How are women attacked now?
I will not return to the scene in the Garden of Eden, let's see what Satan is doing nowadays? Is he calm and no longer make attacks? Oh no, for it is said: I will cause hostility between you and the woman.
Genesis 3, 15:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The Word of God must fulfil, and therefore there will be no end for attacks of Satan till the last day. How he attacks us? The main problem in our minds, he sneaks and offers bad thoughts to ruin our lives. I cannot look through every topic, just a few key points where he has directed his attacks.
First, Satan himself, being a very beautiful angel of light, hates the woman very much, because she is beautiful and she wants to be beautiful to please her husband. This desire to be beautifull is deep in us, God himself has put it and you do not need to get it out of a woman, because you just destroy her. But it is bad, if this wish is over-emphasized. Therefore, Satan seeks to emphasize it, to emphasize greatly; he sneaks and tells her that she is not beautiful enough. That she needs to be more colourful, to draw her face, to add in some places of her body, and to take off in some other places. And to present herself as openly as possible, and show as much of her body as possible, otherwise she will not be beautiful and no one would look at her.
And sometimes it is very sad to look at those poor women in the world who try to be beautiful, but, unfortunately, look vulgar, and frighten out any decent man.
Yes, Satan disfigures women in the world, and, when you become a Christian, this process does not necessarily end at once. The Holy Spirit is gradually cleansing and managing us, we grow in the Word of God, but it is a process. If is all right with the woman's mind, if she listens to the voice of God in her heart, she will not show too much of her body to confuse men. You know, a man cannot be without a woman. And a man notices a beautiful body of a woman. Many legends and stories are created about a woman's magical attraction. But there are no miracles here, it is the word of God that says that a man will leave his father and mother, and he will cleave to his wife and two will become one body. And this must happen, because God has said so. So dear sisters, remember that we are not in the vanity fair of the world and do not have to show ourselves. The Apostle Peter said:
1Peter 3, 3-4:
Tegu Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
And Apostle Paul writes to Timothy:
1Timothy 2, 9-10:
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;
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
Of course, the Word of God does not outline what length of sleeves should be, and how big should be a neckline and how much jewelry is allowed to put on. If someone starts to regulate it for you, it is people teching and religious manipulation. I would advice you simply to ask Jesus Christ in your heart, whether your appearance does not lead someone to bad thoughts and offence. Sincerely, if you have any doubts, pray, and He hears you and He will answer. This is important if this is said in the Word of God, this is important. Not everything that's fashionable in the world is good for you. We are free from the law and theoretically we can do anything we want, but because of the One who lives in us through His Holy Spirit, we have to choose very carefully what suits us and what not. We are God's vessels. And we have to look at others so that our liberty to choose would not become an offence to the weaker brothers.
Galatians 5, 13-14:
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
If we love our neighbour, then think about men and as much as it belongs from us, let us not give Satan the opportunity to pervert their thoughts.
1 Corinthians 10, 23-24:
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
Thus, dear sisters, if you feel that the blouse you like shows off too much and can tempt and disturb a weaker brother, you should not buy and wear it.
The Word of God calls us not to follow the world and not to love the world, so fashion should not be too much important for you. And I remember that not one sister testified the same, when you fully give yourself to God, clothes and shoes that were so important earlier, lose their charm. Things are just things, and God needs your heart.
But again, I say also about myself, every girl or woman wants to look beautiful, and I do not think that Satan is guilty here, God created Eve beautiful and there is no need to deny it and distort it. It would be self-denying. Therefore, I'm not saying for all to put on sacks, just be modest.
God created a woman beautiful:
Song of Solomon 1, 10-11:
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
The natural desire of a woman to look beautiful is not a fault, but I urge every sister to ask God to give us wisdom, and I myself ask that we all understand what it means to "adorn in modest clothes."
The second method of Satan’s attack is thtat he seeks to hurt a woman through man’s domination, and seeks that this dominion would be without love. In the world, this has been for many centuries. Men rule in humiliating women, making them an inferior being. A man cannot be without her, but try to humilitate her.
Discussions constantly goes on about violence against women in family. This is simple: the Word of God must fulfil and man rules over his woman. Satan distorted his mind and he does not know how to rule in other way. And for sure, God does not like it, when a man beats his wife.
Malachi 2, 13-16:
And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
Well, the world is the world. There can not be any violence among Christians, but I hear that there are, and I hear, as other Christian men say, "this is ok, you know, the brother has to rule." Yes, he has to rule, but how? My husband rules over me and I love how he leads me. I like it and I feel good because I am sure that he loves me, loves the way God has said, and if somewhere we do not agree, I submit, because he knows me and knows when I am wrong and why, and he knows my weaknesses through which Satan can sneak to me. And if our opinion does not agree and I feel that he is wrong, I tell him this, but if he stays with his opinion, I still have to obey. And then I have to pray for him. And God places everything according His will: either He changes my heart or my husband’s determination, because he is just human and not always right. I like that everything goes as God has said. But that is the path. We have been in it for many years, and God leads us and teaches us. You see, I do not boast, I just say the facts. I know that we live with our husband in the way described in the Word of God, of course, not perfectly, but we strive for it, and so must be among Christians, for this is the path.
