Paulette Reed:
Jesus Honors Women
- Women Cannot Be Silenced!
In the Beginning
In the beginning, God created both Adam and Eve: "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).
Even though Adam was created first, God still had a definite plan for Eve. It would be ludicrous to think that it was any less of a plan because she was created after him: "God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it'" (Genesis1:28).
Since God created Eve and had a plan for her, that means He has a glorious plan for every woman on earth that He creates. Though the plan for each one of us differs according to the gifts God has given to us, we know that whatever the plan is, it is very good!
Unfortunately, the devil has lied to a large portion of the earth's population for centuries. And consequently, we often find that women are oppressed, abused, forced into sexual slavery, and even beheaded in some nations, never allowed to live up to the full potential God intended for them.
This oppression, which is caused by a religious demon, can cause depression in women, silencing their voice. However, wherever we find the Spirit of the Living God in operation, we find abundant life, honor, and dignity toward women, releasing them into God's plan for their lives.
Delight and Pleasure
God realized it was not good for Adam to be alone. So He caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, "Then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man" (Genesis 2:21–22).
The fact that God brought Eve to Adam means that He deliberately placed her in the Garden of Eden just as He had previously placed the man there. Eve was placed there for a reason – for a particular purpose.
Eden means delight or pleasure. God brought Eve to the man in the Garden to experience true pleasure and delight – in one another and in God. They were to live their lives experiencing the unhindered love of God, reciprocating that love toward one another. It was the Father's blessing that unlocked the destiny within each of them. How wonderful to know that God still does the same for us today.
We are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, just as our first parents were. It was a mandate from God for both of them, not to each of them individually. They were to fulfill the destiny God had given them while side-by-side. Unfortunately, the curse entered in.
Curse Led to Curses
Since the fall of man, women have often been regarded as second-class citizens – inferior to men. One prominent Christian once said, "All women are born that they may acknowledge themselves as inferior to the male." That is a horribly inaccurate statement regarding God's creation of women. The creation of women is a huge part of God's plan and purpose for the earth. In fact, women are integral to it.
It was from the womb of a woman that Jesus came forth as a man, breaking the curse of sin and death forever. The curse has been reversed through the Child carried in Mary's womb.
After Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God came to them and explained how sin would affect their relationship with Him, with each other, and with the surrounding environment. In particular, God told Eve that her desire would be for man but he would rule over her, and that tremendous pain would be experienced through childbirth. And because of this, many today still hold a terrible misconception, believing that women are not equal to men. What a terrible tragedy – a slippery slope from Hell that has lasted for centuries.
Thank goodness that women are not second-class citizens in God's Kingdom. Women have a voice, and their voice is great!
The Truth, and Nothing But the Truth
I find it very interesting that the last thing created by God was the first thing satan attacked. The serpent didn't try to entice Adam to eat of the fruit. Rather, he waited till Eve was alone before he approached her and tempted her. I decree and declare that as we live out this hour of restoration (Acts 3:21), the last thing created is going to be the last thing restored to itsrightful position!
It is time for women to rise up within the Body of Christ, releasing resurrection power.
Once God confronted Adam and Eve about their sin, He didn't turn to them and immediately curse them. Rather, He turned His attention to the serpent and spoke a curse on it. He said the serpent would now crawl on his belly and eat dust all the days of his life.
Then He continued, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" (Genesis 3:15).
Our heavenly Father stepped into the situation and, instead of getting upset with the serpent, He spoke directly to it with power and authority: "I will put enmity between you and the woman..." He is clearly speaking about the Cross of Christ that was to break the power of the enemy; to break the curse of sin and death.
Even though sin had just been committed and humanity's relationship with the Father was fractured, the Father spoke of a time, coming centuries later, when His Son would come and crush the head of the serpent. How was this to happen? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
As the centuries passed on, Jesus finally arrived on the scene, not as a King to rule Israel by force, but as a baby lying in a manger. Jesus Christ was born – God made flesh – God in human form. As such, He embodied all of God's opinions and thoughts, all of God's glory (attributes). In His earthly life, Jesus was the visible expression of God Himself. And by His actions and words we discover God's view of women – a view utterly contrary to the prevailing opinion of His day. Jesus honored women.
