Sunday sermon by Pastor Rajesh Mathew, 20 Feb 2022

Esther 7:10- 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.

• It is a message of liberty from the Holy Spirit this morning. You have come to the House of Liberty. The house of the Lord is the House of freedom. You can receive this Word and walk in freedom. Where the spirit of the Lord moves there is liberty. May you experience this liberty in each of your homes.
• Certain chains are breaking his morning. I am hearing sounds of chains breaking from your lives. The chains to destroy you, bind you and oppress you are breaking. Let this morning a morning of liberty.

The Book of Esther shows us three main protagonists:

1. Haman
2. Mordecai
3. The king

MORDECAI- Mordecai was the guardian of Esther. He would pray for her and for the Jewish people. He was a leader among the Jewish people. He was a man who prayed and submitted to God’s presence. Mordecai represents the one who prays and follows God’s laws.

HAMAN is the villain. An Agagite. He was a rich man. The king gave him a lot of freedom. The king gave him blank cheques! Haman represents a demonic power, generational bondages, physical and spiritual enemies.

• The Israelites were seen as second-class citizens in this land. But God sent Esther there and raised her up with his favour. Mordecai started to pray and the situations began to change. • Wherever the Jews were, there they were a nation! They were never slavish to the nations that they were in. They were a generation that were always under the law of the Lord. They lived according to the Law of God no matter where they were.
• It is upon such people that the liberty of the Holy Spirit will come today. It doesn’t matter which land you are in and whose midst you are in, but if you know you God and live by His Word wherever you are, God’s Hand will come upon you.
• One of the laws says that you shall worship and serve only the Lord. You shall not bow down before any animal, idol or any other beast, except before the Lord. Mordecai followed this law. Therefore, no matter how powerful Haman was (despite being the king’s right hand), Mordecai did not bend down before him. Mordecai bent his knees only before the God who created the heaven and the earth. Haman did not like this. He was offended. Haman decided to destroy all the Jewish people, not just Mordecai. Haman got a big noose ready, almost 70 feet high. You could see this noose from anywhere. The entire land could see what would happen if they don't bow down to Haman.

This morning no matter how big a noose the devil has prepared for you, the Lord will destroy his trap. The plans of the devil will not prosper but the Lord’s plans will stand. In the midst of that trap, God will make you stand victorious.

The hanger shall be hanged.

THE KING represents the Lord, the king of kings. This king had a record book. It is a book of remembrance. God doesn't forget what you do for Him.

Hebrews 6: 10 (MSG Bible) God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you have shown Him by helping needy Christians and that you keep at it.

• God doesn't miss anything, even a glass of water you gave for His disciples, the offering you put in the box, on your knees interceding for someone, you bought a chair in church, have done something for God. You may think God doesn't know, but God is saying I don't miss anything.
• You may be a part of media team, worship, administrative, pastoral or intercession teams, God doesn't forget. I don't miss a thing! Do not think that people have not seen or understood the value of what you have done. God sees it! The Lord says, that ‘I will honour you when I look into the Book of records.’

The Lord is saying to someone, I will destroy that which has been prepared to destroy you. Your next level will be revealed.

• Haman represents the forces that try to destroy you or limit your progress. It could be anything. The message Bible uses the word ‘BUILD’. Haman built and gave a lot of thought to destroy Mordecai. He called the architect, engineer, workers to plan that noose.

Whatever has been plotted against you, won't happen in Jesus Name.

• The word says that the king began to be hot in anger. Our king of kings is standing angry against everything that is standing against you. In your business, academic level, future, family life or in health, no matter what forces, traps and demonic attacks are coming against it, know it is the time for your liberty.

It is not the devil’s time but it is the Lord's time.

• It is the time for His liberty. The fire of God, the burning of the Lord is going to make sure that the enemy does not win but you stand victorious.
• There are powers that try to get you into wrong marriages, there are powers that keep you single, barren or attack your business, there are powers that want to limit your growth. The devil uses spiritual forces and people. But if God be for you who can be against you!

You attacker will be attacked and your destroyer will be destroyed because God will fight for you. Give glory to God.

