When God Calls You to Be Brave
The Life-Changing Choice Esther Had to Make
What would you do if standing up for what's right could cost you everything – even your life?
Queen Esther faced exactly this terrifying choice. Her people were sentenced to death, and she was the only one who could save them. But approaching the king uninvited meant she could die on the spot.
"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 him 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 in unto the king these 30 days" (Esther 4:11).
The Excuse We All Make When God Calls
Esther's response sounds painfully familiar: "I'm just not called."
Sound like something you've said? When God nudges you to:
- Share the gospel with someone
- Stand up against workplace injustice
- Speak truth to authority
- Help someone who's hurting
We use the same excuse Esther did: "God hasn't specifically called me to do that."
But here's the truth: We ARE called. All of us.
Why Your Silence is Actually Evil
Mordecai shattered Esther's comfortable excuses with these piercing words:
"Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed" (Esther 4:13-14).
When you stay silent in the face of evil, you're not being neutral. You're:
- Giving permission to the oppressor
- Siding with the predator
- Choosing cowardice over courage
Silence in the face of evil IS evil.
Your children will inherit the consequences of your silence. Your community suffers when you refuse to speak up. There's a devastating domino effect when good people do nothing.
The Most Famous Question in the Bible
"And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
Notice this is a question, not a statement. Mordecai wasn't giving Esther a guarantee – he was calling her to walk by faith.
You didn't become who you are overnight. God has been preparing you through:
- Your past experiences (even the painful ones)
- Your current position
- Your unique opportunities
You may think you're the least likely to make a difference, but God has you where you are because you're the most needed.
Palace Christianity vs. Prophetic Christianity
Esther was living comfortably in the palace, removed from the harsh realities outside. But God was calling her from palace Christianity (comfortable but ineffective) to prophetic Christianity (costly but life-changing).
Which describes your faith?
The harvest time is NOW. We don't have unlimited time to make a difference. If you're waiting for the "perfect moment" to take a stand, that moment is today.
The Golden Scepter: Your Only Hope
Here's where Esther's story points to an eternal truth. Just as Esther needed the king's golden scepter to approach and live, we cannot approach a holy God without His permission.
"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto" (1 Timothy 6:16).
But God has provided His scepter – Jesus Christ. "There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Numbers 24:17).
Jesus Christ is the scepter that allows sinful people to approach God's throne and live. Without Him, we die in God's presence. With Him, we can "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).
Your Moment of Decision
God has positioned you exactly where you are for such a time as this. The question isn't whether you'll face opposition – you will. The question is whether you'll have the courage to act when God calls.
Remember: God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called.
What is God calling you to do right now? Don't wait for an engraved invitation. Don't use the excuse that you're "not called."
You ARE called. The time is now. The need is great.
Will you choose palace Christianity or prophetic Christianity?
Will you stay silent and side with evil, or will you take a stand for what's right?
Your moment is here. For such a time as this.
This powerful message will challenge everything you think you know about courage, calling, and what it really means to follow God when it costs you something. If you want to dive deeper into this life-transforming passage and discover more about walking by faith when fear is screaming, I encourage you to listen to the complete sermon! 🎧✨ There's so much more rich expository preaching and verse-by-verse Bible teaching that will equip you to live boldly for Christ.