CHAPTER FOUR

ESTHER, A THIRD DAY LADY

“NOW IT CAME TO PASS ON THE THIRD DAY, THAT ESTHER PUT ON HER ROYAL APPAREL, AND STOOD IN THE INNER COURT OF THE KING’S HOUSE, OVER AGAINST THE KING’S HOUSE; AND THE KING SAT UPON HIS ROYAL THRONE IN THE ROYAL HOUSE, OVER AGAINST THE GATE OF HIS HOUSE.” (Esther 5:1)

 Just in this one verse we find several mysteries; let’s take a look at them.  First of all, it is on the THIRD DAY that this special event takes place. This is no coincidence, for the Lord of Glory has planned a DAY even before the creation of the world that would inspire and ignite the deep passion within His people through His Word. We are now living in the beginning moments of the prophetic Third Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. We find Esther, who is a TYPE of the CHURCH putting on her ROYAL APPAREL! How significant is this! It is a DAY OF ROYALTY, and there is no doubt that those royal robes represent the Divine Nature, the New Man, the Incorruptible and Immortal man! Just as Queen Esther PUT ON her ROYAL APPAREL on the Third Day, so the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ, MUST PUT ON the same! Again it is written in 1Corinthians 15 that “THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY.”

Let’s look at a few verses:  Romans 2:7, “TO THEM WHO BY PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY, ETERNAL LIFE.” Did you see that? There are a people who are seeking IMMORTALITY! Now look at 2Timothy 1:10: “BUT IS NOW MADE MANIFEST BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH, AND HAS BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL.” Immortality is no longer a hidden thing but has been brought into the light of our understanding that we may know the things God has planned for those who love him. Now the question is, are you seeking immortality, which is waiting to be discovered in the light? We just read that there are a people who are SEEKING it!

We just read that it was brought into the LIGHT! Now we read in Esther that she has put on her ROYAL ROBES. Even though DEATH was a threat to her from entering in to the kings’ chamber without his permission, she decided whether she lived or died she could not stand by and do nothing! A generation will arise in the earth and have no fear of death and will put on that finished work of Christ. They will receive the new nature, the clothing of the second man from heaven who has been born again and will PUT IT ON! Later in this book I am going to show you a mystery concerning death, but for now I want you to recall what Paul said to Timothy.  He said, “WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH!” You see, to those who know their God, death is no longer an issue.

The FEAR OF DEATH no longer prohibits God’s people from doing the exploits they have been created to perform. So we see that Esther, a TYPE of the CHURCH, has PUT ON her ROYAL ROBES. We also find in the first verse of Esther Chapter Five the word ROYAL is used THREE TIMES! Remember, we are a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. There is no doubt that God has called you to a position of royalty where you will begin to rule and reign in the midst of your enemies. It is time to put on the royal robes and go into the King’s chambers! Now, once Esther went into the king’s chambers, a sentence was going to be rendered--either immediate death or that which she found: “AND IT WAS SO, WHEN THE KING SAW ESTHER THE QUEEN STANDING IN THE COURT, THAT SHE OBTAINED FAVOUR IN HIS SIGHT.” First I want you to note the position of Esther; she was STANDING! This must be the present position of the Church before her King.

The Bride must get off her knees and off her face and STAND before her King! The mystery we see here is that death was not the response of the king, and neither will death be the response of our KING as we stand boldly before him in this most critical hour. Church, you need not fear the King; and you MUST NOT FEAR MAN! Truly it does not matter what men think about your boldness. It does not matter what the Pharisees say against you, and it does not matter what religious tradition may do to stop you! None of these things matter to the BRIDE! This DAY is a day of favor for the Bride! You have favor with God and man! This point has been well stressed by several of God’s men and women in the past five years. There is no doubt that right now is the time of favor for you. You can now EXPERIENCE the same response Queen Esther did.  “AND THE KING HELD OUT TO ESTHER THE GOLDEN SCEPTRE THAT WAS IN HIS HAND.” (Esther 5:2)  The golden scepter once again represents  the Third Day, for it is the GOLDEN AGE! Do not be afraid of that phrase! Just because the Devil steals God’s thoughts to make them his own in deception does not mean that you and I should be afraid to take them back! We are living in the Golden Age of MANKIND! The gold goes to those who win the race!

