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“A Women's Power”
Introduction: The Book of Proverbs, in a positive way, has much to say about wives and mothers. For example:
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” 1:8
“A gracious woman retaineth honour…” 11:16
“A gracious woman is a crown to her husband…” 12:4
“Every wise woman buildeth her house…” 14:1
“Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies.” 31:1
"A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." 31:30
When we were growing up, everything seemed all right in our home when her majesty, MAMA, was on her throne. Really, we all agreed that she was the GREATEST MAMA in the world.
The STOVE was hot and the SMELL and SOUND of breakfast was coming from the kitchen. Mama was in the kitchen and everything in the world seemed all right. We didn't care about the problems of the world outside. The most important thing to us was getting to breakfast, being at our place around the dining room table. We could bounce into the room singing "Everything is all right in my father's house." And everything was all right, because her majesty, MAMA, was on her throne.
She was not a QUEEN like Easter.
She was not ROYALTY like Queen Sheba.
She had no DIAMOND studded crown.
She wore no ROBE of velvet.
She had no THRONE of marble.
She had no ROYAL carriage.
A NEEDLE was her Scepter.
PURITY was her Robe.
HOLINESS was her Crown, and we, her young, were her subjects.
Really, we all agreed that she was the GREATEST MAMA in the world. To us, she was more than a Queen.
She was a CHEF at meal time.
She was a NURSE when we came home hurt.
She was a SURGEON when we got a splinter.
She was a DOCTOR when we were very sick.
She was a PSYCHOLOGIST when we had a problem.
She was a DENTIST for our loose tooth.
She was a FARMER out in the garden.
She was a SEAMSTRESS when we tore our clothes.
She was a JUDGE before the fight and the EXECUTIONER after the squabble.
She was a THEOLOGIAN when she taught the Bible.
She was an EVANGELIST when she lead us to Christ.
Your mother and mine had:
the COMPASSION of Florence Nightingale,
the PRAYER LIFE of Hannah,
the PURITY of Mary,
the FAITH of Lois and Eunice,
the ZEAL of Deborah, and
the COURAGE of Esther.
This being mother's day, we want to honor the mothers and ladies of our Green Street Baptist Chapel. Our mothers, yours and mine, are wonderful ladies and mothers. However, they have been blamed for something that was not their fault. For that, I would like to rise in their defense this MOTHER'S DAY.
What I am going to say this morning applies to all women. You use something you have inside of you to encourage and influence actions that are not for the right, but for the wrong.
For the background we need to read a rather long passage from Genesis 2:18-25, which focuses on the creation of women and the first marriage. “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. (19) And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. (20) And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. (21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (23) And Adam 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. (24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (25) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
Now in Genesis 3:1-13 we read of the sin and fall of man. “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (9) And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (10) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (11) And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (12) And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (13) And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”
Our God in heaven created the universe and the world in which we live. For our pleasure, He created all the beauty which we see and the vegetation for us to eat along with the animals. But God longed for someone with whom to fellowship, so one day He made a man. And then from man, he made a woman, who according to verse 18 became man’s “helpmeet,” meaning a completer. Man in and of himself is not complete without the woman, for she is his completer. A woman's purpose is to complete a man. Woman was taken from man:
not out of his HEAD to rule over him,
nor out of his FEET to be trampled upon by him,
but out of his SIDE to be loved by him.
Now according to Genesis 3 it appears God had a daily time fellowship with Adam and Eve. Every morning God would come and call “ADAM, ADAM” and ADAM would run to meet and fellowship with God. No doubt, what a sweet time of fellowship that was. Adam felt as the song says "And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own." By the way, this is the kind of sweet fellowship God still desires to have with us. We can easily fellowship with God through prayer.
God would come every morning and leave every evening. The next morning, God would come again and He would call, “ADAM, ADAM.” ADAM would come with Eve for their daily fellowship. It seems every day was like that in the Garden of Eden.
But one morning, God came and He called “ADAM, ADAM, oh, ADAM where are you?” But there was no answer, there was no joy coming from ADAM, as he tried to hide behind a bush. “ADAM, ADAM oh, ADAM where are you?”
This part of the story we know to be true. Satan did come and tempt Eve. He could have said, "Eve, here is some fruit I want you to eat" And Eve could have said, "OK serpent, you look trustworthy, why not?"
Notice again Genesis 3:6, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Did you notice where Adam was in this verse? "He was WITH her." And did you notice ADAM, who was beside the woman, ate the fruit he was given?
From this verse we might think that Eve was the first sinner. Wasn’t she the first one to eat the fruit? However upon further investigation, we will realize that EVE DID NOT COMMIT THE FIRST SIN, for
In Romans 5:12 we read, "Wherefore, as by ONE MAN sin entered into the world, and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned."
