Week Eight - Two with One Heart

A synopsis of Week Eight:

The dynamics of love, respect, protection, and honor are more than just keys to a successful marriage and intimate relationship. They are timeless principles with the ability to restore something crucial that was lost by both males and females - the power of dominion. Not domination. Domination is the perversion of God's gift of strength and authority.

The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth has He given to the children of men. Psalm 115:16 (AMP)

Dominion is associated with ruling power, authority, or control. It describes an area of influence. All authority, whether entrusted to a man or a woman, is given to serve others for their benefit and growth. The ultimate pattern for dominion was established in Genesis when God placed the man and the woman over the earth and charged them to subdue, multiply and replenish it.

And God blessed them and told them, "Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals. And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth, and all the fruit trees for your food"...Then God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every way. Genesis 1:28-31 (TLB)

God blessed them together and called it "excellent in every way." Together, there was no lack or weakness.

Adam and Eve had it all; they possessed everything necessary to initiate order so the earth could flourish. Adam began the process when he assigned names. This established designation, position, and placement in creation.

Eve brought her gift of relationship. Without Eve, Adam had seed but no garden in which to plant. His seed could not produce fruit. Without the woman, the man had an abundance of food but no one to enjoy it with. There was no one he could dream with. Without Eve, Adam was self-contained, but Eve expanded his life on every front. From the very beginning, men were about position and placement, and women were about relationship and atmosphere.

Healthy authority is for provision, protection, and direction and is rarely held entirely by one individual. Authority systems are set in place to establish order so environments of every kind can flourish. If abused, authority will ultimately work against its own purpose.

Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food, and unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress. Proverbs 30:21-23 (NIV)

God established the earth with such sensitivity that it trembles at the injustice of an unloved embittered woman. The health of the earth is intimately tied to both love and the healthy dominion of the man and the woman.

Almost every country in economic turmoil is guilty of violating the rights of women. God is not callous or distant to His daughters trapped in these situations. He grieves when He sees a woman unloved.

Domination spawns divorce, division and loss. Dominion yields legacy. The battle between the serpent and woman is not yet over because the complete victory has not been realized.

Jesus came to restore what has been lost in every relationship.
My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. John 10:10 (NLT)
The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke 19:10 (NIV)

Relationships are to be full of life and the restoration of that which was lost.

God always planned for our marriages to be banquets of joy and love, not some duty and obligation. God created a hunger in Adam for companionship, and then He formed Eve to fulfill this need. It was God, not the man, who originally determined it was not good for the man to be alone, and it was God who blessed what they did together.

What happens in the both marriage and the marriage bed is to be a source of strength, life and sustenance. Talking about intimate experiences as though they were a conquest or something out of a Cosmopolitan magazine is not godly. What is beautiful between two becomes dirty among many. When we share our intimate lives with others, we destroy the portion that is sacred.

We are not just to be merely in bed, we are to be together for both warmth and protection. We are not promised a storm-free life, but we can determine how well we weather it.

Our husbands should be respected as our most intimate of friends. Wives should be adored and entrusted with the issues of their husbands' hearts. Couples should be more in love as their marriages progress than they were in the beginning. They should enjoy the blessing of shared history and legacy.



Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Seven - Wielding Favor and Glory/What is the Power of Love?

A synopsis of Week Seven:

Wielding Favor and Glory

A powerful exchange happens when women extend the unique gift of honor.

The woman is the glory of man. 1 Corinthians 11:7 (NIV)

To be referenced as 'the glory' is the ultimate of compliments. Just as the man reflects strength, the woman reflects beauty in its many forms.

1) Women are an answer, not a problem.
2) The description of women as the man's glory was never meant to demean or belittle her role or feminine contribution. It was meant to uplift by assigning value and honor.

We need to look at the Word of God through the light of redemption and restoration rather than through the distortion and destruction of the Fall.

Glory denotes magnificence, splendor, beauty, and wonder. Women accurately represent this reflection in the male-female relational dynamic. Glory is further described as beauty that inspires feelings of wonder and joy.

The devil does not want men and women to function in healthy complementary roles. He knows if we realize truth, he can no longer divide us. He wants the conflict between us to remain so we will continue to wrestle each other for power and position.

