WOMEN TRANSFORMING THE WORLD

By Chuck Pierce

It is the dawn of a new millennium--and the start of a significant new day for women in the church. Speaking as a brother in Christ and a leader in the global prayer movement, I'm convinced there's never been a more interesting, demanding or exciting time to be a Christian woman.

I believe almighty God will do incredible things in and through the female gender during the next decade. And when He does, society better watch out. A spiritual awakening is on the way!

As I've worked to encourage prayer around the world, I have had a tremendous opportunity to labor with many great women of the faith--gifted women who know how to wield spiritual authority on their knees. I've seen this authority, through spirit-filled praying, bring heaven to earth and change the course of history.

Of course, women are known for their praying. They're less known for exercising authority in positions of leadership in the church.

But I believe that in the coming days, there will be certain victories only women can accomplish. There will be certain places only women can get into. And there will be certain roles in leadership that only women can fill.

This is a season when the Lord's apostolic order and authority are being established in a fresh new dimension. God is renewing and restoring the apostolic gifting in the body of Christ, causing His leadership for the future to arise and be positioned. He is releasing an anointing for spiritual breakthrough against the kingdom of darkness from region to region.

Women are key in this plan. In fact, God has always had an important position for women to fill, starting with the first woman, Eve. The multiplication of life on earth could not have occurred until she was properly placed in God's order.

And God's heart for women has not changed. Today, the Lord is longing for the female gender to be established with an authority and a sphere of influence--connected to and originating from Him--that will help bring about a multiplication of harvest in the kingdom and the reform of societies throughout the earth.

As many prophets are declaring across the body of Christ, a great move of the Holy Spirit is occurring among women in this new season. Many women who have sensed a quiet nudging from the Lord to preach, teach, and evangelize cities and nations--but have felt too timid to take up the call--will find themselves released and liberated to go forth and proclaim, "The kingdom of our Lord is at hand."

Psalm 68:11 describes this picture: "The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host" (NASB). The Hebrew word for "host" is tsaba or Sabaoth, which connotes a military group that is always victorious. Such a host should strike fear in the camp of the enemy. Imagine being marched upon by countless determined "she-bears" proclaiming victory with every step!

SPIRITUAL MOTHERS

We know that when the Lord ascended to heaven He gave gifts--listed in Ephesians 4:11 and ordered in 1 Corinthians 12:28--that define His plan to legislate His authority on earth. The first gift necessary to establish godly order is that of apostle.

When true apostolic authority is established in a territory, something important happens: Transgenerational vision is released. In other words, one generation's vision for the establishment of the kingdom is passed on to the next generation, and from that generation it is passed on to the next.

Women have a critical role in this process. Although the gift of apostle is most commonly thought of as spiritual "fathering," there is another dimension that includes spiritual "mothering" as well. In fact, without both "mothering" and "fathering," transgenerational vision is squelched, and the next generation of believers becomes dysfunctional.

I believe this is an hour in which God is raising up spiritual mothers. And just in time--for we all know how many times mothers have determined the course of human affairs.

Personally, I have always had a great love and respect for women who endure and overcome difficult circumstances. I can easily relate to the Scripture in 2 Timothy 1:5 in which Paul encourages Timothy to "call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (NKJV).

I experienced a measure of hard circumstances and difficult times during my youth. But with great joy I thank God for the endurance of a godly mother and the faith of a godly grandmother who imparted future strength to me.

The Bible is replete with examples of women operating in faith and changing the direction of families, cities and nations. In the great "faith chapter" of Hebrews 11, the first woman of faith we find recognized is Sarah, a true spiritual mother. The Word of God says, "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11:11).

At the age of 90 Sarah gave birth to Isaac, overcoming her physical inability because she judged God to be faithful to the Word He had spoken years before. In Genesis 17:16, the Lord promised Abraham that He would bless Sarah and give him a son by her and that she would be a mother of nations. "Kings of peoples shall be from her," He told him.

God confirmed His promise some time later when three angels visited Abraham and asked, "Where is Sarah your wife?" (Gen. 18:9). When Abraham explained that she was in her tent, God said through the angel, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son" (v. 10).

Sarah, who was listening from behind the tent door, laughed; the idea seemed incomprehensible. But God's response was adamant: "Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return...and Sarah shall have a son" (v. 14).

Sarah chose to believe the Lord, and by faith "received strength to conceive seed" (Heb. 11:11). The word "conceive" means "to found, to produce, to lay a foundation." When Sarah's body was old, God produced within her the faith to lay the foundation of our covenant future in Christ.

I'm convinced we are going to see the passion of God rise up in His women of faith in the coming days, just as it did in Sarah. This is God's time for passion to hit the female gender--a godly, holy passion that will cause the foundation of the future to come into being.

These are days of supernatural conception and birthing. All around the world, from one territory to another, a spiritual travail is falling upon the church. And women are in the forefront because they model conception, travail and birthing better than men.