• Haman considered it as a project. He gave it thought and his time. He wanted to put Mordecai into public shame and destruction for not honouring him. In the midst of those forces God will give you victory. He will give you liberty!

Where the Word of the king is there is power.

• There are many who don't honour us. Do we want to kill them all? If that was the case, we would have killed many! Just imagine the wickedness in Haman’s heart.
• You may ask and wonder why the Lord did not destroy that plot at the beginning itself. Why did He have to wait? Why did God allow Haman to prepare the noose in the first place?!

Isaiah 54:17- No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

• GOD will allow that weapon to be formed. God did not intervene at the formative stage but when the devil was about to execute it, then the Lord came down and acted in the midst of it. • They conspired against Daniel, put him in the lion’s den but when the lion was about to attack him, the Lord intervened and said, do not touch him He is my anointed”
• The last moment, God will set you free. In the last moment get ready. The Holy Spirit will bring you out at the last moment, miraculously. Last minute interventions

There are many of you saved by whisker, snatched out of the fire. All those who have that experience, give glory to God!

Thank God for the last moments victories!

• God will rend his anger against the demonic forces and bring you His liberty

• The weapons of the devil will slow you down. They can be physical, emotional, psychological and mental. They can be slander, gossip, tormenting memories, fear of the future, fear of lack, fear of never getting over something. The devil forms these weapons. However, those plans will never prosper. God will act on your behalf.

• Not everybody is on your side. Don’t ever think that everybody is for you. John 15:18- just like I had enemies you too will have on this earth.
• Jesus didn't harm anybody and did evil to no one. Still He had enemies. The spirit of envy and jealousy.
• In Psalm 91 we read that a 1000 may fall at your side and 10000 at your right hand. These are all your enemies. But nothing will touch you. God’s Hand is for you and He will deliver you.

Luke 1:17- That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, • Zachariah is singing this in the spirit.

Sometimes people don’t need big reason to hate you. Sometimes it is flimsy reasons.

I know of a man of God who laughs a lot. People don't like him for that flimsy reason. People are angry that he smiles a lot.

• There are people who will hate you for no reason. In your family, church, neighbourhood and work place. It is a spirit of intimidation. A spirit of hate. A spirit of wickedness (that’s the spirit of Haman). There are people like that who will wait for a chance to come against you.
• But the Word says that ‘No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper’. Any weapon psychological, physical, spiritual. Whatever be the weapon. God is for me. It’s my season to enjoy the liberty of the Holy Spirit of God.

It is my time to enjoy the liberty of the Holy Spirit of God. These days, God will show you who is against you. It is a prophesy for someone

Mordecai did not go around looking for what Haman was going to do. Now all of you don’t go around walking suspiciously.

There are two groups of people in church-assets and liabilities. There are people who only want to take and not add. But there are people who want to add, want to bless.

• Mordecai was not a liability. He was thinking about what to do for the Jewish people. “How can I pray, fast and how can I be an asset to my people and my generation? He is not trying to gather information.
• There are three ways to gather information:

Telephone

Television

Telewoman

• Mordecai started to fast and pray and think.
• The disciples were taught by Jesus to pray and He tells them to pray “Our Father who art in heaven...Your kingdom come and Your will be done”. And only after that “they ask for ‘today’s’ bread! But we are so focused on the bread. All that is in our prayer is bread! Our house work, daughter’s marriage, work promotion etc. But Mordecai was full of thoughts on what to do for his people, for his nation.
• Are you thinking about what you can do for your kingdom and your people? How can I help my pastor? How can is stand with the man of God? If you are one of them, there is an anointing coming of your life.

It is time to focus on your relationship with God

• How was Esther influenced to speak to the King for the Jews? It was Mordecai. • Some Men of God will teach you about giving or about tithing but that is not for you to give them but those are principles that will bless your life. Because if you are strong with God

If you are strong with God, you will not be weak before anybody. You don’t need to bend down before the Hamans.

This morning I see that kind of a strength coming upon people in the Spirit. Fill your church, Lord, with new strength and new power!