Ephesians 5, 22-33:
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
I am showing this passage again, it is important – it is a recipe for family happiness.
If a man does not know his wife and loves selfishly, not like Christ loves the church, and if he does not want to know the part of his own body, if he only needs her to be in her due place and act in the way he thinks is right, if he does not care how she feels and what she thinks, then what a hard life for his wife is. The only hope and support of her is in God, because her husband left her alone in spirit.
Let us look at what the Holy Spirit say to men and women through the apostle Peter:
1 Peter 3, 1-8:
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous
Let us look at the end of the passage, where the apostle Peter warns men to respect their wives, if they want their prayers to be heard by God.
You see, in God's sight, we are one. If you have a sore throat, you are interested in what happened, you are trying to be cured so you feel good. And if all the other part of your body is bad, her heart hurts, maybe she weeps all night, how can you not to care? Will you sit proudly, pray, and let your stupid woman by herself? But will such prayer come to God?
So, both men and women, we need to be very careful that our other part of one body would feel good.
The third thing how satan attack women is the incitement of woman’s quarrelsomeness high-handedness and pride.
The apostle Peter writes that the meek and quiet spirit is of great price in the sight of God, so be sure the father of lies will do everything that the heart of a woman would not be meek and quiet.
The feminist movement that has begun in the world as a rather natural resistance to the humiliation of a woman, soon with Satan's inspiration and using pride and inclination of a woman to control went far too far.
Satan is lying: "You know better, you can all by yourself, look at yourself, you do not need make sacrifices, be proud, you can be happy without a man." Unfortunately, I see a lot of women who have achieved a career, have beautiful bodies and money for various pleasures, and have freedom, freedom from responsibilities, freedom from making sacrifice in families. And they are unhappy. Because God said - you will desire your husband and you will be subordinate to him and you will give birth. If you do not obey the Word of God, how can you be happy?
A lot of things and forces are concentrated to trick a woman - the whole media, heaps of books, television. After all, the world shapes the woman's image in contraryt to that as revealed in the Bible. The world also tries to tempt women with the power of attractive glitter. By following the Word of God, in the world you will surely be called an old-fashioned, unfortunate hen, a non-matured personality who can not handle herself and similar things. Though when I say to women in the world that a woman has to obey her husband, and most importantly, sincerely respect him, some of them agree that there may be truth in my words. And I know some non-christian women who try to live according to the Word of God, just following their hearts with right understanding, only it is harder for them, because they do not know the Word of God, but they hear perfectly what the world speaks and are ashamed of their own meek and peaceful spirits.
The high-handedness of a woman is a misery for all around her, but the biggest misery for her husband and children. Some not wise woman try to rule using strict words, curses and scloding, the others trie to rule through playing a victim while the others continually grumbling and rebuking.
Proverbs 21, 9:
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
The science of psychology examine all tiese things and I will not talk here now; you probably know lot more than one dictatorial woman and you can see the consequences and the negative things that happen around a woman who is not wise and who wants to occupy a man's place in life. She is unhappy herself and her family is suffering, her husband has hard life and children grow feeling unhappy.
When you whatch what is going on in Lithuanian in families, you see that there are so few happy ones, but a lot of families with different problems. There are many broken families and traumatized children. You see, this is like a curse - unhappy children grow up and give birth to other children and make them unhappy. But if they start to believe in Christ and begin to live according to the Word of God, then this vicious circle is interrupted. It is probably a separate topic here; I will not expand it anymore now.
And finally Satan seeks to mislead us through the sense of fault. If you want to kill a woman in her heart, start blaming her for being a woman. Since she usually already feels guilty of it, she just knows from somewhere in her heart that something is wrong with her.
I used to live with it for many years. I was thinking: “It is something wrong with me; I am God's mistake. God did not have to create a woman, and then everything would have been fine. It is all my fault. It would be better without me.” These are thoughts from the evil one. He would have liked God never have created us. Thus, he tries to ruin everything he can. But thanks to God, we have Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ saved me, He gave me freedom from this guilt. He led me and my husband, fed and raised us in His Word, changed us, united us, and put everything in places.
Do you think Satan is glad that I live in love and peace with Nerijus? Of course, not. He was glad when I did not know what I wanted from my husband, and he drank or looked at naked women in the porn sites. I also started watching porn pages. And was reding lots of books day and night, only those with happyendings, the love stories and similar. I was thinking that there is no happiness in life. I ran away from reality, because it was so sad. Instead of having a living true love relationship, we tortured ourselves, and then Satan rejoiced. Moreower I was sure that a woman is a poor miserable creature that is even not worth the happiness. I thought that not only my husband, but also God does not love me. Do you understand what our enemy tries to instil to a woman? That she is so despicable and hated by not only by the man, but also by God himself that no matter what she will do there is no use of her. This is a way how women become addicted. This is a way of becoming a prostitute, when a woman is totally disappointed with love.
