Leadership Lifestyle of Women
A person who has an influence on another, is a leader. Therefore, all of us are leaders! Influence is very catchy and contagious like 'Influenza'!
Even without our knowledge, we are constantly influencing others positively or negatively through our behavior, attitudes, actions and words!
Our greatest influence is on those who are closest to us, like our spouses and children.
Although special emphasis in this blog will be on us as wives and how our influence on our husbands will affect their leadership lifestyle, the following principles also apply to husbands, all women, men and even to children.
Following are some examples taken from the Scriptures:
Jezebel and Zeresh are two wives who influenced their husbands Ahab and Haman, very strongly in their wicked ways.
The men had wicked desires.
Their wicked wives supported them and with cruel ideas, implemented their plans to the point of murdering others, to fulfil the wicked desires of their husbands!
You can read their stories in the Bible: 1 Kings chapter 21 and Esther chapter 5 respectively.
But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 1 Kings 21:25
Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made. Esther 5:14
Eve and Sarai took the wrong thing and gave to their husbands!
Eve was enticed by the serpent in the garden of Eden, to take fruit from the tree forbidden by GOD. After eating it, she offered it to her husband.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6
Beautiful things that we see, especially when we walk around in shopping centers, such as: Tempting and unhealthy food, Body massages, Everything that offers more Stimulation and comfort to the Body; Beauty treatments and skin products, Fancy clothing and jewelry. Better jobs with higher salaries, Prestigious schools for our children, Modern Houses and Upgraded Lifestyles which pump us up into the Pride of Life.
It is easy for us as women, to give into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, and to lead our husbands in that path of carnality!
For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, .So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived… Genesis 16:2-4
Although what Sarai and Abraham did with Hagar, may have been acceptable according to the culture of that time, it was not pleasing to GOD. Let us not be cheated and deceived by the standards, traditions, values and thinking of this world and distract our husbands in their walk of faith!
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:6-10
The Scriptural role of the wife is: To be a suitable helper for her husband, To take her responsibility to keep the 'Home fires burning' by Preparing suitable food, Washing, ironing and sorting the clothes, Keeping the house clean and tidy and Providing for the family an atmosphere of warmth and love!
Besides all the above work, the time a woman takes, to pray and intercede for her husband and children, waiting on the LORD and praying as led by the Holy Spirit, will protect the family from spiritual, emotional and physical disasters. These prayers will GOD indeed answer, to increase love for GOD in the individuals and to build loving and healthy relationships with each other.
The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
Trough wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;
By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
Proverbs 14:1, 24:3-4
Ananias and Saphira agreed together to deceive the Holy Spirit. They were part of the early Church, sold their property and pretended to give the whole proceeds to the Church, while keeping a part of it for themselves. Peter confronted Ananias and he fell dead. About 3 hours later Saphira walks in and when confronted, falls dead! You can read this story in the Book of Acts chapter 5, verses 1-11
The Scripture says, wives, submit to your own husbands as to the LORD.
Being submissive to our husbands, does not excuse us from our responsibility to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. We must gently speak to our husbands in such instances and seek to obey the LORD.
If Ananias or Saphira had the fear of GOD, they would have kept the other from falling and the tragedy of two deaths could have been avoided!
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Deborah depicts great spiritual leadership and wonderful support to spiritual leaders.
She was the judge in Israel when they were greatly oppressed by the Canaanites. She sought to bring deliverance to her people. She picked Barak to lead the battle.
This story is found in Judges 4:1-14
1. Then she sent and called for Barak .., and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops ..against the Canaanite army and I will deliver them.. into your hand'?" We can remind our husbands and our spiritual leaders of the LORD’s promises. 2. And Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!" So she said, "I will surely go with you; .
We can assure timid leaders of our support for them.
3. Then Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.
We must encourage them to arise and do what GOD has called them to do in their service for the LORD to bring great victories in GOD’s Kingdom.
Jael pictures powerful victory in spiritual warfare. This story is found in Judges 4:15-24
When the enemy turned into her tent, she literally 'Hit the nail on his head!'
...Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
Spiritual warfare begins in the mind. Minds are set in various ways depending on experiences, teachings and input through media. Because of the fallen nature of man, most of our thought patterns do not align to the word of GOD.
Diligently studying the Bible and bringing our thoughts in alignment with the Truth, rejecting every mindset that is a lie, is the spiritual battle we must win!
Many things we have taken as truth and right, become strongholds that need effort to be pulled down! Our mind needs to be re-programmed according to the word of GOD with the help of the Holy spirit.
When our mind is renewed in that way, we will be able to recognize and deal with deception and disobedience manifesting in others!
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Abigail shows us how intercessors become the Bride of CHRIST! This beautiful story is found in 1 Samuel chapter 25
When David prepared to destroy foolish Nabal's household, Abigail intervened by going to David with gifts and pleading for mercy, thus preventing destruction and bloodshed.
GOD is Holy and just. Although we sin and fall short of the glory of GOD, He does not want to destroy us but desires to save us. Towards this end, He is looking for intercessors who will 'Stand in the gap' and plead for His mercy and grace.
The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger.
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 22:29-31
Abigail's husband Nabal was a foolish man. When Nabal died, David sent for Abigail and proposed to her to become his wife.
Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife.
1 Samuel 25:41-42
In this beautiful story, Nabal depicts the world;
David depicts CHRIST;
Abigail depicts the Bride of CHRIST which is the Church including you and me;
The messengers of David depict the Holy Spirit;
The servants of David depict the servants of GOD;
Arose means was revived spiritually;
Bowed her face to the earth means worshiped;
Wash the feet means intercede;
Rode on a donkey speaks of humility;
Attended by five of her maidens means wholly, spirit, soul and body.
When the world is dead to us, the proposal of CHRIST for us to marry Him, comes to us. Then we must arise spiritually, worship the LORD and offer ourselves to serve Him and to intercede for His servants.
We must humble ourselves and wholly follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to become the Bride of CHRIST!
The Holy Spirit is a Comforter and a suitable Helper to us.
So is a Godly woman to her husband.
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. Proverbs 31
Such is the influence of a godly woman!
She displays Strength and Support like a Beautiful Pillar as described in Psalm 144:12
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style;
Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; Proverbs 9:1
Let the following Seven-bar Pillar be a study guide to you.
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God…Revelation 3:12
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