Preparation Is The Key! Part 2

 36 Then He spoke a parable to them: "No one [g]puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilt, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, [h]and both are preserved. 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, [i]immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is [j]better.'" Luke 5:36-39

Esther's meticulous preparations, in anticipation of King Ahasuerus's selection of a new bride, serve as a profound lesson in the value of readiness for significant events.

I want to compare Esther's heart in getting herself ready to meet the King and Queen Vashti's heart rejecting the King's summoning her to the royal banquet. Their contrasting responses highlight the significance of making the right choices in preparation for significant events.

God the Father wants to deal with the heart. The parable of the new and old wineskin is a good reminder of what will replace the old ways of doing things and step into new revelation on preparing our hearts to draw closer to the King.

Queen Vashti's heart posture is very similar to that of the scribes and Pharisees in dealing with Jesus. The heart issue was pride. I will not change my ways because I am used to how things have always been done. In Vashti's situation, she was already holding a banquet. Why should she drop everything for the King? While scribes and Pharisees have always fasted and prayed a certain way, they questioned Jesus's authority and decision to have his disciples eat and drink, especially with tax collectors and sinners. Esther 1:12, Luke 5:29-33

In contrast to Queen Vashti, Esther would have to have a different heart revelation about preparing herself to see King Ahasuerus. If anyone had the right to reject the King's summons, Esther did. She was living with her uncle Mordecai when she was rounded up with other young women by the King's decree. King Ahasuerus wanted to choose a new bride to replace Queen Vashti. Esther 2:8

Esther would have to undergo preparation time to get herself ready to meet the King. It would require a new structure and a new heart to embrace the new way she would have to live her life. In the same way, we will have to do the same to embrace the new. It requires a new wineskin to embrace the new and living way.

Just like Queen Vashti struggled with King Ahasuerus, the scribes and Pharisees struggled with how Jesus and the disciples needed to follow the traditions of fasting and praying. After the Pharisees complained, Jesus spoke to them about the old and new wineskins in a parable. He understood that they needed new hearts to help open their eyes to see and hear so they could prepare their hearts for a change. They were unwilling to embrace God's plans and purposes for their lives because the scribes and Pharisees were so used to following men's traditions. (Old wineskins) They preferred the old customs of their forefathers instead of following the new and living way that Jesus was showing them.

Esther's example of preparing herself to be the King's bride is the same preparation we will need to step into new wineskins of revelations to allow the Lord to change us from glory to glory. It requires surrendering to his process for our lives.

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. To this day, the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even today, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [b]by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Esther's year-long preparation, a testament to her anticipation and readiness for her presentation to the King, serves as a powerful parallel to the anticipation and readiness we should have for the imminent return of King Jesus. This comparison underscores the urgency of our spiritual readiness to embrace any new wineskin God destined for our lives.

7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev 19:7-8

To God Be The Glory!

Preparation Is The Key! Part 1

 A Time of Preparation!

A significant transition happened in the early part of 2024. During the Jewish festival of Purim, the Holy Spirit revealed His preparation for the Body of Christ. We entered this transition during Purim, or the feast of Purim. The book of Esther provides us with a profound understanding of the essence of Purim. Today, I invite you to step into the Kingdom of God within you and grasp the revelation that Purim was a crucial phase for the Godhead to prepare our lives as believers in Christ!

It's a call to preparation that we must heed!

In the Book of Esther, we read the account of Esther being taken captive along with other beautiful women by King Ahasuerus's decree. The decree was because Queen Vashti had rejected the King's request to come to the feast he was having in his honour.

Queen Vashti made a terrible mistake through her arrogance and complacency. Her behaviour towards the King ended her queenship and ushered in the search for a new bride to become queen.

I believe Queen Vashti is a picture of the church in the Laodicean Church Age, which is ending. We are transitioning into the Kingdom Age, and we see the transition play out in Revelation Chapters 3 and 4.

And to the 'angel of the church in Laodicea ', a heavenly being bringing a message from Jesus identifying the church's spiritual condition, write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Rev 3:14-18

After this, I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow appeared like an emerald around the throne. Rev 4:1-3

In Hebrews chapter 6, the church is not just advised but urgently instructed to leave Christ's elementary principles behind and transition into the power of the age to come.

Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and instruction about washings,[a] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment again. 3 And this we will do if God permits. Hebrews 6:1-3

The kingdom age for the church will focus on our intimacy with the Godhead and focus more on heavenly realms. For far too long, we have focused on the things on Earth. Jesus wants to reveal who we are in heavenly places so we can bring the blueprint from heaven unto the Earth. Jesus revealed that he only does what he sees and hears our Father doing. We should be no different! John 5:19-20, Col 3:1-4

My next blog will discuss how Esther prepared herself to see the King!

Blessings

Wiley