[Donald Ward] The title today: Gird up Your Mind for Such a Time as This. “Gird up your mind” – actually the scripture says, “Gird up the loins of your mind.” The Apostle Peter was the apostle of hope. He lived life facing martyrdom. You recall the story in John 21, where Jesus told him that he would be crucified – upside down, according to legend – and no matter how faithfully he lived his life, he would die in martyrdom. And that martyrdom would be a very ignominious and painful way to die – crucified upside down. So the apostle Peter was eminently qualified to write what he did in 1 Peter. If we would, let’s turn to 1 Peter, chapter 1. In 1 Peter, chapter 1, we will see the words here of Peter. We will begin in verse 6, I believe it is, maybe it’ll be 5.

1 Peter 1:6 – Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold trials: 7 But the trying of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Now continuing in verse 13:

V-13 – Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope – and surely the apostle Peter could be called the apostle of hope – be sober, be hopeful to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation –  that is, the appearing, the unveiling – of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conduct.

“Gird up the loins of your mind,” is what we want to focus on in verse 13. The word gird here, anazōnnumi, anazōnnumi – you probably won’t be saying that too many times – but it comes from gird up – from the practice of the Orientals, who in order to be unimpeded as they traveled about on long distances, they generally had low, long flowing robes, so they would gather those up and tie them around their waists so that they would not impede them as they walked along. Also, the loins – that hip area – totaled what can be called the hip girdle, was the area in battle that was most vulnerable. One could wear a helmet, put on a breastplate of armor, but this area was hard to protect. It’s difficult to protect the loin area. You can put a helmet on, you could put on a breastplate of armor, but that area was difficult to protect. And so then we have dianoia. Dianoia is the Greek word for mind – the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring, way of thinking, thoughts.

So how do you gird up the loins of your mind? To gird it up, you must have your priorities straight, first of all. We’re talking about how do you gird up the loins of your mind for such a time as this – the days in which we live – as we are beginning to see the beginning of sorrows that leads up to some very difficult times. So one of the first things is to have your priorities straight. So what is the most important priority? What is the most important goal in your life?
Jesus commands us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. So number one, get your priorities straight. That’s Matthew 6, and verse 33. And Jesus says:

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Then after we have established that we are seeking first the Kingdom of God, we sing the song, Mine Eyes upon the Lord Continually Are Set. We sing it – now let’s read it. Let’s go to Psalm 25, and verse 15. We sing this Psalm. I love it. “Mine eyes upon the Lord continually are set, and He it is who will lift my feet out of the net.” And so, in Psalms 25, and verse 15:

Psalm 25:15 – Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

“Mine eyes upon the Lord continually are set” – our focus must be on God and not on ourselves. God is our great Defender. He is our great Deliverer. He is the One who will deliver us from the snares, whatever they might be and whatever form they might come. And I am guilty, and we are all guilty, at times, of focusing on our own problems, and not upon God and His promises and His divine favor, which is grace – charis – divine favor.

In Psalm 77 – if you’ll turn there – we have a picture of one who is praying. And as he prays, he doesn’t seem to be getting any answers or satisfaction from his prayers. So let’s look at the first 10 or 11 verses here – great insight with regard to “Mine eyes continually upon the Lord are set, He it is that will lift my feet out of the net.”

