The Lioness and the Ladies: Ep. 6: Power Under Authority — The Proverbs 31 Way

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,

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Connie Morris, and this is Faith on the Go,

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where you take the word with you on your drive to work, while you're getting

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ready in the morning, or even in those quiet moments before prayer.

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Real life, real word, and real growth, all while you are on the go.

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Before we get into today's word, let's take a moment to center ourselves with a familiar prayer.

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The prayer of Jabez.

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Oh, that you will bless me indeed and enlarge my territory.

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Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.

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Father God, we come before you this day asking that you will indeed bless us,

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not just with what we have, but in who we are becoming.

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Enlarge our territory, Lord. Expand our capacity, our mindset,

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and our ability to receive what you have for us.

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Let your hand be upon us, guiding us, covering us, and leading us in every decision we make.

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And Father, keep us from harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,

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that we may walk in peace and not in pain.

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And Lord, just as you heard Jabez when he cried out to you, Hear us now.

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Your word says that you granted his request, and we believe that you are the same God today.

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So we come boldly before you, knowing that you hear us, knowing that you see

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us, and knowing that you respond to the prayers of your people.

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Have your way in this moment as we sit, listen, and receive your word.

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In Jesus' name, amen.

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Hello and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and today we're on Day 6, Episode 6,

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The Lioness is Fierce But Controlled, Power Under Authority, is our title today.

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The spiritual focus is self-control, authority, and identity.

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It's found in Proverbs 31, verse 10.

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I'm going to be reading from my spiritual warfare Bible. It's the M-E-V translation.

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It makes it clear for you, but I also want you to listen to the words of what

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makes this lady, this woman, this wife to have power under control. Let's read verse 10.

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Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies.

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The heart of her husband safely trusts in her so that he will have no lack of gain.

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She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

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You know, we see here that her husband trusts her and she has a heart not to do her husband any evil.

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That's power under control. Remember, we are always given choices and she chooses not to be evil.

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She seeks wool and flax and works willingly with her hands. She is like the

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merchant ship who brings food from afar.

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She arises while it's yet night and gives food to her household and a portion to her maidens.

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She considers a field and buys it.

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With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. She clothes herself with

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strength and strengthens her arms.

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She perceives that her merchandise is good.

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Her candle does not go out by

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night. She lays her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff.

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She stretches out her hand to the poor. Yes, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.

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She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

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She makes herself coverings of tapestry. Her clothing is silk and purple.

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Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

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She makes a fine linen and sells it and delivers sashes to the merchants.

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Strength and honor are her clothing, and she will rejoice in time to come.

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She opens her mouth with wisdom, and her tongue is the teaching of kindness.

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She looks well to the days of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

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Her children rise up and call her blessed, and her husband also, as he praises her.

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My daughters have done furiously, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful

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and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Let's continue.

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What is the theme here? The theme is power under control.

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Now, we as women know that we can create havoc and make the home a terrible

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place to be because when we get in our little moods, we can mess up the piece of anything, right?

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Or when we're angry or upset or disappointed.

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But do we always have to express that outwardly?

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Do we take all that emotion to God and let him handle that?

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I remember as a young mom, and we know that things can be frustrating,

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money can be short, temperance can flare, but these are kids.

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These are our children. And why curse them out when they had no right?

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They didn't make a choice to be here. And so power under control Why be mad at your husband?

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Yeah, he might have done something, but power under control,

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then we take all that energy, negative and or positive, right, to God.

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That's how we manage our emotions because women, we are full of them.

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You know that. But there's a difference between power and control.

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Power without control becomes unpredictable. It reacts, it overwhelms,

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and it often leaves damage behind.

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But control power is steady. It is aware. it's known when to move and when to remain still.

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Strength was never meant to be chaotic.

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Do you see what I'm saying here? That when we do not have control over power,

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it becomes unpredictable.

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And when we are unpredictable, we make our household unpredictable because the

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children don't know how you're going to respond.

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The husband doesn't know how you're going to respond.

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Let's not forget the pets don't know how you're going to respond.

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And so everybody's walking around pins and needles or on eggshells because they're

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too afraid to say anything because you are in one of your moods.

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Let's talk more about the meaning of power under control because I want us ladies

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to become ladies and so that we can represent our household well,

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we can represent our children well, we represent well in our corporation that

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we may run or in a place of business where you may work.

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And then watch what God does when we don't express ourselves so openly.

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You know, because when I'm watching those random shows, wonder, see some things that,

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doesn't represent ladies. You know, I'm watching, I watched a little show the

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other day and that was so disappointing.

