the incredible worth of a woman

Why I believe the hearts of mothers will turn the nations back to God.

• I believe God wants to challenge how men see women.

• I believe God wants to challenge how women see themselves.

• I believe God wants to challenge men that struggle with looking at women on the internet.

• And I believe God wants to help men pray for their spouses and daughters.

I had several dreams about God’s heart for women. After I had the dreams, I began to search the Scriptures to learn more on what God thinks and feels about women. And I found that God loves women immensely and has amazing plans for them. I believe God is going to partner with women to bring revival and reformation in our nation (and many other nations). Firstly, I will share Bible verses that I believe help us understand God's heart for women and how much He values them. Secondly, I will share dreams which encouraged and changed my heart to see God’s plan for women (and taught me to pray for my wife). Lastly, I will share why I believe Godly women, organizing together, will gain heaven's attention and change history.

SCRIPTURES THAT SHOW THE VALUE AND PURPOSE OF WOMEN

(these are certainly not comprehensive)

First, Jesus kindly answers the Samaritan woman at the well by saying, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10). In one simple conversation, Jesus elevated the world’s understanding of women as He confronted gender and race issues. He partnered with the Holy Spirit, through a word of knowledge, to accomplish the Father’s will, empowering this woman to be a worshipper (1st commandment restored to first place) and an evangelist (2nd commandment given to her life’s purpose). This also served as an example for His future leadership team (disciples), who undoubtedly had gender and race issues to overcome (she was a Samaritan woman), so that they could be gospel preaching, servant leaders and martyrs. Today, God is elevating the value of women, so that they can live their life to the fullest in Christ.

Second, we can find revelation in the story of John the Baptists’ beheading. This may seem strange, but follow me for a moment. We live in a grossly over—pornified society where women (and men) are exploited for sinful passions. This problem was evident in Jesus’ day. King Herod, who liked to talk with John the Baptist, had him locked away in a prison cell. In a state of drunkenness and immorality, he had a woman provocatively dance for him. The result is that Herodias (Jezebel spirit of control) used her own daughter to control and destroy the life of John. How does Jesus respond? “When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” After grieving only a short time for the life of John the Baptist, Jesus serves the people's needs, prayerfully reaches out to Father, contends for the miraculous, and feeds the 5000, “Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” (Matthew 14:1-21). How does this speak about God’s heart for women? Jesus had compassion.

Compassion is something that women/mothers have a rich supply of. In fact, we see another woman, Mary of Bethany, rise to the occasion when Jesus was about to go the cross (the hardest task of His earthly life). She pours out her extravagant offering upon Jesus. She gave all that she had because she knew the life and love of Jesus. She had compassion on Him, and poured out an offering on Him (Mark 14:3-9). Now compare the two stories. Herodias used her own daughter and sexual immorality to control her life and destroy another. Mary of Bethany used her wealth and talents, living with compassion, to pour out her life as an offering unto Jesus. He then rewards her life of devotion by explaining that what she had done will be remembered as an eternal memorial forever (Mark 14:9; we will talk about this for millennia to come). Today, women will arise in purity who are moved with compassion, and they will truly minister to the heart of God.

Third, and most important, the revelation of God’s love (He is the Bridegroom and you are the Bride), will increase daily as we approach the end times. In the beginning, Jesus explained that man could not live alone. He needed a helper, comparable to him, one that would co-labor with him in his task of loving God, and loving people (Genesis 2:17-19; work of the garden). Jesus, who invented the idea of marriage, was at the first marriage when He brought Eve to Adam (Gen. 2:22). The Bible begins and ends with a marriage. The Book of Revelation declares, “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17) Today, as we get closer to the end times, Jesus prophesied, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12). So, God has used the institution of marriage to show us our role as the Bride of Christ and His overwhelming love for us. But the best is yet to come.

DREAM ONE: PRAYING WOMEN

In the first dream, I was in Washington DC, and it was several years in the future. I was looking outside at Washington DC. The streets began to flood. It started slowly at first; 1 inch, then 2 inches, and then 5 inches. I knew that the water level was rising, and soon there would be a flood. Next, different kinds of fish were swimming in the streets. I knew the fish represented ministries, movements, and political groups seeking change in our nation. Some of the groups were smaller, while some were quite large. Some of the groups were more violent, while some were very peaceful. I knew that this was not going to get us the change we needed, because people were not unified. There was a sense of urgency in the Christian believers. Something had to be done soon.

Shockingly, because of the sin in our hearts and in the nations, we were headed to a world war. Our rebellion against God had reached a point of tipping like unto the civil war (I knew it had to do with Psalm 2 and the rage of the nations against God). It seemed that we were close to this world war. Then a huge whale, bigger than anything I’ve ever seen, fell out of the sky. And when it landed in the water, there was the loudest sound that I have ever heard. Everyone in the nation took notice.

