THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN
A RECIPE
STEP #9
WELCOME BACK
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Today's
Virtuous
Vitamin
is
~STRENGTH~
power |
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Proverbs
31 ...
Verse 17
She girdeth
her loins
with
strength,
and
strengtheneth
her arms. |
Glad to have you back,
you TRUTH seeker, you!
What do you think of
exercise? Do you suppose
that king Lemuel’s
mother was pertaining to
exercise as a means of
obtaining bodily
strength?
|
1 Timothy
4:8
For bodily
exercise
profiteth
little: but
godliness is
profitable
unto all
things. |
Many women absolutely
love the thought of
being strong and having
power, but let's search
for the spiritual
message here. Here comes
another one of those
wounds of TRUTH again,
but a flatterer, I am
not.
|
Proverbs
28:23
He that
rebuketh a
man
afterwards
shall find
more favour
than he that
flattereth
with the
tongue. |
Is the power you desire
the power of the Holy
Spirit, or is it the
kind of power that the
world says is desirable?
Is the power you seek,
power to resist evil, or
is it the power to
assist evil?
Let's look at this in a
different light. Let's
talk about nuclear
energy for example. When
atoms are split, a lot
of energy is released.
If that power is
contained in a bomb,
when it is detonated,
what happens?
Destruction. But if that
power was used
differently, it could
heat homes, fuel cars,
or provide electricity
of amazing proportions.
You wouldn't pour
gasoline into your
television set, or throw
a couple dozen 9 volt
batteries into the gas
tank of your car because
it's the wrong kind of
energy source, and they
just wouldn't work. Now,
think about how you, as
a woman, were created.
You are
the weaker vessel. But
that doesn't mean that
you have no effect on
anything.
|
1 Peter 3:7
Likewise, ye
husbands,
dwell with
them
according to
knowledge,
giving
honour
unto the
wife, as
unto the
weaker
vessel, and
as being
heirs
together of
the grace of
life; that
your prayers
be not
hindered. |
As you can see, being
the weaker vessel isn't
less honorable. But it
does mean that your
power or strength is
used for different
purposes. Not only
physically, but
spiritually, how much
strength do you suppose
it takes to bear a
child? How about raising
a child? How about the
woman's role as a
homemaker?
The world has spent
more energy convincing
women that their power
lies in politics, fame,
a job or career,
dominating men, money,
muscular development,
and so many other
ridiculous things, that
it makes uranium look
silly. You're heading
for destruction if
you're trying to gain
the wrong kind of
power.
A respected friend of
mine explained to me the
natural
weakness of a woman.
Picture this: You're
sitting on the sofa
watching a movie with
your mate, when suddenly
you hear a window break.
What do you do ...
Naturally? Do
you immediately jump up
motioning for your mate
not to move and say,
"Don't worry honey, I'll
take care of this," or
do you naturally
expect him to take care
of it?
Instead of using your
energy ... Your strength
... To try and gain
power that God never
meant you to have, why
not spend the same
amount of energy
resisting the world's
deception. You'll find
that the Holy Spirit
will redirect your
energy into womanly
strength, if you just
ask. Go ahead ... Ask!
You do need strength,
and an abundance of it
to resist the devil.
You're a prime target
because of your natural
weakness and he (the
enemy) knows it. Why do
you think he approached
Eve in the Garden of
Eden instead of Adam?
Because he knew she was
weaker and his chances
of CON-vincing her were
better. But what if Eve
had relied on the power
of the Holy Spirit
instead of desire to
have her own power,
would she then have
sensed the danger that
threatened all of
mankind after her? That
might've been nice, eh?
That is
what she was desirous
of, wasn't it ... Power
... To be as a god?
|
Genesis
3:1-6
Now the
serpent was
more subtil
than any
beast of the
field which
the LORD God
had made.
And he said
unto the
woman, Yea,
hath God
said, Ye
shall not
eat of every
tree of the
garden? And
the woman
said unto
the serpent,
We may eat
of the fruit
of the trees
of the
garden: But
of the fruit
of the tree
which is in
the midst of
the garden,
God hath
said, Ye
shall not
eat of it,
neither
shall ye
touch it,
lest ye die.
And the
serpent said
unto the
woman, Ye
shall not
surely die:
For God doth
know that in
the day ye
eat thereof,
then your
eyes shall
be opened,
and ye shall
be as gods,
knowing good
and evil.
And when the
woman saw
that the
tree was
good for
food, and
that it was
pleasant to
the eyes,
and a tree
to be
desired to
make one
wise, she
took of the
fruit
thereof, and
did eat, and
gave also
unto her
husband with
her; and he
did eat. |
That kind of evil that
Eve experienced in the
Garden of Eden, still
lurks around the world
today. You encounter it
every day of your life,
but if you focus on
gaining the strength of
the Spirit of God to
fulfill His will for you
instead of your own will
for worldly strength,
you'll find an inner
strength that will bring
you the contentment in
your life that you're
looking for, and isn't
contentment and the
power of the Holy Spirit
really the only power a
person needs?
|
Psalms 89:21
With whom my
hand shall
be
established:
mine arm
also shall
strengthen
him.
|
Just imagine, any gym
that you pass, at any
given moment, if all
those women devoted an
hour to the Lord instead
of their flesh, however
many times per week they
go, how much more
strength they would
really have.
