Believing God's Word

It is of vital importance that women of God realize that in Christ there is no gender. This being the case, there are no limitations as to what a woman can achieve in the ministry. Being in Christ makes us all one. Look with me at 2 Corinthians 4:7.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the EXCELLENCY of the power may be of God, and not of us.

THE POWER TO MINISTER IS FOUND IN CHRIST. The ability to live holy is an attribute of Christ. We are ONE in Christ and with Christ. His ability enables us to live and walk as He did, as well as work ministry. ALL POWER IS IN CHRIST.

The above paragraph is true regardless of the fact that some would seek to limit the ability of women who are called of God. However, as in the above paragraph, the parallel does not stop there. It is also thought that women are very emotional and unpredictable. It is not believed that a woman could be as productive or stable in her personal walk or kingdom work as her Christian brothers. The sad thing about this scenario is that many women believe this to be the truth. We must deal with the real issues that surround women as they seek to serve the Lord.

FEAR

1. Many married women fear how their spouses will respond to their endeavor to work for the Lord.

2. Many young women fear being young and called into the ministry, as youth have been associated with immaturity and a lack of spirituality.

3. Many single women fear being sold out to God without having a male covering.

4. Many women fear not being accepted in the ministry, because of the traditional mindset of the Church and society as it relates to women in the ministry.

EMOTIONS

Genesis 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy DESIRE shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

In this scripture, we see that after the fall the woman was cursed to live in the captivity of her own desire. It is impossible to walk in desire and not have emotions relative to that desire. Therefore, the curse in Genesis placed the woman in an emotional prison. This prison was soon manifested in the Old Testament, because women were not allowed to express themselves. They were placed at the mercy of the desires of their male counterparts.

Let us look even closer at the captivity that resulted from Genesis Three. To do so, we will examine the letter our brother Paul wrote to the Church at Rome.

Romans 7:5

For when we were in the flesh, the MOTIONS OF SINS, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

MOTIONS NT: 3804 pathema (path’-ay-mah); from a presumed derivative of; something undergone, i.e. hardship or pain; subjectively, an emotion or influence: KJV - affection, affliction, emotion, suffering. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Though the Apostle Paul is addressing the captivity of mankind, note here that Paul is very specific in identifying the nature of that captivity. He says, “ ...when we were in the flesh...” This places the captivity before salvation. Thus, we must acknowledge the fact that we are no longer creatures who dwell in the flesh, but in the Spirit. In order for liberty to be expressed in our walk in God, it is imperative that we believe this. It is sad, but a reality, that many in the Body of Christ do not believe that salvation removed us from the flesh and placed us in the Spirit of God. This place in the Spirit has been treated as a cliché.

Galatians 5:24-25

24 And they that are Christ’s have CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

According to Galatians this is not a cliché. To be placed in the Spirit by God is to be removed from the flesh and the captivity of its affections and lusts. However, the author admonishes us to walk in the Spirit. He insisted we live in the Spirit by the power God, but we must also walk in the Spirit, which is the Kingdom of God. If we choose not to walk in the Spirit, we will follow after the dictates of the flesh. To do so, places us once again under the captivity of the flesh and its emotions and desires.

THE SALVATION THAT WAS WROUGHT IN THE WOMAN FREES HER DESIRES AND EMOTIONS. The curse in the Garden is broken and the woman is no longer captive to her own desires or emotions. You must believe this. You will continue to walk in a mindset that is debilitating if you do not. You must begin to see yourself through the eyes of God’s salvation. In order to destroy this debilitating mindset, you must also see yourself in ministry; as Eve was, before the fall. Let us go to Genesis the 1st chapter.

