Holy Desperation

Carter Conlon from the historic Times Square Church in New York City.

Nobody in your family is walking with God is the only one walking. I want to challenge you go to the Kingsgate go there with a holy desperation go there with the prayer that is deeper with the knowledge that only God can make this happen. You be surprised your search to take up the baton in your own home and in your own family.

Thank you for being with us for a call to the nation with murder, in Esther chapter 4 we discover how Esther had to decide to follow protocol and remain safe in her role as clean or risk losing her life by approaching the king trying to retract in order for the annihilation of the Jewish people throughout the Empire. But as Carter will point out in today's message the real hero of this story was a man named Mordechai who had a holy desperation moment by approaching the Kingsgate dressed in sackcloth and ashes that was as far as he could go, so he reached out for Esther to take the baton in order to save the Jewish people from destruction. Esther then went to the king with this news. Knowing her life would be in danger.

Let's find out more.

As Carter began to set the stage for you for Esther chapter 4. For those are not familiar with it. Now the people of God because they don't lightly and loosely with the things of God. Actually, some would say that dealt treacherously with the things of God and because of that they were taken into captivity.

They lost the presence they lost the provisionally lost the protection of God in a nation called Babylon came in Concord almost unthinkable to them that they could be conquered because they were the people of God's promise, and the earth when they had that history of miracles they had, that the Scriptures that the promise, but they held it casually as societies are prone to do throughout history.

Because of that there were Concord and they spent 70 years in a geographical place called Babylon not Babylon itself was eventually conquered by another nation called the medial Persians and the Medo Persian king Cyrus allowed the people to start going home God moved on his heart. He allowed the people to start going home to rebuild the testimony that they had lost in the earth. Starting with the course that the geographic location itself in the city than the temple and ultimately Nehemiah went back to within a group to rebuild the wall. Now the first return the first return back to the promised land they began to rebuild that their society that had kinda broken down and in between the first and the second, which was a return of of Ezra the priest, with some people with him. This whole scenario involves because you see the devil himself was always trying to stop the testimony of Christ through his people and the earth. You find it all away through Scripture. When God has a plan for his people. The devil will come up with a counter plan and it always involves oppression threats the threats of darkness. The threats of retaliation, threats of harm and even death. And this is a common theme all away through history. Even today, we were saying it playing out. We just see that that same spirit being animated by the same darkness still going after the light of Christ in God's people now into this scenario. This scene in a sense if those who plotted to kill all the Jewish people at this time had been successful, then it's it's a conclusion we can draw that the second and third return into the promised land would not have happened. The temple would not have been rebuild Jewish history would be different. It would affect all of history so it is what is God's plan to thwart this whole thing now we give we give Esther in a sense the Marquis in this whole story because she was the queen she we know the story she went and she petitioned the king, she prayed, she fasted, but I want to suggest to the real hero of this story is a man called Mordechai.

He was a man who just began to intercede and it proves to us once again that the they holy desperation of one person can change both the future and contains history in this case the holy desperation of one man. The suburban talk about other decrees ministered by this king was been convinced that the people of God are worthless to his kingdom and they should be eliminated. That's where this story begins when the story falls upon the ears of this man called Mordechai who was was a family member and a sense of Queen Esther, who is the wife of the Medo Persian king at that time. This is where this particular chapter begins and this is where the victory of God's people gets out to be known again in the earth.

Verse one, chapter 400 and read the whole chapter when Mordechai learned all that it happened. He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went out into the midst of the city cried out with a loud and the bitter cry went as far as the front of the Kingsgate for no one might into the Kingsgate clothed with sackcloth and other words at his.

He went as far as he could go in his prayer is a man whose heart was was gripped with a holy desperation not for himself. I don't think Mordechai at any point, was looking to preserve himself. His prayer was outside of himself was about others there's work.

