A Call to Three Days of Prayer & Fasting

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me…” — Esther 4:16

Yesterday, as we continued our journey through Esther, I shared something with our church that was deeply personal.

We are in an unusual season at The Holy One Church.

We are seeing growth.

We are seeing people saved.

We are seeing families come through our doors.

We are watching God touch lives.

And yet, at the same time, we are experiencing tremendous spiritual, physical, and financial pressure.

For a long time, a relatively small group of faithful people has carried much of the weight of this ministry through their giving, serving, praying, and sacrifice. Again and again, when there has been a need, God has also used friends, family, and people outside of our immediate church family to help us.

I am deeply grateful for every one of them.

But I believe we have reached a moment when we have to ask a difficult question:

Can a church continue growing if the number of people participating does not grow with it?

Growth Has Weight

There can be an assumption when we walk into church that everything simply happens.

The lights come on.

The doors open.

Children are cared for.

People are baptized.

Ministry happens.

Events happen.

Bills get paid.

Needs get met.

And somehow everything will be there again next Sunday.

But ministry doesn’t “just happen.”

There are people behind it.

People praying.

People serving.

People giving.

People sacrificing.

People carrying.

And when the church grows but the number of people carrying does not, eventually growth itself becomes weight.

That is part of what I shared openly with our church.

I have even taken on additional work, originally intending for that income to help with personal family responsibilities, including my daughter’s upcoming wedding. Yet increasingly, some of that additional income has become another way of helping meet needs in the church.

And somewhere in this season, the Lord reminded me of something.

I cannot personally work enough hours to replace the obedience and participation of an entire church.

Even if I worked 24 hours a day, I could never personally sustain what God has called a body of believers to carry together.

Nor should I.

For Such a Time as This

That is why Esther 4 hit differently this time.

Mordecai sends word to Esther that destruction is coming against her people. Esther is living in the palace, but Mordecai essentially tells her:

Don’t assume your position exempts you from the crisis.

Then he says:

“Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” — Esther 4:14

God is not explicitly named in that statement, but the implication of providence hangs over the entire story.

Esther has been positioned somewhere where she can respond.

And position brings responsibility.

Mordecai also expresses confidence that if Esther remains silent, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.

That phrase arrested me.

Another place.

Because there have been many times throughout our history when help has come from another place.

God has used people outside the immediate situation to provide, encourage, give, and help us continue.

Thank God for them.

But what if this is a moment when the answer is supposed to rise from within the house?

What if God has already positioned people here for such a time as this?

This Is Not Just About Money

Please hear my heart.

This is not a three-day fundraiser disguised as a fast.

I do not want anyone fasting so that we can somehow manipulate God into providing money.

Biblical fasting doesn’t manipulate God.

Fasting humbles us.

It quiets our appetites.

It exposes our dependence.

It creates space for us to listen.

It brings us to the place where we can say:

“Lord, what are You asking of me?”

For one person, the response may involve giving.

For another, serving.

For another, praying.

For another, becoming dependable.

For somebody else, it may mean finally stepping out of the crowd and becoming part of the ministry.

This is bigger than an offering.

This is about ownership.

Because we cannot continue becoming a larger church while remaining dependent upon the same small group of people to carry it.

We cannot celebrate growth without accepting the responsibility that accompanies growth.

We cannot remain consumers of something God has called us to become contributors to.

Esther Called Everybody Together

Esther’s response was powerful.

She did not immediately walk into the king’s court.

She said:

“Go, gather together…”

Then:

“Fast for me…”

And then she made it personal:

“I and my maidens will also fast the same way.”

She didn’t ask everybody else to carry something she wasn’t willing to carry herself.

And after the fast:

“Then I will go in to the king.”

There is a progression there that I believe speaks to us.

GATHER.

CONSECRATE.

RESPOND.

That is what these next three days are about.

I Am Standing at a Threshold Too

Esther was facing something far greater than anything I am facing. Her decision could have cost her life.

I am not comparing my situation to her danger.

But I do understand something about standing at a threshold and realizing:

I have to make a decision about what happens next.

I have a covenant with God, and I will not casually walk away from what He has called me to do.

But faithfulness does not mean pretending something is sustainable when it isn’t.

I cannot carry this house myself.

A handful of faithful people cannot carry it indefinitely.

If this is God’s house, then I believe the people God has placed in this house must ask:

If this is my house, what is my part?

That is the question I want us carrying into these three days.

Not:

“What is everybody else doing?”

Not:

“Who has more than me?”

Not:

“Why doesn’t somebody fix this?”