All truth ultimately brings freedom. If men and women can get this right and learn how to complement and complete each other, then everyone and everything under their dominion will be benefited.
For man was not created from the woman, but woman from man; neither was man created on account of or for the benefit of woman, but woman on account of and for the benefit of man. 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 (AMP)

This reiterates the need men have for women. We add value and meaning to every aspect of their lives. Women are created in the image of God, but bear a glory different than that reflected by men. Men and women are equal, but not interchangeable. We do not hold the position of first created, but we hold the honor of being the crowning finale. The man was made from dirt, and the woman was wonderfully made for a garden.

The Bible never said it was wrong for the woman to be alone, only that it was not good for the man to be by himself. Eve was his helpmeet, the one who made up for all he lacked. Never doubt the value and importance of this role.

Is man's glory greater than woman's?

He is the image and glory of God. 1 Corinthians 11:7 (NIV)

When referring to the glory, there are two dynamics found in Scriptures. First, there is the glory of mankind and how we relate to God. Second, there is the relational glory between man and woman. The psalmist David wondered at this relationship between God and His glory, mankind, when he posed this question:

What is man that you are mindful of him? Psalm 8:4 (NIV)

In the next verse, David answered his own question and established both order and honor:

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:5 (NIV)

David was overwhelmed and awed by God's response to us. That He would crown the breath-filled dirt of mankind with glory and honor seemed unfathomable to this worshiping king. Mankind collectively reflects Gods' glory and honor. Likewise, woman is crowned as this reflection of the man.

A woman's presence often adds meaning and purpose to a man's life and labor.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. James 3:9 (NIV)

We are to bless God as well as bless what He blesses. If we are the crown of God's creation, then why would we ever seek to dishonor and dominate each other? Wouldn't this actually be working against God's purposes for men and women? When men do not love and nurture women, they hurt themselves (Ephesians 5:28-29). In the same way, if women do not honor and respect men, they ultimately dishonor themselves. We need to align ourselves with His purposes.

When a woman lends her relational intimacy to the physical strength of the man, her gift of feminine intuition and insight has the ability to see him as not as he is, but as he could be. This awakens a dormant desire within the man, He longs to be the man she envisions. When he looks into the woman's eyes, he sees himself as he could be, or should be if love would have its way.

In the realm of marriage, a union and alliance is formed from which life and love can proceed. In a father, the desire to nurture and protect is quickened. In a son, the hope of honoring his mother and father is stirred. In a brother, the desire to protect and understand his sister and her feminine responses is realized.

Imagine a beautiful maiden extending a sword in the gesture of knighting a young man who kneels before her. He goes down a man and arises a knight.

The woman has transferred something intangible to the young man bowed before her. He kneels because she embodies the very reason and hope for his pledge. He vows to protect all she represents with the the edge of his sword and the strength of his might. He has pledged his honor to preserve a nobler way of life, to defend their country as well as her honor and virtue. This image conveys the power of feminine virtue and beauty to stir a man to a higher purpose. It is the gentle awakening the strong by bestowing glory.

He does not fear the sword when it is in her hand. In her possession, it is no longer a weapon but an instrument of transformation. It is not presented to threaten, wound, or strike the man; it is extended to set him apart. He is no longer the same. As a knight, his life has been expanded and his name enlarged to encompass a title and eventually a legacy. With the sword, she transfers power and confers something only she can give: a higher purpose and reason to live.

The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Men and women alike are entrusted with this gift, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17 NLT). Not only is it a power weapon; it has the ability to reveal our thoughts and attitudes as well. In the kingdom of God, everything is ultimately measured by motivation (1 Corinthians 13). How we submit or react to the truth of God's Word or sword often reveals our motives. In the kingdom of God, it is wisdom that knights or empowers the sons and daughters of God.

If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him. James 1:5 (NIV)

Wisdom is how we appropriately utilize our words and the Word of God. It is freely available to all who will ask in faith. Those who truly have authority are under wisdom's authority. They understand that the ultimate power comes to those under God's divine rule. As we submit to God's Word, we find ourselves protected. Conversely, if we do not submit to the sword of His Word, we will soon find the sword set against us.

For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV)

A sword can cut both ways. Often the sword of God's Word is mishandled when it comes to male-female relationships. Either men are elevated at the expense of women, or men are displaced by the anger and frustration of women. When the sword is faithfully handled, it will always bring about justice and the preservation of life.

Men and women are dependent on and connected with each other. Why? It is because both male and female have their origins in God. The man and woman are to be complementary and interdependent. In God's eyes, the woman is not only the man's glory; she is his favor with God.