Genesis 1:27-28

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed THEM, and God said unto THEM, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The Lord created man, male and female and blessed them both. The scripture declares that He gave dominion over the earth to both of them. This means that the woman was given the same dominion as man. This also means that she had the same power to operate in the Garden of Eden and rule over all its inhabitants. She was in no wise less proficient than the man. The same is true in Christ. If we live in the Spirit of Christ, we are able to walk and work in His Spirit. Christ is no less powerful in the female vessel than He is in the male. But once again, this is something you must believe. Nevertheless, many women are still held captive by their emotions. They worship their feelings.

Emotional captivity such as hurts, denial, family ties, past and present failures and rejection have crippled many women who would otherwise be powerful in God. A very deceptive mindset has developed from worshiping feelings. Many women feel God is sympathetic and will make allowances for these emotions. This is simply just not true. The power of the gospel has to be revealed in the female just as it is revealed in the male. These hurts and debilitating emotions cause unforgiveness and stop the flow of love. They are unlawful and must be crucified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 17:27-31

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; BUT NOW COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY WHERE TO REPENT:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

That man God has ordained’ (v. 31), is Christ. When we walk in the Spirit, we are very Christ. The life of Christ is the only life that is acceptable unto God. It does not matter what gender one is, the requirement is the same. We are the offspring of God, therefore we should not think of God as powerless or equal only to the ability of idols of stone, silver or gold. The Godhead who dwells in us is living and powerful. Thus, we must consider that the knowledge of God has removed our ignorance. Therefore, it is commanded that we repent for having rejected the power of the gospel. You must cease to allow your fleshy mind to persuade you against the knowledge of the truth.

WANTONNESS

Wantonness is a lustful desire that you will break the laws of God to fulfill. For example: things, ministry, control, authority, flesh not kept in due restraint; lewdness (II Peter 2:18, James 5:5), lasciviousness and insolent behavior. A wanton person postures himself in a readiness for all pleasure; acknowledges no restraints; does whatever he desires and is dictated to by unmanageable boundaries (St. Mark 7:22, II Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 4:19, Romans 13:14, II Peter 2:18). Source: Banks Expository.

Wantonness is lust for that thing you feel you must achieve no matter what. It will cause you to have your own agenda separate and apart from the purpose of God. Wantonness is designed to destroy you and your ministry. It will cause you to deny God and end up in hell.

WANTONNESS DOES NOT SIMPLY TARGET THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, BUT ALSO TARGETS THE EMOTIONS OF THE FLESH. There are many who lust for power. They walk in a spirit of control and simply refuse to forgive offenses. These negative dispositions are motivated by “want.” There has to be something you want inside of each of these dispositions and to maintain these dispositions you must disregard the Word of God as being law for your life. Likewise, you must also prefer the darkness of the disposition. When there is a want, retribution or some type of satisfaction desired, contentment is impossible. Therefore, remaining in want causes your pride to be fortified and alienation from God to be complete.

2 Peter 2:18-22

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they ALLURE THROUGH THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, THROUGH MUCH WANTONNESS, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, THE DOG IS TURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT AGAIN; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

The above scriptures are true across the board. They are relative to every negative disposition in man or woman. Through Jesus Christ we have escaped the corruption of the flesh and the pollutions of this world. This is true whether you accept it or not. I need you to understand that when you refuse to walk in the Spirit, you instantly become what you were in the flesh.

ALL OF THE EMOTIONS, DESIRES AND NEGATIVE DISPOSITIONS BECOME ALIVE AND ACTIVE. It is unlawful for the new creature to subject himself to the captivity of the flesh. He is not to follow after the flesh, but after the mind of the spirit. Nevertheless, he must give an account for his decision.

The enemy has convinced us that this is who we are as women and that we will never overcome the captivities of the flesh. God is challenging us to believe what He has said.

Romans 3:2-4

2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

We are the workmanship of God and unbelief has no place in the Body of Christ. This is why it is imperative that we come into agreement with the present truth. God is not obligated to take us any further in ministry if we cannot believe the basic foundation of salvation. This flesh was crucified with Christ and our soul has been resurrected in Him. We are new creatures. We are no longer debtors to the flesh.