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And so I'm understanding that power under control is knowing when to turn it

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off, whether you know the end of the story or not. So let's continue.

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Power under control means having strength, authority, influence,

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emotions, abilities, or the capacity to act, but choosing to govern them with wisdom.

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Discipline, humility, and obedience to God instead of using them recklessly.

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You understand that? We have the power, but how we choose to use it is what

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gives us long-term stability and what also puts us on the list of under the

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virtuous woman, the virtuous wife.

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We get a check mark from God when we follow, not follow our emotions and not

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be so reckless with it, but use wisdom, discipline, humility,

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and like I said before, obedience to God.

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Many times, if you would actually take that emotion and say,

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let me walk this off, let me go into my prayer closet and ask God to help you

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with this emotion, guess what? You'll come out different.

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You'll come out with words of wisdom where you don't damage people,

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places, or things, right?

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So biblical power under control is the essence of what God calls,

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what does that look like?

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It looks like strength without abuse, authority without pride,

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confidence without arrogance, leadership without domination,

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emotion without chaos, and influence without manipulation.

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It leaves a hole in your heart because you didn't get there legit.

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You didn't get there holistically. You got there by control.

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You got there by using your emotions to create,

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a reaction. And then when you get that reaction, whether it's rewarding or negative

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or positive, you're never happy with that because it was never natural for the

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person to do that for you.

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A person with power under control does not lack power.

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They have learned to submit their power to God's wisdom.

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Let's look at our biblical example here. Jesus had all power,

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yet he remained controlled, even when betrayed, mocked, falsely accused, and crucified.

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Look at those things. I call it the thickest, when it gets the darkest.

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How do you handle when you're betrayed? Oh yeah, we know we got something for that.

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Our words, our actions, when we're mocked, when we're falsely accused,

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when even we didn't get crucified, but maybe we got crucified at work because people relied on us.

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And we never did anything to have that answer, right?

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The Bible says in Matthew 26, 53, it says, thinkest thou that I cannot pray

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to my father and he should presently give me more than 12 legions of angels.

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Jesus was standing there boldly.

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Right before the people and they're about to be crucified.

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And he said, wait a minute, don't you think that if I pray that my God,

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my father will rescue me and he will send not one legion of angels,

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but 12 legions of angels, because God is more than enough.

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He's going to send enough to handle every problem.

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Isn't that powerful? So when we begin to have this emotion that's out of control,

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we have to understand that we have the power under control because we We are

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allowing the authority of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

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Our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit, and even our ministry angels to be

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standing guard in case we need them.

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So we don't have to act insecure. We don't have to act recklessly.

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We don't have to act ignorantly.

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We don't have to act without wisdom.

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Because under power, under control, it tells you who you are in Christ and what's

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available to you. And when you know what's available to you,

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you're not so quick to manipulate.

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You're not so quick to cause chaos.

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You're not so quick to have arrogance. You're not so quick to be abusive with

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your words or with your physical hands and things that we can do with our mouth

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because we have the authority and it's just waiting for us to use it in a positive way, right?

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So we understand Jesus had the power to destroy his enemy, but he didn't.

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He remained constrained, restrained, only because he had to fulfill God's purpose. And that was it.

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He says, I am not going to use this power that I have to stop what God is doing

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in my life. Now, that's power under control.

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What does that look like for the Proverbs 31 woman?

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What does that look like for you? I always make it a lesson because remember,

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it comes through the preacher first.

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I'm not one to be upset and be loud and boisterous, but I can.

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You know, I might want to try to be vindictive, but I can.

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As maturity comes, I realize those things at the end, they come to naught. They come to nothing.

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And I lose both ways. So Proverbs 31, which we just read, it demonstrates a

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woman who has power under control.

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Why? It mentions that she has disciplined speech.

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She makes wise decisions, emotional stability. She has stewardship.

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Humility, discernment.

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Proverbs 31, 26 says this, she opens her mouth with wisdom and her tongue is the law of kindness.

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This lady, which is us, when we activate these things in our life,

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that the power under control, it requires disciplined speech, wise decisions.

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And I understand wise decisions. Wise decisions are,

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happens in a moment or it may require thought. And so you might have to sit

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back and say, you know, I know what to do. I've done this before.

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Or I want to see God and see how he wants to do it this time, right?

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So I want to make that emotional decision, not under a lot of emotion and pressure, right?

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But under wisdom, right? Emotional stability.

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I don't want to make all my decisions when I'm angry. I want to steward what God gives me.

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I want to be humble and I want to use discernment. What do I need to stop doing?

