Reverse
Part 4 – Your Reverse?
I. Introduction
We have been talking about the idea of Reverse for the last three weeks based on my experience wrestling as young man.
So once again here is your crash course in wrestling. If you manage to take your opponent down to the ground from a standing position you have scored a “Takedown” and you are awarded 2 points. If you can then turn that opponent onto his back you are awarded back points of either 3 or 5 points depending on how long you can hold them in that position. If you can put both shoulder blades on the mat you have scored a pin and the match is over. There are 2 other main scoring options that take place once a person has been taken down. If a wrestler, after being taken down, gets away from his opponent and regains his feet then he has “Escaped” and gets 1 point. If a wrestler is taken down, but then turns the tables on the opponent and switches positions into a controlling position he has scored a “Reverse” and receives 2 points. So a reverse is worth more points.
So here are the lessons in a quick review:
1. Quit quitting
2. Don’t settle for an escape.
3. Don’t focus on the cant’s. Take care of the cans.
4. Timing is essential – you don’t have the right time if you have to break God’s rules to do what you want to do or if you cover up what you are doing.
5. Many of us need a reverse because we have failed to guard our strength.
6. Things grow back into our lives.
7. Your disappointment may just be His appointment.
To be honest with you I have really struggled with how to close this series. When you survey the pages of Scripture there is a reverse story on almost every page. I wanted to talk to you about Jonah because I wanted to tell someone that you won’t be spit up until you straighten up. I thought about the 3 Hebrew Children and realized than a lot of us are only satisfied with a reverse that takes place before the pain and they teach us that a reverse sometimes comes after the trial is over. I thought about the woman caught in adultery. Her reverse teaches us that sometimes it is good to get caught and that God’s grace can override man’s judgment.
However, after really thinking about it I have settled on a familiar story as the one which teaches us the final lessons that we need to know about a reverse.
II. Text
Esther 2:17
17The king fell in love with Esther far more than with any of his other women or any of the other virgins—he was totally smitten by her. He placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
Esther 3:1-6, 13-14
1-2Some time later, King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, making him the highest-ranking official in the government. All the king’s servants at the King’s Gate used to honor him by bowing down and kneeling before Haman—that’s what the king had commanded. 2-4Except Mordecai. Mordecai wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t bow down and kneel. The king’s servants at the King’s Gate asked Mordecai about it: "Why do you cross the king’s command?" Day after day they spoke to him about this but he wouldn’t listen, so they went to Haman to see whether something shouldn’t be done about it. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5-6 When Haman saw for himself that Mordecai didn’t bow down and kneel before him, he was outraged. Meanwhile, having learned that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman hated to waste his fury on just one Jew; he looked for a way to eliminate not just Mordecai but all Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
13-14 Bulletins were sent out by couriers to all the king’s provinces with orders to massacre, kill, and eliminate all the Jews—youngsters and old men, women and babies—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar, and to plunder their goods.
Esther 7:1-10
1-2 So the king and Haman went to dinner with Queen Esther. At this second dinner, while they were drinking wine the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what would you like? Half of my kingdom! Just ask and it’s yours." 3 Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the king, give me my life, and give my people their lives. 4 "We’ve been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed—sold to be massacred, eliminated. If we had just been sold off into slavery, I wouldn’t even have brought it up; our troubles wouldn’t have been worth bothering the king over." (Timing) 5 King Xerxes exploded, "Who? Where is he? This is monstrous!" 6 "An enemy. An adversary. This evil Haman," said Esther. Haman was terror-stricken before the king and queen. 9 Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, spoke up: "Look over there! There’s the gallows that Haman had built for Mordecai, who saved the king’s life. It’s right next to Haman’s house—seventy-five feet high!" The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So Haman was hanged on the very gallows that he had built for Mordecai. And the king’s hot anger cooled.
II. The Reverse Story
If you have never read the Book of Esther you are missing an entire saga of reverse after reverse. Esther is an orphan. So her uncle Mordecai raises her as his own. When the King’s wife Vashti refused to respond to him when he called for her he had the Queen killed. Mordecai brings Esther into the palace and she wins the favor of the King’s staff and ultimately the king himself. So much so she is made queen. From an orphan to a queen . . . that is a reverse! If you know Jesus that is your story too! Mordecai and Esther learn of plot to kill the king and they expose the plot and save the king’s life. Then Haman comes into the picture. A man full of pride, ego, greed, and hungry for power. He is the highest ranking person in the government next to the king. However, Mordecai refused to bow to him. So Haman hatches a plan to kill, not only Mordecai, but the entire race of Jews. Mordecai tells Esther and encourages her to intervene with the now famous line “For such a time as this!” Esther appeals to the king and exposes the plot of Haman and Haman is hung on the gallows he had planned to hang Mordecai on . . . a reverse. The enemy’s tool of destruction used to destroy the enemy. (Turn around) No weapon formed against us shall prosper . . . it won’t work.
a. Sometimes you need a reverse and don’t know it.
Here is the truth . . . Esther wasn’t aware and didn’t even recognize that she needed a reverse! She was oblivious to the situation! She was just living her normal, cocooned life, favored, and blessed life and was totally unaware that there needed to be a turn-around!