Prayer really finds its power when we finally get away from our own struggles and trials. This wasn't just about God save me. This was about God save your people, your people are destined for the slaughter there. There's a law that's been passed in and people are going to be allowed on a certain date or to kill the Jewish people into and to steal all her possessions and the Jewish people have no might against this and so he began to cry out it was just of a lone voice so you can hear music is all by himself and his is dressed himself in sackcloth and ashes.

He's repenting for the sins of the people as much as he knows how is repenting for the horrid condition they find themselves in print and it goes as far as he physically can go it goes right to the Kingsgate but is not allowed to enter because of the way he's dressed, and because of his burden. Obviously verse three says, and in every province for the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews with fasting and weeping and wailing in many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her and the queen was deeply distressed when she sent garments to close Mordechai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them, and Esther called ATAC one of the kings eunuchs with whom she had appointed to attend her and she gave him a command concerning Mordechai to learn what and why this was another words she just send out some insist what is going on with my my cousin Mordechai what's happened to him. Why, why is he doing this so ATAC went out to Mordechai in the city square that was in front of the Kingsgate and Mordechai told him all that happened in in the sum of money that he made a promise to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews.

He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan that he might show it to Esther and explained to her and that he might command her to go into the king and make supplication to him and plead before him for her people so ATAC returned and told Esther the words of Mordechai and Esther spoke to hate tact and give a commandment for Mordechai all the king's servants of the people of the king's provinces.

No, that any man or woman who goes into the inner court of the king was not been called he has but one law put all to death except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter that he may live yet. I myself have not been called to go into the king these 30 days. So they told Mordechai Esther's words and Mordechai told them to answer Esther do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews, for if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.

But you and your father's house will perish yet. Who knows whether you've come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Then Esther told him to reply to Mordechai go gather all the Jews were at present in Shushan and fast for me neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My mates and I will fast. Likewise, and so I will go to the king, which is against the law and if I perish, I perish. So Mordechai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

We see this man Mordechai.

In verse two it says he went as far as the front of the Kingsgate for no one might into the Kingsgate clothed with sackcloth like Mordechai is like a runner in a multi-person race he ran as far as he could and stretched out the baton to someone in his family was supposed to be the next runner. The problem is the next runner didn't even know that there was a race, let alone that she was supposed to be the closer in this race we can we can have that happen to us. So Esther's maids and eunuchs in verse four came and told her the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments and told Mordechai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. See she called one of the kings eunuchs and she gave a command concerning Mordechai to learn what and why this was, in other words, Esther's saying this is that the type of of summative it says will just tear out but can't be that bad be happy when all around you know that everything is going to be destroyed. The law of sin and death is on steroids. The society and those in authority have turned against the people of God and the people of God seem to be powerless to rise up and defend themselves in Mordechai would not accept this comfort. Mordechai had a holy desperation in his heart he knew that this was going to be destructive. He knew it was going to take away the testimony of God and the nation, and he couldn't have known, but he must've suspected that is going to have a deep effect on the future something something dreadful was about to happen if if this situation was not somehow countered by the power of prayer and thank God that Esther through the intercession of her cousin Mordechai took up the burden of prayer and through her own life and as part of the answer and she opened the door to God's plan. God's provision and God's power. She did take the baton which he took it because somebody else began to pray and it reminds me of the situation word.

Maybe you can say nobody in your family is walking with God is the only one walking. I want to challenge you go to the Kingsgate go there with a holy desperation go there with the prayer that is deeper than an and with the knowledge that only God can make this happen and you be surprised to starts to take up the baton in your own home and in your own family supernaturally God moved upon Esther's heart and instead of preserving herself instead of being really uninformed. She didn't even know she didn't even know this law had been passed to didn't even know the Jews were slated for destruction. She didn't know why Mordechai was weeping and fasting and crying out in the city and at the Kingsgate, but because of his intercession.

The baton that was passed through the gate to Esther and Esther took the baton and she turned to prayer is the people will pray if we don't pray they will have a burden.

