Worship
“Son of Suffering” by David Funk, featuring Matt Redman
Scripture
“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”” -Esther 4:14 (ESV)
“And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.” -Hosea 2:19-20 (ESV)
“All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.” -Psalm 45:13-15 (ESV)
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” -Ephesians 1:11 (ESV)
“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;” -Revelation 19:6-7 (ESV)
Called for Purpose
Before you read any further, let the worship song lay the foundation for what I am bringing to you this morning. Everything Jesus did on the cross for you makes these words your truest reality! You are His royal princess, positioned, called, and clothed for royalty and a royal destiny.
You have been positioned in your unique place of influence.
No one can reach the exact people that God has specifically set around you. They are yours to bring Christ to. You are the answer to them because you have the answer for them! It may take courage and boldness on your part, but for those God has assigned to you to love and care for and influence, it’s time to bring them even more of Jesus. It could cost you your reputation and even your life, but God placed you right where you are for a specific time and purpose. I had a dream early this morning, and the man in my dream said to me, “We are the answer.” I knew he was referring to all believers. So it’s crucial to get this truth deep in our bones.
Our Eternal Identity
You have an identity that is for all of eternity.
You are the royalty of God. He gave His life to clothe you in His holiness and righteousness and purity. You bear His image and marked and sealed in Him by His Spirit. You are His adopted daughter, and He is your King and Father. You sit not at the table of the broken and fatherless but at the table of the King who declares His daughter whole and healed and set free. Esther could choose to blend in with the other concubines, but God set her apart to bring salvation to a nation. She stood out among all the women, which is the same gift God has for you. Some of us just need to put our royal robes back on and stop blending in with the world. He is calling us to live and dress in our identity, sisters! We have been crowned by Jesus, made to be His Bride and the princess of the King!
You have been prepared for this moment, right now!
Just like the man in my dream said to me, “We are the answer, “ I say it to you! You have received salvation and deliverance so that you can bring it to others. God’s people must awaken to the truth that we are royalty with the ability to bring hope and salvation to desperate and dying people. It’s your inheritance, and it’s your destiny!
We are sitting on a gold mine of promise and identity in this truth that should determine not only how we see ourselves but how we are walking out our days right now. It should impact how we are praying and viewing our role in this current atmosphere. Glorious princess, arise! It’s time to walk forth with assurance and conviction and confidence and high regard. The Lord wants you to know who you are and the role of leadership and position you have been called to! It’s not up for debate based on earning and performance; it’s your identity based on the cross of Christ! Your worth and value and calling and position are firmly fixed!
The Foundation of Identity
I did a little research on what defines a princess. Here’s what Meriam-Webster said: “a woman having sovereign power; a female member of a royal family; the consort of a prince; one likened to a princess, especially a woman of high rank or high standing in her class or profession.” Even scripturally, all of these things are true of you.
When the Lord woke me up and had me begin with Esther in order to formulate the truth of this devotional, I had a clear sense that He wants us to know this now. I was joyous with the revelation He was bringing me. I remember when I was a little girl and my dad had cut the word “PRINCESS” out of the newspaper and put it at the top of my bulletin board for me to see every day from my bed. My dad determined my identity from such a young age. I was a princess and there were no ifs, ands, or buts about it! It’s this same identity our Heavenly Dad needs us to get in this hour. Just like in the book of Hosea, the bride wandered from her safety and secure position to pursue the world and the lusts of her flesh because she really didn’t know who she belonged to. Pain and trial can test what we believe about our King and Father, but the truth that we are His princess and royalty in the Earth never shifts or changes based on our performance. The fruitfulness of our calling and whether our destiny is fulfilled is what is at stake.
Living in Holiness
“Oh, let us grasp this truth with both hands; let it never slip from us. Jesus Himself is our source of holiness! We are so eager to do something for Him—anything, as long as we don’t have to change inside. God does not need what we can do; He wants what we are. He wants to make us a holy people. Let us not be anxious in this process. Allow Him to do the deep inner work of preparation. Jesus lived thirty years of sinless purity before He did one work of power! His goal was not to do some great work but to please the Father with a holy life.” -Francis Frangipane, “Holiness, Truth, and the Presence of God”
He gave His whole life for your royal adoption as a daughter. He withheld nothing from you and has given you all of Himself to dwell inside of you in power. He scripted this extraordinary destiny for you before the foundations of the world, that you would walk out. He has this pathway of righteousness paved before your beautiful feet that is for you and Him to walk out together. And what awaits you is a wedding day that is more glorious than you could ever dream of. You, His princess, will be handed to your King of Kings! It is there you will place your crown at His feet.
So therefore, today:
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” -Jude 1:20-23 (ESV)
May I close with just a tidbit of princessly advice: “Behaving like a princess is about more than just using your manners. Princesses are strong women who use their courage and intelligence to help others. Princesses boldly face responsibility, all the while letting their inner beauty bring light to everyone around them.”
“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14b
A Few Key Notes
- We only have $16,000 left to raise in our $50,000 match to expand the Arise movement into 70 cities in 2022. You can give to the Arise match now through December 31.
- Kathy Gray’s dream class is being rescheduled to 2022. More details to come!
- We are now recruiting for an Arise short-term mission team to South America from March 19-26, 2022. Apply online to join the team.
- My new book, “Revivalist Arise,” is out! Purchase your copy today!