Some of you are so used to living bound, defeated, and at a level less than what Jesus has provided that you don’t even know you are living in that condition. Have you ever met anyone who was bound and didn’t know it? Ever met anyone that had become so comfortable in dysfunction and so used to chaos that they had no clue there was a better way? Ever met someone who was right on the brink of disaster and had no clue?
Julie likes to watch the show called “Intervention”. Those are some folks that should know they need a reverse, but most think it is normal! Some of you need an intervention! You have accepted your defeat, your bondage, and your sin!
There are times in your life when you will need a reverse and you won’t even know it. You thought every marriage was this bad. You thought everyone struggled with this temptation. You are convinced that barely surviving was the normal way to live.
That is why you need folks in your life that have perspective! Esther would have never known she needed a reverse if it had not been for Mordecai! You need someone in your life that can shake you awake! You need someone in your life that can slap you to your senses and remind you that it doesn’t have to be this way, go this way, and stay this way! You need some God sent folks who can blow the whistle on areas of bondage with which you have grown comfortable!
Get you an uncle! Get you an aunt. Get you a mentor. Get you a real friend. Get someone who will refuse to let you stay defeated. Get someone in your life who will not allow you to settle for some freedom! Get someone in your life that can call your stupidity, stupid and your sin, sin! If you don’t have someone in your life to whom you give this kind of permission, then you are destined to miss a reverse that you need! Too often God sends us folks like this and we hate them. We blow them off. We run from and avoid them! They are a great gift from God.
Every wrestler needs someone on the sidelines who can see what he can’t see. A good wrestling coach yells out warnings to his wrestler. Watch out for the fireman’s carry. Watch out for the switch. He can also call out openings. Shoot! Head shuck! Head lock! You need a spotter in your life who can see the attack coming and warn you! You need a spotter who can see/discern the opportunities that are opening for you to gain the upper hand!
b. If you are going to get a reverse you have got to approach the King!
This may be one of the most important lessons I have taught you about a reverse so far. Because many would tell you that a reverse is based on information. If you could just understand your situation better. If you could just learn more about your issue. Some would say your reverse is contingent upon more knowledge. If you would just get smarter. Just study your sickness. Learn the technical aspects of your bondage.
I want you to clearly hear me say that I am for information, education, and knowledge. However, I also want you to hear me clearly say that your freedom, your victory, your reverse will not come by might, by power, a diploma, or training. Your reverse will be executed if you can learn this lesson . . . it isn’t what you know it is who you know. If you want to see a reverse accomplished in your circumstance it won’t happen cause you know me. It won’t happen because you know some great saint. It won’t happen because you learn about the King, talk about the King, or sing about the King. Your reverse will take place when and only when you get to the King!
Hanging out in the palace isn’t good enough. Hearing others talk to the King isn’t good enough. You are going to have to make up your mind to get to the King for yourself! You are going to have to get Esther’s mindset! “I will get to the king even if it costs me everything!”
The only solution to your battle with drugs is the King!
The only remedy for your disease is the King!
The only healing for your marriage is the King!
The only provision for your budget will come from the King!
The only cure for your depression is the King!
The only correction for your sorry attitude is the King!
The only answer for your lack of talent, knowledge, beauty, right environment, or any other excuse you have is a face to face encounter with the King!
Some of you just need to approach the King. You have turned to everything and everyone else to try to get the reverse that you so desperately need! It is time to approach the King! It kills me that some of you so desperately need a reverse and you will do everything in your ability . . . you will skip opportunities, you will distract yourself, you will refuse to participate . . . to miss an encounter with Him! And by doing so you stay bound! Hoping you will find some other way. There is no other way! Get in His face and see if things don’t turn around! (This is one reason the retreat is so important!)
c. Your reverse isn’t just for you!
Think just a moment about the implications of a missed reverse! What would have happened if Esther had failed to get to the king? What if Esther had been more concerned about her own well being? What if Esther had been satisfied with her situation? What if Esther was too proud to expose the need?
Some of you need a reverse so bad, but you have come to the conclusion this is just about you and since it is just about you it doesn’t really matter. I will just learn to deal with it. I will just accept it. I will just give up!
This isn’t just your reverse. In Esther’s case it was an entire nation. In your case it may be one person . . . your spouse, your kids . . . your aunt.
My question to you today is who is about to perish behind you? Who is going to endure the consequences? Who is going to be destroyed? Whose life will spiral out of control? Whose future will look dramatically darker? Whose hope will die? Whose pursuit of God will end?
Do you really think God wants to step in and execute a reverse just for you? Could it be that He wants to break your addiction so that your spouse and children won’t walk the same road? Could it be that He wants to reverse the direction of your marriage for the sake of another couple that is watching how you deal with your struggles? It could be that He wants to turn your depression around so that your coworker will see that depression doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Maybe He wants to turn your sickness around so that someone else can learn to believe in miracles. Maybe He wants to turn your grades around so some other kid that struggles will see that with hard work and God’s help they can make it out too! Your reverse isn’t just for you!
It might be OK for you stay bound if it was just about you! But it isn’t! Fight to get your reverse because the fate of others is in your hands! Who is in your hands?
