dishonor
One women’s dishonor was going to divide 127 provinces
Esther first request was to honor the king instead of benefiting herself
She then asked to honor the king again at a second banquet
What is Honor
Honor is discerning, celebrating and potentially rewarding an individual (or a system) in recognition of their usefulness in your life
–Joshua Selman
“Dishonor“ is to trivialize the contribution of a person, system, or object in your life
Some people trivialize the usefulness of God in their life
Other examples - complaining/criticising:
Your pastor
Your church
Your president/governer/mayor
Your country / government
Your boss
Your spouse
Men / women
We need to honor the Mighty and the lowly
Esther is a Story of Honor
The king remembered that Mordecai was never rewarded for saving his life
He forces Haman to honor Mordecai.
Feast day 2: Esther revealed her identity and exposed Haman's plot
The king is mad and walks away
Haman begged Esther for his life
The king comes back and thinks Haman is raping Esther and hangs him on the gallows prepared for Mordecai
Haman is hung on a gallows that he prepared for Mordecai
A Story of Honor
Vashti was dethroned because of dishonor
Haman was mad because Mordecai didn’t honor him
Esther chose to honor the King instead of asking for a request
Haman is forced to honor Mordecai
Hester honors the king with the second banquet
King felt dishonored by Haman and kills him
“Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?”
Discussion Questions
Have you ever had negative consequences because you dishonored someone?
Who in your life deserves honor?
True Purpose Extends Beyond Personal Success to Legacy
Mordecai is exalted and put as 2nd in command and makes a decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves
The government fights on the Jews side
The Jews are triumphant and kill 75,000 of their enemies
Esther 9: 24-28
24For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to eliminate them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and eliminate them. 25But when it came [n]to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews was to return on his own head, and that he and his sons were to be hanged on the wooden gallows. 26Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of [o]Pur. [p]And because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27the Jews established and [q]made a custom for themselves, their [r]descendants, and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that [s]they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their [t]regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim were not to [u]be neglected by the Jews, or their memory [v]fade from their [w]descendants.
Pur means to cast lots
Haman had cast lots to see which day they should destroy the Jews
Esther and Mordecai establish the feast of Purim to ensure future generations remember God’s deliverance
Life Journey Principle
Fulfilling your calling isn't just about reaching a personal goal or overcoming a single obstacle; it’s about paving a way for others and creating a lasting impact for those who come after you.
Discussion Questions
How can we guard against viewing "purpose" as just a personal achievement rather than a way to serve others?
What Are You Building that God Can Use After Your Death?
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8WpoakK/
Have you built or are working on building something that will outlive you?
Leave the Results to God
If I Perish…I Perish
Esther 4:16b
And then I will go into the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.
This is the turning point where Esther was fully committed.
She decided to do all that she could to save her people even if it meant death
She requested a fast to get God to intervene with favor
She was saying that she is hoping for an outcome, but she is willing to live with the consequences if God’s will is not in alignment with hers
Or should I say… die with the consequences
She’s completely put it into God’s hands
She did everything that she could do, and left the rest to God
Esther's story shows us that our lives are not our own, but are part of a larger plan that God is unfolding.
There comes a moment and everyone’s life where safety and significance can no longer be your priority
Esther's purpose was not just to be a queen, but to save her people from destruction. Similarly, our purpose is not just to live for ourselves, but to serve God and others.
By studying Esther's story, we can learn to
trust God's sovereignty
be brave in the face of adversity
use our gifts and talents for the greater good
And then ultimately surrender the outcome to God
What if God got it right?
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcCg7-yQeqz/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
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References
Esther 6 - 10 God working out his purpose
Calvary Chapel Ontario
God hid you for this moment-esther’s anointing is up
Dr. Miles Monroe
The book of Esther | principles of uncommon favor
apostle Joshua Selman
The book of Esther part 2 | principles of uncommon favor
apostle Joshua Selman
Extra
God Can Do It Without You, But …
God’s Ultimate Plan
If Esther said no
God’s covenant promise was that the Jewish nation would survive
the Messiah would still come
God’s *corporate* plan would still succeed.
Individual Plan
But God also had a plan for Esther
But God also has a plan for each of our lives.
The assignment that he gives you includes
developing your character
positioning you
Example: David being king of Israel was part of God’s plan
If David said no… That part of God’s plan would not have been done
The Messiah would still have come and Israel would have still defeated the Philistines
Jesus would not have from the line of David
Wise Counsel
Don’t take everyone’s advice
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOgzpvxEgzz/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Worldly success does not mean that they are wise
Example: rappers who got caught up and gang activity after being successful
Example: Brazilian girl in gym who drank chocolate shake every morning
Were Esther attendants Jewish?
Whether her attendants already knew she was Jewish depends on how you look at the text itself versus traditional commentaries.
1. What the Biblical Text Indicates
The biblical narrative does not explicitly state that the attendants knew her ethnicity prior to this moment, but the context implies they likely figured it out—or learned it—through the fast:
• Mordecai’s Command: Early in the story, Mordecai explicitly instructed Esther not to reveal her nationality or family background (Esther 2:10, 2:20). Up until Chapter 4, her royal status was maintained while her Jewish identity remained secret from the king and the general court.
• A Shared Duty: When Esther instructs Mordecai, "I and my attendants will fast as you do" (Esther 4:16), she brings her inner circle directly into a severe, 3-day communal fast. A total fast from both food and water for 72 hours alongside the Jewish community in Susa would make her heritage and allegiance unmistakable to them.
2. How Scholars and Commentators View It
Jewish tradition and classical biblical commentators offer a few explanations for who these attendants were and what they knew:
• They Were Jewish Maidens (or Proselytes): Rabbinic tradition (such as in the Targum and Talmudic commentary) suggests that when Hegai, the king’s eunuch, assigned seven special female attendants to Esther (Esther 2:9), she requested or chose Jewish young women. According to these commentaries, Esther used them to help her secretly keep the Sabbath in the palace (e.g., using a rotation of seven maids so she would always know which day was the Sabbath). In this view, her attendants were already Jewish or converts and fully aware of her identity.
• They Were Gentile Servants Loyal to Esther: Another widely held view is that her attendants were Persian handmaidens assigned by the palace. Because Esther won the favor of everyone around her (Esther 2:15), these servants were deeply devoted to her personally. When Esther revealed her panic over Haman's decree and called for a strict fast, they willingly participated out of loyalty to their queen, regardless of their own religious or ethnic background.
Summary
If her attendants were foreign palace servants, her instruction to fast was the moment her secret identity was laid bare to her inner household. If they were Jewish maidens chosen by her from the start, joining the 3-day fast was an act of personal and spiritual solidarity with their queen and their shared people.
