The Esther Challenge: Joy – Fasting & Prayer Day

Choose Joy

The Esther Challenge: Joy

Esther is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God’s name. Don’t believe me, read Esther for yourself!  Interestingly enough, there is no denying God’s presence in the book, and in Esther’s life. How do we know this? The life that Esther lived, the decisions she made, the way she carried herself, and her faith all reflected a God that she had a deep and personal relationship with. Her relationship with God was so infectious that those around her would surrender to Him, His will, and would pray with her even though they had never had a God Encounter.

Esther 2:10 tells us she kept her identity a secret, and vs 15 let’s us know that the King’s eunuchs knew that there was something special about her. Her relationship with God, her love for Him, radiated out of her and caused those in her presence to respect her, find favour with her, and reverence God.

Today from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM, we will intentionally portray God’s Joy and create a Joyful environment without mentioning His name. Allow your actions, your language, your interactions with your co-workers, family and friends to reflect your very personal, intimate, and growing relationship with God. We live in a world where the mention of God’s name turns non-christians off, yet we are still expected to minister to these individuals and bring them to the cross.  What better way to do this than to physically spread God’s joy through you to them. Incorporate how you are obedient to God’s law, how you are always joyful in every situation, as well as intentionally look for joyful moments although everything around you may be riddled with sorrow.

Make Time for God

To DO

  • Post on your social media:
    Today, I will allow my actions to reflect God’s Joy while never mentioning His name #MyGenPrays #LetsPrayTogether #TheEstherChallenge #HappyPraying
  • Connect with your prayer partner, remind and encourage each other to spend time with God today.
  • Listen to your favourite worship songs centered around Joy. Here are a few to get you started.
  • Ask God to soften your heart so that the Holy Spirit can take root and grow in your heart.
  • Use your quiet time with God to read the book of Esther.
  • Copy of Ask God to reveal to you which areas of your life you are stifling the Holy Spirit from growing, accepting, and loving others.
  • Keep God’s name out of your mouth. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and show you how to reflect God’s love while not mentioning His name to everyone you come in contact with.
  • Be creative. Remember, actions speak louder than words.

Do Not

  • Allow the devil to distract you from spending time with God.
  • Believe the devil’s lies: Joy is well within our reach. It takes prayer, faith, trust and persistence.
  • Think that your actions are not as important as the words that you said. Remember, while your mouth can profess God’s love, your actions can say otherwise.
  • Believe that joy in negative situations is unattainable. With Christ, all things are possible

Join us as we pray at 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM & 6 PM. Corporate Prayer is at 9 PM.

All of these prayer calls happen in our Google Hangouts group. If you haven’t joined our Fasting Group on Hangouts you may do so by pressing the button below.

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Verses for Meditation

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.Galatians 5:22-23
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the SpiritGalatians 5:25
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens mePhilippians 4:13
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalms 16:11
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.Psalms‬ ‭19:8‬
He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.Proverbs‬ ‭16:20‬
The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.Psalm 30:11
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. Psalm 34:5
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.Psalm 126:5
Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord.Proverbs 8:32-33
About the Author

Hannah Love

While I am a born and raised Seventh-day Adventist (I was baptized at the age of 8, and then again at 21), I am not a product of Adventist Education. As a matter of fact, it is my public school education, both at DeWitt Clinton HS, and the University at Albany that has strengthened my relationship with. High School reignited my love for singing in choirs, and led me to join the Angelic Voices of Praise, the only gospel choir on campus. It was at corporate prayer before choir rehearsal one Thursday evening in Albany that my prayer life was brought under a microscope. You see, up until that point, I was praying these little Baby Prayers, the Patty Cake Prayers, the rehearsed Prayers, the One Liners. There wasn’t any conviction, and it almost appeared that I was afraid to talk to God in a very real way. That night a seasoned member saw something that I didn’t see in myself, and because she allowed the Holy Spirit to use her, took me to the back of the LC during corporate prayer and taught me how to pray. I mean Really Pray! That night not only changed my life, but changed my Prayer Life forever. My prayer life translated well as I served as a Pathfinder Leader and an Assistant AY Leader and Praise and Worship leader. It was my constant communication with God that allowed Him to use me to lead Teens and Young Adult closer to God, and many more into Praise and Worship. While I understand that our life experiences have differed, I believe that our God is the same. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is the God that desires to have a deeper communication with us, who longs to chat with us, and craves quiet moments that we can offer as sacrifice to Him Do not for a moment think that I am perfect. In fact I am far from it. I mess up and mistakes, but my relationship with God is just as real as this letter you are reading. It is my relationship, and my prayer life, that restores me each and every time I fall. It is my prayer life with God that has allowed Him to use me for His work, and the furtherance of His Gospel! I charge each and everyone of you to explore a genuine and real relationship with God! Sit at His feet, talk to Him, worship him, Praise Him! Ask God to show Himself to you in a very “You Specific Way” Just in case you don’t know where to start, I encourage each and everyone of you who are able to join in with us on our Weekly Prayer and Fasts that meet each Wednesday. It is in these Fasts, that God reveals our character flaws to us, in hopes of not only correcting our Spiritual Cancers that seek to draw us away from God’s divine love, but pull us closer to the feet of Jesus! I pray that each and everyone of you experience God in a very real and “You Specific Way”. I Love you and God Loves you more!

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