Psalm 77:1 – I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. So we cry out to God, and He hears, but sometimes we don’t hear. Or maybe we don’t understand what His response is. Or maybe we don’t accept what His response is. 2 In the day of my trouble, I sought the Eternal: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: And that sore – the position for prayer in the Old Testament: on your knees with your hands extended up toward the heavens. And if you hold that position very long, you’ll find that it’s very difficult to maintain. And then, this next one is the one, as the sentence here, is so vital: my soul refused to be comforted.  Sometimes the answer from God is so simple, so short, and oftentimes we do not accept what the answer is. My soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained. Now, this word, complained, literally means communed. In another verse it is – and this is very important to note that – in another verse it is translated as communed.
Commune means to, really, in this case, it’s talking to yourself. You can commune with another person. In this case, the psalmist is communing with his own spirit, or with himself. 3 I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Or, I communed. In other words, “I went over all of my troubles, all of my problems, and my spirit was overwhelmed. I have so many troubles, I have so many trials, I have so many things on my plate that I can’t possibly cope with this. And so he is overwhelmed. 4 You hold mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. And oftentimes people revert back to, and somehow we tend to remember the good more often than we do the bad at times, and we might say, “Well, I wish it was like it used to be.” There’s a lot of things I do wish were like they used to be. But here we are, and one of my sayings is, “What is, is, and what isn’t, isn’t.” And we’ve got to deal with what is. We are where we are, and we have to deal with it. So he remembered the past. Verse 6: I call to remembrance my song in the night – now notice this word – it’s the same word that is translated complain in verse 3, that I said, literally means talking with yourself. 6 I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. “So I went all over my problems again,” and then here floods in, beginning the four great enemies of faith, which are: anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning. 7 Will the Lord cast off forever? and will he be favorable no more? “Well, I’m just doubting if God is ever going to hear me or intervene.” 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? does his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? “Does God really care? Is He aware of what I’m going through?”  Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And oftentimes we go over our various sins that maybe we have committed in the past, and think, “Well it’s because I did such-and-such 20 years ago that I’m in the situation that I’m in.” But if we have repented and gone before God, that has been removed as far as the east is from the west. And I said – in verse 10, he comes to his senses. And I said, This is my infirmity. This is my sickness, this is what’s wrong with me. What’s wrong with him? His eyes are upon himself instead of upon God. As you note: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.11 I will remember the works of the Eternal: surely I will remember your wonders of old.12 I will meditate of all thy works, and talk of your doings.13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary – God’s dwelling place. In the Old Testament, He dwelt in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Then He dwelt in Solomon’s temple. But He did not dwell in the restoration temple. But, He’s dwelling in us today, and we are the temple of God and His presence is within us. 13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our God?

So after his focus was changed from self to God, then his spirits were lifted and he was able to continue. You can read the rest of the chapter.

We have a forerunner, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who has blazed the trail before us. He was tried and tested in all points as we are. He lived in the flesh. He experienced the pains of the flesh. He has shown us that we can overcome, that we can be victorious, and that death and the grave can be defeated and will be defeated by the resurrection. Let’s note this in 1 Corinthians 15:50. We usually just read this at funerals. We should be reminded of this at all times, because it is a source of great encouragement of what the great victory that we have to look forward to at the resurrection of the just. In 1 Corinthians 15, verse 50:

1 Corinthians 15:50 – Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruptible inherit incorruption.  Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep – we’ll not always stay in the grave – but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this corruptible have put on incorruption, and this mortal have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Jesus Christ was in the tomb three days and three nights. The Father raised Him from the dead by the Spirit that dwelt in Him. And in like manner, He will raise us from the dead by the Spirit that dwells in us, according to Romans 8:11.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 – The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  So a great victory will be attained.

And now you look at Hebrews, chapter 12, and we see that we have One that has gone before – the forerunner, Jesus Christ. He lived in the flesh. He suffered the pains of the flesh. He died. There was no consciousness in the grave. The spiritual essence that was in Him was in the hands of the Father. And when you die, that spiritual essence that is within you will ascend back to the Father, and by that spirit, He will raise you from the dead to this glorious, radiant spirit being that is described here in 1 Corinthians 15. In Hebrews, chapter 12, verse 1:

Hebrews 12:1 –  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him – the joy was to see you and me in the Kingdom of God – for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against him. I mean, people as John the Baptist says, “There’s One coming after me that I’m not worthy to even carry His shoes,” by comparison. And yet, He had so many detractors in His day. After He ascended back to heaven, how many people were assembled there waiting the sending of the Holy Spirit – “Wait here in Jerusalem and I will send the Holy Spirit?” 120. …contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto us as to children. So we have this One that has gone before. We need to look.

