More for Such a Time: Courage, Obedience, Listening

A clear, confident call to expect "more" frames the teaching: God is able to do infinitely more than humans can imagine, and that promise shows up in ordinary people who choose faith over comfort, obedience over complacency, and listening over noise. Using Ephesians 3:20 as the foundation, three biblical examples—Esther, Josiah, and Samuel—illustrate how God positions people for decisive moments, empowers the young who choose holiness, and entrusts purpose to those who learn to hear His voice. Esther’s willingness to risk her life for her people models courage that moves history; Josiah’s early, uncompromising reforms show that obedience invites revival regardless of age; Samuel’s patient responsiveness reveals that availability and attentiveness unlock vocation and prophetic clarity.

Practical application threads through each portrait: courage is cultivated in prayer and fasting and will often demand leaving comfort behind; obedience requires tearing down idols—whatever they look like today—and rebuilding devotion; listening means slowing down daily, distinguishing God’s voice from opinions, and developing a rhythm of prayer and Scripture that trains the ear. The speaker presses for immediate response rather than postponed piety: age, background, or past failures do not disqualify someone from being used; what matters is a heart willing to act, obey, and listen.

The message also situates these spiritual disciplines in a present-day context—encouraging believers to be visible, to step into influence, and to expect God to work in and through them during 2026. Fasting, communal prayer, and disciplined attention to Scripture are offered as practical ways to make room for more. The closing invitation emphasizes personal response: those far from God can come home; those stalled can revive their practice; and the church is called to become a people marked by courage, obedience, and listening, ready to be used in season and out of season.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Courage for such a time Esther’s story reframes courage as a decision made in light of divine purpose rather than personal safety. Courage here is not mere bravado but an obedient willingness to risk reputation, comfort, and even life because a larger deliverance depends on faithful action. Such courage often emerges out of communal prayer, fasting, and clarity about identity as a representative of God’s kingdom. [17:25]
• 2. Obedience unlocks God's blessings Josiah demonstrates that spiritual renewal often begins with decisive, unpopular reforms and an early refusal to accommodate surrounding idolatry. Obedience is portrayed as an accessible posture—available hearts, not perfect resumes, invite God’s restorative work. When obedience precedes promise, increase follows as a response to holiness, not as a mere reward for success. [25:27]
• 3. Listening invites greater purpose Samuel’s experience shows that hearing God requires cultivated stillness and a readiness to respond: availability matters more than age or status. Listening is an active discipline—regular prayer, Scripture engagement, and silence—through which vocation and prophetic opportunity are revealed. A people who learn to distinguish God’s voice will find that “more” often arrives not as noise but as clear direction. [31:39]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [12:48] - Series introduction and snow day note
• [13:41] - Where to find the earlier weeks
• [16:02] - Introducing Esther, Josiah, Samuel
• [17:25] - Esther: courage for such a time
• [23:32] - Josiah: obedience and revival
• [30:10] - Samuel: listening and response
• [37:37] - Recap: courage, obedience, listening
• [38:28] - Invitation, prayer, and response
• [41:48] - Closing announcements and sending forth

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon summary and transcript:

Bible Reading

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power by which he is active within us,"

Esther 4:14
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise 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?”

2 Chronicles 34:1-7
"Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of David his father. And in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved idols and the metal images. And they demolished before him the altars of the Baals, and he broke down the incense altars that stood above them. And he broke the Asherim and the carved images in pieces and made dust of them and scattered them over the graves of those who sacrificed to them. He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars and so purified Judah and Jerusalem. And he did the same in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and in Simeon and as far as Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins. And when he had broken down the altars and the Asherim and beat the carved images into powder and broken down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem."

1 Samuel 3:9-10
"So Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling out, as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”"

Observation questions

1. The sermon begins by referencing Ephesians 3:20, stating that God can accomplish "infinitely more than we might ask or think." [15:15] What are some specific examples from the sermon of how God has already done "more" in the church's life or in the lives of individuals?
2. Esther was told that she might have been made queen "for such a time as this." [17:25] What does this phrase suggest about God's timing and His purpose for individuals?
3. Josiah began to seek God and implement reforms at a very young age, eight years old. [23:52] What does his example teach us about the role of age in serving God?
4. Samuel initially did not recognize that it was God calling him. [30:29] What was the key difference in his response when Eli instructed him to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"? [31:39]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon suggests that courage is "fear that has said its prayers." [20:57] How does this definition differ from a simple understanding of bravery, and what does it imply about the source of true courage?
2. The sermon highlights that obedience unlocks God's blessings, and that "more is followed by obedience." [28:49] How does this concept challenge the idea that blessings are simply a reward for good behavior, rather than a response to a surrendered heart?
3. The sermon emphasizes that "God releases more when we stop what we're doing and we start listening for his voice." [31:39] What might be some of the "noise" or distractions in our modern lives that make it difficult to discern God's voice?
4. The sermon poses the question, "Are we too busy for God?" [34:33] What does it mean to be "too busy" for the Creator of the universe, and how does this busyness hinder our ability to hear from Him?

Application questions

1. The sermon calls for courage for "such a time as this." [16:45] In what specific area of your life do you feel God is calling you to step out with more courage, perhaps by risking comfort or reputation for His purposes?
2. Esther's story shows that God positions people for decisive moments. [16:45] Reflect on your own life: are there any "moments" or opportunities you've felt God placing before you, and if so, how have you responded?
3. Josiah's early and uncompromising reforms demonstrate that obedience invites revival. [23:32] What "idols" might need to be torn down in your life today, and what steps can you take to rebuild your devotion to God?
4. The sermon encourages us to choose holiness, even if it means tearing down idols or making others uncomfortable. [26:26] What is one tangible step you can take this week to choose God's way over personal ambition or comfort?
5. Samuel's patient responsiveness reveals that availability and attentiveness unlock vocation and prophetic clarity. [31:39] How can you intentionally create more "stillness" in your daily life to better distinguish God's voice from other opinions or noise?
6. The sermon challenges us to move beyond postponed piety and respond immediately. [38:28] What is one small, immediate action you can take this week to be more available and attentive to God's leading?
7. The message calls for believers to be visible and step into influence, expecting God to work through them. [42:18] How can you be more visible with your faith this week, and in what way do you believe God might want to work through you?