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Who do I need to stop talking to? What do I need to do right now to change my present situation?

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Another thing about this virtuous woman using power under control is that she

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had influence, but she did misuse it.

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What influence did she have? Let's check this out.

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Her husband sat at the gate with the elders.

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That I mean, he was already in a position of authority. So if she needed anything,

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she can go to him and he probably can move mountains for her. But she didn't.

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While he's at work at the gates in his office, in his high office,

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whatever he's doing, she's at home taking care of business.

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She's using her influence to run her business, to respect her employees.

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She has strength, but she is not destructive.

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You see, everything that she did in Proverbs 31, it was planned out. She knows that...

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To me, it looks like a schedule. If I can put that down as a schedule,

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this is what I do on a daily.

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Maybe this is what I do on a weekly. This is what I do on a monthly.

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We can divide that Proverbs 31 woman into a calendar on how she does her work

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and how she uses her power under control.

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One more thing is she had responsibilities, but she remained grounded in God.

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It told us at the end of the chapter that she was a woman who feared the Lord.

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That means that she put God first.

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So they didn't mention that in the whole scripture because they didn't want

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to make it all super spiritual.

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But at the end of it, it says she feared the Lord.

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That means before she even got off the bed, before she started her day,

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she put God first. And she allowed God to order her steps.

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What does that look like for us

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to live like the woman with power under control? This is what we can do.

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We can argue, but we also can choose wisdom. We can retaliate.

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Come on now. We can retaliate, but we choose restraint.

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We can dominate, but we're going to humble ourselves.

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We can break down, cry, whine, complain, but we also can choose prayer.

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We can manipulate, but we must choose integrity. We're making these choices.

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We can speak harshly, but we also can she was grace.

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Why? Because God has showed us so much grace.

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This doesn't mean that you walk

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around silent. It means that you walk around as a mature woman of God.

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Let's talk about meekness. In scripture, meekness does not mean timid or powerless.

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Meekness means control strength.

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The biblical example is Moses.

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Moses seemed like he was meek. Now the man Moses was very meek.

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Yet Moses took that meekness and confronted Pharaoh, led nations,

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and carried great authority.

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He used what? His power under control.

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Why does this matter spiritually?

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The enemy often tries to push people into extremes.

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Control anger, pride, rebellion, emotional, impulsiveness, manipulation, and domination.

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Remember, Satan wants to get things done quickly.

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He likes to trigger people, right? We said we have principalities with personalities.

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So they're waiting to trigger you, or they maybe already triggered you.

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And they have a way, because they know us, that they push a button that causes

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us to get spent out of control.

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But God wants us to have discipline and order. 2 Timothy 1.7 tells us,

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For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.

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A sound mind is controlled power.

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So when we think about this as the lioness and the ladies, our topic for this

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series, it says anyone can react emotionally or grow loud, controlling, and destructive.

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Kingdom maturity shows when someone has power yet still chooses wisdom,

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restraint, humility, and obedience to God.

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Remember the strongest woman in the room is not always the loudest one. Sometimes she is the

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woman of discipline and her power is submitted to God. I love that because sometimes

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we think the loudest woman in the room, they get the mic.

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But at the end of the day, if we watch her, she's exhausted because she expelled

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all her energy to make a point.

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And at the end, her point is dismissed because it came out the wrong way.

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I hope you're enjoying this, right?

00:18:17.485 --> 00:18:21.165
So I want to also continue that when we look at today's culture.

00:18:21.585 --> 00:18:25.005
Many people believe authority means oppression. It's the opposite.

00:18:25.405 --> 00:18:29.905
Submission means weakness and femininity means limitation. Because we are females

00:18:29.905 --> 00:18:31.245
don't mean that we are limited.

00:18:31.525 --> 00:18:36.885
We might not be strong as the next man, but we can ask that next man to help us, right?

00:18:37.245 --> 00:18:42.325
But the Bible paints an entirely different picture. A godly woman is not powerful.

00:18:42.505 --> 00:18:45.485
She is powerful because she's aligned with God.

00:18:45.785 --> 00:18:49.205
The book of Proverbs 31, women was not weak, silent, or incapable.

00:18:49.485 --> 00:18:53.825
She manages her business. I love that. she's taking care of business.

00:18:54.005 --> 00:18:57.545
She managed her household. She brought land. She plant vineyards.

00:18:57.665 --> 00:19:00.665
She spoke with wisdom. She carries strength and dignity.

00:19:00.865 --> 00:19:07.425
And yet the foundation of all of her power was this, that she feared the Lord.

