If I Perish, I Perish

The radio host leads a morning devotion and discusses the topic of unwavering faith using the example of Esther from the book of Esther. He encourages listeners to embrace the forcefulness of the kingdom of God and take action in their faith. He invites them to join a three-day water fast for intense prayer and reflection. The host concludes with a memory verse and a prayer for strength and trust in God. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the sea, the Lord's name is to be praised. Psalm 113, verse 3. Shalom and welcome to Radio HCI Today. I'm Francis Appiah and I'll be taking us through our morning glory devotion for today. Let's kindly share the word of prayer. Our Father who art in heaven, your name be hallowed. We ask that you speak to us this morning through your word, and help us to be doers of the same. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Let's kindly take our confession from Joshua chapter 1, the state. This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For them I will make my way prosperous, and then I will have good success. Amen. Beloved, our topic for today is, If I perish, I perish. If I perish, I perish. And our scripture is taken from Esther chapter 4, verse 16. I read from the King James Version. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye 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. Beloved, in the scriptures we see countless examples of individuals who were willing to put everything on the line for the sake of their faith. One such example is found in the book of Esther, where we read about when Esther's courageous decision to approach the king on behalf of her people, despite the very real risk of death. Esther's resolve was unwavering, and her words encapsulate the essence of true faith, If I perish, I perish. In other words, she was willing to risk everything, including her own life, for the sake of God's plan. This kind of unwavering faith is not easy to come by. It requires a deep and abiding trust in God, a willingness to let go of our own desires and agendas, and a resolve to obey, even when it is difficult or even dangerous to do so. In Matthew chapter 11 verse 12, Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven has forcefully been advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. This speaks to the kind of aggressive pursuit of God's will that we are called to embody as Christians. We must be willing to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones, to take risks and make sacrifices, all in the name of cooperating with God to fulfill his promises for our lives. As we read in Habakkuk chapter 3 verse 2, O Lord, I have heard of your fame, and I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Revive your work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years make it known, and in wrath remember mercy. This verse reminds us that we serve a powerful God, one who is capable of great things, but it also calls us to take action, to actively seek out and participate in God's work in our lives, families, and the church. With all of this in mind, I want to issue a challenge to all of us today. Starting from Friday, I encourage us to come along on our three-day water fast. This will be a time of intense prayer and reflection, a time to seek God's will for our lives and to ask him to empower us to live out our faith more boldly and courageously than ever before. I know that the Holy Spirit, who is the initiator of this fast, will come alongside of us, supplying the supernatural grace and strength needed. I believe that the rewards will be immeasurable, and as we press into God's will with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency, I believe that we will see his power at working our lives in ways that we never thought possible. So, I invite you to join us on this journey. Let us embrace the spirit of Esther, the forcefulness of the kingdom of God, and the call to action in Habakkuk, and the pressing into the kingdom of God in Luke, and let us do it with all the unwavering faith and dependence on God. May God bless and help us as we prepare for this journey, and may he give us the strength and courage to say, If I perish, I perish. Amen. Beloved, our memory verse for today is taken from Matthew 11.12, reading from the King James Version, And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and a violent ticket by force. Amen. Beloved, let us share a word of prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word this morning. As we prepare to drink from your deep wells, we pray that you give us grace to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. Lord, we ask in the name of Jesus that you strengthen our hearts to trust you, and we ask that you reveal your mighty power in our lives, in our families, and in the church. In Jesus' mighty name, we have prayed. Amen. Beloved, God bless you for listening to today's devotion. Let's continue to have a blessed and an amazing day. Amen. Shalom.