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)

Both treasure and favor are undeniable assets. God is taking the sword of His Word and turning things around for His daughters.

The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:6 (NKJV)

The daughters of God are destined for justice. Judgment represents a decision for or against. God alone is the One who can rightly administer true justice. Where there have been oppression and fear, there will be an even greater release as the Lord begins to execute righteousness.

What is the Power of Love?

Movies have become a common language and love stories a favorite theme. Films are quite possibly the only medium with power to move this world by awakening senses dulled by years of disappointment and overstimulation. God is more than happy to move through this multisensory approach to draw His children to Himself.

The heart can be temporarily captivated and transported to a realm beyond reach and impact of the outside world. Movies have the power to exploit our deepest fears or quicken dreams long dead.

Each life is a story. God has woven you into His beautiful epic. This makes the issue about so much more than a woman , a culture, or Christianity...it becomes a matter of purpose and intent.

Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16 (NIV)

Though we cannot determine how our stories begin, we are very much a part of how they will end. Never doubt, there is a wrestling match taking place for how your tale will close. More often than not, happy endings come only after there has been a battle waged with evil.

Before the most exciting parts of your story can be realized, you must first discover your role. We cannot float through life, hoping someone else will tell us what parts we are to play. There is great potential for danger when we make others responsible for our happiness. God has written your role and scripted the desires of your heart.

Everything of value in this life carries with it some form of risk. There is the threat of losing control and the curse of failure, but there is no fear in love. Why? Love can never fail. Therefore when love is found, it should be protected at all cost. It should be the driving force behind all we do. Once we have love, it cannot be separated from us without causing great injury.

Men in their many frail and human forms may have disappointed you, but God cannot. It is not possible for Him to fail you. Men love, God is Love.

Without love, nothing of true value can continue.

If I...have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)

We can love others because Christ first loved us.

As guardians of the heart, women have the amazing power to strengthen and encourage others.
We lift others by speaking strength to their weaknesses.

It is time to speak the answer rather than the problem. Most people know where they are weak but long to hear the elaboration of where they are strong.
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1 (NKJV)

Wise women understand that death and life are released through the power of the tongue, and therefore they choose their words wisely. Men and women often need to be affirmed in different ways and areas. Women want to be loved and understood, while men need to be respected and admired.

Criticism will ultimately work against your purpose. Criticism bites like a sword's edge. It slashes indiscriminately with its stinging judgment, wounding the heart and squelching the spirit.
Reckless words pierce like a sword. Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

Because we are created in the image of God, He entrusted us with the gift of words. His Word is the ultimate, most powerful sword, but our words can wreak havoc and damage if they are not wielded in love.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
Proverbs 31:26 (NKJV)

No one can see potential in a man's life like a woman.

Wise women are a gift to their culture. When a woman fosters beauty in and through her life and home, practices discretion, heeds godly instruction, and bestows wisdom, there is no greater source of inspiration.

Women are soft answers that turn away great wrath.

You are a guardian of God's heart. You are an ambassador of His love to a wounded, dying world. Men and women alike are watching and waiting to see the power of His love in your life.

I have loved you with an everlasting life; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again. Jeremiah 31:3-4 (NIV)

Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT)



Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Six - Fighting With Wisdom

A synopsis of Week Six:

There is an appalling famine of wisdom. Never before has knowledge been so easy to access and research and information more readily available, yet with all of our collecting and gathering there remains a famine of common sense and reason.

We absorb ceaseless information on multiple levels, yet far too often we lack any tangible transformation. Families are broken, marriages are fractured, our judicial system is at times foolish, our leaders often are corrupt, and our teachers hindered from educating. Evil is called good and good is called evil. Lies are broadcast as truth, leaders fall, children are afraid, and women are violated. Ministers have lost faith and, far too often, their integrity. Actors are our heroes and role models. At best, our culture is sick and wounded. The family is not healthy, and our global environment teeters in the balance.

As if we did not have enough evidence that our current decisions are wrong, we continue to research and gather more data. We are searching for answers we have already been given.

Your many medicines will bring you no healing. The nations have heard of your shame. The earth is filled with your cries of despair. Your mightiest warriors will stumble across each other and fall together. Jeremiah 46: 11-12 (NLT)

Do we wander in shame because we've lost our way, or did we willfully choose foolishness? When we deliberately leave paths of light to explore the recesses of darkness, often we are too smart to find our way back home.

