Let Esther Guide You To Your Purpose

 

~~.Watch the Video ~~

Agenda

• Finding Your Purpose in Life Series
• Biblical Context of the Book of Esther
• Esther Found Favor
• Purpose requires preparation
• Wise counsel accelerates purpose
• Enter Haman
• There will Be Pivotal Moments in Your Life

Scriptures:

• Esther 2:5-11
• Esther 2:10-13
• Esther 2:15-20
• Esther 4:10-14
• Ephesians 2:10

Finding Your Purpose in Life Series

The two greatest days in your life are:

1. the day you were born
2. the day you figure out why you were born

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

Don’t compare your calling to others

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

Biblical Context of the Book of Esther

Esther is the second of two biblical books named after a woman. The other is the book of Ruth.

The Jews repeatedly disobeyed God so He allowed them to be captured by Assyria and Babylon

The Medes and in Persian together conquered the Babylonian empire

• Xerxes rules from India to Ethiopia

In the book of Nehemiah they were allowed to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem

The characters in the book of Esther are the people who stayed

• 1 million

While some Jews returned to rebuild Jerusalem, a large population remained dispersed across Persian cities like Susa.

After the queen disobeyed the king he went to search out a new queen

Esther Found Favor

Esther 2:5-11

5 There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported. 7 He was the guardian to Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young woman was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8 So it came about, when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice female attendants from the king’s palace, and transferred her and her attendants to the best place in the harem.

Esther’s real name was Hadassah

• She was hiding her identity as a Jew

Esther found favor with Hegai

• 7 attendants
• Best place in the harem

Favor is when God causes people to see something in you that has nothing to do with your résumé

• you do not need everyone’s permission to walk into your position
• You do not need every credential that the world says you need

Discussion

Are there times that you look back on your life and see the favor of God?

Have you ever experienced an open door or opportunity that clearly came from God’s favor rather than your own qualifications?"

Purpose requires preparation

Esther 2:10-13

 10 Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, because Mordecai had instructed her that she was not to reveal them. 11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beauty treatment were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with balsam oil and the cosmetics for women— 13the young woman would go in to the king in this way: anything that she [g]desired was given her to [h]take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

12 Month Beauty Process

The long preparation served several purposes in the Persian royal court:

A Two-Phase Beauty Treatment:

First 6 Months (Oil of Myrrh)

Myrrh was known for its medicinal, anti-inflammatory, and skin-purifying properties. It helped cleanse, smooth, and heal the skin.

Final 6 Months (Spices & Perfumes)

Sweet-smelling ointments and rare spices were used to deeply scent the skin and hair, preparing the women for royalty.

Royal Protocol:

It ensured all women were accustomed to court etiquette and luxury before meeting the king.

Example: they knew which fork was the salad fork

Quarantine / Verification:

The year-long period guaranteed that none of the women were pregnant from a prior relationship.

Your Purpose is a Process not a Destination

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.

It is a dangerous thing to have influence before you have integrity.

• It can be the difference between an amazing work of God or an amazing scandal

Skipping the Process

• Saul became king instantly
• David went through a wilderness period

Prepare in the Waiting Period

everyone wants the palace, but no one wants the preparation

The preparation is where your character matches your calling

Kobe Bryant 4AM practice

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da-2SQePy6P/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Jensen Huan, Jeff Bezos

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db1b_f8RDKZ/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Discussion Questions

Looking back, what past experience or skill did you acquire that felt routine at the time, but ended up serving a purpose later?

What skills are you learning in your current season that might be used later?

Wise counsel accelerates purpose

Esther Becomes Queen

Esther 2:15-20

15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, [j]advised. And Esther was finding favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal turban on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. 18Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts in proportion to the king’s bounty.

19Now when the virgins were gathered together for the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20Esther still had not revealed her relatives or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did [k]what Mordecai told her just as she had when under his care.

• Esther only took what Hegai advised her to take
• Esther Mordecai‘s advice and didn’t reveal that she was a Jew

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.

The Principle

Unlocking your purpose requires

• Community
• Mentorship
• the humility to take wise counsel

Discussion Questions

Who are the "Mordecais" in your life—people who have permission to speak hard truths and spiritual wisdom to you?

Who has been a mentor to you in your life?

Why is it dangerous to try to discern or pursue your calling entirely on your own?

What are the pros and cons of more people turning to AI forward advice?

Enter Haman

Mordecai told Esther of a plot of two of the king’s officials who were going to kill him

• 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

There will Be Pivotal Moments in Your Life

For such a Time as this

Esther 4:10-14

10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, he has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12And they reported Esther’s words to Mordecai.

13Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. 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?”

Your Pivotal Moment

"For such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) 

Mordecai tells Esther that perhaps she had come to her royal position "for such a time as this."

This implies that her entire life up to that point, including her unique circumstances, had a culminating purpose in that one critical moment when she had to intercede for her people.

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.

There may be one crucial moment in your life

Some biblical examples:

• Paul's Conversion on the road to Damascus
• Moses and the Burning Bush
• Jesus' Crucifixion

Ephesians 2:10

10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

This verse suggests that God has specific "good works" (purposes) for each individual. While these might unfold over time, it's not unimaginable that some of these "good works" could be concentrated into a defining, singular moment of obedience, sacrifice, or revelation.

Singular Moment

While the general biblical understanding of life purpose is often seen as a continuous journey of glorifying God, growing in Christ-likeness, and serving others, the Bible supports the idea that a person's life purpose can be distilled into, or culminate in, a profoundly significant singular moment.

These moments are often divine appointments where God reveals a specific calling, or where an individual makes a decisive choice that defines their entire trajectory in fulfilling God's will. It's not necessarily that the entirety of their existence is only about one second, but that one second can be the catalyst or climax of their God-given purpose.

Discussion Questions

Can you think of a pivotal moment in your life that changed how you live for God?

Example: for me it was starting this Bible study

God Will Do It Without You

 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.

God’s Ultimate Plan

God’s covenant promise was that the Jewish nation would survive to eventually bring forth the Messiah. If Esther said no, God’s *corporate* plan would still succeed.  He would simply raise another deliverer.

If God intends to bring help to a community or accomplish a work on Earth, human disobedience cannot derail Him. In that sense, God's overall purpose marches forward with or without any single individual.

God’s Plan For Your Life

God does not view humans as disposable instruments merely needed to execute a task.

Dating Like a Business Deal

https://youtube.com/shorts/3GlKd5DOJLE?si=erBncMaS-1A5ZdcN

God invites specific individuals into specific roles not because He *needs* their help, but because the assignment itself is the crucible for their character development.

You can miss your purpose

You *can* forfeit your personal participation and growth:

When someone refuses God's invitation, they forfeit

• the personal transformation
• blessing,
• spiritual maturation that come through obedience.

God’s Purpose is Character, Not Just Tasks

Saying “yes” to your assignment is a moment that can change or solidify your character and your identity.  You have to actually make the choice in order to transform into what God is calling you to.

If Esther said "No"  she would have remained trapped in fear, missing the faith, character, and legacy God was inviting her to step into.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever hesitated or said 'no' to a prompt from God? What did you learn from that experience?"

Instructor: Michael Leadon

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