If we don't have a burden that it's is not enough just to try to push somebody else into the into the arena so you go and you get involved in the fight know you and I have to go to the gate. All it takes to change history is one person with a holy desperation in the heart one person. This is, I'm not giving up until God moves. I'm not drawing back because the word of God says if any man draw back, my soul will have no pleasure in him.

I'm not drawing back. I don't care who tells me to be quiet. I don't care who tells me I'm too heavy to care how much they try to say due to extreme highs. Something in this era, I see a distraction coming to the people of God see God's people crying out all over the nation unable to defend themselves, but I see.

Also something else that there is somebody somewhere that has access to the throne, the can make a difference if I can move those people to going to the throne of God. The scepter of God will move in their direction because Jesus Christ still moves mountains today. He told his people. I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy of the power of the enemy.

So the power of the enemy are a tiny portion of him. I give you power to tread on these hours of hell and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. There's there's a fear of self-preservation in the hearts of so many people that will cause us in this hour, and which were not living now living, rather, it will cause us to draw back to preserve ourselves, but Mordechai said Esther don't be fooled into thinking you will escape as you.

You carve out some nice little news for yourself, this evil is not going to pass over your house.

Either you have a choice. The prayers are you five for the honor of God, and you invoke the holy God to do what only he can do. And suddenly, after Mordechai's intercession. Esther herself because her friends to fast and pray three days and three nights. Don't eat anything and don't drink anything. And after you prayed and we fasted I'm going to going to the king, and if I Paris I Paris and I thank God that she through her life in with her prayer she said well I suppose it's better to die than to live to preserve to try to preserve myself. Didn't Jesus himself say if you try to save your life, you lose it, but if you lose what you have for my sake, you will gain a life you could never have of any of your own choosing everything turned to victory God gave Esther incredible wisdom, she came out of that time of fasting and prayer with the wholehearted dependence on God and God gave her wisdom when you read the rest of the book and you'll see she had was in the can only come from God.

She didn't rush in to ask her favor.

She waited until I believe the Holy Spirit told her to speak.

I believe the Lord told her when to speak how to speak what to speak, and why the speak and when you begin to pray, and you begin to fast. You watch the influence of God will start to give you over your family. Even if you didn't even know that you were supposed to be in the battle you spending your whole time trying to preserve yourself. Many listen to me now you you spend most your life. Just trying to preserve yourself. All your prayers are all about yourself. But God is challenging.

It is a bigger battle out there than just preserving yourself Esther.

This whole host of people that have no power to defend themselves against evil as you are in a place where you have access to the throne of the king, they don't. You do.

Those people were not in proximity to the King. There's all kinds of people in our society today. They don't have access to the throne. They don't even know that there is a king that would move his scepter forward towards them. They have no knowledge of the goodness of God because there's so distant from the throne of power but Esther, you aren't. You are in a place where you can go to the king in the favor of the king will move towards you and he said Esther what is it that you would have me to do for you and you and I both know that Esther was seeking to have this law of sin and death canceled over her people in a new law written that would give them the power to stand up and not only fight back but to be victorious and it wasn't just about the people in Medo Persia at this time. You and I know historically that it was about those people ever going to leave middle Persian Gulf back into Israel and read build the testimony of God and rebuild the temple and rebuild the wall. The very spot that Jesus Christ himself was going to come into we all know it was it was an integral part it was that a link in the chain that couldn't afford to be broken and that, in the redemptive history of God on the earth and this incredible link held in the people of God were delivered and families were given the power to stand up and fight back against this onslaught of hell that was coming against them all because one man wouldn't quit.

One man had a holy desperation in his heart for you to pray for something tonight. Pray God give me a holy desperation for your power. Give me a holy desperation for my family.

Give me a holy desperation for this generation. Give me a holy desperation to see your power release and reveal one more time to push back this this the wake of darkness is trying to swallow whole society trying to swallow our children if it doesn't kill them in the room. It confuses the business goals and radicalize them in their colleges and tries to destroy their minds and teach them how to hate God and hate their country and live for themselves and be completely self focused, not knowing the fighting against powers of darkness that are taking away their strength. This is this is why in this prayer meeting on Tuesday night we say after the permitting stay and pray, stay where you are. Stay in the group you are staying in the home you're in stay in the park bench or sitting on right now.