But:

“Lord, what is my part?”

Three Days

For these three days, I am asking our church family to join me in prayer and fasting according to your ability, wisdom, and circumstances.

Esther’s extraordinary situation involved three days without food or water. That describes what occurred in Esther 4; it is not an instruction that everyone in our congregation should undertake a three-day dry fast.

The purpose is not for everyone to fast identically.

The purpose is for us to seek God together.

Pray for this house.

Pray for its leadership.

Pray for its families.

Pray for those who are being saved.

Pray for provision.

Pray for wisdom.

Pray for direction.

Pray for courage.

But also pray something much more personal:

“God, show me my part.”

From Consumers to Contributors

Something must change if we are going to walk faithfully into what is next.

We are experiencing growth.

Now we need participation.

We are seeing salvation.

Now we need discipleship.

We are gathering people.

Now we need people who will carry.

Not everybody can contribute the same amount.

Not everybody has the same time.

Not everybody has the same gifts.

But everybody has a part.

The body works when the body participates.

So for three days, we are not asking God merely to rescue us.

We are asking Him to search us.

If something in us needs to change, change us.

If something needs to be surrendered, reveal it.

If somebody needs to step forward, awaken them.

If we have become comfortable consuming what others sacrifice to provide, confront us.

And if You have positioned us here for such a time as this, give us the courage to answer.

Because perhaps the answer we’ve been asking God to send from somewhere else…

is already sitting in the house.

Our Prayer

Lord, this house belongs to You.

We don’t want to manufacture what You are not breathing upon, and we don’t want to abandon what You have called us to carry.

Search us during these three days.

Consecrate us again.

Break the spirit of spectatorship.

Awaken generosity.

Awaken servants.

Awaken intercessors.

Awaken leaders.

Awaken ownership.

Show every person what their part is.

And give us the courage, when these three days are over, not merely to have fasted—

but to respond.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Pastor Ruben Cortez
Senior Pastor
The Holy One Church

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” — Hebrews 12:28

Family,
Here’s a simple but powerful truth from Scripture:
“We urge you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God… God’s will is that you should be holy; that you stay away from sexual sin.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:1–3
God is not unclear about His will for our lives.
He wants us to live in a way that honors Him — and that includes how we handle temptation and sexual purity.
Let’s be real: every one of us walks through life with a constant companion called temptation. You don’t invite it. You don’t ask for it. But it shows up anyway — especially when you’re tired, alone, stressed, or thinking, “This isn’t a big deal.”
Temptation doesn’t usually attack in public.
It hits in private.
In quiet moments.
Behind screens.
When no one else is watching.
That’s why preparation matters.
Paul wrote to believers who were brand new to faith — coming out of a culture full of sexual pressure and compromise. And he didn’t overcomplicate the message. He said plainly:
“This is God’s will.”
You don’t need to pray about whether purity matters.
God already answered.
If you’re married — keep your intimacy in your marriage.
If you’re single — practice self-control.
If you’re dating — honor God with boundaries.
Not because God wants to restrict your joy —
but because He wants to protect your future, your peace, your family, and your witness.
Holiness isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being intentional.
It’s choosing what honors God — even when nobody else sees.
Today’s prayer:
“Lord, help me live in a way that pleases You — in public and in private.”
Let’s choose discipline.
Let’s choose wisdom.
Let’s choose to live in a way that honors Jesus.
With love and faith,
Ruben Cortez

Worship is more than a ritual; it’s a battlefield. When we direct our worship toward God, we are participating in a spiritual struggle against the forces of darkness. The Bible illustrates this in Matthew 4:8-10, where the devil tempts Jesus with worldly power, saying, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus rebuffs this temptation decisively, proclaiming, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” In this encounter, both the Father and Satan present Jesus with an opportunity to claim authority over a kingdom—one through easy pleasures, the other through sacrificial obedience. For Jesus, the choice to worship the Father was a declaration of war against Satan’s allure.

Each day, we face similar choices. Just as Jesus witnessed the myriad temptations of humanity, we are bombarded by the enticements of the modern world—pleasure, status, wealth, and material possessions. This constant bombardment represents a spiritual battleground where Satan seeks to draw us into idolatry.

