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Before I begin this message, let me provide a short disclaimer: although I do encourage
women to move freely within the order provided by God in their local churches, my
goal is to exalt and release a primary grace that God has placed specifically within
women, which the Lord Himself has used in past times to release revival.
The Genesis Distinctions
When the Lord created humankind, He placed unique graces in
man and separate, but unique, graces in woman. He told Adam to name the species
of life upon earth "and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its
name" (Gen 2:19). This "naming" was much more than calling the dog, "Spot." Adam
was created with an organizational, administrative capacity which enabled him to
identify and define the world around him. By naming the living things, Adam not
only brought them into his consciousness, but he introduced order and structure
to the human experience. In effect, he defined reality.
Within the genetics of this original man, there also existed the powerful, but dormant,
qualities of the woman. While Adam slept the Spirit took from the man a rib. Fashioning
it into a woman, the Lord created for Adam a companion who was not only suitable
for him, but one who powerfully expanded man's creative capacities. Indeed, the
woman brought many new graces into Adam's world that did not formerly exist: the
foremost of which was the power to conceive and give birth.
It is important to remember: God created male and female in His image, according
to His likeness (Gen 1:26). Of course, in certain ways, both Adam and Eve as individuals
possessed reflections of the divine nature. They each could think, speak, dream
and create. However, it was in the union of Adam and Eve, in their mutual respect
of one another's strengths and graces, that mankind would possess a more perfect
expression of the fuller nature of God.
As Adam beheld this first female, he said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh
of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Gen 2:23).
The term "woman" was a delineation used by Adam, identifying her as a unique variation
in the species of man. My wife says, "Think of her as the upgrade." In some ways,
she is right, for the nature of the woman was twice refined. Adam was created of
earth; the woman, emerged not from the earth, but from the man. She is both more
complex and emotionally sophisticated.
Soon Adam began to understand the greatest power of his counterpart, her ability
to conceive and bring life into the world. Recognizing this quality, Adam named
her "Eve," which meant "life." Eve would play an integral part in the unfolding
of life's new beginnings. "She was the mother of all the living" (Gen 3:20).
We Need Revival
The Lord gave Adam a primary ability to name and establish
reality; He gave to woman the unique capacity to conceive and then birth reality.
The primary strength of each gender is that man establishes, woman births. Remember,
these qualities were not merely "human": they were reflections of the divine. Man's
ability to bring order to one's world, to take what was random and give it definition
and structure is a divine facility; woman's ability to conceive and incubate life,
and then deliver life through birth is also an aspect of the divine nature.
The Ability to Release Life
Note also that Adam named the woman "Eve" (or "Life") before they had children.
God gave the woman an ability not just to have babies, but to release life in a
variety of its expressions. In fact, one translation says that Eve means to "enliven."
Alone, Adam had been downcast; it was not good that Adam was alone. Eve enlivened
Adam in ways no other creature on earth could. Adam could build a house; Eve made
it a home. When Adam named Eve "Life," he was not only speaking prophetically of
the first mother, but he spoke out of his own experience: Eve brought life into
the structure of Adam's world.
While we are speaking in generalities, when we come into the spiritual realm, we
see this same divine encoding replicated in the ministries of men and women. Jesus
laid the foundation of the church with twelve men, whom He called to be apostles.
This didn't mean there would never be women in leadership, but that one of the better
skills given man from God was, as stated, the ability to bring order and structure.
At the same time, prior to Christ's birth we find Anna, a prophetess, engaged in
much prayer and fasting. In my opinion, it is quite possible that this woman was
not alone in her intercession, but the leader of a prophetic prayer ministry that
lived in anticipation of her times. Women excel in intercession, in spiritual sensitivity
and the release of new beginnings. Again, this doesn't excuse men from prayer! For
some of the Bible's best examples of intercessors are, indeed, men! We are speaking
in generalities in reference to the spiritual tendencies of both genders. Neither
distinction is more important than the other. Both are absolutely vital for the
unfolding of God's will upon the earth.
