Three God Honoring Principals for Victory

E the Shing it well good morning Church good morning church it is good to see you here on this beautiful Lord's day and I'm glad that you are here as well and Happy Veterans Day to you as well and we just got a lot of things that are going on and so I will talk quickly firstly if you are new Welcome to our church I'm the pastor here my name is Cody and if you could do me a huge favor and just in the card seat in front of you should see a card it's a connection card you can scan it or you can fill that out and drop it in the offering plate as it goes by that'd be huge in us being able to just connect with you we'll send you a card we'll just kind of let you know that we're praying for you also there's that's the best way to communicate prayer requests and so I get those every Monday and we just we just take that and pray through your different prayer requests and it's my honor and my privilege to do that for you as your pastor don't forget that right after service today we got our potluck and then we got our business meeting we got a whole bunch of different things on our agenda of course you know voting on Thomas gertson and all those different things and we've got our ministry investment plan for 2024 that we are approving and so a lot of different things that are available for you to take a look at and so I hope that's a great time and unified time hey in our in our bulletin you'll notice that there's a we're taking the orders for our poinsetta dedications and so if you have someone that you want to purchase a poinsetta in dedication of or in honor of you need to follow the directions that are in that bulletin and we'll make sure that everything looks

Nice because I can't believe it we're almost done with the Book of Esther and then we are going into our Advent Series so and then we got Mark that's coming up and those books are going to be available for you in the coming weeks now Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes are due back tomorrow okay so if you're just like oh man I forgot it okay you can still run up here and drop those off and we will make sure they get to the Distribution Center as quickly as possible all right I think that's about it but you know it is Veterans Day and what I would like to do is just recognize our veterans and so if you are a veteran of the Marine Corps H yeah go ahead and stand up woo do we have any Veterans of the army yeah do we have any Veterans of the Navy in here the oh he's at the door there we go all right Air Force veterans any Air veterans and anyone in the Coast Guard I know that we've got one that's deployed that we know and so okay well if you could do me a huge favor one of those people that stood up they spent a lot of time couple of years at least defending our freedoms why don't you just take a moment everybody just stand up go find one of those people shake their hands say happy Veterans Day welcome to First Baptist Church e know think take a moment introduce you okay and we'll all right Church well it's it is good to be able to worship together to Fellowship together and it's also good to hear some testimonies and this week Janice she stopped me she said Cody I have been a Believer for 50 years this week and I said that's awesome praise the Lord

Amen and she said can I share my story I said go for it and so Miss Janice I love you thank you for being willing to share your story I'm a teacher not used to holding this thing in front of me now I teach sparkies and on us on Wednesday night I don't do well with adults so I'm going to pretend that all of you are my Sparky students so a week ago yesterday I celebrated my 50th spiritual birthday and I told that to the sparkies a couple weeks ago and I knew what was going through their mind wow is she old 50 years but you see I didn't tell them that I was saved when I was 22 now you can do the math but they couldn't so now I am older than old to them I went to a church where we didn't take our Bibles I know that's hard to imagine but that's how I grew up I was a good girl I was obedient I did what I was supposed to do high school didn't cuss didn't drink didn't smoke didn't do the other thing and I was listening to our pastor and he was always reading his sermon and then he would read the prayer at the end of the service and I thought that can't be right and I asked and they said well we were getting our sermons and our prayers from somebody else and they were just sending them to us and I thought prayer is personal talking to God it shouldn't be just reading it off a piece of paper graduated from high school graduated from Junior College moved away got a job and I was missing something there's something in my life that's not here but I didn't know where it was I didn't know how to find it every night when I would go to bed I'd pray God was I good enough today if I die tonight will you pick me to go to heaven same thing again the next night heavenly father was I good enough did my good outweigh my bad would you choose me to go to heaven so I went through the Yellow Pages and found the church closest to me

And said I need to start going to church again I need to find a church where they take Bibles I heard a whole new vocabulary wow things like righteousness my mind's blank at the moment repent salvation Sinner and I'm going what are all these words and so I kept going back Sunday after suay Sunday listening to this words on November 4th 1973 and the afternoon I went to a movie movie called a thief in the night and that was about a girl who the Rapture came and she was left behind and she went to her pastor and he says I'm sorry I'm sorry I told you wrong I'm sorry but it was too late she had been left behind and that was me I wasn't saved if the Rapture was going to happen I would still be here on this Earth that afternoon I didn't do anything about it I'm just still processing so I went to evening Services they had a bigra film isn't it good to know and I'm sitting there in my Pew and I'm ready and I'm ready and so the film stops the lights go on and the pastor says does anybody I'm down there at the front and coming to the front doesn't mean that I was saved I wanted somebody to listen to my prayer because I hadn't gone through first John 5 where I knew that there was an assurance I just wanted somebody that if was Satan tempting me I would be able to go back to that person and say did I pray and I prayed I'm a sinner I'm so sorry will you forgive me I want to live in heaven with you I trust you I have faith in you and I believe that Jesus Christ died on that cross for my sins and the Lord was lifted and that night I didn't have to pray anymore was I good enough because I know I wasn't good enough it was only believing in him so Romans 3:23 to you for all of sinned and that is every single one of