And in I Corinthians 15:22 we read, "For as in Adam all die …"
Now if it wasn’t EVE who committed the first SIN, even though she ate the forbidden fruit first, then what really happened that caused ADAM to be responsible for the first SIN? To understand this point we need to read I Timothy 2: 9-15,
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (10) But (that which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. (11) Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. (12) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. (13) For Adam was first formed, then Eve. (14) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (15) Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”
Notice please in verse 14 it does not say that the "WOMAN COMMITTED THE TRANSGRESSION." The word transgression means sin. Rather it says she was "IN THE TRANSGRESSION." That little preposition means "IN, AT, WITH." Thus we could read:
The woman was AT the transgression.
The woman was WITH the transgression..
The woman was IN the transgression.
Notice again in verse 13 we have the priority of the creation. Who was first formed? ADAM was. Here we are speaking of priority, not superiority. The issue is one of AUTHORITY. Man was created first. Notice again in verse 14, ADAM was not deceived. I believe the Devil came to ADAM first with the TEMPTATION TO EAT THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. However ADAM was not deceived by the temptations of Satan. He did not eat of the forbidden fruit when it was offered by Satan directly.
ADAM was first given a choice.
Satan came to ADAM first.
But he was not fooled.
He was not tricked.
He couldn't be bought.
ADAM was not deceived.
Perhaps Satan came to ADAM again and again. "ADAM here is this fruit that will make you wise as God is wise. There is nothing wrong with eating it." And ADAM would say, "I will not eat it. Satan I see right on through you. I not only know it is wrong, but I also know what you are up to."
So what does the devil do? He goes to EVE and tricks her into doing what he couldn't get ADAM to do. Now EVE is deceived. In II Corinthians 11:3 we read "the serpent beguiled Eve through his suability or craftiness." What this verse really says is Eve was really deceived. She was subjected to a first-class sales job. She was talked into eating produce that was harmful.
EVE took the fruit first, but ADAM was offered it first. Remember in Genesis 3:6, where was Adam when this was taking place? “He was "WITH HER." ADAM KNEW it was wrong to eat the forbidden fruit. On the other hand, Eve was deceived or tricked into eating it.
Here is my point. What Satan could not get ADAM to do, EVE got ADAM to do. EVE did not know she was doing wrong. ADAM KNEW he was doing wrong. He ate the fruit with his eyes open wide. ADAM, being the head of the woman, became the guilty one.
Now, here is the question. Listen carefully. WHY DID ADAM RESIST SATAN AND YET HE YIELDED TO EVE WHEN SHE GAVE THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT TO HIM?
The devil came to Adam and said, "Why don't you eat the fruit, it will make you wise?"
And ADAM said, "Satan you can't fool me, I know it is wrong."
However, EVE said, "ADAM, eat the fruit," and ADAM, who knew it was wrong ate it any way.
WHY? BECAUSE, WOMEN HAVE MORE POWER OVER MAN THAN SATAN DOES. WHAT THE DEVIL COULD NOT GET ADAM TO EAT, EVE GOT ADAM TO EAT. Remember this:
The serpent deceived the woman.
The woman did not deceive the man. SHE INFLUENCED HIM.
EVE CONVINCED ADAM in Genesis 3 to eat the forbidden fruit. By this transgression, sin entered into the world, and death passed upon all men. This is an illustration of a woman INFLUENCING THE MOST INNOCENT PERSON WHO EVER LIVED TO DO EVIL.
DELILAH CONVINCED SAMSON in Judges 16 to reveal the secret of his strength. As a consequence, he was taken captive by his enemies and his eyes were put out. Here is an illustration of a woman INFLUENCING THE STRONGEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED.
THE WIVES OF SOLOMON in I Kings 11 convinced him to worship idols. The wrath of God came upon him, and the kingdom he had established was destroyed in the hands of his son. This is an illustration of women INFLUENCING THE WISEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED TO DO EVIL.
Ladies, do you see the power you possess? Do you understand the POWER of the INFLUENCE you have over man? No, you did not sin first, but your influence and the power of that influence over the man caused the man to sin and the WHOLE HUMAN RACE TO FALL.
THE INFLUENCE of a WOMAN caused ADAM to do what he full well KNEW was WRONG TO DO. WHAT THE DEVIL COULD NOT GET HIM TO DO, EVE GOT HIM TO DO. In other words:
EVE had more power over ADAM than the god of this world.
EVE had more power over ADAM than the prince of the power of the air.
Ladies, do you realize the power of your influence? Do you realize the power you have over your husbands and over your children and in determining the atmosphere in your home, whether it be for good or evil? You have far more influence than the man does. Likewise, do you realize the power you have to determine the atmosphere of your church? Again, follow me in the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 14:1, “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”
Proverbs 19:13-14, “A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. (14) House and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the LORD.”