Recapturing Wisdom

Wisdom is not really a function of education. There are brilliant people who are unable to live well and function in what they know. These people have knowledge but not wisdom. Wisdom has the power to transform those who apprehend it. Wisdom could be defined as the intimate embrace of truth, when truth merges with our being and begins to drive and direct our actions.

There are repeated biblical to wise women, and wisdom is personified as a woman in the book of Proverbs.

Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares. Proverbs 1:20 (NIV)

Say to wisdom, "You are my sister." Proverbs 7:4(NIV)

Unfortunately, there is another woman fighting for our attention as well. The world calls her many things - seductive, cunning, controlling - but the Bible calls her wayward. She is the image of this world, and she wants you to conform to her counsel. You might find her insights on most of the magazine covers as she promises you power if you embrace her ways, but she lies.

There is but one difference between wise women and foolish women.

Knowing when to let go...and when to hold on.

That's it. Wisdom is always found in this dynamic of exchange. It is almost the equivalent to breathing in the Spirit. Wise women know what to hold fast to and what to release, while foolish women hold on fast to what will kill them and release what would bring them life. Wise women hold on to the promises of God and let go of the things that poison or frustrate life. They let go of bitterness, unforgiveness, pain, anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, and the past.

Foolish women just don't get this. They hold onto these things, trying to make someone pay the debts they feel owed. While they cling to the past, they release the very things they should hold: God's promises, His faithfulness, His character, His love, His forgiving power, and His plans for their futures.

Wise women lay hold of God's promises and let go of life's disappointments. Foolish women hold on to the disappointments as they fight to prove themselves right.

As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)

You go as far as your power allows, and if nothing changes, you have no choice but to let it go. You bless and move on. You exchange frustration for release. You release what is in your hand so He can release what is in His.

The Bible includes the stories of a number of women whose lives exemplified this dynamic of exchange. By the power of wisdom, they preserved life, averted destruction, and assured legacy.

What About Us?

How do we connect with wisdom so we can make these divine exchanges?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. Psalm 111:10 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding. Job 28:28 (NLT)

Wisdom is intimately tied to our fear of the Lord, just as understanding is related to our response to evil. To fear the Lord is to love what He loves (wisdom and justice) and hate what He hates (foolishness and evil). You need to invite God to impart His holy fear into your life. Without holy fear, wisdom cannot even have a beginning.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. Proverbs 2: 6-7 (NKJV)

Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly. Proverbs 3:13-18 (NLT)

If you need wisdom - if you want to know what God wants you to do - ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Proverbs 1:5-6 (NLT)




Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Five - When Do Women Strike?

A synopsis of Week Five:

When We Are To Fight

Women strike when the enemy draws near. Whenever Satan trespasses the boundaries of love and life and comes within range, it is not us, but he, who should tremble. For when we find ourselves ensnared in unavoidable conflict, God will strengthen us to fight with whatever is in our hands.

Women were never designed to seek out physical conflict on literal battlefields with men, but if they find themselves thus engaged, they become formidable adversaries.

Our reasons behind confrontation need to be motivated by what preserves life, honor, truth and virtue.

When evil presents itself and blocks our paths, there is no other recourse for the daughters of Eve. We were formed to do all within our power to prevent death and loss, as well as to promote the dignity and preservation of life and virtue. In these pursuits, we must never foolishly draw back in fear.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Psalm 127:4 (NIV)

Women intimately partner with God as they bear and raise children. They are our seed and His heritage and reward. They are the ones we launch into the future. They live far beyond us with eyes that see up close what we see only far off. Their ears will hear out loud things that were only sounded as a whisper in our lifetimes. They are to be carefully aimed and propelled, for they will not easily miss their marks. We are promised that , by raising them in the way they should go, they will be more inclined to hit the target of their destiny in God when they are grown.

For this reason our children should never be held back by our fears. Necessary battles await them. They have the power to make peace or continue unresolved conflict. They alone hold fast and carry into the future what we have already won on their behalf. In battles of old, arrows were used as a form of advance attack. This means they were often released even before the two armies were in position to be engaged. Likewise, our children are sent to fight in a future we may never see.

Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65: 24 (NIV)

The one who listens for our call is the Holy One, who never sleeps. It is He who promises to answer our cries for help. In fact, He sets the answers to our problems in motion even before we call for help.

Before we lend breath to our prayers, He has prepared both wise counsel and a way of escape from harm.

