The Praise and Characteristics of a Good Wife

Proverbs 31

10 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. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honor 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. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV)

Created to be a Blessing – Distinct Roles

“And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18

Woman was taken out of man’s side which seems to signify that she is to be held close and affectionately by her husband as an “heir(s) together of the grace of life.” (1 Peter 3:7)

“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; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 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. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” Genesis 2:21-25

“The fall of mankind occurred as a result of the woman leading, and the man following. This is the exact opposite of God’s order. As we see in the church at Thyatira, with man’s order comes chaos every time.” J.

Why did God bother to create woman if He didn’t have a unique and special role for her in the family and in the church? She is “the weaker vessel” and to be cherished and protected from harm by her father, husband, and the godly men around her (1 Peter 3:1-7). As a wife she is the “heir together of the grace of life” with her husband (1 Peter 3:7)

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7

“Giving honor” to the women would include honoring the One who made her by honoring His role for her and protecting her from His holy judgment that comes upon all who do things their own way instead of His.

The ending statement here in this 1 Peter 3 passage, “that your prayers be not hindered,” seems to imply and indicate that when we do things according to God’s Word, there will be perpetual fellowship with Him and answered prayer.

Women Doing Ministry

“And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.” Acts 21:8-9

As we see in the above passage, Phillip had four daughters “which did prophesy,” so we know by this and other Scripture that God desires to use women in all nine of the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

In the following verse we see that the apostle Paul assumes and cites that women do pray and prophesy in the local assemblies.

“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.” 1 Corinthians 11:5

God has ordained that His women – those born again and presently walking with Jesus – are to be blessed to fellowship in His Word and used by Him to do many types of ministry, yet not lead His body

(1 Timothy 2:9-14, etc.).

Can Women Teach and Evangelize?

Yes, as long as it isn’t in a usurps or authoritative manner over men (1Timothy 2:9-14).

What about Anna?

“And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;” Luke 2:36

When observing the full counsel of Scripture, taking it all into account, it should be obvious that the place of leadership is not spoken of here when speaking of Anna being a prophetess. A prophetess is speaking of her prophesying, which is a gift of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-10) and not a leadership or elder gift which Jesus gave “to men” when He rose again (Ephesians 4:8-11).

“There is no doubt that God will use women in the ministry. He will use a woman as much as she is willing to die to self, deny self, and live for the Lord. And the woman that the Lord uses will not be about herself…she will be about her Lord.” Stephanie Pitts

Those Old Testament women were prophetesses not prophets. Prophetesses move in the gift of prophesy as any Holy Spirit filled believer can (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). Prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit whereas being a prophet is more like a leadership office in the body of Christ which is reserved for men (Ephesians 4:8-12). Prophet is one of the five gifts of JESUS whereas prophesying is one of the 9 gifts of the SPIRIT. Perhaps the FATHER gave the motive gifts listed in Romans 12:4-8.

No subject seems to bring Jezebel out of the wood works with a vengeance as does this one. That spirit does not want to be denied control. It’s all about control for the person possessed by a “spirit of antichrist” that denies the order of God in creation and in relation to His body of saints (1 John 4:1-3). For the true disciple, it’s all about realizing our own utter depravity and insufficiency and gladly trusting in the LORD’s full and complete holiness and the blessed sufficiency of His glorious grace. The true disciples of Christ have already relinquished control over to the LORD Himself, abandoning that role in denying self that Christ can reign supreme in their lives (Matthew 16:23-24; Luke 9:23-24; 22:42; John 12:24-25; 2 Corinthians 1:9; Galatians 2:20; 5:24). Any person who denies, despises, or crassly disregards God’s specific order in creation does not do this toward men but rather toward God Himself.

“He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 4:8

This topic of women in ministry brings fiery responses which demonstrates the epidemic of the jezebellian Jesus seemed to indicate would be rampant in the final days (Revelation 2:20-24).

It is utterly refreshing to see the work of the LORD in many precious sisters that the LORD is working in. The Father Himself and also every godly man would surely agree that there is nothing more attractive than a God fearing woman who walks in the exact role God made her to live out!

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