Idolatry can be understood as the counterfeit of true worship. While God creates, Satan distorts, enticing us away from genuine devotion. At every moment, we are either genuinely worshiping God or unwittingly engaging in idolatry. Theologian N. T. Wright insightfully points out that our true identity is shaped not by our demographics or behaviors, but by the god we choose to worship. This is why we recite creeds in our worship; they ground us in the truth of who we are as believers. If we lack a firm theological foundation, we risk allowing other influences to creep in, steering us toward idolatry.¹

David Powlison, a Christian counselor, emphasizes that idolatry is a recurring theme in Scripture. While it may manifest in various forms externally, its roots are found in the human heart, where individuals may harbor idols before they ever physically encounter them.² This internal struggle violates the essence of the first two commandments, where we elevate something other than God as our source of meaning and security.

Martin Luther’s reflections on idolatry reveal profound truths. He warns that many mistakenly believe they possess security and fulfillment in material wealth, fame, or personal abilities. However, true idolatry lies in the reliance of our hearts on these unstable foundations instead of God himself. Luther urges us to closely examine our hearts to discern whether we are wholly trusting in God or clinging to other sources for comfort and assistance.³

The consequences of idolatry extend beyond individual hearts; they sow discord within societies. Jonathan Edwards noted that when we idolize something—be it our gender, nation, political affiliation, or any other identity—we tend to demonize those who are different from us. This can lead to unwarranted divisions and conflicts in our societies as we elevate one group at the expense of another.

In sum, the journey of faith calls for reflection on whom or what we truly exalt in our hearts. As we navigate our daily lives, may we be vigilant against the allure of false idols and remain committed to worshiping the true God, striving for unity rather than division in our communities.

1. T. Wright, For All God’s Worth: True Worship and the Calling of the Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), 28.
2. David Powlison, “Idols of the Heart and ‘Vanity Fair,’” The Journal of Biblical Counseling vol. 13 (Winter 1995): 35. Also available here: http://www.greentreewebster.org/Articles/Idols of the Heart (Powlison).pdf.
3. Martin Luther, “The Large Catechism,” in The Book of Concord (St. Louis: Concordia, 1921), 3.5–28, http://www.bookofconcord.org/lc-3-tencommandments.php.

As a Pastor, I hold a generally negative view of Halloween for Christians, emphasizing caution about any practices that glamorize evil or foster unhealthy fascination with the supernatural. I would warn to be careful about what one "comes into covenant with" and to keep spiritual eyes open to what is being connected to. I also acknowledge that some churches have alternative "trunk or treat" events that we have been invited to minister at many times, and have found it to be a safe place from the extremes that truly exist in the world today. I would suggest that Christians should avoid the glamour of evil and its pagan roots.

My Core Argument:

•Spiritual Danger: 
I view Halloween as a season where "they're going to call good evil, and evil good," and would stress the need for Christians to be spiritually vigilant and avoid agreement with or participation in activities that promote evil.

•Pagan Roots: 
Halloween's origins and its modern practices involve what is spiritually inappropriate or connected to harmful spiritual realities.

•Focus on Christian Alternatives: 
My approach would be to suggest that Christians should focus on events that highlight Christian themes and the victory of Christ over death, rather than Halloween festivities

The Bible does not mention Halloween directly, as the holiday was developed centuries after the biblical texts were written. However, many Christians interpret biblical principles regarding pagan practices, the occult, and the worship of other deities to guide their decision on whether or not to celebrate Halloween. Some Christians abstain from Halloween, viewing its themes and origins as conflicting with their faith, while others find ways to celebrate it in a Christian-friendly manner or use it as an opportunity for community outreach.

Biblical Principles to Consider

•Abstain from the Works of Darkness: 
Ephesians 5:11 encourages Christians to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them".

•Avoid Pagan Practices: 
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 explicitly forbids practices such as divination, sorcery, and dealing with mediums or the dead, which some Christians connect to Halloween's historical origins.

•Live for God's Glory: 
1 Corinthians 10:31 instructs believers to "do all to the glory of God," which leads some to question whether Halloween traditions align with honoring God.

•Spiritual Warfare: 
Ephesians 6:12 reminds believers that their struggle is "not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities... against the spiritual forces of evil." This can inform how Christians view the themes of darkness and evil associated with Halloween.

Differing Christian Perspectives

•Abstinence: 
Some Christians avoid Halloween entirely, believing it is rooted in paganism and promotes darkness and evil.

•Redefining the Holiday: 
Other Christians celebrate Halloween by focusing on Christian alternatives, like All Saints' Day, Reformation Day, or by handing out soul cakes.
 
•Outreach and Evangelism: 
Some churches use the holiday as a chance to reach out to their communities with positive messages and events.

•Freedom and Conscience: 
Some Christians feel free to participate in secular Halloween activities, such as dressing up and trick-or-treating, while others may choose to abstain, emphasizing Romans 14:5 , which states that some days are considered sacred more than others.