Thursday, July 24, 2014

Lessons from Esther

One of my teammates showed us a song this morning, and it's kind've become the theme song for the remaining nine days we have in Thailand. It's called "Take Back" by Will Reagan and the United Pursuit. Here's a link to the song if you wanna listen: takeback. Some of the lyrics are this:

"For how could He who did not spare His own son not freely give us victory against the darkest of nights? We're gonna take back all the enemy has stolen!
We're gonna plunder the pits of hell-and it's in the blood of the One who's worthy."

I couldn't find a better way to put into words of what this summer has consisted of and what our prayer as a team is that these last nine days will be. This land is heavily under the control of the god of this age. But praise the Lord his hold is not permanent and can be (and will be!) taken away by our mighty Savior! 

God has been using the story of Esther to rock my world this summer. I've begun to realize that as a daughter adopted by God, I have the same stance as Esther did before the king. 
Esther decided to go before the king to tell him her request to save her people, which was a HUGE deal in that time if you had not been personally summoned by the king. There were only two options: 1) the king accepts you and extends his golden scepter to you so that you may approach him, or 2) you die. Esther didn't know how she would be received, but she went anyways. As she entered his throne room, he welcomed her gladly, he extended the golden scepter to her, and she approached him and touched the tip of it! Even more, he says to her "What is it, Queen Esther? Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, it will be given to you!" [esther 5:3] Indeed, she gave him her request, and answered it fully with a joyful heart. 

Wow. We have that position before the King of Kings! He extends His scepter of grace to us, and says "Whatever you ask, it will be given to you!" And He is true to keep that promise. 

Our team has claimed that promise boldly. We have asked for specific things, and He has given us exactly what we've asked for. We've prayed boldly that God would give us the power and the opportunity to take back what the Enemy has stolen. And He has been SO faithful. If we ask for God to give us the power to fulfill His will, which is to draw every man and woman unto Himself, He will not say no. He will never deny His children who are seeking to fulfill His desires! 

Sadly, this summer we have not seen any come to repentance. Yet. But, we still have 9 days here, and we will not shut up sharing the Gospel until our plane lifts off the ground. Nine days doesn't sound like much time to take back this land the Enemy has stolen, but Jesus raised Himself and conquered death in only 3, so I figure He doesn't see 9 as much of a challenge.

Please join us in prayer as we finish up our time here in Thailand. We are striving to spend every second we have left here to be spreading the Gospel or to be laboring in prayer for the people we have shared with/people we want to share with. Ask the Father to please grant our pleas to see the Thai people and the women we work with come to Christ.  
Pray for many more opportunities to share Truth with these people, and that the 33 people who have already heard the Gospel already may come to follow Christ! 
Pray that God will sustain me and reignite my flame to share the Gospel daily, even though rejection sometimes makes me want to remain silent. I know in my heart of hearts that God is not finished with these people yet, and that they will be drawn unto Himself. The Enemy has stolen what is not his, but sadly for him we're here to take it back for the One who is worthy. 

Waiting expectantly,
Kristi