Us 623 in Romans says the wages of sin is death we deserve help but I shared with the sparkies acts 16:31 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved and that's what I did and he has held me in his hand for 50 years so 2 Corinthians 62 says today is a wonderful day for salvation November 12th 2023 could be your spiritual birthday thank [Applause] praise the Lord today is the day of salvation we've come to the part in our service where we like to just take a moment for all of us to prepare our hearts and our minds for worship so I'd invite you to Bow your heads and close your eyes and just pray to God that he would prepare you for worship today if you'd like to pray with the people near you and around you please do so don't worry about the noise we'll all get over it yeah just take a moment between you and God maybe this morning you had an argument with a spouse or with a kid maybe it was just hard to get up today every one of us is going through some hardship today give that up to the Lord ask him to remind you that he is in control dear Lord we pray that you would help us to remember who you are and what you've done Lord help us to rejoice in the Salvation that you've offered us freely even though we don't deserve it Lord help us not just to know it but help us to praise you for it Lord fill us up with joy and awe and wonder at who you are help us to love you more and to serve you better help us to love one another because you have first loved us and Lord help us in every moment with every ounce of our being to worship you it's in Jesus name we pray amen I'd invite you now to stand and join me as

We sing [Music] together you made the star host you traced the mountain peaks you paint the evening Skies with [Music] wonderers the Earth it is your throne from Desert to the Sea all nature testifies your SP praise the Lord praise the Lord sing his great all creation praise the Lord Raise Your Voice you Heights and all your depths from furthest east to west let everything that has breath praise the Lord you reached into the Dust in love your spirit Breath You formed us in your very lightess to know your wonderous Works to tell your Mighty Deeds to join the Everlasting chus praise the Lord praise the Lord sing his greatness all creation praise the Lord Raise Your Voice you heighten all you depths from furthest east to west let everything that has breath praise the [Music] Lord let s knes ReSound let drums and choirs ring out all Heaven hear the sound of worship let every nation bring it honors to the king a roar of harmonies Eternal praise the Lord praise the Lord sing his Gra test all creation praise the Lord Raise Your Voice you Heights and all you depths from furthest east to west let everything that has breath praise the Lord sing it out praise the

Lord praise the Lord sing his greatness all creation praise the Lord Raise Your Voice you Heights and all your depths from Fest east to west you distant burning Stars All Creatures near and far from Sky to se to shore Sing Out forever more let everything that has breath praise the [Music] Lord he is worthy of Our Praise amen today and every day his very nature he is worthy he is the creator of all things and on top of that he reached down to we who were still Sinners and sent his very son to die on our behalf so that we might live with him forever I mean if that doesn't move us to worship I don't know what [Music] will men of Sorrows what a name for the Son of God who came ruing siners toclaim hallelujah what a Savior bearing shame and scaring rude in my place condemed he stood seal my paron with his blood hallelujah what a Savior men of Sorrow Son of God purchased Freedom by his blood L who takes the blame for sin hallelujah what a Savior [Music]

Guilty vile and H bless we spotless Lamb of God was he full of atonement can it be hallelujah what aor man of sorrow Son of God purchased Freedom by his blood lamb who takes the BL for S hallelujah what [Music] aior lifted up was he to die it is finished was his cry now in heaven exalted High hallelujah what a Savior hallelujah what a Savior hallelujah what a [Music] Savior Man of Sorrow Son of God purchased Freedom by his blood lamb who takes the blame for sin hallelujah what a [Music] Savior he's coming again when he comes our glorious King all his Ransom home to bring then a new this song will sing Hallelujah what a saor men of Sorrow Son of God purchased free by his blood lamb who takes the blame for sin

Hallelujah what [Music] aior hallelujah what a [Music] Savior [Music] you can be seated as our ushers come forward join me as we pray father God we thank you and praise you that you sent your son to be our Savior who took all the blame for our sin and you per purchased our freedom by your blood we thank you that we get to worship you with our tithes and offerings now as we continue in worship and I pray that Lord we would be willing to give courageously because you have given all that you had in your son sending your son I pray that Lord you would use these tithes and offerings to further your kingdom and to bring glory and honor to your name we ask this in your name amen well I want to take a moment and introduce to you guys a friend of mine and a guy that our admin team is unanimous unanimously excited about to be our director of Children and Family Ministries would you guys just welcome Thomas gson to the stage [Applause] well it is a blessing to be here this morning and it feels like it's been a long time coming in many ways and I don't believe in self-fulfilling prophecy so I won't say more on that but I'd like to introduce myself this morning to you and share my testimony while mostly my calling it's part of my testimony and introduce my family as well and maybe I'll start there and I'd like to introduce we'll start with Amelia Amelia is our 10-year-old and she is a very sweet and kind young lady if you get the opportunity she'll talk your ear off

