Esther - Good Things Come When We Wait on God 1 - Build Favor to Be Trusted So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. Esther 7:1-3 How much would you have to trust someone to give them half of all you have? The king was a very powerful man. In our day and age, powerful people require spouses to sign a prenup before getting married. Christians should be the most trustworthy and dependable people that our workforce has to offer. Dependability builds trust. 2 - Vengence in Our Hands Will Backfire Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “Moreover, See the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits” And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Esther 7:9-10 When people do us wrong we want to call down fire from heaven, but that is not how that works. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Roman 12:19 God will fight our battles, when we try to take our battles into our own hands, we end up falling into a trap. 3 - God Will Protect His People All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men, Esther 9:3-6 Oftentimes we get ahead of God, and if we would have just waited, he would have worked it out better. If you will wait on the Lord, in his time, and in his season he will bring you a greater increase. What does this mean for us? Are you someone that the leaders above you can trust? Are you trying to take vengeance into your own hands? Are you willing to wait on the Lord for his increase?