And if he is able, Satan will enslave them
to accomplish his will on Earth. But
despite the enemy's efforts to oppress
and seduce women, we are about to see
women of the Church arise and influence
the world in a way they have never done
before!
Women on the Rise
In a recent article in SpiritLed Woman,
Judy Jacobs examines how "the kingdom
of heaven suffers violence, and the
violent take it by force" (Matt. 11:12).
She writes:
"The violent take it by force" means that
an energetic force takes for itself what is
rightfully its own. . . . This is a season
where violence is required to get things
accomplished in the supernatural that
could never be done in the natural. . . .
This requires a new level of courage,
determination, perseverance and
unwavering faith. Women who have
never felt violent will now arise in faith
and believe God for the impossible.
We are about to see faith-filled women
arise and change the course of history.
With the apostolic Church rising and the
apostolic gift being restored in the Body
of Christ to produce a new order, the
question of how women fit into God's
plan for the days ahead is key. I believe
this question is going to be as big as the
Acts 15 ordeal over circumcision.
Today, we must ask how God wants to
raise up women to influence the Kingdom
and the world. We must also recognize
how Satan's plans depend on the
continued oppression of women. Our
understanding of these two issues will
help us to determine the progress of the
Church in the future war.
Undoubtedly, women are one of the
Church's most untapped resources.
David Yonggi Cho, senior pastor of the
700,000-member Yoido Full Gospel
Church in Seoul, has said: For 5,000
years in Korea, women had no voice at
all. They were only to cater to the needs
of men. Then Christianity came and set
women free. Especially in the church,
women are free. . . . In ministry, they
are equal to men. They are licensed;
they are ordained. They become
deacons and elders, and they become
cell leaders. . . . [If pastors will train
women and delegate ministry to them]
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they will become tremendous
messengers for the Lord. . . . [Although
some argue that women should be silent
in church] once women are called into
ministry, they no longer belong to the
category of women. They are
messengers of the Lord.
Women of Faith Transforming Society
I remember seeing a TV commercial that
declared, "There's never been a better
time in history to be a girl." Even though
great oppression is occurring in certain
areas against women, they are also
enjoying more opportunities than ever to
become all that God created them to be
—to let their lights and gifts shine.
As we have said, the new millennium is
revealing a new order in the Body of
Christ. The law of order says that there
is a sequence of events arranged in a
definite plan and time that causes the
proper functioning of systems, resulting
in victory. Order is also linked with
authority.
Women have become recognized in the
Church as prayer warriors but not
particularly for their ability to exercise
God's authority on Earth. During the
past decade I have had the opportunity
to work with great women of faith.
Through my position among the leaders
in the global prayer movement, our Lord
has brought me into relationship with
several gifted women who know how to
wield great authority on their knees.
This authority, through spirit-filled
praying, brings heaven to Earth and
changes the course of the world.
God is renewing and restoring the
apostolic gifting in the Body of Christ. He
is raising up leadership for the future.
He is releasing an anointing for spiritual
breakthrough against the kingdom of
darkness from region to region. This is a
season when our Lord's apostolic order
and authority are being established in a
new, fresh dimension. Part of God's
order for this hour is the establishment of
godly women with an authority and a
sphere of influence that will revolutionize
societies throughout the earth.
Many prophets are declaring that there
will be a great move of the Holy Spirit
among women. I believe that many
women are being called to preach, teach
and evangelize cities and nations. These
women will find themselves released and
liberated to go forth proclaiming, "The
kingdom of our Lord is at hand!"
So what role will women play in the
future transformation of society? And
just where do women fit in the apostolic
reformation of the Church that is now
occurring?
passed to the succeeding generations.
Most of us think of the gift of apostle, the
first gift God recognizes as necessary for
His order to be established on Earth, as
being a fathering gift. This is definitely
true. However, there is another
dimension of transgenerational vision and
apostolic gifting that includes spiritual
mothering. Without both mothering and
fathering the next generation of believers
becomes dysfunctional. Mothers have
many times determined the course of
history. God is raising up spiritual
mothers in this hour.
I have always had a heart and a great
respect for women who endured and
overcame their circumstances. It is easy
for me to relate to the Scripture in 2
Timothy 1:5 when Paul encourages
Timothy "to remember the ge