About the founding of Rome in Greek mythology and she also loves to play piano and read and she recently was baptized this year so yeah next we have Samuel Samuel is just turned eight and we call him samai is the brave because we're Lord of the Rings fans in our house and yeah Samuel loves to fish and he also likes to start fires but don't worry we do not allow him to carry lighters in church then we have Annabelle Annabelle is our singer our dancer our Storyteller and our prayer Warrior this girl has got range she is very shy and timid but if you give her a chance she'll open up to you and she's just a joy to have around and then we have our Hannah she's the cutest little Gremlin you'll ever see and but be warned she might just sneak into your heart and steal it so she is definitely our troublemaker and lastly I have well should be should have been first but my wife Deanna and I hope you get the chance to meet her and get to know her for she is of utmost quality she is a faithful and loyal friend and she loves to listen and hear your heart and she will pray for you and you will know that she is praying for you and I know that I would not be able to do this without her so amen okay so I have some things written down here and I'd like to try and follow it because sharing a testimony like this for especially for us given what we've been through the last few years it's kind of hard to wrap your head around it's hard to wrap my head around so I'm going to try and keep stick to my notes I believe it's NE necessary to begin This Time by talking about my trip to Ecuador as a 16-year-old this was where God showed me in a powerful way the necessity and beauty of laying down your life and

Serving him as Lord we arrived in Ecuador fresh off the heels of me surrendering my life to Jesus we had taken about a day's drive through the mountains and into the jungle we unpacked our stuff in this house in Shell Mara and our team leader danne began reading us this book through Gates of Splendor this was my first time hearing about the story of Nate Saint and jamot I was captivated as the night Drew to a closed Dan closed the book and said this is the house where Nate Saints lived and where they made their plans to reach the hurani it was there that I realized this was going to be a very special trip God was all over this trip and he led us to a tribe that was a direct result of the work through the death of the five and the courage of their wives children God showed me in a very clear and Powerful way the glory that is in the Gospel as it is Faithfully lived out naturally this experience gave me the desire to become a missionary and eventually led me to ntbi or new tribes Bible Institute in wershaw Wisconsin where I devoted myself to study and learning of God's word I even promised God would be celibate the rest of my life I then met Deanna and was quick to remind God that I did not formally strike Covenant with him he graciously allowed me to marry her we w at Heritage Baptist Church in Lebanon Missour July 30th 2011 we finished our last semester in wakashaw and headed up to Canada to begin our family and raise support for the next phase of our training but unbeknownst to us God had other plans there were many things and events that took place over the next few years that broke our hearts our home church had refused to support us with no explanation our theological convictions were changing thus isolating us from others our marriage was strained in many

Different areas we felt alone and were not handling it well we began to give up on our plans for foreign missions this led us to leave the a church I grew up in and go to one that was very different the community at this new church was strong they had a Gospel centered approach to everything they did we were immediately welcomed and plugged into their Church community relations began forming very organically and it was a remarkable breath of fresh air for us while we had come to such a wonderful Church my heart was still prideful resentful and hiding sin God then sent a trigger he allowed me to lose my job unexpectedly we had just got a mortgage our first house a new car payment we had two kids with plans for a third I was livid this event was a catalyst in exposing all the sin I was suppressing in my heart I began to take my frustration out on Deanna and the kids I was a loose cannon Dean and I would argue and she was always always wrong and the reason why I was angry I began to convince myself that she was the problem and even thought can't believe it of leaving her eventually the Elders of our church found out about my anger issues and my intimidating Dianna and how she felt alone in at times emotionally not safe they summoned me to a meeting with all of them and put me under threat of church discipline there with all these men reading me Scripture placing before me the fear of the Lord they gave me an ultimatum to repent or resent out of the church as it is defined in Scripture this was one of the most loving things anyone has ever done for me I repented they offered counseling and discipled the both of us for over a year

Very intentionally during that process more root sins came to the surface and more repentance took place God did a marvelous work in both in the both of us and our personal walk with the Lord our relationship to each other and to our family has forever been changed this time in our lives is actually one of the main reasons why we desire to do family ministry we know what it is like to appear as if we have it all together I know what it is like to fearfully and pridefully hold on to sin believing that it'll just go away that there is no reason to share this with anyone it is also because of this experience that I was able to see how in dealing with my sins first as the husband and the father that restitution for Diana and the kids followed God has graciously brought us through this and thus given us a heart for others who may be going through the same thing it is important for this church here to understand that this is primarily where our heart is it's in building relationships and walking through trials and difficulties together as a church family as it turned out this time in our lives was just the start God was about to lead us through an incredible series of Paradigm shifts that were both theological as well as practical they related to things like education homemaking debt health and wellness the role of government and Earth stewardship just to name a few it was a remarkable time for us God enabled us to make some changes things were rolling right along and then Co happened Co revealed a lot about our community in steinback it showed us that Christians had become soft and weak we had not put the hand to the plow in the areas in the right areas we had become efficient like a machine doing things right right yet we

