READ:
ESTHER 5:1-3
I have come
face to face with international celebrities, heads of governments, captains of
industry, highly respected religious leaders, traditional rulers, great
achievers, university professor and a lot of V.I.Ps. However, the presence of
God is much more important to me. Those close to me know that I do not joke
with the hours, days and weeks that I regularly devote to seeking the face of
God. His presence means a lot to me. That is why I call Him ‘my daddy’. Many
people desire the gifts of God but do not aspire to posses His holy nature. If
you become sanctified or holy, you will be amazed that the gifts of God will
become easily available to you. There is the example of Paul in Acts 19:11-12.
Paul was sanctified. God performed special miracles by the hands of Paul that,
from his body, handkerchiefs and aprons were taken to the sick and they were
healed. How did he get these special gifts from God? It was because he was
closer to Jesus than many of the apostles. Being a major exponent of the
doctrine of sanctification, he himself was holy. Those who are sanctified are
readily very close to the One who will answer their prayers so that, even
before they ask, the answer comes. In Psalm 34:17, the Bible says, “The
righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their
troubles.” Nothing blocks the way of the prayer of those who are
sanctified. Many prayers are not answered because they are not heard. They are
not heard because sin has blocked the way. There is a very classical example in
Esther 5:1-3. The Bible tells us that Esther’s husband was such a powerful king
that you dared not go into his presence unless he invited you. If you went into
his presence without invitation, all he had to do was keep silent and the
soldiers would understand that you should be killed. Esther went into his
presence without invitation but, instead of killing her, the king welcomed her
and was even willing to give her whatever she wanted, up to half of his
kingdom. This shows that she was a favourite wife. There is also the joy of
communion. This is the joy of being in His presence. This is the joy of feeling
His embrace. Many of us have never felt the embrace of Jesus Christ. The first
time you hear Jesus speak to you, you will experience the type of joy that
money cannot buy. When you have been with Jesus long enough, people would begin
to see Him in you. Gradually, He would begin to translate you from glory to
glory. Your life would begin to show who you are when you are sanctified.
Somehow, a little bit of His glory will begin to rub off on you and people
would look at you and see that you have been with Jesus.
MEMORIZE:
PSALM 34:17 –The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out
of all their troubles.
