🌟 Scripture Focus

“Mordecai refused to bow down or show [Haman] respect.”
— Esther 3:2 NLT

“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? … If I must die, I must die.”
— Esther 4:14, 16 NLT

💭 Reflection – Contagious Courage in a Dark Hour
Sisters, I know this was a lot of chapters to read today, but remember—we’re reading through the Bible in a year. How exciting it will be, at year’s end, to say, “I have read the whole Bible!” And each time you read it, you’ll see more of God’s heart and grow closer to your Lord and Savior.
As we read Esther’s story, we see evil rising up against God’s people.
Haman’s pride and rage at Mordecai’s refusal to bow drove him to plot the destruction of every Jew in the empire.
He spread lies, offered the king a fortune, and secured a royal decree for genocide.
Fear and grief swept across the land.
It’s impossible to read that and not think of the Holocaust centuries later—another government-backed attempt to destroy the Jewish people.
Different era, same dark hatred.
Both remind us there is an unseen enemy who hates God’s covenant people and the coming of His promised Savior.
And yet, in the midst of the darkness, God’s hand was quietly at work.
He placed Mordecai at the king’s gate and Esther in the palace.
Mordecai’s courage to stand firm ignited courage in Esther.
Esther’s courage stirred an entire community to fast, pray, and hope in God.
And when she said, “If I perish, I perish,” that one step of faith became the turning point God used to rescue His people.

Courage is contagious.
It begins in one heart that trusts God more than it fears the cost—and then ripples outward to strengthen others.
That kind of courage grows from a deep conviction that God is alive, present, and worthy of our trust.
But there’s another lesson here—one that goes back to the garden with Adam and Eve:
We have a real enemy who plots our downfall.
He never stops scheming.
That’s why we must lean on God’s Word and the power of His Spirit to resist.
We do not need to cower in fear.
Jesus said we are to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
We won’t surrender to the enemy’s warfare.
Instead, we will be WOW women—Women of the Word.
God is with us, and as we seek Him, He will show us what the battle really is so that His work in and through us is not hindered—so that our families, our churches, and many others can be saved.

📚 Lesson for Me

Faith-filled courage, anchored in God’s sovereignty, can spread and strengthen others.
Evil may scheme, but God is at work.
My trust in Him can spark courage in the people around me.

🪞 Application Questions

• Where is God inviting me to trust Him with courageous obedience instead of giving in to fear?
• How have I been strengthened by someone else’s courage, and how can I pass that courage on?
• How can I be more alert to the enemy’s schemes while keeping my hope fixed on God’s power and promises?

🙏 Prayer

Father, thank You that even when the world is dark and the enemy’s schemes seem relentless, You are still sovereign.
Fill me with a faith-filled courage like Mordecai and Esther had.
Teach me to resist the enemy with wisdom and gentleness.
Make me a Woman of the Word who stands firm in Your promises.
Use my courage to inspire others to trust You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

✍ Journaling Prompt
Sit quietly before the Lord.
Ask Him:

“Where are You calling me to trust You with courageous obedience right now?”
Write what He shows you—whether it’s a step to take, a word to speak, or a way to keep standing firm in your home, your church, or your community.

🪧 Takeaway

Your step of faith-filled courage today may be the spark God uses to strengthen someone else tomorrow.