WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU?

If you were outside your home and saw your child walking too close to the road, you would run after your child and get their attention with spoken words, right? No good parent wants their child’s life cut short. You would yell “No,” rather quickly and not think twice about it…for sure. 

You will take a stand if you are going to lose everything. You will take a stand when you align yourself with God and see people walking down a wrong path. 

If you were clipping limbs off a tree and a copperhead snake slivered out, would you pet it and invite it in for dinner or cut the head off? You either have to stand up to evil or be bitten. Satan is mad and there is a real war raging over the future of America and the nations, over the culture, over destiny and the prophetic. Satan knows his time is short. 

Laws have been changed to go against God’s Word, bills that appear good for the people but bring about destruction and ruin are in place, and like the leadership had to be changed in the time of Daniel, we need a change in some areas as well. (See Daniel chapter 1). Daniel and his friends faced the opportunity to please God or please mankind. For Daniel, he chose to obey God. 

Satan knows how to cleverly disguise something to appear good, to save us money or make it appear that way, but in the end to bring about destruction. Any time a person is moved by padding their own pockets, and do not care about the good of the people, it is an evil plot. 

Esther encountered such a time as this recorded in the Bible. God saved the Jewish people because Esther chose to stand up and take a risk.

In our culture and media, God’s name is mentioned with little reverence. Only in the midst of tragedy did the nation turn to God on September 11, 2001 for about three weeks. Satan has infiltrated the minds of people to even state that people who hear God have some type of mental illness. 

Instead of allowing the enemy to devour and destroy us, it’s time for pest control. Get rid of fear, doubt, and unbelief. Run the enemy out of your mind and heart. Take a stand and speak truth in love. 

If at any time any of us get more concerned about money than we are souls, we are in trouble. If a pastor won’t speak truth to a person because he or she is one of their biggest givers in the church, or speak to friends and family who go against God’s Word, it is no different than big government that is more concerned with profit than the people they are called to serve. 

Fear can prevent any of us from taking a risk and taking a stand. It’s time for all people to know that we can live and have abundant life in Christ—but the world system and God’s ways are not the same. 

God’s ways are always best. Our view of Him impacts three areas of our lives. First, our prayers. When we recognize His greatness and power, we will become more confident that He can accomplish mighty things—(Ephesians 3:20; James 4:2). 

Second, our understanding of God’s righteousness and His goodness influences our behavior. As we desire to be more Christlike, if we want to be blessed by Him, then it is in our best interest to quickly obey Him and His Word. As we desire to be like Him, to desire righteousness, we will be quick to repent of sin instead of blaming people, manipulating, and acting out in the flesh. 

Third, our faith is highly impacted. Knowing that God can be trusted, that we know He is good and wants the best for us, causes us to fully trust Him. Knowing God and remembering His awesome acts on behalf of all mankind and those in our personal lives will build our confidence in Him. 

The Bible says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).  Who on earth would not want eternal life in Christ? 

God’s name was not mentioned in the entire book of Esther but His Hand was evident throughout. God is awesome. He is forever to be praised. He saves His people. 

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews. Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period. Esther, who chose to take a stand shows the leading role she played in saving her people. She chose. She took a risk. 

Look at her background for a moment. “Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died” (Esther 2:7). 

Take time to read the Book of Esther. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to come under His Mighty Hand—the Holy Spirit, Prayer, the Word of God, the five-fold ministry, and the brethren. Don’t allow the enemy of your soul to isolate you from those you love. Satan is evil and always scheming to take God’s people out.

Our rights come from God, not from government. Every living human being has a soul. God has a plan and a purpose for every person…it’s up to us as individuals to make the choice to obey God or not, to receive the gift of eternal life or not. Will you choose? What will it take for you? 

Stand strong, take a stand, step out and take a risk with God. When we wholeheartedly align ourselves with God…we stand with Him. We cooperate with His plan and purposes in the earth. Since God is for us, nothing can be against us. I have read the end of the Bible—and it ends well. How will your story end? 

God is raising up precious men and women of God who will take a stand with Him, and spread the message of hope in God—the Blessed Hope—Jesus Christ! The Promises of God are “yes” and “amen.” God’s best is stored up for you. Yes, you will have to overcome obstacles and opposition in order to lay hold on all God has for you. Meditate upon God’s Word. Pray the Word and obey God’s instructions. Get His Word on the inside and then share it with the world about you. The Word of God will sustain you through the fire, through the storms, and while you are fighting the good fight of faith required to lay hold of all God has promised. 

Share the Word…tell your children and grandchildren. Tell your family, friends, and those who come against you. Tell the world about Jesus! 

God may have called you to take a stand in the realm of government, He may have called you to do full-time ministry, or start your own business. God may have you homeschooling your kids, raising your family to know God or you may be a full-time parent and work a full-time job as well. God’s plan and purpose for you is good…the most important thing you will ever do is fully and wholeheartedly receive and align yourself with God through Jesus Christ! The second most important thing is living that life out before the world around you…will you take a stand for Christ? 

Love,

Deborah

Books by Dr. Deborah Starczewski…available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.starministriesinc.com and other distributors.

GOD’S PRICELESS TREASURE (How To Overcome Challenges, Be Transformed, And Know Your Purpose)….learn how to move from drama to destiny, a mess to a message, pain to purpose, and trials to triumph through turning to Jesus Christ. 

 A LEAP OF FAITH (25 Days At The Mercy Seat)….read the amazing accounts of how God intervened, raised my husband from death, healed him from two strokes, and walked with us through two open-heart surgeries at Mercy. The natural manifestations and extreme details revealed will give you hope to believe God for yourself, for your family, and the nations.

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (Will America Turn Back To God?)….we are living in the Last Days…before the return of Jesus Christ….make sure of your relationship with Jesus and lead your family and friends to Him. You are a world-changer!