The Month of Adar, Purim and THE FIGHT FOR JOY
Ezer Kenegdo is anointed and appointed to ABIDE in the power of The Holy Spirit. That is, she is to REMAIN AWARE and keep her face TOWARD The Light at all times. We cannot afford to look away.
This is the Jewish month of Adar, having just entered Adar II (Adar 1 last month as it is a Jewish leap year). Read/listen to the book of Esther and consider its deep meaning.
You’ve heard it said that ‘G-d’ isn’t mentioned anywhere in this book. YET HE IS EVERYWHERE within those who have a ‘following spirit’!
Numbers 14:24 – NAS – “But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.”
‘acher – ‘following’
אַחֵר
Please consider the Book of Esther this weekend and see what you hear!
The word ADAR, some say means STRENGTH (some say it means SPLENDOR or RADIANCE). Either way, we can see the association. Adar is known as THE MONTH OF JOY – ‘the JOY of ADONAI is our STRENGTH’ (Neh. 8:10). JOY and STRENGTH are interrelated.
We are entering the SECOND MONTH OF JOY!
We celebrate PURIM during this month as well. The POWER of ISHAH is incredibly manifest throughout this Book. The POWER FOR GOOD and the power for evil emanates from WOMAN (Haman usually gets all the credit for being evil, but actually READ/LISTEN TO the account!).
Esther is the story of two VERY different women with very different agendas and from two opposing kingdoms: The Wise Brave Esther and the foolish cowardly wife of Haman, Zeresh.
It was Esther’s ACTIVE BRAVERY that ‘reversed the evil decree’ put upon them through the instigation of Haman’s jealous wife ZERESH. Haman carried it out, but it was Zeresh (and friends) who encouraged him along this path of wickedness. Haman was a weak man.
WHO WOULDN’T CELEBRATE WITH GREAT JOY AT THE VICTORY OF REVERSING THE EVIL DECREE? However, it took great WISDOM and BRAVERY – ‘the following spirit’. JOY is fought for. It is fruit brought forth from VICTORIOUS battle of ‘doing GOOD’ in the Spirit.
Our ‘fight for joy’ isn’t imaginary! It is ADONAI’s JOY that IS our very ‘weapon’ or strength. What does this mean for you?
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) – Nehemiah 8:10
10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat rich food, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who can’t provide for themselves; for today is consecrated to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of Adonai is your strength.”
Esther had no real way of knowing HOW her adherence to DOING GOOD would accomplish a joyful victory for her and the Jewish people. She had ‘a following spirit’, however, and actively agreed with G-d…bravely.
Megillat Esther reveals a time of not only ‘prayer and fasting’, but of ACTION. In these acts of ACCOMPLISHING GOOD, she along with her relative Mordechai ‘reversed the curse’ upon them all.
So, my question to you ISHAH, is simply ‘HOW can we LIVE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT in such a way to effectuate JOY in our hearts and in our homes’?
For the JOY of ADONAI is our strength!
