Building up believers and the New Testament church

The Godly Woman

Chapter 6: The Woman's Power

"...power is perfected in weakness." (II Corinthians 12:9)

There is a principle of power in the New Testament which is directly opposite to the human perception of power. Human beings express power by great strength or might, but God's power is so great that He expresses it through weakness. "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong" (I Corinthians 1:27). God takes weak, base, despised things and transforms them by His power into mighty instruments. It is to the godly woman's advantage that she is in an almost constant position to be infused with God's power. Her position naturally is the place of submission or the lower place. As the weaker vessel, she is a constant candidate for God's power as she looks to the Lord Jesus Christ for her example and is conformed to His image.

The Lord's Place

Women should take the Lord's place of submission. When the Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth He constantly put Himself in the place of submission. The scriptural admonition to Christian women living with unsaved husbands is to submit to their husbands even as the Lord submitted to His accusers. "And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously...in the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives" (I Peter 2:23 and 3:1).

The Lord Jesus does not expect wives to endure a situation which He never experienced. "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). It is because He has already lived a life of perfect submission that He exhorts Christian wives to be submissive. He has proven His capability to be victorious in this situation, so He can provide the grace to enable a wife to be victorious. If she is willing to submit to her unsaved husband and not revile when she is reviled, the Lord Jesus will enable her to do it. If she is willing to utter no threats when she is threatened, the Lord will work this miracle through her. It is the life of Christ flowing through her that provides the power to live a submissive life. His capability to provide this power is beyond question since He already lived a life of perfect submission.

A power shortage occurs in a Christian woman's life only when she cuts off the flow of power by her will. As long as she is willing to be submissive, as long as she is willing to have the Lord live out His life in her, there will be sufficient power and grace to do it. God never commands Christians to do something He does not enable them to do. If His commandments seem grievous or impossible, it is only because we are living on our own power rather than His power. The Christian life is Christ's life in us. It is not our imitation of Christ's life. He enables us to live the Christian life, but He can only do it if we will let Him.

A Christian woman must submit to God's will in the same way the Lord Jesus submitted to the Father's will. "And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, 'Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done'" (Luke 22:41-42). The Lord Jesus deliberately and voluntarily submitted His will to the Father's. Even though it was an agonizing experience, He did not rebel or demand release from the Father's will. In just the same way, women must submit themselves to God's will. At times it may seem difficult, but the indwelling Christ is present to make it possible. When the Scriptures say, "Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness" (I Timothy 2:11), a woman must say in her heart, "Not my will, but Thine be done." With this type of attitude the Lord will make it not only possible but also pleasant to do His will. Just as David said: "I delight to do Thy will, O my God..." (Psalm 40:8).

There is power in submission. Although the Lord Jesus submitted to human persecutors and submitted to the Father's will, He was, nevertheless, invested with power. He said, "All authority [or power] has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). The place of submission only enhanced or confirmed His power. He did not need to be a brute in order to be powerful. He could be "the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world" and still be invested with all power.

A Christian woman can also find power in submission. She does not need to dominate or usurp authority in order to have power. Instead, she can be quiet and submissive and allow the dynamite of the Lord Jesus Christ to express itself in her life.

There is resurrection power in the life of the Lord Jesus. If a woman is willing to die to self, she then becomes a candidate for resurrection life. However, there can be no resurrection if there is no death. "I pray that...you may know...what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. [This is] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:18-21). The "surpassing greatness of His power" is what brought Christ to life in the tomb. It is available to any believer who will likewise take the place of death and reckon himself crucified with Christ. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you" (Romans 8:11). When a woman takes the place of submission and does God's will, she is putting herself in the place of power. He will bring resurrection power into her mortal body and give her the ability to be more than a conqueror.

Women should take the Lord's place of obedience. The Lord Jesus came for the specific purpose of doing the Father's will. "Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the roll of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God'" (Hebrews 10:7). Throughout His entire earthly ministry He lived in complete obedience to the Father's will. He said, "I can do nothing on My own initiative: as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just; because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 5:30). Although Jesus was God, He laid aside His divine privileges and lived a life of obedience.