We were talking about girding up the loins of your mind. What have we said so far? Seek you first the Kingdom of God. Get your focus on God. “Mine eyes upon the Lord continually are set.” Here, we’re admonished to look to the author and finisher of our faith. He did it – we’re assured that we can do it, because He is sitting at the right hand of the Father. Turn back just there a few pages to Hebrews 7, verse 24, and we’ll see this very clearly.

Hebrews 7:24 – But the man – or this man, speaking of Jesus Christ – because he continues ever – the priesthood of Melchizedek - has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. 

So we look to the author and finisher of our faith, realizing that He prays for us according to the will of the Father – that He makes continual intercession. We can defeat the four great enemies of faith.

Let’s briefly look at those four enemies of faith. In Matthew, chapter 6, beginning in verse 30…we are justified by faith. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And when we come to realize that we are a sinner and the death penalty is on our head, the only way that we can be forgiven is through faith and the sacrifice of Christ. And there are these four great enemies of faith that continually war against us. In Matthew 6:30:

Matthew 6:30 – Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

And then this first priority is given in Matthew 6:33:

Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.
Now we look at Matthew 8, and verse 23 – the second great enemy of faith. The disciples went out into the sea in a boat and Jesus was asleep in the boat. Verse 24:

Matthew 8:24 – a great storm came up and the boat was about to sink – at least they thought it was – and the wind and the waves were very furious. Verse 25:

V-25 – And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We perish!”  And He said unto them, “Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith?” Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Now we go to identify the third great enemy of faith in Matthew 14, and verse 25 – here, once again, a similar scenario. The disciples are in a boat out in the sea, and Jesus Christ had decided to walk, wanting some time to be alone, and He starts walking toward them on the water. In Matthew 14, we’ll start in verse 22:

Matthew 14:22 – And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship – constrained means He urged them – and to go before Him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a spirit,” and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway, Jesus spoke unto them, saying, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.” 28 And Peter answered, and said, “Lord, if it be You, bid me come unto you on the water.” 29 And he said, “Come.” And when Peter was come down out of the ship. He walked on the water, to go to Jesus. And as long as he had his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water. Has a human being ever walked on water? According to this, Jesus – of course, was in the flesh at that time – and Peter walked on the water. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me.” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

So we have identified anxious care, fear, doubt. Now we’ll look at Matthew 16. Now each one of these feeds on the other. Fear feeds on anxious care, doubt feeds on anxious care, and then human reasoning – the one we’ll identify here – feeds on the other three. And human reasoning is what so often gets us into trouble. In Matthew 16:5:

Matthew 16:5 – And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven” – remember, leaven puffs up. It’s really not what you see. It’s oftentimes filled with air. “…beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves – they reasoned among themselves – saying, “Is it because we have taken no bread?” which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, “O ye of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves, and the five fish, and we fed five thousand, and how many baskets did we take up?” Then verse 11: “How is it that ye do not understand that I spoke not concerning bread, but that you be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees?” 12 Then they understood that he was not making them aware of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

So those four great enemies of faith. If you’re going to gird up your mind, you have to, first of all, seek first the Kingdom of God. Keep your eyes on God. Realize He is your deliverer. We’ve even had one who’s gone before – Jesus Christ – and we have to defeat the four enemies of faith that might stand in the way.

Now, how do you defeat the four great enemies of faith? It’s by putting on the whole armor of God. So we go now to Ephesians, chapter 6, and we’ll note how you defeat the enemies of faith. You defeat the enemies of faith by putting on the whole armor of God that is described here. We start in verse 10.

Ephesians 6:10 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Now we have unbelievable spiritual strength and power if we tap it. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand – that ye may be able to stand – against the wiles of the devil. The devil is behind it all. He doesn’t make you do it, but he is there. This spirit pervades the universe. He is the god of this present, evil age, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. [Verse 12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Of course, Satan is going to be cast down, and the demons are among us now. God is, basically, in times past according to Isaiah 5, placed a hedgerow against Israel. But that hedgerow is seemingly being removed, or has been removed.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14  Stand therefore! (That’s the way it should be punctuated – having done all to stand, stand therefore – period.) Then, take up with the next verse. Having your loins gird about with truth – so we’re talking about girding up the loins of your mind, so you have to be girded with the truth – and having on the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness corresponds to obedience. Psalm 119, what is it – 172? Yeah, I think it’s 172 says, all your commandments are righteousness.