Neglected to do right things and thus lost the vision of being strong and fruitful like a tree God used Co to start the process of moving our hearts away from Steinbach and towards Lebanon Missouri much can be said here but to summarize I had a meeting with my best friend and Pastor Chad weeb I said if I knew that Jesus was coming back in the next few years I would stay here dig in and battle alongside you men but if the Lord Terry's 500 then I want to build a Godly family Legacy where I can have my convictions I see Missouri as being that place for us we did not have a clear map in front of us on what exactly to do this was a crazy time but through a series of Miracles real Miracles God allowed us to cross the border with a small trailer of stuff and a load of uncertainty in our hearts after a few months we ended up deciding to immigrate to the states and I began the process of building a house for a family our church at hrrest Baptist Church at hrrest Baptist allowed us to use their parsonage during that time what an unexpected blessing that was and we are so grateful for the time that we had there as we were preparing to put our Roots down I began thinking about my vocation what was I going to do once I got my work permit in between between working on our house I started working for others doing odd jobs here and there I then got presented with a job with an opportunity to teach history and servant leadership at the cross Christian School in Lebanon I jumped on this right ways even though it hardly paid it was a great opportunity disciple children in my community outside of church plus the conversation you can have in history are gold as I was teaching God began to show me my giftings more and more while I still have so much to learn and skills to hone teaching has been such a

Joy plus due to the fact it is it is within a Christian setting I am able to focus more on their hearts rather than on merely the transfer of information this desire to disciple children's Hearts coupled with the experience of seeing the blessing that comes with repenting of my sins as a husband and father reveal to me that becoming a family minister is what God wants me to do more closely with within thein the time frame here in April I went to Pastor David at hrrest Baptist Church and I told to him I told him my heart and the call on my heart for Ministry and we had been talking and he was helping me discern through this and so I want you to know that this is something that others can verify that God has been showing others as well and so it's kind of surreal to me to actually have been able to discern a call like that and then see God present such clear opportunities Psalm 127 is a verse that has been very dear to me you may know it's it's very common very popular unless Yahweh builds the house they labor in vain who build it unless Yahweh watches the city The Watchman keep keeps awake in vain it is in vain that you rise up early that you sit out late oh you who eat the bread of painful labors for in this manner he gives sleep to his beloved behold children are inheritance of Yahweh the fruit of his womb is a reward of the womb is a reward like arrows in the hand of a warrior so are the children of one's youth how blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them they will not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate particularly in verse two when it says it is in vain that you rise up

Early that you sit out late oh you who eat the bread of painful labors for in this manner he gives sleep to his beloved I have been my testimony is filled with times where I have just been working for myself I have been building my own house the pro in this process of actually building a house I did not know how to build a house I was completely ignorant to the ways of homeb building and I knew that I could not trust in my own understanding I had to go and seek help seek wisdom I needed to actually completely rely on God and it was amazing watching him provide for me and for our family in this process of building a house and the same goes for building the house of a family and I now know because of the testimony of God's discipline in my life that I cannot trust in My Own Strength I cannot trust in my own wisdom when it comes to rearing up my children when it comes to leading my wife as a side note this is the last thing that I'm going to say I know that I have shared a lot of what Ministry qualification directly looks like regarding my own family I have however had some experience working with children throughout all this time for some reason God has allowed me to have that privilege and something that I that I really enjoy in working with children is doing games with them I know that this is just a fun thing but children are so much fun and they're so they're so innocent and moldable that it really brings out the kid in me God has given me a creative mind to use creativity to draw children in and to have fun with them so I don't know if you guys have Church picnics here do you something that growing up in Steinbach we always did always had Church picnics and we'd get together as a church and I was always in charge of creating and making the games and so it was a lot of fun so that is all I have to share that's that's it that's my call so well thank you for sharing I promise we didn't even you know line these up but we're going to finish up singing together my worth is not in what I own but in the blood of Christ that flowed at the cross so I'd invite you to stand as you're able and sing with [Music] us my birth is not in what I own not but in the strength of Flesh and Bone but in the costly wounds of Love At The [Music] Cross my worth is not in skill or in win or lose in Pride or shame but in the blood of Christ that flow at the cross I rejoice in my Redeemer greatest treasure Well Spring of my soul I will trust in him no other my soul is STIs in him alone as summer flowers we fade and die Fame Youth and Beauty hurry by but life eternal calls to us at the cross I will not boast in wealth or might or human wisdom's light but I will Bo in knowing Christ at the [Music] cross I rejoice in my Redeemer greatest treasure El spring of my soul I will trust in him no other my soul is that is not in him alone to wonders here that I confess my worth and my unworthy my value fixed my Ransom