• If God is on your side, it doesn’t matter who is against you. If God is your Shepherd then it doesn’t matter who is opposing you. New strength and power today. The Lord is releasing new strength send power over your life.
• If a shadow has to appear, the substance has to be there. Even if you walk in the valley of shadow of death, which means that death was there. Psalm 23 talks about valleys, enemies, darkness, night but the midst of that God is your Shepherd. That was the Psalmist’s focus.
• Jesus is my shepherd and I will focus on him. NO matter what the traps and the enemies are around you. If God be for us, who can be against us. Let the shepherding presence of the Lord come into your room. Somebody from Florida, you are sitting in the bathroom; God is saying that he is your Shepherd. Your blood pressure is coming to normal.

Part time Christianity will not help you.

God has to become your shepherd.

Deuteronomy 20:4- 4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

• It refers to the tangible presence of the Lord. Whether you are going for an interview, a visa interviews, to school, to work, to see the doctor, HE goes with you! Jesus is coming with you to save you, in the midst of the experiences of your battle. As your health, as your partner, as your God He is coming with you.

Romans 8:31- 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

• This issue is that if God is for me who can be against me. What more can I say? • All that matters is that you are with Jesus. People may say negative things about you or your children or your business, but just say this- IF GOD IS FOR ME, WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME!

2 kings 1:10- 10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty

• Such awareness and audacity that you are a man or woman of GOD.
• “If I be a man for God”; not “if I be in the choir, worship team, pastoral team, admin team, am baptised, Sunday school teacher”. This is what is missing in the church- that consciousness, awareness and audacity.
• God and man. If you are Born again, Christ in you the hope of glory. Not you but the Christ in you must show forth. It is Christ in you that battles the enemy, not you!

God and man = man of God.

• If man manifests then there is a problem. But if God (in you) manifests then there is liberty! • Just say, “Not me but God must manifest forth in this situation.”
• If I be and not we be.
• We easily say "we”, because it is corporate and it’s easier. But if I be a Man of God. Is it you? • If God is with me, His presence is with me, it doesn't matter what the challenges are. God will work in your midst and resolve every problem for you. His Holy Spirit will move in that situation and bring His freedom.
• Look at the boldness of Elijah.

Verses 11and 12- 11 Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. 12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

• The devil is shameless. He can keep coming back to you to attack you. The king once again sends fifty men. And Elijah says, If I be the man of God. Sometimes you have to say it to yourself, if I be a child of God, if I be a chosen one of God, if I be the man of God, If God is inside of me, Great is the one who is in me than the one in the world.”
• Don’t be overwhelmed by your problems. But remind yourself who you are and who is Christ in you. You have to sometimes remind yourselves. "If I be!"
• Elijah did not look for who will help him or who can support him. But he said, If I am a man of God”. Elijah did not say, let me see who can back me up and help me in this situation.

If I be a man of God.

• 50 people came to catch him. That's when he says this. When you say ‘if I be a man of God’, the confidence that comes is REAL! We think of calling the police or the prayer line. It could be

poverty, envy, whatever be the issue, you do not fight against flesh and blood bur against the devil and spirits of wickedness. In the midst of that say “IF I BE”, God’s fire will descend.

If the fire of the Holy Spirit descends, that’s all you need. Let the fire of Holy Spirit burn away every burden in your life. You stay as a man or woman of God, you stand close with God!

Genesis 22:6- Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together,

• Abraham' went up with Isaac. We see two kinds of burdens here. A physical and external burden of Isaac as he carried the wood on his shoulders. This was a burden seen. An emotional, internal burden that Abraham was silently carrying within him. This was the burden unseen.
• Whatever be the burden that you may be carrying, it is through the 1) activation of your faith statement and the 2) Fire of the Holy Spirit that every burden is consumed. • That's what Abraham did- He carried the fire and he said, we shall go yonder, worship and come back. Speak the promises of God with your mouth and remember that God's fire will consume every burden.

In Benin city in Nigeria, 9000 witches were planning a conference and a man of God said it will not happen and the witches claimed that even God would not be able to stop it! When the media asked the Man of God about this, he responded to the media that God needn’t get involved in this. He was more than enough to stop it. It has been 25 years and the conference has not happened still. Why? Because what the man of God spoke under the fire of the Holy Spirit and under the authority God had placed over him, no enemy could thwart.

It is your time to walk free by the fire of the Holy Spirit.