Proverbs 31:10-11, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (11) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.”
Proverbs 31:25-26, 30, “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. (26) She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (30) Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Ladies, do you understand how the spirit of a place is determined by you? Do you understand how much INFLUENCE you have? Ladies, it is your spirit that determines the attitudes, disposition, and delightfulness of a place.
The attitude of the office is determined by the secretaries more than the bosses.
The spirit of the home is determined by the mother and the wife more than by the father and the children.
The spirit of the church, I believe, is INFLUENCED by the attitude and composure of the women of the church.
Any number of gossiping, complaining church women can ruin a church in a matter of days. On the other hand, a church filled with Spirit-controlled, godly, submissive, and worshipping women will see things happen for the Glory of God.
Ladies, you have the power to recreate the perfection of the Garden of Eden, or the willingness to let the Serpent beguile you.
Many a man knew he should not have gone into debt. He knew he could not afford certain purchases. The temptation was to buy them. He said, “We can't afford them.". But the sweet wife came along, and said, "Honey I sure would like to have them. Haven't I told you how handsome you are?" He didn't want to destroy His image or male ego before his wife so he bought them.. THE POWER OF INFLUENCE A WOMAN HAS OVER A MAN IS BEYOND COMPARE!
Many a man has felt the call of God to do something for the Lord. He knows it is right. But along comes the devil and tempts Him not to do it. But he says, "The Lord has put it upon my heart to do it." Then comes the wife who says, "Honey don't you think that you are going a little over-board with this thing of service at church?" And before long, he backs off a little here, and a little there. What the devil could not make him do, the wife got him to do.
Now in most cases I am not talking about a NAGGING wife.
I am not talking about a MEAN wife.
In some cases, I am talking about a GOOD, SWEET wife.
You have unbelievable power to make or break your husband.
You have unbelievable power to make or break your children.
Many husbands and children have felt the power of a wife’s and a mother’s godly influence through words and suggestions. She exhibits godliness in a very, very positive way; in her prayer life, in her behavior, in righteous living, in her Bible reading, in her simple example, in her beliefs and teachings, in her dress, and in her actions and reactions. By her life and the power of her words and suggestions, she has burned a lasting present for God in your soul. Your godliness encourages you to rise up and praise her. Amen!
Oh, how important your role is as a mother. Remember ladies, your off-spring take on a bit of your likeness. Your children will be a lot like you. Sobering thought, isn’t it?
In Ezekiel 16:44 we read, "As is the mother, so is her daughter." You don't beget what you want, you beget what you are! That is why Proverbs 14:1 says "Every wise woman buildeth her house."
I believe the greatest gift any Mother can give is the gift of her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The testimony of a godly mother will remain hidden in a child's heart for a lifetime. A godly foundation is hard to erase, and in time will yield its rewards.
It is my firm conviction that many a mother will occupy a higher position in God's kingdom than many prominent Christian leaders, whom we might expect to find in places of greatness. Their names may never have lit the pages of history had it not been for the blessed INFLUENCE of their godly mothers.
Paul, writing to Timothy at the end of the great apostle's life, transferred the mantle of his ministry to his young apprentice. He knew Timothy had received a solid foundation of faith from his mother and grandmother. That testimony is given to us in II Timothy 2:5, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."
You see ladies, you have a tremendous INFLUENCE on us men. We need your help. I encourage you to exercise your POWER OF INFLUENCE IN A POSITIVE WAY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
The greatest thing that could be said about your home is that it is a Christian home. My friends, do you know you are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and on your way to heaven? If you are unsaved, come to Jesus now, and He will save you. Life is fruitless and empty and vain without the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever you are, I appeal to you in the name of Jesus to come to him. He died for you to save your soul from Hell, and to make you fit for heaven. At this moment as you ask Him to save you, he will not only make you fit for heaven, but give you a new life to live for Him. Amen!
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If God has spoken to your heart after reading the sermon on "A Woman’s Power," then right now talk to God about what He has spoken to you.
Do you have the assurance that one day you will go to heaven? If you have no assurance that you know Jesus Christ, then I trust you will decide to accept Him as your personal Savior. The Bible tells us in:
Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”
Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be their personal Savior: “I do want to go to Heaven. I know I am a sinner, and I do believe Jesus Christ died for me. I realize I cannot buy this great salvation, nor can I earn it. Knowing Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave to pay my sin debt and to purchase my salvation, I do now trust Him as my Savior, and from this moment on I am completely depending on Him for my salvation.”
If you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior let me know. Please send an e-mail to, pdmikBBM@aol.com and I will send you some literature that will help you in your Christian life.
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In His Amazing Grace,
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