We forget the gifts God has promised us as His daughters, and we remain silent when our voices should be raised. We foolishly compare our gifts with the gifts of others, and deem ours weak or inferior by comparison. At other times, we look at the futility of our situations and imagine God's ability is not sufficient to tackle the messes we've made.

Know this: there is a battle, the damage is extensive, and it is no longer about us.

All we have to do is ask.

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

If you are the only one involved in the equation, the solution doesn't get any bigger than you. God is always the bigger, better answer.

Warriors for Life

Rather than presenting us as a problem to be controlled, God created women as an answer to be embraced. God intended us for a higher purpose than a warrior of bloodshed...He formed us as warriors for life. Is it nobler to stretch forth your hand to strike and wound, or to administer healing? What is more valuable, taking life or elevating it? Is there more power to be found in laying siege to a city or in feeding an enemy? There are many ways to wage battle without bloodshed.

A gentle tongue can break a bone. Proverbs 25:15 (NIV)

A gentle answer turns away wrath. Proverbs 15: 1 (NIV)

It is time for us to stop fighting the men. It is time for the women to stop fighting one another. We must recapture our stature of wisdom and again win.

As daughters of Eve, we have the power to change our world with our gifts of love and life.

A time to fire, a time for strategy

We fight one way when the enemy is far off and quite differently when he is up close and personal. Women are very intuitive, and we often will sense danger when it is but an approaching shadow in the distance. This is when we have a choice; we can react in panic; or we can act wisely. It we are wise, we will sound the horn and begin shooting arrows of prayer heavenward and let them fall upon our foe while he is yet far off.

Unfortunately, this is not usually our first reaction. Instead of shooting, we talk the problem over with others and allow it to expand and multiply in our minds. Then we lose perspective and drop what we have in our hands. This allows fear to draw us into close contact before we have done our part.

Queen Esther called out to God in fasting and prayer before even meeting the enemy face-to-face.

Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die. Esther 4:16 (NLT)

Just like Esther we have private influence with our King. This is never something to be taken lightly; it is an entrusted gift. Favour and influence are never our own; they are merely lent to us in this life.

We are truly positioned for such a time as this. Like Esther, we can no longer remain silent when we see threats and injustice.

Daughter you are both strategic and valuable. You are the other side of the battle. You are the insight to recognize the enemy's approach. You are the intuition to hear what is really being said in his threats. You are the agent of healing. You are the unsuspected one he will learn to fear. You are the missing piece we all need.



Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Four - Who's the Man?

A synopsis of Week Four:

God alone is worthy of all our trust, affection, and submission. He is altogether lovely and ever faithful even when we are faithless.

Jesus loved women and allowed them intimate contact in uncomfortable situations. Whether speaking to a woman shunned by others as she drew water from the well or allowing Himself to be anointed in the midst of judgment, He never pulled away.

He is the only man who will never disappoint you. Even as He was dying. He thought of a woman.

"Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
John 19:26-27 (NIV)

But Jesus' mother was not the only woman He thought of in that moment of pain...He was thinking of you. He could not imagine life without you, so He willingly surrendered His earthly live to give you life eternal.

God is not a man.

He is the only One every woman, single or married, can freely allow to measure her value and worth. He alone is worthy of our lives. God never meant for women to get their life from men. He meant us to get our life from Him. Though Jesus came as the Son of man, He is the Son of God as well. He is more than a man, even though He is overtly masculine in His personality or portrayal.

God is far more than either a man or a woman, and He is the source of life to all.

There is fulfillment in an intimate relationship with a man, but they are not our answer. Truly, God is not a man, and what we ultimately desire will never be completely met or found in one.

God is not a man...
Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

God is similar yet altogether different from a man or a woman. While both male and female reflect His image, it is a limited one at best. This is comparable to how a mirror can reflect the outward appearance but not the heart...the movement of our mouths but not the sounds of our words.

Favor with God Versus Favor with Man

In order to keep our perspectives healthy, we must understand that favor with people is all about who we are in public. Everything hinges on the public's perception of us. This is usually forged by appearance and achievement.

Favor with God is realized in secret. It focuses on who we are in private when no one is around to applaud or cheer.

In private, we also have the ability to cultivate a thought-life that is purified through a right relationship with God. Alone with Him, our motives are weighed and revealed. In His presence, all disappointments and expectations are laid to rest.