When the Lord Jesus comes to live within a human being, He lives the same life in them that He lived on earth. Since He always obeyed the Father's will while on earth, He will always guide the believer in paths of obedience. There is no rebellion in the Lord Jesus. He complied perfectly with the Father's will and obeyed implicitly. He will, therefore, give each believer the power to obey God's will. We have already noted that God's will for women is to be in submission to men. It is also God's will for women to be adorned with a gentle and quiet spirit. When the life of the Lord Jesus is allowed full sway in a woman's life, these are the paths of obedience into which He will lead her.

The Lord Jesus Christ learned obedience by suffering. Obedience was something He had never known prior to the incarnation. When He became a human being, He had to learn to obey, and this was accomplished by suffering. "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). Is it any wonder that rebellious human beings must also learn obedience through suffering? "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master" (Matthew 10:24). But take heart: "After you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you" (I Peter 5:10). This suffering is not unending. It will soon be over and then it will yield the "peaceful fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12:11).

If your circumstances are difficult and obedience to the Word of God seems impossible, allow the Lord Jesus to work out obedience in you. It may cause some suffering, and it will cause death to self, but this is necessary. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). The Lord Jesus himself became "obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8). We must likewise be willing to reckon ourselves "crucified with Christ."

The result of obedience will be fruitfulness. The qualities we have discussed earlier (gentleness, quietness, meekness and love) will be produced. In addition, obedience to the Word may win a woman's unsaved husband to Christ. If she is willing to forsake her own life and die, the fruit produced may be the salvation of her husband. A wife's submissive and obedient attitude unleashes God's power. A man is smitten as his sweet, godly wife submits to him and obeys him. This kind of life is a powerful weapon God can use in breaking down the husband's resistance. It is stronger than the constant hammering of preaching. It is stronger than self-righteousness or piety. It is the quiet power of a disarming love. It has the ability to melt the coldest heart and break down the staunchest self-will.

Women should take the Lord's place of humility. Although Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh, He was a humble man. He did not come blazing down to earth on a bolt of lighting; instead He was born in the lowly surroundings of a stable. He did not flaunt His superiority and expect the crowds to swoon at His appearance; instead He made His triumphal entry seated upon a donkey. The Lord Jesus said, "Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart..." (Matthew 11:29).

The human heart is proud and arrogant. Human beings want to be exalted, admired and praised. We constantly vie for the prominent place, the best office, the most noteworthy job. Very few of us are competing for the lowest place. But the Lord said: "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4). Humility is actually the pathway to power. Whoever is the least becomes the greatest. The weakest is the strongest. It is a paradox that God's power is greatest when the human vessel is weakest.

Make no mistake about this humility, though--it is strictly from the Lord. There is nothing so disgusting as false humility. A human attempt to be "humbler than thou" is really pride. Since most Christians know they are supposed to be humble, many try to work it up in themselves. Of course this cannot be done. Genuine humility must come from the Lord. It is only as His glory is reflected in the life of a believer that real humility is produced. And chances are, the most humble saint will be more conscious of his own unworthiness than anything else.

Throughout the New Testament, humility is taught as something dear in God's sight. It is the mark of a truly holy man or woman. "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility..." (Ephesians 4:1-2). "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself" (Philippians 2:3). "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

The evidence of genuine humility--meekness and gentleness--is highly prized by the Lord. "The imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit...is precious in the sight of God" (I Peter 3:4). He can do much with this kind of an attitude. It is the pride of self-sufficiency which hinders His work.

The Lord's Pattern

Women should follow the Lord's pattern of a servant. When the Lord Jesus Christ was here on earth He said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). His ministry was serving and ministering to the needs of others. He was neither self-centered nor self-seeking. He came to pour out His life as a ransom for others.

The ultimate sacrifice the Lord Jesus made was His death upon the cross. But just prior to this, He established His pattern of serving by washing the disciples' feet. "Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded" (John 13:5). Right to the end of His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus was willing to take the lowest place and perform the most menial task. He did not expect His disciples to do anything He had not done. After He washed their feet He instructed them to wash each other's feet. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you" (John 13:14-15).

