RCCG LOWER JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2022/2023 18 JUNE 2023, Lesson 42 – SUSTAINING THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 4 (THROUGH FASTING)

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RCCG LOWER JUNIOR ZEAL FOR 2022/2023
AGE 6-8 TEACHER’S MANUAL
SUNDAY 18TH OF JUNE, 2023
LESSON FORTY TWO(42)
TOPIC: SUSTAINING THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 4 (THROUGH FASTING)

BIBLE TEXT: ESTHER 4-5
Esther 4:1-end
[1]When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
[2]And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
[3]And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
[4]So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
[5]Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
[6]So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.
[7]And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
[8]Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
[9]And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai………..

Esther 5:1-end
[1]Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
[2]And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
[3]Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
[4]And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
[5]Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
[6]And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
[7]Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;
[8]If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
[9]Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai…………..

MEMORY VERSE: Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

LESSON AIM: The children will learn to seek God through praying and fasting.

CHILD-RELATED TRUTH: God wants you to seek Him through Jesus.

INTRODUCTION:
King Ahasuerus now ruled. Because he had deposed his queen in a drunken feast, a search was made throughout the kingdom for a new queen. Under the direction of her cousin, Mordecai, Esther was put forward and chosen. Not knowing that his beautiful queen was Jewish, Ahasuerus fell in with a plan to destroy the Jewish exiles living in his land. Queen Esther saved her people by revealing her Jewish origins to the king and convincing him to let the Jews defend and protect themselves.

PROGRESSION OF EVENT: ESTHER 4-5

Haman hated the Jews so much that he persuaded king Ahasuerus to allow the extermination of all the Jews.
It was determined that all the Jews would be annihilated on the 13th day of the month of Adar, which was about 11 months after the decree was issued.
Mordecai immediately put on sackcloth and ashes and wept for the people of God, and he also encouraged Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jews.
At this time, the king did not know that Esther was Jewish, and she reminded Mordecai that you can not enter into the king’s throne room unannounced and uninvited, and to do so was risking death.
Mordecai replied back, even if she remained silent, Queen Esther will not be safe from the mayhem, and that relief and deliverance might come for the Jews from another place but she might have attained royalty for such a time as this
Esther decided to follow Mordecai’s advice. She asked Mordecai and all the Jews living in Susa to not eat or drink for 3 days (fast).
She and the young women who attended her were going to do the same. At the end of the 3 days, she would go before the king. Esther was willing to go before the king even if it meant she may die.
At the end of three days, Queen Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace and when the king saw her, he favored her and held out his golden scepter to her and ask her to make a request.
Esther responded with a simple request. She asked if the king and Haman would come to a feast she had prepared for that day.

GOSPEL CONNECTION: There is the King of kings and Lord of lords you go before and not perish. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords who gave His life for your sins to be forgiven. Jesus was crucified, died, and buried. Jesus came alive again on the third day and you can now have your sins forgiven when you confess them (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Queen Esther depended on God to speak to the king so that her people will not perish.

CLIMAX: At the second feast the king asked, *Esther, what is your request?” She answered him to protect her life and that of her people because there were going to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. The king was shocked and asked who would dare to do this? Esther answered that the enemy is this wicked Haman.

CONCLUSION: The King was very angry and ordered Haman to be put to death and gave the Jews the power to defend themselves

CHALLENGE: Queen Esther depended on God through fasting and God solved all the problems of her people. You too as a child who knows Jesus as Lord and Saviour, can depend on Him when you have difficulties, or are being bulled, or even to pass your exams. When you trust Jesus to solve all difficult situations in your life, He will not let you be disappointed. You can depend on Him through fasting, you can fast by giving up the foods or drinks you like for a few days to tell God that you depend on Him for all things.

INVITATION: To depend on God, you need to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour (John 1:12).

DAILY DEVOTIONAL:
SUN. ACTS 25:13-15
MON. ACTS 25: 16-18
TUE. ACTS 25: 19-21
WED. ACTS 25:22-24
THUR. ACTS 25:25-27
FRI. ACTS 26:1-3
SAT. ACTS 26:4-6

Open Heavens 2021 Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

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