Who I am alone with Him is much more important to Him than anything I might accomplish for Him in public.

Fear of man will proved to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalm 56:11(NIV)

We will be misunderstood, misjudged, misrepresented, and mistaken by friends and enemies alike, but never by God.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

It is better to totally surrender to God's mercy and fairness than to even think of relying on people who, throughout history, have proved to be consistently unreliable. The only way to trust God more is to know Him better. This can happen as you reflect on His attributes. He is unchanging and righteous. God is the Beginning and the End, our shield and defense. God is Truth. His honour is above question, and His power is limitless. He is altogether different from us.

Take the Truth; Leave the Lie

All human relationships are limited reflections of His perfect love. God is our true source of joy, contentment, and worth. He alone can define who we are. No one else should have that power. Only in Christ can we find all we are meant to be.

They exchanged to truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen.
Romans 1:25 (NIV)

If we have in any way exchanged the truth for a lie, then we can in fact decide to exchange our lies for His truth. It all begins with telling God the Father He is Truth; He is our source of worth and more than enough for us.



Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Three - But I Am Not A Man / Finding Center

A synopsis of Week Three:


But I Am Not A Man

Race and ethnicity allow us the opportunity to celebrate the variety and the diversity of every culture and nationality. God loves the vast array of our humanity. Someday each and every culture will assemble before Him and present their music, dance, and unique talents for His glory. When God, the Father speaks of the man and woman it is a bit different. He celebrates not their division, but their union. He calls the two to become one.

This mandate can be traced back to the original garden intent, whereas ethnicity evolved after the Fall and our departure from the garden.

History has repeatedly shown without question that whenever women are not valued, loved, and honoured, there is evident or at least pending collapse.

The difference in the human sexes is a dynamic that lends strength to both the man and the woman. It was God himself who declared it not good for Adam to be alone. Likewise, it is not good for the woman to remain hidden within the image of the man. The time has come for the woman to be released so she can contribute her unique gifts and talents. Eve was a necessary addition to creation.

The answer of woman cannot gain expression when she remains in hiding.

Imagine Adam's joy when Eve was brought to him. She was the beautiful reflection of all he lacked. Eve was Adam's strength made perfect in weakness, for both supplied the power lacking in the other. Even so, today women are the reflective complement of men in every realm of life. And their contribution has the potential to elevate every aspect they touch.

If the man alone was better than the two with separate expression, the woman would never have been created.

Men and women have wrestled each other for far too long, and the time of awakening is at hand. We are not enemies...we are beloved allies.

Confused by past issues of pain, our culture has encouraged men to get in touch with their feminine side. While this is happening women are coached to be more aggressive and masculine in their approach to life. Confused religions encourage women to be stripped of all sense of self and worth and lose their identity again to the man.

There is something terribly amiss. There appears to be some attempt at evening the sides and leveling the playing field. The whole concept of evening the sides is wrong because men and women were never meant to play or perform on opposing sides.

We were meant to do the dance of life together!

Years ago, feminists sought to reconcile gender inconsistencies. No longer is it about equal pay for equal work; it has become an all out drive to displace men.

Women are vulnerable when both the church and society choose not to value marriage vows.

Adam was not involved in Eve's creation; he was asleep. He gave raw material but no input. God had Adam's unanswered longing with which to work.

Adam was not looking for someone he could rule. He was already master of all he surveyed. He wanted someone to celebrate and share his domain with him. A wise and tender confidante who would love and admire him. Someone who would flourish under his love and care and therefore share his joy. He wanted a complementary to do life with.

We cannot become who we were created to be until we remember who we are. There must again be a revelation of woman. This revelation and restoration can take place only as we return and rebuild the positions of authority and power already given to the woman by birthright.

Words of the Holy Spirit spoken to Lisa:

For you truly are not a man, and there are yet battles in the
spirit for the sons to fight, and there are yet battles in the
spirit for the daughters to fight. Begin to call forth the daughters;
cry out for them now. Call the daughters to wage the wars only
they can win, and to fight the battles as only my daughters can,
because truly the enemy fears this revelation more than
he fears any woman who fights like a man.

Finding Center

Life as we know it is evolving and changing at an extremely escalated rate.

We're regressing. Returning again to what was, as human history repeats itself. Without the constant of light or truth to guide us, we've again made ourselves the measure of everything, and in the process lost our way.

