The Fight Within
In Pursuit of Happiness (Living the Blessed Life) • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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9 Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. 10 Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. 13 “Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
Check Your Ego
Background: The history of God’s people in the book of Esther demonstrates the greatness of God’s providence and deliverance. While usually the focus is on Esther, I plan to focus on the other main character, the villain and enemy of God’s people during that time. His name is Haman. Quick background, this was during the reign of the Persian king Ahasuerus (aka Xerxes, Greek translation). Some Jews were still exiled and in submission under transfer to Persian power. One year, Xerxes had a huge party that lasted 180 days. He wanted to show off his wife Vashti, but she refused. Leading him to get rid of her and welcome new women that he could select a queen from. Esther was the finest women Xerxes saw, and loved her above all the virgins brought, and he made her Queen. She had been adopted and raised by her older first cousin Mordecai. Now Mordecai was a gate servant for the king. Haman got promoted above all the princes, and that went to his head!!
Why is Haman important for today’s message, and our series “In pursuit of Happiness”? Because if true happiness is the result of God’s grace, presence, and love in our lives, Haman is an express example of false happiness and allowing the enemies of true happiness to prevail. The first rival being his ego!! The term “ego” comes from Latin which literally means “I”. It is the idea of “self” and “self-importance”. Haman was certainly egotistical.
Application: If true happiness, which comes from GOD, is going to prevail, we must “CHECK OUR EGO”. Check means to suppress or restrain. Thus each of us must control how important we think of ourselves.
Why?
Being Egotistical makes it easy to be offended
See, after Haman’s promotion, the king ordered that all royal officials honor Haman. Mordecai refused to. That offended Haman to the utmost. To the point that responding directly to Mordecai wasn’t enough. When he learned he was Jewish, he impulsively moved to persuade the king to sign a bill to kill all Jews.
Application: Listen, we are human, and it is very natural being in the flesh to be selfish. But if our egotistical tendencies are on top, it makes it easy to be offended and upset by everything someone else does that violates or disrespects “ME”.
Uproot Your Anger and Bitterness
Mordecai learns of this decree, informs Esther to use the position GOD has put her in to intercede. Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet, just to invite them to a second banquet the next day. That brings us to our text. Haman was cloud 9 because it was an extreme honor to be invited to sit and eat with the king and queen. Then the text says BUT!!! All of a sudden he’s no longer happy. He saw Mordecai, no longer fasting and crying, but in regular attire because he had given his burdens to the Lord! His happiness shifted to full of rage!
Application 1 (Anger was rooted from holding to the hurt/offense): How could one go from being so high and happy to being full of rage? It is because he had allowed anger to take root in his heart. So just at the sight of the one who had offended him, completely change his emotions.
Application 2 (Rooted anger produces bitterness): Listen, if anger isn’t stopped, bitterness and resentment becomes the fruit of our lives… Some people’s happiness is short lived as soon as they see certain folk… Elihu tells Job in Job 35:6-8, if humans sin or do righteousness, it doesn’t change who GOD is! That’s what each of us should be striving for. We must learn to UPROOT OUR ANGER AND BITTERNESS.
Destroy Your Malice
Haman doesn’t let show long enough to get home. Invites his friends over with his wife, and because he is egotistical, he boasts of his wealth, possessions, prominence, and power. Recognizes the honor to sit with the king and queen, then admits that he empties his happiness because every time he sees Mordecai. Because his wife and friends also don’t honor GOD before him, they feed his spirit with the malicious idea of hanging Mordecai to bring happiness.
Application 1: If you haven’t checked your ego and uprooted anger and bitterness, you will allow maliciousness to feed your spirit. Malice is premeditated harm.
Application 2: Malice in your heart will lead and deceive you to believe that the only way you can be happy is to get rid of the person. If anyone is at this point, destroy your malice at all costs. Because you will NOT be happy in the end. You will only do something harmful to relive the same cycle, or experience the ultimate unhappiness of death.
Application 3: How?? Jesus!!! Humility!!! Forgive!!!! Ephesians 4:31-32
Conclusion: Understand that our pursuit of Happiness, in GOD, is inner fight against demonic persuasions on our minds. Starting with our egos, then our anger and bitterness, and then malice.