The golden scepter represents DIVINE AUTHORITY! The King of Kings is holding out to you right now the AUTHORITY to rule and reign over all the powers of darkness! Can you sense that right now? Are you standing boldly before the King with a LIVE-OR-DIE attitude, but a knowledge that you MUST get from him that which is necessary for the present moment before all is lost? This is a DAY of AUTHORITY, and all you need to do is what Esther did.  “SO ESTHER DREW NEAR, AND TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE SCEPTRE.” (Esther 5:2)  That’s it!  DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU! His scepter of authority is HIS NAME! For we have been given a name that is above all names! There is no greater power in heaven or earth than the NAME OF JESUS! IN HIS NAME YOU SHALL CAST OUT DEMONS! IN HIS NAME YOU SHALL HEAL THE SICK! IN HIS NAME YOU SHALL RAISE THE DEAD, HEAL THE LEPERS AND SO MUCH MORE! YOU SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN HIS NAME AND HE WILL DO IT, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL! Does this sound familiar?  It should, for it is written throughout the WORD OF GOD! Let’s look further at Esther chapter 5. Look at verse three: “THEN SAID THE KING UNTO HER, WHAT WILT THOU, QUEEN ESTHER? AND WHAT IS THY REQUEST? IT SHALL BE GIVEN THEE TO THE HALF OF THE KINGDOM!” Did you hear that? What do you want? What is your request? IT SHALL BE GIVEN THEE! How much? TO HALF THE KINGDOM! This is so representative of the words of Paul when he wrote, “THE SPIRIT ITSELF BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT, THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD, AND IF CHILDREN, THAN HEIRS; HEIRS OF GOD, AND JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST;” “WHEREFORE THOU ART NO MORE A SERVANT, BUT A SON; AND IF A SON, THEN AN HEIR OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST.”

Paul also said in Philippians 4:6, “BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING; BUT IN EVERY THING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD.” This is exactly what the king asked Esther, and so it is what your King Jesus is asking you. MAKE YOUR REQUEST! He will give it to you even up to half the kingdom, for you are JOINT-HEIRS with Him! You are the Heirs of God! “BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HAS BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD: THEREFORE THE WORLD KNOWS US NOT, BECAUSE IT KNEW HIM NOT. BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, AND IT DOES NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE: BUT WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS.” (1 John 3:1-3)  Let’s recap. The Third Day Church has put on her royal robes, the new nature, and has stood in the King’s chambers. She finds favor with God and is given divine authority to rule in the midst of her enemies. Her requests are granted in joint-heir fashion, being a co-sharer with Christ. Can you believe for this? “WAKE UP! WAKE UP! PUT ON YOUR STRENGTH, OH ZION! PUT ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL GARMENTS, OH JERUSALEM, THE HOLY CITY. FOR HENCEFORTH THERE SHALL NO MORE COME INTO THEE THE UNCIRCUMCISED AND THE UNCLEAN. SHAKE YOURSELF FROM THE DUST; ARISE AND SIT DOWN, OH JERUSALEM: LOOSE YOURSELF FROM THE BANDS OF YOUR NECK, O’ CAPTIVE DAUGHTER OF ZION.” (Is. 52:1-2) Can you hear the cry of the Spirit? HE is calling out to you this day, saying, “Arise and shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord is rising within you!” (Is. 60:1-3)  He wants you to WAKE UP from your slumber, oh wise virgins, and to put on your beautiful, royal, new and righteous garments!  NO MORE shall you wear the garments of heaviness, depression, guilt, shame or condemnation!

For CHRIST, your LIGHT, has come; and His GLORY IS WITHIN YOU!  God wants you to SHAKE YOURSELF FROM THE DUST of an old-man mentality and from a carnal mindset! He wants you to be free from the man of the dust, ADAM, and arise to a NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! HE wants you to take your seat next to him in heavenly places, where the heavenly man sits, where none of the first man may go. He calls to you this day to loose yourself from the bands of slavery to sin, sickness, disease and death! He wants you to be free! He wants you to be delivered from all the corruptible, mortal, unclean and uncircumcised of a fallen race! He is calling you to arise and shine like the stars of heaven and to be glad and rejoice for the great things He has and is doing for you! HE came to set the captives free, which were you and I! Be the CHURCH God has called you to be! Be the LADY OF THE KING! Wear your new clothes with godly pride!