I believe God is asking the same question He asked at Abraham's tent, "Where are My Sarahs?" He is saying, "I want to conceive My purpose in this hour to bring forth My inheritance in the nations. I need Sarahs filled with faith who can conceive and give birth to this plan."

PREPARED FOR VICTORY

God also needs women who have been disciplined and prepared "for such a time as this" (Esth. 4:14). The word "prepare" means "to make or get ready, to put together, to produce a frame for a future building, to gird oneself for action." Women who have been prepared by God will have the faith and boldness to overthrow the determined destruction of the enemy and lay the foundation for the future of the kingdom.

One of the greatest examples of godly preparation and ultimate victory is found in the book of Esther. Even though she was an adopted orphan, Esther experienced the favor of God through discipline and preparation and was used by the Lord to save an entire people. What an encouragement to women everywhere!

By receiving the spirit of adoption offered through the Lord Jesus Christ, any woman can be prepared for victory. Even if she has felt totally abandoned, the Lord can raise her up and prepare her for that special moment when He will use her for the advancement of His kingdom.

Esther 2:9-13 explains that 12 months of preparation were necessary before a woman could be presented to the king. That preparation consisted of two phases, one in which oil of myrrh was used and one in which beautiful perfumes were applied.

The myrrh represented endured bitterness that ultimately produced a beautiful fragrance. After six months of wearing oil of myrrh, the woman was then given perfumes and other beautifiers that would enhance her appeal to the king.

After this extensive preparation, Esther appeared before the king and found favor in his sight. Soon she was exalted to the royal position of queen.

Today, women of faith can also gain great favor if they allow the anointing of God to rest upon them and the beauty of holiness to surround them. If pain, pressure and bitterness can be endured and transformed into the beautiful fragrance of Christ, women can have great influence in days ahead.

In fact, I believe we are now seeing a generation of women arise that exemplifies the character of Esther. Today godly, obedient, grace-filled women are being positioned to overthrow the enemies of the future!

GODLY WISDOM

Women of faith always bring transformation to their neighborhoods, their cities and their nations. In 2 Samuel 20 we find the story of two nations at odds with one another. There are rebellion, anarchy, betrayal--many of the same problems we see from nation to nation throughout the world today.

In this case, a man named Sheba had led a rebellion against David, threatening the entire kingdom of Israel. One of David's mighty men, Joab, pursued Sheba to the walled city of Abel. But as Joab and his troops prepared to destroy the city to get to their enemy inside, "A wise woman cried out from the city: 'Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, "Come nearby, that I may speak with you"'" (2 Sam. 20:16).

I like this passage because we never know this woman's name. But Joab must have recognized the voice of wisdom and faith. He approached, answering, "'I am listening'" (v. 17).

This woman recognized that her city was on a course of destruction. She said, "'I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?'" (v. 19).

This literally stopped Joab in his tracks and made him rethink his course of action. Why would he destroy a whole city just to overtake one rebellious individual?

"'Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city,'" Joab said (v. 21). So the wise woman explained the situation to the people of the city, who promptly cut off Sheba's head and threw it over the wall. True to his word, Joab and his army withdrew (see v. 22).

Imagine: One woman's wisdom and influence prevented the destruction of an entire city. Expect it to happen again! God is raising up faith-filled, 'no-name' women who have the Word of God in their mouths--women who will speak the kind of wisdom that causes the preplanned paths of destruction within our cities to be turned around and redeemed.

There are many more biblical examples of women who exercised authority that resulted in historical change. Lydia, mentioned in Acts 16, is a great model of a woman operating in the marketplace and causing the evangelization of a nation to occur. I also love Moses' mother. She lived three months of faith that ultimately saved an entire nation (see Heb. 11:23).

Deborah was an established warrior who exercised wisdom and leadership for an entire generation (see Judg. 4 and 5). Jael was just a normal housewife who single-handedly dealt the final blow to an enemy of Israel (see Judg. 4:17-22). And Mary's example in John 12 continues to teach the church about servanthood and extravagant devotion.

Many women in past seasons have known they've had a call to influence and transform society. Unfortunately, they've often attempted to move out of the boundaries and timing of God to enter into this authority. This has produced confusion as well as a measure of reproach upon the whole corporate female gender.

But now, in this new time and season, God is preparing women to be leaders and spiritual mothers within His perfect plan, order, and timing. These are the women who will change the course of the world for years to come--who will be the key conduits in the faith of the future. And as women are positioned to accomplish their role on Earth, the full inheritance of God will become manifest.

Arise, women of faith, and transform your families, your cities, and your nations! You have been chosen and prepared for such a time as this.

Chuck D. Pierce is vice president of Global Harvest Ministries, president of Glory of Zion International Ministries and affiliated with the World Prayer Center. He and Rebecca Wagner Sytsema have co-authored three books, including Possessing Your Inheritance (Regal Books). Chuck and his wife, Pam, live in Monument, Colorado, with their five children.