Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” Esther 6:12-13 (NLT)
The king’s honor certainly didn’t go to Mordecai’s head. He returned to his post at the king’s gate where he had been keeping a watchful eye over Esther and had been mourning for the fate of his people. Mordecai didn’t brag to his friends. He didn’t see victory over the impending evil. Mordecai kept this honor in the proper perspective. He had done the right thing in reporting the plot against the king, and now he received the king’s reward. But, that’s as far as it went. It was back to business.
While we might have expected Mordecai to have an emotional outburst of celebration, it’s Haman whose emotions are out of control. The plan that Haman had so carefully woven now had him completely tied up in knots. All of his plotting fueled by selfish motives was now beginning to work against him. Mordecai wasn’t more strategic than Haman. Mordecai’s God was greater than the evil in Haman’s heart. Evil is not overcome with cleverness. Evil is overcome with good (Romans 12:21).
Often we get caught up in the motives and actions of other people. Some people seem so opposed to us that we might even consider them to be our enemies. But, people are not our enemies. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). How much time do we waste struggling with flesh and blood? How much of our energy is devoted to outwitting other people? What if that energy was directed toward drawing closer to God?
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). Just as Mordecai depended on the promises that his faithful God made to His people, we must depend on the promises God has made to us. Our defense is found in God’s Word, prayer, His righteousness and salvation, faith and truth (Ephesians 6:13-17).
Who are you ready to go to battle against today? Is this really your battle to fight? Could this just be a distraction from what God really wants to accomplish in your life? Have you given this situation over to God?
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