Interpreting, the whale spoke of Jeremiah 7:17-21. Where the LORD OF HOST says,

“Consider and call for the mourning women,

That they may come;

And send for skillful wailing women,

That they may come.

Let them make haste

And take up a wailing for us,

That our eyes may run with tears,

And our eyelids gush with water.

19 For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How we are plundered!

We are greatly ashamed,

Because we have forsaken the land,

Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’ ”

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O women,

And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;

Teach your daughters wailing,

And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.

21 For death has come through our windows,

Has entered our palaces,

To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!

And the young men—no longer on the streets!

I knew that there were over 3 million women, united crying out for their children to be spared, crying out for the nation, asking God to forgive us. Caring mothers and sincere women were asking for God’s mercy on the land. They were praying, pleading, that their sons and daughters wouldn’t be taken into war on foreign soils. I knew that many people would die if our nation did not repent and turned to the Lord. (This seemed to be the last effort, because all of the many unity movements did not change things. But there was a holiness and purity in these women.)

DREAM TWO: THE WOMAN OF AZUSA

The 2nd dream (and the most challenging). I was in a desperate season of my life. I had been serving in full-time missionary work for 12 years. My wife and I had only four children at the time. However, life was very hard. The pressure of raising our own funds, serving the body of Christ with a smile, and then going home to encourage your family, all with a meager budget, was putting a strain on our marriage. But my wife was a champ. Not that she didn’t struggle, we all struggled most days, but she was faithful to take time to turn to the Lord in the midst of her struggle, and sometimes that’s all we can do. I remember the night of this dream like it was yesterday.

In the dream, I was on my way to a celebration. The body of Christ had gone through an amazing revival season. There were so many exciting things that happened. Many people had been saved, and many life changing miracles came forth. We were gathering together to talk about the amazing move of God, to encourage each other before the imminent return of Jesus Christ. As I got to my hotel room, I was told that I would stay in the Azusa Commemorative Revival room. I knew that this would be a room with pictures showing the story of what really happened, from God’s perspective, during the Holy Spirit outpouring in 1906 to 1908 at the Azusa revival.

I was excited as I entered the room. I prepared myself to see photographs of Frank Bartleman (white man) and William Seymour (black man). These are the two men most highlighted during this historic outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I was shocked when I walked into the room at what I saw. I saw one picture of William Seymour. And then I saw several small pictures of Frank Bartleman. But there were thousands of pictures all over the walls of women. Some white, native, Asian, and mostly black. I knew that the size of the picture represented how much each person had prayed and lived righteously. I knew that I was looking at history through God's eyes.

I asked the Lord what was going on? Why were these pictures of women all over the wall? He replied, “You thought I raised up Bartleman and Seymour because of their righteousness and fervent prayer life. But I raised up Bartleman and Seymour as an answer to the prayers of the praying mothers and praying women of their generation. Both Frank Bartleman and William Seymour were My perfect answer to the crisis in that day.” And what He said next changed my life forever. He continued,

“If you understood My heart and value for women, and understood their role in the revival to come, you would pray and serve your wife differently.”

I do not have time to go into the long story, but my life was changed that day. I began to pray for my wife for one hour every day for the next year and a half. And now I have a rich vibrant prayer life with, and for, my wife. I am not just praying for her so that revival will come. Instead, I am praying for her to grow in love with God, enter into the fullness of God’s destiny for her and her children, while believing for her life and calling. This verse has been a constant prayer for her, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) Today, pray that our nation turns back to God. Pray that our children never go to war. Pray for the fullness of God’s heart for women. Pray for forgiveness and revival. I pray for His Kingdom to come.

DREAM THREE: UNITED WOMEN

I saw God uniting women together, and they would talk and pray, write laws, vote, run for office, and basically begin to turn the nation towards righteousness and justice. There seemed to be groups of women across political and denominational lines, uniting at the cross of Christ. Really, there were no superstars. This was an even playing field. It reminded me of how compelling, convicting, and humbling it must’ve been to be around amazing ordinary women like: queen Esther, Ruth, Sojourner Truth, & the courageous Ann Atwater. These were just ordinary women called to do extraordinary things. They just gathered together, talked about the issues at hand, prayed, and then acted. But their unity, prayers, and actions began almost a political revolution (but it was more than just policies that they changed).

IN SUMMARY

These three dreams helped me to look at God’s heart for women differently, while treating and praying for my wife with thanksgiving and gratitude (I get to pray for the daughter of God the Father in Heaven). And lastly, I am praying for the victorious Church, and Godly women leaders to arise in the Body of Christ, which will help fill the vacuum of leadership all around us.