Yielding vs. Fighting - Amanda Taylor

Amanda Taylor

Yielding vs. Fighting / Feasting vs. Digging / Saying Yes vs. Saying No

 

Text: Revelation 4.1-2, John 12.1-7, Esther 4.10-17

 

“In” the spirit: referring to fountains, springs, wells, stationary, in a specified position, could be used as a landmark or monument, something at rest

 

You may have walked your way into what you’ve experienced thus far, but you will have to be carried into what you’re born for.

 

We treat the word like a magic 8 ball, asking until we find the answer we were looking for. We approach the word looking for confirmation for the decisions we’ve already made. Stop seeking understanding and start seeking Him. Western culture tells us that we have to understand before we believe. Middle eastern culture tells us that we believe first and then understanding comes.

 

He calls us to lean into the table. Feast on His word instead of digging. Operate out of a posture of rest.

 

Are you the one anointing Jesus’ feet or the one asking why? Are you experiencing excess worship or offense? Judas could only see the value of the gift but not the value of the recipient. His actions were saying that Jesus was not worth the cost.

 

What has more value: the things you seek or the One you seek?

 

The book of Esther starts with someone making a choice that was not Esther. If your approach to leadership is out of chaos instead of rest, then your house will operate out of chaos. The anointing that lives in you is the answer to the unrest and chaos.

 

Queen Vashti had a feast without the King. He calls her out of her inferior feast up to his feast. He didn’t want her to walk into the banquet; he wanted her to be carried in by the seven eunuchs. The other women also rejected the kings invitation; they were more comfortable in each other’s presence.

 

Your King wants to carry you into His presence and crown you. Queen Vashti refused to be carried and lost her authority, her inheritance, and her ability to stand before the king.

 

The only way to be carried is to yield. Yield: to give way to demands and pressure. We celebrate Samson for his strength and hand-to-hand combat as a warrior but Esther is never described as a warrior.

 

Is the sword our Savior or is Jesus? We celebrate scars but not those who yield and let Jesus fight the battles for them. Esther’s strength was proximity to the king. We think it’s easier to fight a battle than to say yes to God. What other warrior single-handedly stopped a holocaust? Esther did.

 

Samson had a no vow- to say no to the world. Esther had a yes vow- to say yes to the king.

 

Samson’s victory was out of line with his vow and covenant. He vowed to touch no dead thing yet fought with the jawbone of a donkey. Samson’s legacy ended with him losing his vision and his own death.

 

Esther produced through intimacy what Samson could not produce through physical strength. Esther’s legacy saved a nation and her son King Darius II rebuilt the temple.

 

Sometimes it’s easier to use the sword than the spirit. Sometimes we would rather cut. Samson’s vow was built on resisting but Esther’s vow was built on yielding.

 

Your worship is connected to the things you yielded to, not the things you resisted.

 

You may have walked your way into what you’ve experienced thus far, but you will have to be carried into what you’re born for.

 

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