Nature itself rebels against our presumption and arrogance. For far too long we've made choices that served only the immediate and forgot legacy.

Creation is not well. It's guardians and keepers have left their posts. If our reckless choices have brought destruction, doesn't it stand to reason we can be part of the restoration process? There is only one hope of light coming from this darkness. People must choose to live for something more than the immediate.

Individuals exist without purpose and direction because there is nothing greater in their lives than themselves. There is no compass pointing to true North. Truth is relative as we walk in circles, unable to find our center.

Center gives perspective. Center is the anchor. It controls the activity swirling around it like the eye of a storm. For far too long men and women have been off center.

In this storm of change, God is awakening His women and drawing us into the center.

Our gender is our strength. It is our core and center, from which we ultimately find our power.

Know and understand this: Our enemy fears the revelation of God's daughters more than he fears women who act like men.

The enemy has always been an expert at twisting and perverting truth in order to divert mankind from the path of life. He does not want us walking toward light and truth, and repeatedly coerces us with deceptive half-truths that push us toward the way of death and darkness. Without God's clear directives, we could find ourselves wandering aimlessly on paths of destruction.

She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
Proverbs 5:6 (NIV)

It is time we gave thought to the right way of life. This way of life includes men and women separate and beautifully unique in their expressions and purposes. We will find ourselves on pathways of deception anytime we accept a lie as truth.

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Proverbs 4:18 (NIV)

Righteous paths lead to greater places of illumination.

Gender alone does not qualify a man to lead, just as gender alone should not disqualify a woman. According to scripture, if a man is not strong in virtue, he disqualifies himself regardless of his gender, just as women who were historically virtuous rose above perceived gender limitations.

For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him.
I Timothy 3:2-4 (NLT)

This confirms that there is a marriage of the two strengths, but this can happen without either compromising their core.

Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
I Timothy 3:11 (NKJV)

Here women are equally charged to be temperate and faithful. They are encouraged to be an example of virtue.

Everyone has his or her strategic place or position to function. The only the reason the many can function as one is that we derive our strength from our Head, Jesus the Christ.

From the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)

God specifically designed the body with the inability to function successfully if its members are separated.

Women often function as the connectors or support system within the body. Women, by intent, were ultimately created for Relationship.

Too often we fail to empower women to function in their gifts.

Though men and women are equal before God, they are not completely independent of each other. Both genders function best when connected with each other in one way or another. This is not limited to marriages but encompasses all relationships in life. God the Father declared the man alone was not good or complete. Both the man and the woman are necessary reflections of God's complete picture.

And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
I Corinthians 12:16-18 (NIV)

There is an amazing combination found when you marry strength with beauty, authority with wisdom, male with female. It was always God's idea...two with one heart. Together we realize a multiplication of our strengths.



Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week Two - What If I Don't Like Women?

A synopsis of Week Two:


What if I don't like women? That is what Lisa used to say. Now she loves women.

There was a time when she was not fond of women and didn't really like being one.

Lisa has heard women from all walks and ages say the same thing. She has found this to be a major connection point with women.

"Men say what they mean and mean what they say. With women, you never know where you stand!" "I get along with guys; female relationships take way too much energy!" "Women are petty gossips who say one thing to your face and another behind your back."

"Women are so emotional!"

"They're a bunch of whiners!"

"You just can't trust them!"

Lisa says that she has probably expressed all of these sentiments and frustrations. I know that I most likely have too.

Can you imagine men making these claims about their gender?? Why are the majority of women in agreement with their general disgust and frustration with females?

We seem to like individual women but wrestle with the concept of women as a whole.
What's wrong with women?

What could possibly cause a large portion of females to reject their own gender? Unfortunately many of us have not been taught an appreciation for who we are as women.

This lack of awareness of feminine value needs to be confronted in almost every realm of life if we are to see a turnaround. God is awakening our individuality to enable us to realize what we can become as daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, leaders, and friends. Women have significant contributions to make to their unique spheres of influence, and these will never be fully realized with an underlying distaste for our gender.

It is probably more accurate to say it isn't really that we don't like women; rather we just don't like the image women have evolved or adapted to represent.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 (KJV)

Lisa believes that as the truth of heaven's kingdom is not only heard but also passionately lived, we will see a portion of our power and beauty restored. She believes that vision is a powerful agent for awakening destiny.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Vision has the power to lift and remind us we're ultimately fashioned for another place and time. There, all things will be made right, and we will discover we are altogether lovely. It is our hope, but what about now?
Splendor: A Woman's Gift

Lisa says she is watching for women who know how to adorn not only their lives but also the lives of others with a portion of heaven's splendor.