Ephesians 6:15 – And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; The great commission of the church is: Go ye therefore into all the world, make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you even to the end of the age. 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. See, the shield of faith – to know and know that you know, no matter what comes against you – fear, anxious care, fear, doubt, human reasoning. Just like, you can throw your tomatoes at me, but as long as they hit this [taps on podium] you can’t get to me. And so, if you have on the shield of faith the devil can’t get to you according to this. Why? Because you have faith – you know, and you know that you know. It says you’ll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation. Now 1 Thessalonians 5:8 says that the helmet of salvation is hope. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 says that the helmet of salvation is hope. And so, what does a helmet do? It covers your head. It is protective equipment to cover the head to prevent injury, and it pervades all over the head. And so hope is something that pervades in your spirit, your mind, your attitude. I call it “keeping the big picture burning brightly in your mind” of what is set before us. Jesus Christ, for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake. We, for the joy of realizing what is before us endure whatever it is. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is – it tells you clearly – which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance – never give up – and supplication for all saints.

See, that is, put on the whole armor of God. Another thing that must be done…it says, “Take the sword of the Spirit.” So go to 2 Corinthians 4. In 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, Paul here catalogs some of the great trials that he went through, and this admonition that is given to us, especially in verse 16, but we will start in 8:

2 Corinthians 4:8 – We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, 9 persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed, 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death works to us, but life to you. Paul is saying, “We’re willing to give our lives, lay it all down for you.” Of course, we’re admonished to do the same thing. 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, “I believed, and therefore have I spoken,” we also believe, and therefore speak, 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus – from the dead, it doesn’t say dead, but – He that raised the Lord Jesus raise you up also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. Present us with you – they haven’t yet been presented. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. Now our key verse here: 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. And time after time, we have talked about how that inward man is renewed in the Church of God. It says in the scripture that He gives His Spirit to those who ask for it. It says that He gives His Spirit to those who obey. And of course, there are many other factors that enter into it, but that is a broad summary of ask and obey.

Look at Psalm 119. Another way whereby the Spirit can be renewed within us is through studying and hiding the word of God in our hearts. For example, the scripture that I have quoted so many times – John 6:63 – which says, “The flesh profits nothing. It is spirit that makes alive. The words that I speak, they are spirit, and they are life.”These are spiritual words. So then we look at Psalm, and beginning in verse 9, and we see this:

Psalms 119:9 – How shall a young man cleanse his way? You want to clean up your life? By taking heed thereto according to Your word – taking the sword of the Spirit. “The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life.” The spirit of God writes the word of God on your inward parts. You don’t have to go here or there – it’s right here. It’s inside you. 10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from your commandments. 11  Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against you.  12  Blessed are you, O LORD: teach me your statutes. And time after time it’s almost like the psalmist is saying, “You just make me do what I need to do.” And it’s a really encouraging psalm.

Realize that God – we’re talking about how do you gird up the loins of your mind – realize that God always has your best interests at heart. This is called the Providence of God. In other words, God is looking out for you years in advance. Sometimes you might look back and say, “Well, I might not have been here if such and such had not happened.” And so, I believe that God plays a role going way back in our lives, and we note this about even a requirement concerning knowing God and salvation. I’ve quoted this and read it many times as well: Hebrews 11, verse 6.

While you’re turning there, let’s briefly rehearse the story of Joseph. Joseph, hated by his brothers, because he had these dreams that pictured him ruling over them. The jealousy grew so, so much that finally they put him in a pit and were going to kill him, but Judah intervened and saw this band of Ishmaelites coming, and said, “Well, let’s sell him to them.” And they bought him. And eventually he winds up second in command in the land of Egypt – second to Pharaoh –  because he’d interpreted Pharaoh’s dream about the seven lean and the seven fat. So there would be seven lean years of drought and no crop, first of all, preceded by the seven fat years, and he instructed Pharaoh to store the grain during the fat years. And then, the brothers finally come down to buy grain, and they’re sore afraid because they think, “Well, he’s really going to pay us back and seek his revenge.” But when Joseph saw them, he wept, and he said, “Don’t be afraid, brothers. It wasn’t you who sent me, but it was God who sent me here to preserve posterity.” The Providence of God, looking out for our best interests years in advance.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. In other words, He has our best interests at heart.