Stay and pray, whether it's two minutes five minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes an hour. It doesn't matter stay in pray until the power of God comes upon you say and pray until you see clearly what the will for your life is in the future stay in pray until you know in your heart that God is going to use you to reach your home and to reach your family.

Pray for something bigger than your own need you and I've got to learn to escape having always just praying for ourselves with God, help me in this area and that's necessary. I get that we have to do that but there's a point where we have to branch out beyond that and it becomes about other people pray for the family of God and your family to become engaged in the spiritual battles for people today pray, pray that your sons or daughters or brothers or sisters your mom your dad that they would get involved in the battle of God that they would they would pick up that sort of the spirit as it is and begin to fight the battles of God, pray that those that are towering would be given courage. Pray pray pray and let's believe God together that there's going to be a moment of mercy in this world and in time, spiritual awakening, pray for power to stay faithful until the answer comes as Mordechai did. Would've been so easy for him to give up people in the city were probably mocking him.

I could see the soldiers knew that the Kingsgate mocking him like I can see Esther's service coming out to save the Queen says get up and take off the sackcloth and put on it on garments and wash your face and cheer up.

It can't be all that bad, but Mordechai stayed faithful until he got the answer and this is the time for the church of Jesus Christ to stay faithful until we answer comes not in our strength. But in the strength of our Christ, not in our zeal, but in the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Not in any strategy we can procure but just you and I going to the throne of God and believing that the scepter of God's power and mercy is going to move towards us in Christ and believing that our sons and daughters will take the baton from our hands and carry the fight ahead of us, not even mediate this moment, even knowing that there is a fight to be fought. Pray Scott all these things in Scripture. The New Testament tells us are given us for our instruction for our admonition, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be the woman of God might be perfected. Coming to this full measure of knowledge in Jesus Christ. Let these things, not just the stories any longer that you and I read in our Bible. Let's let's live in this moment again were in the dark time, her brother, my sister, when a time when laws are being written against the people of God were in a time where depression is that bounding addictions are sweeping and destroying entire communities were in a time when children are confusing, crying, as the Scripture says for Brett on every street corner when a time when you and I need to learn to pray again with a holy desperation, my God, I have been praying this way for the last season, I sometimes find myself just groaning and crying out the name Jesus. The prayer that's being birthed in my heart is deeper than words.

Now I don't have words to express it. I just crying out for him. Jesus, you have to come Jesus you have to show your power again. Jesus, you have to deliver this generation. Jesus, you said you would rise and defend the children when societies moved into the fields of the fatherless you claimed to be the father and you said you would rise and defend the Jesus you said you would confuse and confound those who believe they can cast off the word of God in their societies.

Jesus, you said that if we would believe that we would have whatsoever we ask for believing you told us that malice can still be moved. Jesus, you said that they would tarry, we would be filled with power and we would become witnesses where we are and where you send us all throughout the world. Jesus, you've got to take your right hand of power out of your bosom one more time and fight for this generation we come to the gate of the K would come with a groaning would come with a holy desperation were not looking to preserve ourselves were looking for you to be glorified in the earth, and for your people to be given strength to stand up and fight back.

This is the cry of my heart. This is a holy desperation. It's got to be in the church of Jesus Christ. Again in this last hour of time is time for all the partying to cease design for all the padding to be put away is time for all the stars to come down out of the lofty places it's time again in our hearts to put on sackcloth and ashes is time to come to the throne of the king is that God why not go to rest. I can dress I can't stop I can't see spring until I see your glory in the earth again until I see my family walking with you until I see my sons and my daughters, my grandchildren, my God, until I see my home taking that that baton of prayer and fasting and fighting for the glory of God.

I can't stop I'm not going to stop until somebody reaches to that date and gives the baton to Esther because it's never turned around you been listening to Carter Conlon from Times Square Church in New York City.

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