HOLY CONSPIRACY
Esther 3:1-11, 4:15-17
Today I want to talk to you about “Holy Conspiracy.” Somebody told me that any serious inquiry begins with the dictionary. So I grab my Webster Dictionary and look up the word. Here is what I found.
Conspiracy - A plan or agreement formulated, especially in secret by two or more persons to commit an unlawful, harmful, treacherous (deceitful), or evil act aimed at achieving personal advantage.
In other words evil people are planning to hurt you for their benefit.
We have all kind of conspiracy today from controlling oil prices, to overthrowing a government.
Children usually think that their parents are conspiring to make their lives uncomfortable and unhappy. Mom and dad are working on the same goal Yes! You can’t wear that jeans, I am not paying the cell phone bill, you can’t have that sleep out with your friends, you must clean your room or no allowance, if you don’t finish your home work you can’t watch that TV show.
Most parents that I know want the best for their children. But that’s not how it is communicate and that’s not what the children get. They see a conspiracy. Their parents want rule their lives to look good in the public.
Children usually conspire against their parents – How many of you watch Parent Trap? It is full of conspiracy. Twin sister conspire to make the life of their intended step mother unpleasant as they were on a hunting trip. What the real parents thought was a conspiracy was a plan to bring them back together.
• Conspiracy in school – some kids are given special privileges while others are not.
• Conspiracy at the job – you know that people are getting ahead of you will less education and experience and you are just stuck there.
• Conspiracy at the hospital – you are waiting in line and those who come after you are going ahead of you because they know somebody.
• Conspiracy against you because you obey God and worship him. You use a waist belt instead of letting your oversize pants fall to your knees; you come to church and sing and pray instead of resorting to your bed room with your lap top watching porn. You carry a bible instead of a knife or gun or drugs in school. You fall to your knees and cry out to God in prayer when your husband or wife is unfaithful instead of hanging around with hookers at the bar. You change your diet, and ask the church to pray for you instead of commit suicide when they doctor told you that you have a hole in your heart, or you have to cut off parts of your body because of cancer, or amputate your leg because of diabetes or your kidneys are failing and you have to be on the donor’s list. You claim the promises of God when your house is heading for foreclosure and you lose your job and the conspirators are saying to you its because of your religious life. Or you lose a son and daughter in death and the conspirators are telling you have to see and obeah man or witch doctor to break the spell. There seems to be a whole ton of conspirators trying to destroy you and they seem have fun doing it.
• Conspiracy in the church – to keep your blessing from flowing and your talents from using.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE LIVING IN A CONSPIRACY.
I got some good advice from a good friend - “Learn the rules, obey the rules and stay out of trouble.” Good advice, isn’t it? It’s good for ordinary people. They live an ordinary life without hurting anyone or getting into trouble.
I learned the rules and obey the rules and stay out of trouble but sometimes I feel like there is a conspiracy against me as I drive around town.
Conspiracy, conspiracy all around the city! Makes me remember a huge conspiracy in the Bible in the book of Esther. A wicked prince named Haman decided to kill a Jew name Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down and worship him. Haman got so mad that he decided not only to kill Mordecai all the Jews living in Persia. He was like a Hitler. He bribe dthe King of Persia Ahasuerus (Xerxes) with ten thousand talents of silver and got the king to sign into law that all the Jews were to be killed on a certain day. At the advice of his wife, Zeresh, he built a gallows to hang Mordecai. It was a conspiracy with his wife, his friends and even the king to destroy the Jews.
But there was a Jewish young lady named Hadasah or Esther. She was beautiful, and was the wife of the king. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai when her parents died and was obedient to him like a daughter to a father. When she heard the news of this conspiracy she he did not use her beauty to charm the king, she did not use her popularity to stir up the seven princes against Haman. She did not even tried to raise more money than Haman to pay the price Haman had set on the heads of every Jew.
Here is what she did. She told her servants to tell Mordecai this "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" Esther 4:16. A battle was about to begin. A Holy Conspiracy was about to explode against the enemy of God’s people.
You see ordinary people would be satisfy with just the ordinary but here is an extra ordinary woman who was willing to set herself above the ordinary. She was expecting great things from God and so she was attempting great things for God. No wonder her story was written in ten chapters in the Bible. No wonder preachers are preaching about her. No wonder the Jews all over the world celebrates a holiday called Purim in honor of her. She was a mover and a shaker. Here is what she did against her conspirators. Simple things.
1. She Prayed – Talk to God first before she talk to the king.
2. She fasted from food and liquid – she refused to listen to anybody even herself. Fasting takes you away for self and focuses you on higher power.
3. She approached her situation (conspirators) boldly and with a counter plan. For three days and three nights some holy conspiracy was going on. All the Jews who were present in Shusan were not eating and drinking for three days and three nights. This holy conspiracy was even extended to the palace. Remember our definition conspiracy has to be secretive. Esther and her maids were also fasting. Esther 4:16. The Holy Conspiracy extended to heaven and angels were sent to disturb the king’s sleep – 6:1. – And remind him that Mordecai has saved him from death when two of his servants were trying to kill him. Holy conspiracy was at work to have Mordecai elevated as second to king and Haman honoring him. Holy conspiracy was at work to have Haman and his ten sons hung on the Gallows that he had made for Mordecai. Holy conspiracy saved the Jews from annihilation. 75, 000 conspirators were killed (9:16) and the Jews held a day of feasting (9:17, 18).
4. Esther watched as God fought her battles. See what three days of fasting and prayer could do? It moved the hand of God to fight for the people of God.
The message is clear when people conspire against you, take up your arms and begin a holy conspiracy against them and watch your enemies fall one by one. Here is what Paul said to the Ephesians in chapter 6.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
As I close, Jesus faced the greatest conspiracy of all. And he faced it for you and me. The religious leaders, the Jews, his very own people, whom he did so many good things for –conspire against him and crucified him. Never mind; go ahead drive the nails in his hands; go ahead place the crown thorns upon his head; go ahead spit on his face; go ahead mock him; go ahead pierced his side with a spear; go ahead hang him on a cruel Roman cross; go ahead place him in a tomb and seal it with a huge stone; go ahead place armed guard around the tomb. Go ahead conspire to destroy him for your advantage.
But don’t be deceived because when you are conspiring to kill him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit and Gabriel and the whole heavenly host is having a meeting up in heaven , they are engaged in a Holy Conspiracy, they are conspiring to save sister Bibi; they are conspiring to save brother Charles. They are looking at their calendar, it’s Friday and Gabriel wants to snatch the spear off the soldier hand, but God says wait on. Saturday came, the angels were not singing this Sabbath. They folded their wings and counting the hours. They are looking at the clock ticking and ticking away to midnight Saturday. They are still watching the clock. Sunday morning came and Gabriel with lightening speed, even before the morning breaks, met a resurrected living Jesus who said to him. It’s done, done. I have set the sinners free from all earthly conspiracy. As long as they abide in me and I abide in them they have nothing to fear. Because I have not given them the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind. I have set the sinners free from all conspiracy.
Brothers and sisters we are living in a conspiracy, in fact we are living in a great controversy between Jesus and Satan between God’s people and those who are controlled by Satan. But we know the end of the story. The very back of the Bible Revelation 22:20 – Jesus says “Surely I am coming quickly.” And John added Even so, come Lord Jesus. Jesus will win. On Jesus side you will win. On Satan side you bound to lose. Whose side do you want to be today?