We oftentimes quote Romans 8:28.

Romans 8:28 all things work together for good to those who love God – there is that requirement – and who are called according to His purpose.

There’s a great biblical example of one girding up her mind to do a great work, and that person is Esther. Esther was probably 19 – maybe 18, 19, at most 20 – when she was made queen of the Persian Empire. In the book of Esther, the name of God doesn’t even appear, but God is very active in that book. Let’s go to the book of Esther and look at this. Now here’s an example of a person girding up their mind, who at first was afraid, because if you were – if you appear before the king (let’s see, Ezra, Nehemiah, it must be Esther after that – it’s in the book)…. In Esther, chapter 3, Esther was an orphan. She had been adopted by her uncle, Mordecai. And Mordecai heard of the evil plot that Haman had plotted against the Jews. He viewed the Jews as a threat, and he had convinced the king that they should be exterminated. So we look at Esther, chapter 3, and verse 9:

Esther 3:9 – If it please the king, let it be written that they – that is the Jews – be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries. 10  And the king took his ring from his hand, and he gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.  11  And the king said unto Haman, “The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.” 
Now, Mordecai, who had called Haman to task over the years, Mordecai heard of this plot and he knew that probably the only chance they had was somehow through Esther, who had become queen at such a young age, that he would implore her to go before the king and plead on the behalf of the Jews. Look at chapter 4, verse 1:
Esther 4:1 – When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2  And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3  And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was a great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther hears about that, and even sends Mordecai some clothes. But it’s not clothes that’s going to save them. And Mordecai…it comes to his mind – probably God led him to this – to implore, to beseech Esther to go before the king. Verse 10:
 
V-10 – Again Esther spoke unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; :11  All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come to the king for thirty days.

So you can imagine the enemies of faith that might flood in with her of anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning. “I don’t know if I want to do this or not.” Of course, she’s a Jew. She’s a Jewess. So, they went to tell Mordecai Esther’s words, verse 12. Verse 13:

V-13 – Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, “Think not with yourself that you shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. I mean, sister, you are included! 14  For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place.” You see the fulfillment of prophecy hinged on the Jews surviving, because in Genesis there’s a prophecy that the scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come. There are a lot of other prophecies as well. “…but you and your father's house shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this? So how did Esther gird up the loins of her mind? 15  Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,  16  “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” – sort of like the three Hebrew children, sort of like Daniel. The three Hebrew children, given the commandment to bow down and worship the image. Daniel – “You don’t pray, or you’ll be cast into the lions’ den.” You know the rest of the story.

So you might ask, “Well, what does this have to do with me?” You might say, “I’ve not been called to save my people at this time.” No, but you’ve been called to a much higher calling. You have been espoused to Christ. You’re engaged to Christ, the Son of God. You have been called to the wedding supper of the Lamb. You’ve been called to rule and reign with God and Christ in eternity. You have been called to prepare a people for the kingdom of God. You have been called to help God and Christ bring everyone who is willing to surrender, submit, and serve into a relationship with God and Christ, and rule and reign with God and Christ forever. He has made us kings and priests – Revelation 5:10 – and we shall reign with God and Christ. 

In one sense, the challenge each one of us faces may not be as dramatic as what Esther faced, but the challenge is greater and the stakes are higher. You’ve been called to prepare a people for the second coming of Christ, or according to Malachi 4 – let’s go there – according to Malachi 4, the fate of all humanity is at stake. In Malachi, chapter 4… remember the messengers in Malachi –  Malachi himself a priest, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, the Elijah to come. Christ said, if you have received him…John the Baptist was that one. In Malachi, chapter 4, and verse 5:

Malachi 4:5 – Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. 