Paid at the cross I rejoice in my Redeemer greatest treasure Well Spring of my soul I will trust in him no other my soul is satisfied in him alone dear Lord let us be satisfied in you alone God help us not to rely on the things of this world on fame or on riches or on youth or beauty but Lord help us to rely completely and solely on Jesus Christ help us to rely on you help us to remember that the price has been paid that atonement has been made and help us to rejoice and worship in that it's in Jesus name we pray amen well if you have your Bible and I hope that you do please turn with me to the Book of Esther chapter n Esther chapter n is where we are going to be today we've gotten to hear some good testimonies to the glory of God Amen and we've gotten to hear a little bit about calling we've gotten to hear we've been able to Worship the Lord congregationally it's one of the things that we do is we sing loud to the glory of God and we just pray that's a blessing to you I know it wor I know it warms my heart every morning to hear God's people sing and praise We've also gotten to worship through the giving of tithes and offerings we've been able to pray we've been able to fellowship and now we turn our eyes to the authoritative the inherent sufficient word of God and we're talking about three three God-honoring principles for victory and so that's what we're talking about today if you would please stand with me in honor of God's word as we read 99: 1-19 God's word it says this now in the 12th month which is the

Month of Adar on the 13th day of the same when the King's Command and edict were about to be carried out on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the Mastery over them the reverse occurred the Jews gained Mastery over those who hated them the Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King azerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm and no one could stand against them for the fear of them had fallen on All Peoples all the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the Royal agents also helped the Jews for the fear of morai had fallen on them for morai was great in the King's house and his Fame spread throughout all the provinces for the man morai grew more and more powerful the Jews struck all the enemies with the sword killing and destroying them and did as they pleased to those who hated them in Susa The Citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men and also killed paranda and dalon and aspa and pora and Adelia and arida and parashta and arisi and arid and Vasa the 10 sons of hmon the son of hamadaa the enemy of the Jews but they laid no hand on the plunder that very day the number of those killed in Susa The Citadel was reported to the king and the King said to Queen Esther in sus of the Citadel in sus of the Citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the 10 sons of hmon what then have they done in the rest of the provinces now what is your wish it shall be granted you and what further is your request it shall be fulfilled and as to said if it please the king let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict and let the 10 sons of hmon be hanged on The Gallows so the king commanded this to be done a decree was issued in Susa and the 10 sons of hmon were hanged the Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the 14th day of the month of Adar and they killed

300 men in Susa but they laid No Hands on the plunder now the rest of the Jews who were in The King's provinces also gathered to defend their lives and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them but they laid No Hands on the plunder this was on the 13th day of the month of Adar and on the 14th day they rested and they made that day a of feast feasting and gladness but the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the 13th and on the 14th and rested on the 15th day making that a day of feasting and gladness therefore the Jews of The Villages who live in the rural towns hold the 14th day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting as a holiday and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another and so God we do thank you for your word and Lord I'm sure there's folks in here that are asking so what does that mean to me today and so today I pray God that you Holy Spirit would make your word Alive to us today help us Lord to have Open Hearts and open minds to be receptive to your word and we just pray Lord that you would continually unite our hearts together under the authority of Jesus Christ we ask that you would continually bless us that you would watch over us and God we just pray for your peace to be on us in Jesus name amen so Esther chapter 9 verses 1-9 most great stories have a have a definitive Turning Point typically towards the end of a story or a movie now I am a movie buff any other movie Buffs out there you just love watching them I love watching one of my favorite movies of all time is the movie Gladiator anybody and when like yeah whatever who just booed me like who just did that but you know it was it was it's such a satisfying conclusion because at the end you got the emperor that I mean he's just a SLE bag he's awful and but what's interesting is that they decide to do a

Duel at the very end and of course Russell Crow's character Maximus is a far superior Warrior than him and anyways the emperor WS up winds up pulling out a hidden blade to try to kill him and get stabbed in the throat it's very satisfying but it does not work out for the emperor and throughout the Old Testament we see story after story after Story Of God preserving his people delivering them from their enemies we see that with Joshua in the Holy Land Time After Time After Time just battle after battle and seeing the conquest of the land of Israel the enemies of God succumbing to the Israelite people is just so inspiring we see it in Moses in the wilderness or even the judges leading the Israelites against their enemies and the story is still true God he still protects his people it's a great place to say Amen because you are his people if you are in Christ and he still protects you now the setting of this event is early Springtime it's March 7th 473 BC we know that we know that through history and those who were anti-semitic they were seeking to destroy the lives of the Jewish people and it's amazing to me that not much is changed in the last several thousand years the Jews still have enemies and they're seeking their destruction purely based upon their Heritage and I want you to realize that these enemies they wanted to commit an ancient Holocaust against the Jews any Holocaust is bad okay it's not just because they're Jewish that it's bad it's just Holocaust is bad it's evil but here's what happened okay the enemies they wanted to wipe the Israelites the Hebrew people the Jewish people whatever you wanted to call them they wanted to get rid of them get rid of their memory wipe them from the map but I love what the Scriptures say the opposite happened the reverse happened