Spend your energy to
edify, magnify, praise
and honor your Father.
|
Mark 12:30
And thou
shalt love
the Lord thy
God with all
thy heart,
and with all
thy soul,
and with all
thy mind,
and with all
thy
strength:
this is the
first
commandment.
|
Don’t be overwhelmed by
the responsibilities of
being virtuous. The
strength of the Lord and
the power of the Holy
Spirit will sustain you.
What does the Lord
consider strength?
|
Psalms 28:7
The LORD is
my strength
and my
shield; my
heart
trusted in
Him, and I
am helped:
therefore my
heart
greatly
rejoiceth;
and with my
song will I
praise Him. |
Proverbs
10:29
The way of
the Lord is
strength to
the upright. |
Proverbs
14:26
In the fear
of the Lord
is strong
confidence:
and His
children
shall have a
place of
refuge. |
Proverbs
18:10
The name of
the Lord is
a strong
tower: the
righteous
runneth into
it, and is
safe. |
Nehemiah
8:10
The joy of
the Lord is
your
strength. |
|
Psalms 73:26
My flesh and
my heart
faileth: but
God is the
strength of
my heart,
and my
portion for
ever. |
The question again: What
does the Lord consider
strength? The answer:
THE LORD IS a virtuous
woman’s strength.
|
Acts 1:8
But ye shall
receive
power, after
that the
Holy Ghost
is come upon
you: and ye
shall be
witnesses
unto me both
in
Jerusalem,
and in all
Judaea, and
in Samaria,
and unto the
uttermost
part of the
Earth. |
The power of the Holy
Spirit is the only power
you need.
INDEPENDENT ... YET
INSECURE?
Speaking of strength ...
I knew a person ... A
woman ... Who thought
she was tough as nails
... On the outside. She
could talk a big story,
and make (some) people
believe that she was a
real "tough broad". But
when it came down to
brass tacks, so to
speak, being tough as
nails didn't ward off
the enemy. She was
constantly being
attacked (tried and
tempted) despite her
Goliath-like armor. On
the inside, she was
always nervous,
doubtful, scared,
insecure. You can
mistakenly believe that
talking big talk, or
appearing physically
strong, or projecting
that you are worldly
independent is enough to
sustain your inner
strength in this life
and bear you through to
Salvation, but your
conscience (the Holy
Spirit ... The source of
right and wrong in you)
knows that the Spirit of
God is the only strength
that can carry you
through the trials and
tribulations that this
world will
unquestionably present
in your life. Lean on
Him. Depend on Him. He
is your shield.
|
Psalms 84:11
For the LORD
God is a sun
and shield:
the LORD
will give
Grace and
glory: no
good thing
will He
withhold
from them
that walk
uprightly. |
DEPEND ON THE LORD
That's the only security
you have. That's the
only strength that you
can truly
count on, day in, and
day out. It doesn't
matter what the world
perceives you as. David
knew this when he
accepted Goliath's
challenge to fight, that
you can be a giant, but
if you don't depend on
the Lord for your
strength ... You're as
weak as a feather.
Do you remember, I
mentioned a woman named
Deborah who was once the
judge of Israel? During
that time the king of
Canaan had a massive
army, and was well
equipped with 900 iron
chariots. The people of
Israel in all
practicality didn't
stand a chance against
them, having no
comparison for
artillery. But guess
what happened. God sent
a torrent, and it turned
the battleground into a
quagmire, so the
chariots were useless,
stuck in the mud, and
Israel won the battle.
The hand of God is the
only strength that you
can truly
count on.
Security is dependence
on God ... Period.
Physical strength is
temporal. It is fleshly.
You are reborn in the
SPIRIT when you are a
Christian. Anything
fleshly ... Or derived
of your own strength or
ability ... Is
deceiving. It will
fail.
We talked in an earlier
Step about regaining
femininity. In your
quest for virtue, if you
aren't seeking for
gentleness, meekness,
submissiveness, love,
and anything else that
Jesus represented of God
when He was on Earth,
then you're seeking for
the wrong things. He
calmed the storm with
the power of the Holy
Spirit, not with
physical strength. He
walked on water. He did
miraculous things that
the strongest man on
Earth could not do. And
He waits for you to
depend on Him ... To ask
for His power to work
through you to
accomplish His will in
your life. No weight
lifting necessary.
Undoubtedly, the world
will disagree ... And
that's their job, as
advocates of the enemy,
but your soul, your
conscience, the essence
of your womanhood ...
Knows better.
THE LORD IS YOUR
ROCK!
Lean on Him. Pray to
Him. Rely on Him. Trust
in Him. Glorify Him.
And as always, reflect
on His Grace ... It is
so strengthening!
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STEP #9
Meditate on:
STRENGTH
Related
Study:
Music
Selection:
Don't forget
to write in
your
Personal
Journal!
Go back over
each Step
often to be
sure you
have not
missed
anything.
|
If you have any
questions about the
program, contact one of
the FEMALE CHRISTIAN
TEAM LEADERS in the
Christianity Oasis Chat
Room.
Or you can contact us
at:
VirtuousWoman@ChristianityOasis.com
To
continue our program,
select:
STEP #10
I’ll meet you there!
