Suffering Unto Perfection 2: Three Phases of the Crucified Life {Paperback}
The crucified life is one of denial. It is the denying of oneself the luxury of operating and living in the fleshly realm. A carnal Christian operates out of an unrenewed mind, emotions and a heart that lusts after worldly desires. Such a person cannot live the crucified life. The crucified life is a life of pain and suffering. We need to arm ourselves with the mentality that we are called to die, to suffer until we are crucified with Him. We are to bear in our body the dying of Yeshua. Living the crucified life prepares us to walk and live in the Spirit.
We see in Esther's life that she passed through three different houses, or phases.
The first house she entered was the house of adoption. Her cousin Mordecai adopted her when she was a little girl and raised her as his own daughter. The second house she entered was the house of women, where she was purified. When that time was done, she finally entered the house of the king. The three houses represent the three spiritual phases the Lord leads His people through today. Only after we go through all three are we found worthy to stand before Him.