And self-defense prevailed and that's important because the Jewish people they didn't just go out there looking for their enemies in the streets waiting to slaughter them with swords or spears or anything like that it's at the enemies of the Jews they wanted to slaughter them and the Jewish people were able to use self-defense remember that these enemies they didn't just want to kill these Jewish men that were out to do battle they wanted to go out and Slaughter the women in their homes they wanted to slaughter the children as well but God didn't allow that to happen and so we're going to look at a couple of principles here on how we are to stand in godh honoring Victory and the first principle that we're going to look at today is that the people they defeated their enemies now he may say well that's that's not really a principle that's just more of a fact yeah but we're going to look at a couple of things here one of the things is that they defeated their enemies by God's Providence they defeated their enemies by God's Providence it was God's will for them to defeat their enemies why is that because God had promised that to those people we look back at Jeremiah 29 God he was speaking to the people and he was telling them that he was going because of their sin because of their unrepentant hearts he was going to send them into captivity through the nation of Babylon and they were going to suffer under hard oppression for 70 years and it was going to be a tough time for the Hebrew people but then he gives this promise to them and how they are to conduct their lives in Jeremiah 29 it says thus says the Lord of hosts the God of Israel to all the Exiles whom I have sent into Exile from Jerusalem to Babylon build houses and live in them plant Gardens and eat their produce take wives and have sons and

Daughters and take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage that they may bear Sons and Daughters multiply there and do not decrease but seek the wealth welfare of the city where I have sent you into Exile and pray to the Lord on its behalf for in its welfare you will find your welfare you know what welfare means it means like you're not going to die you are not going to be put to shame you are not going to suffer in those ways so God he promises their welfare as long as they are good citizens of that City so do you see God's Providence here well I guess it probably helps to know what providence is Providence is God's protective and providing nature that's what providence is and we see it all throughout the Book of Esther even though God's word never appears in the Book of Esther we see God's as we've said his invisible hand orchestrating all of these events for his glory we see throughout the Book of Esther through like the edict that the king approved he allowed for civil war to take place in his Nation think about that as a leader would you allow for people to just start slaughtering each other if it was up to you to say yes or no none of us would but the king did he allowed for that to happen he allowed for civil war to happen that is a miracle and we look and we see God's Providence through his favor through his favor we read the shocking word reverse in our passage your translation may say the tables turned the contrary happened or the opposite happened why because of God's favor I was talking with a lady a few weeks ago and her husband's job was just really it was in a bad State he was overworked had a whole bunch of different things happening and you know they were they were actually concerned that he might be getting getting fired very soon and so we spent some

Time we prayed about it and he got called in to a big meeting in a few days she's like can you please pray about this I was like sure so we prayed about it and they cut his Client List down to a manageable load and they gave him a raise in a better position I mean that's just cool isn't it to see God working in so many different ways praise the Lord but we also see God's Providence in combat David he writes in Psalm 70 make haste oh God to deliver me oh Lord make haste to help me let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who Delight in my hurt let them turn back because of their shame who say aha make may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you may those who love your salvation say Evermore God is great but I am poor and needy hasten to me oh God you are my help and my deliverer oh Lord do not delay you see God is the one who trains our hands for battle and our fingers for war that's what the psalmist writes on this day in early March there were thousands of people in the Empire that were seeking to destroy the Jewish people at least 75,000 that we know of and they wanted their blood in the streets they wanted their bodies impaled on poles but listen to God's promise Deuteronomy 20: 3-4 here o Israel today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies let your not your heart faint do not fear or Panic or be in dread of them for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you the victory believers who are in battled are not alone in their fight this is a promise to Israel right but God does not forsake his people the Lord he fights for us and we will not be put to shame but another thing to know is that they defeated their enemies through you

They defeated their enemies through Unity this isn't a slim victory for the Jewish people there were I mean it's totally comprehensive 75,000 people were killed in self-defense why is that because they were unified they were looking out for their brothers for their sisters for their neighbors they had a common enemy in those that wanted their destruction and they had a common goal in that they wanted to live in peace but what's interesting is that they also had the complete support of the MEO Persian government the general population all felt very positively about the Jewish people all the officials were helped to defend the innocent and Mori was becoming greater and more powerful and for us as Western readers to our Modern Eyes we may read this and we may think man this is this seems like very bloodthirsty maybe even malicious but I think that it's a good principle for us to remember and we also look at the second principle here is that the people obeyed the Lord the people obeyed the Lord and how do we see that well they followed the example of Godly men all right there we go okay you may say whoa Pastor wait a second you're making a bad point here we don't follow men we follow God and I say Amen right let me explain what I mean by this firstly look at what the Hebrew people did not do in this passage they did not take any plunder do you know what that means it means that they were according to the edict that the king had written they were allowed to go after killing someone and take all of their goods for themselves they couldn't takeen any food any resources any money any tradeable items and they could have just gotten rich off of that so why didn't they take any plunder well there was a couple reasons