So we’ve been called to a very high calling. God is doing a work in each one of you. No man or organization can get you into the Kingdom, but, men and women are used as instruments of God. Look at Philippians 1:6 – a few scriptures here from Philippians. Philippians is a great book on –  it’s about humility, in one sense – but it’s also a book that gives great courage and hope.

 Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this one thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  God is not going to give up on you if you don’t give up on Him.

Now look at Philippians 2:13:

Philippians 2:13 – For it is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. God is working in you. You are to become a new creation. It is God who creates His holy, righteous character in you, that you live by faith.

So how did Esther gird up the loins of her mind? Well, she called this fast. And many of you know the story – how that the king got on to Haman. Haman was eventually killed – and all of his family – for what they had done, and the king greatly exalted Esther and her family.

So now is the time for each one of us – each one of us – to gird up the loins of our minds and determine to push forward as never before. Satan the devil has issued a decree. See, Haman got the – Haman is a type of the devil – Haman got the king to issue a decree to kill all the Jews. Satan the devil has issued a decree to kill all of humanity.

Look at Revelation 12:10. Revelation 12:7 says, that old serpent, Satan the devil, who is deceiving the whole world, he comes before the throne of God. He slanders the people of God night and day before the throne of God. And then, verse 11…let’s read 10.

Revelation 12:10 – And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now is come salvation…and the power of his Christ: the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night. 11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb – this continual faith in the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sins that are past, and any sin that you might commit –  and by the word of their testimony – they said what needs saying, and they prayed what needs praying – and they loved not their lives unto the death. They’re willing to die. 12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and all that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time. 13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for three and a half years, from the face of the serpent. 15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth a flood – which is symbolic of an army – after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16  And the earth helped the woman – God supernaturally intervenes – and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed (the army) the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17  And the dragon was mad with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Brethren, that, hopefully, is you and me. This is not the time to draw back. This is not the time to be defeated by the four great enemies of faith: anxious care, fear, doubt, human reasoning. Now’s the time to get our focus totally, completely on God. Now is not the time to focus on what is going to happen to me. Now is the time to focus on God – preparing to rule and reign with God and Christ, to qualify as co-workers to work with God and Christ in eternity, to bring everyone into a relationship with God.

So, keep this big picture burning brightly in your mind, which is hope – the helmet of salvation. Always be mindful of the first priority – seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. Always remember the words of the apostle Paul: Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we’re not of those who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the saving of the life essence.

So we must continue to fight the good fight. Just as the heroes of faith have done through the ages. Hebrews chronicles many of these – heroes who were filled with the right kind of fight until the day they died. So brethren, we have a lot of opportunities and challenges before us. We’re actually fighting the battle of the ages.

This year, that we have embarked upon, and believe it or not, we’re already six weeks – there are 52 weeks in a year – already six weeks into 2017. This year could be a make or break year for each one of us, and, to state something very simply: We’re all making choices every day that will affect us the rest of our lives. That’s so simple, but so profound. We are all making choices, so make the right choice. Until the day of resurrection comes – the great victory that we read about in 1 Corinthians 15:50-56 – make sure you’re not there woefully wishing that you could walk this way again. You’ll never walk this way again. After sun sets today, this Sabbath is gone. This is it. So, we have this tremendous challenge before us. And I hope that the legacy that each one of us will leave will be the one that is recorded in heaven, as it states in Malachi 3:16 and 17.

Malachi 3:16-17 – Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. We heard a sermon last week about forsaking NOT the assembling of yourselves together. 17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spare  his own son. 

So hopefully, many of us will be speaking words during the weeks, months, and years that lie ahead that will be recorded and played back at a later time. Would you like to hear your words played back after the resurrection? Some of mine, I would not care to hear, and probably you could say the same thing. And when the great day arrives for us, many will be able to say, with the apostle Paul, “I’m now ready to be offered, the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me in that day, and not only to me but to all those who love His appearing [2 Timothy 4:6-8].”

So, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly. And who knows whether you are come to Church of God for such a time as this.