When we read the story of Queen Esther, we find that when she lifted her problem to God and asked Him for help, something amazing happened. A heavenly kind of peace came upon her. It was the kind of peace 1 Peter 3:4 refers to as “… the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God” (Amp).
That peace had such a powerful effect on the king that when Esther put on her royal robes and walked into his court, he not only held out to her the golden scepter indicating that she was welcome there, he said, “What will you have Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to half of the kingdom” (Esther 5:3).
Peace put Esther in charge of the situation! Suddenly, instead of groveling at the king’s feet like others had to do, she found herself standing in a position of rulership with the king offering to give her half the country.
Such a thing was unheard of in that culture! Women in Esther’s day— especially in the heathen nation of Persia—were treated as little more than slaves. Considering the fact that Esther had come waltzing into the king’s court without his bidding, it would have been remarkable if he had given her so much as a new pair of shoes or a nice tiara. But half the country? That was nothing less than supernatural.
And it didn’t happen because Esther was somebody special. It happened because she followed God’s instructions. Instead of worrying, she prayed and brought the peace of God on the scene.
You can do the same thing.
When you find yourself in trouble and you’re tempted to fall apart, you can pray instead of fretting and being anxious. You can make your desires known to God, thank Him in advance for answering your prayer, and receive the peace that He gives you.
If you do, you too will enjoy the supernatural favor of the King; and rather than groveling under your circumstances, you’ll end up ruling over them by His authority. You’ll discover just as Esther did that peace truly does put you in charge!
Scripture Reading: Esther 5:1 – 6:14
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”