I had the pleasure of speaking at a women’s Bible study last week and I’d love to share a few of my thoughts on what a Spirit-filled woman looks like. I pray you are encouraged today to walk in the fullness of who the Lord has called you to be. He wants to empower you to move beyond what is humanly possible as you continually surrender your all to Him.
Spirit-filled Women: They are not weak-willed. They are not strong-willed. They are Spirit-willed!
Spirit-willed, Spirit-filled women are fruit bearing. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
They abide in the vine and submit themselves to the Master Gardener – who prunes every branch that bears fruit, SO THAT it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)
They do not continually gratify the sinful nature, but they keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16,25)
They are not cookie cutter women. They have different gifts but the SAME Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
They are intelligent like Abigail who didn’t allow her marriage to a foolish man keep her from using good judgment or acting swiftly. (1 Samuel 25)
They are courageous like the wise woman in Israel who spoke up on behalf of her city that was about to be destroyed because of one rebellious man. She gathered the people of her town, and her wise advice saved an entire city that was known as a mother in Israel.
(2 Samuel 20:15b-22)
They stand up like Hannah who refused to stay silent anymore about her barrenness. She cried out to the Lord in prayer. He heard and He answered. She bore a son and fulfilled her vow to the Lord. (1Samuel 1:1-20)
They work hard and don’t look back like Ruth who left her country and family without a promise of a great life ahead. She had tasted of Naomi’s God even in the midst of great tragedy and chose not to return to the gods of her upbringing. Ruth is listed in the lineage of Jesus! (Ruth 1:16, Matthew 1:5)
They believe the word of the Lord like Mary did. When told of the impossible being made possible by God, she responded with, “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:26-38)
They celebrate others like Elizabeth did with Mary. When she heard Mary’s good news even her baby leaped within her womb. The Holy Spirit showed up to celebrate with them! (Luke 1:39-45)
They listen to the Lord’s instructions on how to raise their children like Samson’s mom did. She knew he had a special calling and she wanted to parent him well. Yes, he took some wrong turns but in the end, he fulfilled God’s purpose. (Judges 13:2-24)
They respect and submit to their husbands like Sarah did with Abraham – even though he had some crazy ways of handling things. Not immoral or illegal – just crazy! (1 Peter 3:5-6)
They listen to wise counsel like Esther did when Mordecai called her up beyond her royal position into her God-given position. Lives were saved! (Esther 4:12-16)
They raise up the next generation well like the Proverbs 31 woman whose children rise up and bless her. Don’t give up – your kids will grow up someday to appreciate your tenacity to raise them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Proverbs 31:28; Ephesians 6:4)
They walk in leadership and speak the truth in love as Priscilla did alongside her husband. When a fervent evangelist was off just a bit in his theology she invited him into their home to be mentored. (Acts 18:24-26)
They know which battles to fight like Deborah, a leader in Israel who didn’t usurp power from a man but stepped in when no one else would (Judges 4:8-10). Or like Jael who picked up a hammer and tent peg and killed the enemy (Judges 4:17-22).
They wait and look for the Lord to provide like Miriam. She stood at a distance to watch what would happen as her baby brother Moses floated down the river. She bravely spoke up to Pharaoh’s daughter, offering to find someone to nurse the baby and reunited him with the family until he was weaned. (Exodus 2:1-10)
They fear God rather than man like the Hebrew midwives who saved the lives of many baby boys – boys Pharaoh had ordered them to kill. Because of this, the Lord blessed them with families of their own. (Exodus 1:15-21)
They hear God’s word and proclaim it like the Samaritan woman at the well who had her mail read by Jesus. He revealed Himself as the Living Water and refreshed her so much she went out proclaiming the good news to all who would listen! (John 4:7-26; Psalm 68:11)
They experience disappointment and grief but, with the Lord’s help, they move beyond bitterness like Naomi did when the Lord restored her family line. (Ruth 4:13-17)
They know what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to! The Lord has a good plan for your life. The enemy has his own twisted plan for your life. Get into agreement with the Lord’s plan and send the enemy to flight! Be wise and ready to know which plan to battle and which one to embrace. (John 10:10; Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11)
Spirit-filled women know how to wield the sword of the Spirit – the word of God – like Jesus did. Our mouth speaking His word = powerful! (John 4:1-13)
May we be women who choose not to fill up with the world’s answers to life. May we be women who fill up with the power of the Holy Spirit!
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
This word “filled” in Greek is the “continual” present tense and literally translates to “be continually filled with the Spirit.” The moment you ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life, His Spirit takes up residence within you (Ephesians 2:13-14). But let’s face it, we are human and we leak (2 Corinthians 4:7). We drift and are prone to wander (Hebrews 2:1).
The tendency of fire is to go out; watch the fire on the altar of your heart. Anyone who has tended a fireplace fire knows that it needs to be stirred up occasionally.
William Booth
Jesus invites us to choose Him daily. In the wording, “be filled with the Spirit”, He bids us to continually allow Him to breathe His Spirit afresh and anew into our hearts. Be filled with the Spirit! Don’t be weak-willed. Don’t be strong-willed. Be Spirit-willed. Be Spirit-filled. Fully surrender to Him!