Lisa wants the daughters to dance unafraid while mothers smile and grandmothers sigh with contentment.

We must learn to love one another and who we are as women.

For years we have heard many different and mixed messages about women. We have heard "Women are a problem." Women are not a problem...they are an answer.

Think about this. Allow the beauty and power of it to penetrate your being. You are an answer.

If you believe you are an answer, you'll approach life and relationships in an entirely different manner than if you believe you are a problem. Problems are negative, critical, and judgmental. Solutions sound and feel very different. They are positive, hopeful and life-giving in their wisdom. Answers comfort fear with power of love. If you believe you are problem, sooner or later you will begin to act like one. Likewise, if you believe you are not a problem, but a solution, you will begin to act like one.

An answer was the very reason for our existence and the motivation behind our creation. Paradise had a problem, and we were God's answer. Think of it! You are somebody's answer.

There is a problem out there only your presence can solve.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18 (NLT)

Adam needed help. Eve was his answer.

“At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,
and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’
because she was taken from ‘man.’”

Genesis 2:23 (NLT)

There is a world out there watching and waiting for you to be an answer.

Woman was made to be an answer. She was the treasure for whom Adam searched - God's perfect creation.

Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely. Song of Solomon 2:14 (NKJV)

There is a world that longs to see and hear you. By embracing the lie that we were a problem, as time passed we became one. By forgetting we were lovely, we lost a portion of our beauty.

We need to celebrate women as friends and grow into so much more than we ever dreamed.

You are a vital part of God's answer for humanity. Our heavenly Father has specifically formed you to do a task no other woman can accomplish in our space and time.

Questions to ponder:

In what ways do you allow the lie to convince you that you are a problem?

At what age do you think you became most vulnerable to the lie?

Why did you start believing it?

What has happened in your life to reinforce it?

What must you do to believe you are an answer?

What are some areas where you can begin to be an answer to others?

Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

Week One - You Fight Like a Girl!

A synopsis of Week One:

You fight like a girl. This phrase is usually meant as an insult. Girls are meant to fight like girls. Lisa wants women to consider themselves complimented if they are told they fight like a girl.

We need to revisit the intent behind our origin. Women were not initially formed for battle, but for life, nurture and relationship.

Neither men nor women were created for destruction - they were both created for increase, order and cultivation.

He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Isaiah 2:4 (NIV)

Both men and women will return to their original positions and relational dynamic on earth. But right now there is a problem, an enemy and a battle.

The last to be created was the first conflict. The stage was set for battle.

And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."
Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman
and went off to make war against the rest
of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments
and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 12:17

Satan skilfully wielded his weapon of deception and effectively stole the dominion of the earth from the two who were one.

To win, the enemy had to divide and conquer. He accomplished this by enlisting the support of the woman. Satan used the power of the woman's influence. Without her influence, it is quite possible the man might not have yielded to the serpent's counsel. He surrendered to the voice of his wife.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree
was good for food and pleasing to the eye,
and also desirable for gaining wisdom,
she took some and ate it.
She also gave some to her husband,
who was with her, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:6

Lisa says that she believes that at creation's dawn, Eve's beauty and power of influence were so profound as to quite possibly be irresistible.

Adam and Eve were made in the image of God, but not equal to Him. The "image" of something speaks of a reflection, not representation of its entirety.

We frequently lose what we have because we fail to remember why it was given. Adam and Eve forgot their purpose and lost their place. They knew they were created for dominion but they forgot why. They used their dominion against rather than for each other.

The man's position is not up for grabs, just as it is not his to give away. The woman's place is not the man's for the taking, nor is it hers to forfeit. The two must stand together in their respective roles. What we have been given to guard, we should never yield to another.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be
burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

God wants you to be totally free so you can be totally His.

God loves giving you the opportunity to face what you fear, because when you face what you fear you become fearless.

Where are the fearless daughters who are ready to Fight Like Girls?

Taken from the book Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere.

You Are Invited

Ladies

You are Cordially Invited

to My house

Monday evenings (beginning April 7, 2008)

@ 7:00pm

We will be studying the dvd curriculum

Fight Like A Girl by Lisa Bevere

Check back here for weekly updates
from our sessions together.