That is what Satan does to us.
I think this is the worst thing that can happen to a woman when she no longer believes in being loved and starts to fear to love.
Until now, Satan still tries to put back the guilt, which Jesus Christ had taken away from me. I can not agree with this, because it will kill neither my carnality, nor pride, but my own heart, which the Lord has said to keep more than anything else:
Proverbs 4, 23:
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
The last thing, I want to write about something that may be relevant for those women who, like me, have received the ministry of the word from the Lord. Some think that I am breaking God's order and bringing myself to ruin because I speak in church, which women are not allowed to do. There are two places in God's Word that have long caused me heartache and doubt. Here are those lines.
1 Timothy 2, 11-12:
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
The letter to Timothy did not bother me so much, God sees, I tried to learn the Word quietly and did not usurp any man’s authority. But when you read the verses in 1 Corinthians, it seems like that is it, I have to shut up because God's Word says I should be ashamed to speak in church
1 Corinthians 14, 34-35:
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
Previously, I did not know that in the original text, the word "to speak" has the meaning "to chatter" and that is how it should be translated. When I first started reading the Bible, I was especially disturbed by these verses, because I could not understand why God gave me such a gift, if I should be ashamed to use it. And I remember, it was almost two years ago, when I was still a baby in Christ, not yet out of the Catholic denomination, but already guided by the Lord, I dared to ask a brother about these verses. He then answered me with a verse from the letter to the Galatians:
Galatians 3, 28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And he said to look at the whole Word of God. I look now at the whole Word and I see that God uses women, and uses them not only to give birth to children and to cook food, not only to pray quietly in the corner, neatly covering their heads, but also in the ministry of the Word. God uses women as He wills. Remember the women of the Old Testament, who, under the guidance of the Lord, often helped men with wise advice or a courageous deed, pointing them in the right direction. This was certainly according God’s will. Remember the prophetess Deborah, wife of Lapidoth:
Judges 4, 4-9:
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Did not the Lord speak through her, did it not happen, as she said?
We also remember other women - Miriam, Moses' sister, who helped him and Aaron lead the nation, Tamar, who fought for her rights and made her father-in-law understand why he was wrong, Rahab, who saved Israel's spies and later her relatives, Naomi and Ruth, who guided her future husband in the right direction, encouraging him to make a decision. We know Abigail, a wise woman, first the wife of Nabal, then the wife of David, who saved many men from an unnecessary struggle by her decision to disapprove of her husband's foolish will. David was a wise man, he did not harden his heart and admitted that he would have become angry and killed many people and the Lord would not have liked it:
1 Samuel 25, 32-35:
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.
We remember Esther and her story, a wise Shunammite woman who took care of the prophet Elisha, we know that the book of 2 Samuel mentions a wise woman who, with her advice, saved the entire city of Abel Bet Maach from the destruction of Joab. Would it have been good if those women had kept quiet and not taught the men?
I probably did not mention everything from the Old Testament, but let's look at the New Testament. I will not mention women in the Gospels again; let us look at the Acts of the Apostles, when the Holy Spirit was poured out. After all, we know that the Holy Spirit, that is, God Himself, distributes gifts as He pleases. Let us look at the Acts of the Apostles, the second chapter describes how at Pentecost the Spirit is poured upon all the people that were there. There were indeed women there, and all spoke in other tongues and declared the wonderful works of God. Later in Acts, chapter 16, we read about Lydia in Philippi. There were especially many women in the Philippian church. Here, in the letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul urges:
Philppians 4, 1-3:
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Why is it important that Euodia and Syntyche be of the same mind? Because these women preached the Gospel together with Paul, this is the ministry of the Word. From the letter we see that they did not lead, but worked side by side with men. And the apostle Paul says to one of the men "help them", but he does not say "shut them up". Next, Acts 18. We meet here Priscilla and Aquila, Paul's friends and co-workers. We see them teaching a man, Apollos, who later did much for the gospel.
Acts 18, 24-28:
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
We see that Apollos was wise and eloquent, burning with the Spirit, but he lacked the knowledge of the way of God and that knowledge was given to him by a woman, Priscilla and her husband Aquila. The woman taught the man, did not rule, did not fight, but helped him, as God had told her. Next is the letter to the Romans, chapter 16, where Paul sends his greetings to the Christians in Rome.
Romans 16, 1-15:
I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household. Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
Among those to whom greetings are conveyed, we see many women, perhaps ten through fifteen lines. Women labored in the Lord alongside men in the days of the apostles, and we must labor in the Lord, for He gives us both desire and work out of His favor. Not because you or I are special, but because such is His will out of His grace. Therefore, I want to encourage those who face pressure, contempt or humiliation because they are women: dear sisters, trust in the Lord, do not suppress the Spirit in yourself and always remember that you must listen to God more than to people. To Him alone be glory and honor forever. Amen.
2012-04-08