The Lord gave us this pattern of serving so that we should do as He did. He did not wash the disciples' feet simply as a display of His great humility; He did it to give us an example. In other words, if you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ, here is the path to follow. Take the place of serving and ministering to others. Be willing to take the lowest place and the worst jobs. Do not seek to exalt yourself, but rather humble yourself.

The divine paradox in this pattern of serving is that it is the pathway to power and greatness. "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all" (Mark 10:43-44). The Lord's perception of greatness is the exact opposite of a human being's perception of greatness. He considers it a stupendous and noteworthy act when one human being stoops down to help another. He rates a menial task much higher than a prestigious one. The Lord's values move on a declining scale of notoriety. Thus the greatest of all is the slave of all. The way to be first is to be last. The way to be really great in God's eyes is to be insignificant in men's eyes. "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all" (Mark 9:35). In God's sight it is greater to become as a little child than to be wise and sophisticated. "Let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant" (Luke 22:26).

It behooves every woman to seriously consider these verses and to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to make her willing to fit into this pattern. This is not some morbid asceticism, but the life of faith. It is predicated upon the death of self so that the life of Christ can be manifested. It is truly losing your life so that you may find it (Matthew 16:25). The only way to genuinely serve in lowliness of mind is to allow the Lord to do it through you. He is humble and gentle in heart, so He will be able to manifest that nature through you. He established this pattern of a servant, so He will be able to live it out in your life. The prerequisite is your willingness. You must relinquish the reins to your life so that He can take them up and live in you the life He desires.

The Lord's Power

Women must understand the Lord's power in order to be energized by it. His power is perfected in weakness. "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Corinthians 12:9-10). The power of God is so great it can be demonstrated in weakness. The weaker the human vessel, the greater the divine power. The only thing that checks this divine power is a vessel that is too great. When the human vessel is strong and capable, the power of God recedes. The Holy Spirit will not compete. He will come to the aid of an individual only when the individual has acknowledged his own helplessness so that "the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves" (II Corinthians 4:7).

God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. He does this "because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (I Corinthians 1:25). He can use absurd, ridiculous things to demonstrate His power because He is so great. There is no need for humans to try to "help" God; He does not need our help. In fact, He can take our weaknesses, our blunders and our embarrassments, and use them for His purposes. He is omnipotent! God also uses base and despised things to demonstrate His power. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God" (I Corinthians 1:27-29).

It is to the woman's advantage that she is the weaker vessel (I Peter 3:7). She is in a constant position to have the power of God flow through her. A woman does not need to be domineering, authoritative, or bossy in order to be powerful. She can be strong by being weak. She can be great by being the least. She can be first by being last. She can be master of all by being servant of all. The woman's place of submission is one of her greatest assets. It is the very place which is blessed and honored by God.

If a Christian woman is married to an unsaved man, she has the opportunity of conquering him by submitting to him. If a Christian woman works with unsaved people, she can be the channel of God's power by being weak and base and despised. She need not try to argue them into salvation or impress them with her spirituality; rather she can simply be their servant and win them over with gentleness. If a Christian woman is put into a situation where she must submit to domineering, insensitive men, she does not need to tell them off or set them straight. She can simply submit to their authority and be victorious in the situation by being the slave of all.

If a woman desires to have a ministry in the church, she should consider this matter of divine power very seriously. If she is tempted to speak out or take a position of authority, she should recognize that more power is available to her through submission than through rebellion. By speaking out in church a woman is coming out from under God's protective covering; she is taking a situation into her own hands and is opening herself up to deception. In addition to this, she is bereft of divine power. However, if she takes her proper place and is quiet, she is in a position to wield tremendous power. Her weakness will be the channel of God's strength. She can pray effectively and change situations through God's power rather than her own strength.

The woman's place of submission is a place of power. The woman's role of servant is the role of the Master. The woman's physical weakness is the trait of strength. The woman's lower position is the position of greatness. Is there any reason to desire anything else? Is there any reason to covet the man's place? Why not be grateful for what the Lord has given you and ask Him to maximize its use? Be the godly woman the Lord intended you to be.

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