I think first and most practically it just proves that these were just acts of self-defense they weren't out for getting wealth they weren't doing anything like that it was just to show that they were conquering an enemy and defending themselves the Jews they wanted peace but secondly we see this example set for us by Abram in Genesis 14 in Genesis 14 there's a ton of kings that are at war with each other there's 10 kings that are all fighting with each other and in the middle of that war Abram's cousin or nephew I think it is lot is taken away he's taken away and he's carried off as a slave and in Genesis 14 verse 24 it says this 21- 24 and the king of Sodom said to Abram give me the persons but take the goods for yourself that's that is king of Sodom telling that to Abram but Abram said to the king of Sodom I have lifted my hand to the Lord God most high possessor of Heaven and Earth that I would not take a thread or a Sandal strap or anything that is yours lest you should say I have made Abram rich or Abram rich I will take nothing but what the young men of eaten and the share of the men who went with me let Anor escoll and mammer take their share so we see this as a Godly example starting all the way back with the Patriarchs and it carried on through I don't want the plunder I don't want the goods I just want my people to be safe and this is interesting like I said because the king's edict allowed for them to plunder but they didn't secondly they followed the example of Joshua and this is going to be tough for some of you guys but it's God's word Joshua he made it a habit to hang ungodly defeated enemies who are particularly Wicked on trees that was one of his customs and Joshua 8: 28- 29 says so Joshua burned to Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins as it is to this day and he hang the king of AI on a tree until evening

Why would he do that later on in the conquest we see Joshua he has five Kings from the land of Canaan that and remember that the land of Canaan was a bad place it was filled with idolatry it was filled with human sacrifice it was filled with demonic things it was an awful place and here are the people of God driving the enemies of God out and so Joshua he trapped five Kings in a cave and he brought them out and he had them kneel down and one things that they would do is they would put their their feet on the neck of their enemies and they would stand there as a conqueror as a conqueror over their enemies and here's what Joshua said in Joshua 10: 25- 26 and Joshua said to them do not be afraid or dismayed why you've defeated your foe be strong and courageous for thus says the Lord for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight and afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death and he hanged them on five trees and they hung on the trees until evening most likely they were nailed there they were tied there some way like that and why would they do that why would they put people on trees well it's because according to God's word and according to Jewish tradition it was one of the worst things that could ever be done to a person in Deuteronomy chapter 21 veres 22- 23 it says if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death and you hang him on a tree his body shall not remain all night on the tree that's why they pulled them down but you shall bury him the same day for a hanged man is cursed by God you shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance cursed now for many of us when we think of curses we think of like Voodoo or you know crystal ball kind of curses or things like that I think that maybe a curse for us

In our Western context is best understood maybe in the context of blessing if you think of all the blessings in your life okay the relationships that you have the love that you've shared all of the all the good wonderful things fresh air clean water a warm bed for many of us a relationship with the Lord and we think of all of these all these blessings and we count them up and we count them up all of the spiritual blessings like Grace that we enjoy and mercy and love and all of the Eternal and secure hope that we have in Jesus Christ and we think of all those blessings all those wonderful things and we take them away and we give the opposite of all of those things that is a curse that is a curse and so for us it is we have to understand that this is God's righteous judgment on people who hated God and hated his people and that is why the Jewish people when Christ was hung on a tree that's why they shouted out crucify him crucify him because they hated Jesus that is he was what they didn't know is that they were Phil fulfilling prophecy and that the Messiah was taking on the curse of sin for our sake so that way we wouldn't have to hang on the cross but we also see that how the people obeyed the Lord by the way they fulfilled God's word that was given to Saul we can't forget that we've talked about that often over the last couple of weeks CU back when the Hebrews were in the desert way back in the books of Book of Exodus the nation of the amalekites also known as the agagites and hmon was an agagite they attacked the nation of Israel as they were fleeing Egypt through the Wilderness and they attacked the tail end where all the women were where all the children were where all of the senior adults were it was where they were most vulnerable and

