WOMEN HAVE BEEN A CLOUD OF WITNESSES
In the Old Testament, two women stand out. Deborah stands as the only woman in the Old Testament who was elevated to a position of political and spiritual power by the common consent of the people.
She served as a home-maker, and later added to that keeping the tabernacle lamps. This had a deep spiritual impact in shaping Deborah into the spiritual and military warrior that she became. She was to give the light of life to Israel as she led them into a true spiritual awakening.
Not only was Deborah a prophetess, she was also a judge. That is to say, Deborah was a foreshadow of Joel's prophecy in (Joel 2) Deborah was courageous enough to confront Sisera, and together with Barak, defeated him.
The other woman was Esther, a slave in a foreign land. Though pushed into a corner by the odd culture of the ancient kingdom, she managed by prayer and courageous resolve, to save the people of Israel form imminent destruction. Her indirect contribution to their spiritual well being rests in the fact that she mobilized all Israelites to pray and fast for divine intervention. But, more than anybody else's, it was on Esther's lean shoulders that the physical salvation of Israel lay.
Centuries after the early apostles had all passed on, God began to raise new leaders who would champion revival and restore some deep, long-forgotten truths to the body of Christ. It will not be possible to forget the profound impact of the ministries of such patriarchs of faith like the Wesley Brothers and Charles Spurgeon (the prince of preachers), Jonathan Edward, etc.
What many tend to forget or conveniently ignore is that before John and Charles Wesley, there was a certain Susanna Wesley who could rightly and deservedly be referred to as the “Mother of Awakening”.
It was Susanna Wesley that nurtured John and Charles to the level of prominence they attained. One biographer put it thus:
“She was a spiritual giant, a mother of awakening… the mother of Methodism in a religious and moral sense; for her courage, her submissiveness to authority, the high tone of her mind, its independence, and its self-control, the warmth of her devotional feelings and the practical direction given to them, came up and were visibly repeated in the character and conduct of her sons”.
She had eighteen children, but nonetheless was committed in fervent, persistent prayers both for her children and for revival.
If ever there was a pastor's wife who took a stalwart stand with her husband, Susannah Spurgeon filled that role. In the revival that broke out in the context of their shared ministry, she played a most significant part.
Countless number of times, Susannah had to make unimaginable sacrifices in self-denial and heart-felt prayers for the ministry of her husband. Without her, the “prince of preachers” would have been seriously diminished.
Time and space would fail us to go into any details concerning the very significant contributions of Catherine Booth, Amy Carmichael and Ruth Bell Graham. But, it is not out of place to mention two more recent examples of feminine heroic contributions to the church and society.
• Kathryn Kulman had a rough marital experience, but she was both a prophetess and an evangelist par excellence, stirring up revival and bathing in the revival herself. Her ministry stood out as one solid example of a successful, heaven-ward, God-glorying ministry. Supernatural occurrences that are unprecedented were a common occurrence in her programmes. It is very difficult to find another woman of comparable anointing in the past two centuries.
• Mother Teresa made her mark as a missionary, in India . She abandoned the luxury of a married life, abandoned the beckoning opportunities outside her base, and poured out her life for the downtrodden. Few people can make sure impact as hers on native Indians.
All the honour done to her in her life time she donated to her favourite charity. She exposed herself to very risky environments and situations all in a bid to reach the native people with the love of Christ.
In Nigeria today, several women have distinguished themselves in more ways than one.
• Mrs. Okonjo Iweala: Minister for finance, World Bank Top Gun before her appointment.
• Mrs. Dora Akunyili: NAFDAC Boss, who rejuvenated NAFDAC and achieved breath-taking results, even at the risk of her life.
• Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili: “Madam Due Process”, whose doggedness saves the Federal Government billions of naira every year.
• Mrs. Onyiuke: Stock Market Director General, who had nurtured the stock market to enviable heights!
At the international arena, we cannot easily forget Baronness Margaret Thatcher of Britain or Mrs. Sheriff Johnson of post-war Liberia . We cannot forget Oprah Winfrey, neither can we ignore the co-founder of Hope-Uk, Mrs. Ann Jane Carlile. Elizabeth Sandes, founder of Sandes Soldiers' and Airmen's centres, in Northern Ireland , deserves a special mention for her efforts towards the preservation of lives of soldiers and Air-force officials.
Two other remarkable women during the course of the 19th century that played prominent roles in improving the social and environmental conditions of thousands of ordinary people are Lady Mary Jane Kinnaird and Miss Emma Roberts, who together formed the “Young women's Christian Association” in 1850.
I am greatly inspired by Rev Dada, who is a great woman of God and co pastor of a large church in Nigeria who has brought hundreds of woman to God through her active woman's ministry. It just makes one reflect on the fact that our God will use anyone that is willing to be used. Mrs Dada has been an encouragement to me in our ministry and I greatly recommend her teachings to any woman that thinks she cannot be effective for God.