Jesus Honored Women
What a tremendous blessing to know that God made His appearance on earth through a woman. Our Father chose a woman to bring forth the bright Morning Star, the Deliverer and Redeemer, a horn of salvation. The life of God was placed first in the womb of a woman before it came to you and me.
The
angel Gabriel announced to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus" (Luke
1:30–31).
God chose to honor women.
As Jesus ministered throughout His earthly life, He tore down all the social conventions that were pitted against women. He had a reputation for constantly hanging out with sinners, dining with tax collectors and prostitutes.
On one occasion, He arose to the defense of a woman caught in the very act of adultery. He became her attorney and saved her life, telling the men surrounding her to throw the first stone if they were without sin. Jesus honored her.
We see in the Gospel of John that Jesus met and talked to a woman when His disciples went off to get something to eat (John 4). Not only was she a Samaritan, but she was also a divorcee. And to top it all off, she was living in immorality. But Jesus defied the prevailing culture of the day and talked to her, speaking words of truth and life. He honored her despite what others thought.
Jesus Christ also seemed to love using women in His parables.
They became heroines in the stories He told. He spoke of a woman who was tenacious in going back to the unjust judge repeatedly even though he had previously denied her request. The judge finally honored her...for her persistence. And then there's the woman who wouldn't stop looking until she found the coin she had lost. And Jesus also praised the widow who had given all of her money in the offering at the temple. Jesus repeatedly chose to honor women.
Do you remember when Jesus was dining with a Pharisee and a woman walked in off the street? When she saw Jesus, she fell to her knees, untied her hair, and poured costly perfume on His feet, washing them. Of course this was alarming to the self-righteous Pharisees gathered there.
They assumed Jesus was not a true prophet because He allowed this to happen. Yet, Jesus honored this woman, saying, "Truly I say to you, wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her" (Matthew 26:13).
The Women
When Luke wrote his account of Jesus's life, he refers to the disciples with the nickname "the Twelve." The Twelve were with Jesus for three-and-a-half years, being mentored by Him, taught by Him, encouraged by Him, and challenged by Him. But Jesus also had a group of female disciples who followed Him,
whom Luke calls "the women" (Luke
23:55; Acts
1:14).
They were ladies who honored Jesus and He honored them in return.
These women of God were faithful to the Lord. When Jesus was led out of the city to be crucified, the Twelve took off and went their own ways, all except for John, but the women stayed close to the Lord and refused to leave His side. They followed Him up to Calvary to comfort Him and help tend to His needs, even though it meant witnessing a horrible crucifixion.
Following His death, it was the women who first visited the tomb where Jesus lay. Here they were still compassionate, making sure His body was properly cared for. And when Jesus arose from the dead, the first faces He met – the first eyes that were laid upon Him – were the eyes of women. It was to them that He gave the amazing privilege of announcing His resurrection to the other disciples – to the world. He chose to honor them.
We see clearly in the life of Jesus that women helped Him financially (Luke 8:1–3), and we know they helped provide for His physical needs. And, in the end, Jesus blessed women with a wonderful tribute, proving how precious they are to Him:
He chose a woman to depict that which He came to die for – His very Bride. Jesus lived a life of honor. He honored every person He met. He honored women. And He still does today.
Satan Cannot Silence Women
Satan cannot silence women any longer. The psalmist said, "The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the news] are a great host" (Psalm 68:11 AMP). We are called to "publish" the good news of Christ's victory through the Cross. We are called to announce it with boldness, to speak it with power. The message resides within each of us.
Our words cannot be silenced, "...because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). And God promises through Isaiah, "So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).
Alleluia! The curse has been reversed, beloved. Our words have power because God has chosen to honor women.
Paulette Reed
Prophetic Arrow Ministries
Paulette Reed is a powerful preacher, prophetic minister, encourager, and author. She is a full-time revivalist/evangelist. Her passion is to share the love of Christ and unite people to the inexplicable love of our Heavenly Father, exhorting them to arise and shine! She is an extremely accurate prophetess who has been raised up to bring hope and healing to the Body of Christ.
Without a vision the people perish, so the Lord is using this handmaiden as His mouthpiece to speak forth individual and corporate vision, catapulting people into their destinies. Paulette loves to see God's people awakened and proclaim the active extension of the Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. She ministers in the revival anointing accompanied by revelatory ministry, healing, miracles, signs and wonders.
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