Today, we are fighting the advance of Satan in many arenas: whether in wars and
terrorist attacks or with the ever increasing expansion of iniquity in our world.
We need revival. To possess a national awakening, the power God has placed in women
must be released. All the efforts of man to establish laws and govern righteously
will not truly transform our culture; we need the presence of God poured out. I
am talking about something that is greater than government and righteous laws. I
am saying that God is raising up and anointing a prayer army of women, who are about
to be given even greater power as they intercede before God for their nations.
My Mother's Prayers
I personally know the power of this prayer. In the late sixties,
I was a very lost young man living in sin and rebellion. Judging from my appearance,
I looked hopeless. Yet, in spite of my outward condition, my dear Catholic mother
stood before God for me. Resist as I did, divine power, uniquely born of her prayers,
began to hunt me down. Her cries were relentless and unceasing; often she would
pray through the night for me. She was pregnant with prayer for her son. In 1970
God finally answered and during the Jesus Movement revival, I came to Christ.
Years later I asked the Lord about this revival. As you may know, it has been part
of my assignment to help engender citywide unity and establish prayer, things which
precede revival. Yet, to my knowledge, no citywide unity or organized prayer fueled
the Jesus Movement. So, I asked the Lord how could a revival occur without a prayer
movement at its source? The Lord quickly corrected me saying that there was a great
prayer movement: He had heard the prayers of a million praying mothers, each crying
to Him for their children.
From all denominations, in a "unity of desperation," God heard the cries of believing
mothers. His heart was touched and, as a result, multitudes of sinful kids found
repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ. This is the army God desires to release
again today, but now with more vision, more power from the Holy Spirit, and with
the support of men as well!
Heaven Needs You!
Women of God, the fact is, heaven needs you! You have been created by the Almighty
to birth breakthroughs on planet earth! God has uniquely designed you with a latent
ability to release life through your intercession. Together with you, we men can
build and establish, and we are learning to pray, but you have a special grace to
release new spiritual beginnings. Whether your prayer focus is for your husband
or church leadership, whether you are interceding for your children, city or nation,
you possess in your spirit the seed-realities that, through prayer, can release
God's life into the world.
Yes, indeed, there is a battle; there still exists "enmity between [the serpent]
and the woman" (Gen 3:15). Satan especially hates you because it was your seed that
bruised the serpent's head. It is amazing to me that God chose to bring His Son
into the world, not through the heavens nor even through a woman impregnated by
man, but through a woman made pregnant by God! God Himself came to earth through
the woman's power to give birth!
Today the Lord is giving women a new grace, a new confidence against the powers
of hell. They are not rebelling against men, but praying for them. Through their
intercession, these godly women will prayer-birth powerful ministries on earth,
both male and female. They will release new beginnings to the body of Christ.
I also want to commend and thank ministries such as Women's Aglow, Lydia Fellowship
and other women's prayer groups. There have been many, many times that I have suddenly
been divinely protected or spiritual breakthroughs have unexpectedly been released
to me. As I questioned the Lord, He's said, "I'm answering the prayers of Women's
Aglow" (or, the women from such and such ministry). To each of you, I say a special
thank you. May the Lord multiply His grace toward you and give you the desires of
your hearts!
Destined to Birth
Revelations 12 speaks of a "woman clothed with the sun." This word is not only talking
about Israel or the church. It also reveals how God sees spiritual women: they are
honored and crowned with distinction; pure and clothed with the glory of God. With
confidence, they tread upon the powers of night. Dear army of praying women, it
is your inherent destiny to birth that which shall rule the nations.
Heavenly Father, we come in the name of Jesus. Lord, release the women of God. Release
the power of prayer, the burden and travail of prayer, to its next levels. Father,
Islamic terrorists from without and moral decadence from within seek to destroy
our homeland. We need the prayer army to arise. Help us, O God, to pray until Your
heavenly purpose is birthed on earth as it is in heaven! Amen!
by Francis Frangipane
http://www.frangipane.org
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