The agagites they attacked and the Israelites had to fight back and God he told Saul through the prophet Samuel this in 1st Samuel 15:3 now go and strike amalec and devote to destruction all that they have do not spare them but kill both man and woman child and infant ox and sheep camel and donkey and you think man that seems so harsh but remember that Saul he disobeyed God and that's why this whole situation that crops up a thousand years later has come to pass under Esther and mori's Leadership and so the nation of Israel they obey the word of God intentionally or unintentionally it doesn't say here in Esther but we do know that the Jews gained complete victory over their enemies that day because over 75,000 people died and they didn't have to if they hadn't attacked the Jewish people they wouldn't have died but they did and some even attacked the next day too but Esther thanks to her wisdom provided a way for the Jews and Susa to defend themselves now the third principle that I want you note is that the people celebrated the victory the people celebrated the victory two days after the attacks the Jews and Susa they rested they were battle weary battle wears on a person emotional physically and mentally but Victory must be celebrated that word celebrate it's it's a Hebrew word for jubilation and dare I say dancing oh Nehemiah 12:29 uses the same word at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites and all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the SE the dedication with gladness with Thanksgiving and with singing with symbols and hearts and Liars I mean it's a party it's a time of gladness why because they were delivered and as Believers you and I we have every single day that we can live our lives with gladness in the truth and in the

Glory of Jesus Christ that I am delivered I am free because of what Jesus Christ has done for me amen and the fact is that Christians ought to be some of the most celebratory people but you know many Christians they have about the same amount of joy as a morg does you know Joy is a fruit of the spirit by the way Walter Knight he said that Joy is the flag that Soares over the castle of our hearts announcing that the king is Residence gladness is what happens when God is at the center of our lives but if we don't have joy the perhaps it's because we don't understand the heart of the Gospel and you will suffer the consequences on this side of Eternity trying to find joy in everything else other than in Christ and the Deliverance that he's provided by faith alone people also celebrated with feasting as Baptists that is our love language right I what we had a ice cream and stuff on what Sunday night then we had a feast here for Thanksgiving on Tuesday night we had a meal here Wednesday night we all brought food on Friday night we're about to have a potluck so I think that we're pretty good with this point but what's interesting is that the book begins and ends with a feast it begins and ends with a feast feasting is appropriate when God works in wonderful ways and the same is true for our deliverance and our Victory and one day when we are with the Lord we will all sit down with gladness and we will feast and we will celebrate the victory that our King Jesus has accomplished what a wonderful wonderful and great Mighty God that we serve amen head heartand head I want you to know that in Christ there is victory over our enemies in Christ there is Victory over our

Enemies you may say Cody I don't feel very Victorious today well remind yourself of the truth of the Gospel remember what Paul he writes in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 we are afflicted in every way but not crushed perplexed but not driven to despair persecuted but not forsaken struck down but not destroyed always carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies we are not defeated when we walk in the way of Christ heart I want you to believe that Victory Belongs to the Lord listen to what Paul writes about Christ's victory in 1 Corinthians 15 it says but each in his own order Christ the first fruits then at his coming those who belong to Christ then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every Rule and every Authority and power for he must strain until he has put all his enemies under his feet The Last Enemy to be destroyed is death for God has put all things in subjection under his feet but when it says all things are put in subjection it is plain that he is accepted who put all things in subjection under him when all things are subjected to him then the son himself will also be subjected to him who has put all things and subed under him that God may be all in all what does that mean it means that Christ rules and Reigns now and he is bringing everything under his authority and that starts with you that starts with your walk that starts with your life that starts with your business that starts with your family that starts with you so bring yourself under the authority of Jesus Christ and hand this is a good principle for us I want you to intentionally thank the Lord for the security that you have in the victory of Christ take some time this week spend some time with the Lord praying asking him God help me to be more thankful help me to be more grateful help me to walk in this victory

That you've provided because I know that it's mine because you've given it to me and maybe even take some time to Feast this week and give glory to God so father we do thank you for this great day that you've given to us Lord I just want to take some time right now and thank you for each person that's here and maybe if they don't know you that today would be that day of salvation that they would walk down and say Pastor I need to get my life right Lord I just pray that's what would happen that they would that we would see you work in great ways Lord we love you and we ask that your peace would be on us today in Jesus name amen why we stand and Worship the Lord [Music] together Lord I come I confess bowing here I find my rest and without you I fall apart you're the one that guides my Heart Lord I need you Lord I need you oh I you every hour I need you my one defense my rightousness oh God how I need [Music] you where sin runs deep Your Grace is more where Grace is found is where you are and where you are Lord I am [Music] free Hol is Christ in me and where you are Lord I am free

Hol is Christ in [Music] me Lord I need you oh I you every every hour I need you my one defense my rightousness oh God how I need you sing that again Lord I need you oh I need you every every hour I need you my one defense my rightousness oh God how I need you're my one defense my rightousness oh God how I need you let's pray dear Lord we need you God help us to rely on you remind us that you are sovereign and Lord that you care for your people that you hear our cries and that you really intervene in the world even today God help us to rely on you help us to need you it's in Jesus name we pray