To find out more about our self help programme that enables you to earn a lucrative income whilst pursuing your highest calling in Christ. Please email me at:
raydendhew@gmail.com
To view my additional articles, please scroll up and click on the particular topic on the right.
She served as a home-maker, and later added to that keeping the tabernacle lamps. This had a deep spiritual impact in shaping Deborah into the spiritual and military warrior that she became. She was to give the light of life to Israel as she led them into a true spiritual awakening.
Not only was Deborah a prophetess, she was also a judge. That is to say, Deborah was a foreshadow of Joel's prophecy in (Joel 2) Deborah was courageous enough to confront Sisera, and together with Barak, defeated him.
The other woman was Esther, a slave in a foreign land. Though pushed into a corner by the odd culture of the ancient kingdom, she managed by prayer and courageous resolve, to save the people of Israel form imminent destruction. Her indirect contribution to their spiritual well being rests in the fact that she mobilized all Israelites to pray and fast for divine intervention. But, more than anybody else's, it was on Esther's lean shoulders that the physical salvation of Israel lay.
Centuries after the early apostles had all passed on, God began to raise new leaders who would champion revival and restore some deep, long-forgotten truths to the body of Christ. It will not be possible to forget the profound impact of the ministries of such patriarchs of faith like the Wesley Brothers and Charles Spurgeon (the prince of preachers), Jonathan Edward, etc.
What many tend to forget or conveniently ignore is that before John and Charles Wesley, there was a certain Susanna Wesley who could rightly and deservedly be referred to as the “Mother of Awakening”.
It was Susanna Wesley that nurtured John and Charles to the level of prominence they attained. One biographer put it thus:
“She was a spiritual giant, a mother of awakening… the mother of Methodism in a religious and moral sense; for her courage, her submissiveness to authority, the high tone of her mind, its independence, and its self-control, the warmth of her devotional feelings and the practical direction given to them, came up and were visibly repeated in the character and conduct of her sons”.
She had eighteen children, but nonetheless was committed in fervent, persistent prayers both for her children and for revival.
If ever there was a pastor's wife who took a stalwart stand with her husband, Susannah Spurgeon filled that role. In the revival that broke out in the context of their shared ministry, she played a most significant part.
Countless number of times, Susannah had to make unimaginable sacrifices in self-denial and heart-felt prayers for the ministry of her husband. Without her, the “prince of preachers” would have been seriously diminished.
Time and space would fail us to go into any details concerning the very significant contributions of Catherine Booth, Amy Carmichael and Ruth Bell Graham. But, it is not out of place to mention two more recent examples of feminine heroic contributions to the church and society.
• Kathryn Kulman had a rough marital experience, but she was both a prophetess and an evangelist par excellence, stirring up revival and bathing in the revival herself. Her ministry stood out as one solid example of a successful, heaven-ward, God-glorying ministry. Supernatural occurrences that are unprecedented were a common occurrence in her programmes. It is very difficult to find another woman of comparable anointing in the past two centuries.
• Mother Teresa made her mark as a missionary, in India . She abandoned the luxury of a married life, abandoned the beckoning opportunities outside her base, and poured out her life for the downtrodden. Few people can make sure impact as hers on native Indians.
All the honour done to her in her life time she donated to her favourite charity. She exposed herself to very risky environments and situations all in a bid to reach the native people with the love of Christ.
In Nigeria today, several women have distinguished themselves in more ways than one.
• Mrs. Okonjo Iweala: Minister for finance, World Bank Top Gun before her appointment.
• Mrs. Dora Akunyili: NAFDAC Boss, who rejuvenated NAFDAC and achieved breath-taking results, even at the risk of her life.
• Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili: “Madam Due Process”, whose doggedness saves the Federal Government billions of naira every year.
• Mrs. Onyiuke: Stock Market Director General, who had nurtured the stock market to enviable heights!
At the international arena, we cannot easily forget Baronness Margaret Thatcher of Britain or Mrs. Sheriff Johnson of post-war Liberia . We cannot forget Oprah Winfrey, neither can we ignore the co-founder of Hope-Uk, Mrs. Ann Jane Carlile. Elizabeth Sandes, founder of Sandes Soldiers' and Airmen's centres, in Northern Ireland , deserves a special mention for her efforts towards the preservation of lives of soldiers and Air-force officials.
Two other remarkable women during the course of the 19th century that played prominent roles in improving the social and environmental conditions of thousands of ordinary people are Lady Mary Jane Kinnaird and Miss Emma Roberts, who together formed the “Young women's Christian Association” in 1850.
I am greatly inspired by Rev Dada, who is a great woman of God and co pastor of a large church in Nigeria who has brought hundreds of woman to God through her active woman's ministry. It just makes one reflect on the fact that our God will use anyone that is willing to be used. Mrs Dada has been an encouragement to me in our ministry and I greatly recommend her teachings to any woman that thinks she cannot be effective for God.
To find out more about our self help programme that enables you to earn a lucrative income whilst pursuing your highest calling in Christ. Please email me at:
raydendhew@gmail.com
To view my additional articles, please scroll up and click on the particular topic on the right.
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