00:19:07.685 --> 00:19:12.345
Proverbs 31 30 tells us that favor is deceitful and beauty is vain.

00:19:12.545 --> 00:19:16.765
But a woman who feared the Lord, she shall be praised.

00:19:17.165 --> 00:19:20.645
You see, kingdom authority does not come from rebellion, pride,

00:19:20.665 --> 00:19:23.225
or control. It comes from alignment with God.

00:19:23.465 --> 00:19:28.265
There is a kind of strength that only comes through surrender to the divine order.

00:19:28.605 --> 00:19:33.985
Even Jesus, who had all the power in heaven and earth, operated under the same

00:19:33.985 --> 00:19:35.625
authority to the Father.

00:19:35.885 --> 00:19:39.785
John 5.30 tells us, I can't of myself do nothing.

00:19:40.045 --> 00:19:44.865
And then when we realize that, that's wisdom. Like, I have an idea on how I

00:19:44.865 --> 00:19:48.485
want this podcast to flow. I pray before I start.

00:19:48.665 --> 00:19:52.265
And some of the things that I say, I don't have them in my notes.

00:19:52.305 --> 00:19:54.605
And I have to listen to my podcast.

00:19:55.080 --> 00:19:59.820
To get the wisdom that God shared through me many, many different times.

00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:04.340
I said, wow, did I say that? When I re-listened to it, it's just a powerful thing.

00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:07.780
So I always recommend listening to it twice because you're gonna get something

00:20:07.780 --> 00:20:09.180
out of it each and every time.

00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:16.480
One thing about a woman who fears the Lord is we can walk in this unmatched

00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:21.640
spiritual authority that we can heal the sick, rebuke demons.

00:20:22.100 --> 00:20:27.320
Calm storms, and change lives when we have the knowledge of that authority.

00:20:27.520 --> 00:20:32.580
I just told you that we have the angels waiting for us to do something spiritual, right?

00:20:32.820 --> 00:20:38.320
You have the devil angels and you have God's angels and whatever you move, they move.

00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:42.780
So if you're walking in with God, his angels will come forth and cause healing

00:20:42.780 --> 00:20:46.960
and rebuking demons, common storms and changing lives.

00:20:47.100 --> 00:20:52.880
If you trigger the devil's enemy, the devil's angels, you're gonna have chaos, drama.

00:20:53.100 --> 00:20:54.040
You already know what that looks

00:20:54.040 --> 00:20:58.740
like. Recklessness, words that are not normally come out of your mouth.

00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:01.640
You have corrupt communication, corrupt attitude.

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:06.520
So who are you really triggering in this? You always want to trigger God.

00:21:06.901 --> 00:21:12.241
You never want to trigger the enemy. The enemy will leave you defeated because he already lost.

00:21:12.461 --> 00:21:17.561
For a moment, you might look like you won, but guess what? You didn't. It was manipulated.

00:21:17.921 --> 00:21:19.601
And that's an empty feeling.

00:21:20.041 --> 00:21:23.961
Submission to God does not reduce your power. It releases it.

00:21:24.241 --> 00:21:28.021
Why? Because you get out the way. The Bible tells us that the Lord will fight

00:21:28.021 --> 00:21:31.641
for you. But you know, as women, we want to get out. We want to fight with you, God.

00:21:31.821 --> 00:21:34.381
He said, no, no, no, I don't need you. I need you to back out.

00:21:34.381 --> 00:21:38.361
Do what I tell you to do, and I will fight for you.

00:21:38.441 --> 00:21:41.141
We see that in the Bible all the time.

00:21:41.381 --> 00:21:47.681
You know, but hello, we have also been taught many different extremes, and they are dangerous.

00:21:47.981 --> 00:21:52.101
Either we become passive and voiceless, or we become hardened.

00:21:52.581 --> 00:21:54.361
Controlling, and self-dependent.

00:21:54.481 --> 00:21:56.701
But the kingdom woman walks differently.

00:21:56.921 --> 00:22:02.501
She is strong without being cruel, wise without arrogance, humble without insecurity,

00:22:02.501 --> 00:22:05.221
and nurturing without losing herself.

00:22:05.681 --> 00:22:10.201
When we look through scripture, we see other women that carry the same Proverbs

00:22:10.201 --> 00:22:13.361
30. They walk in wisdom, they walk in strength.

00:22:13.581 --> 00:22:18.681
And each one did it their own way. We have the outline. Remember, we have the outline.

00:22:18.821 --> 00:22:23.401
We may even have the virtuous woman schedule, but God treated each of us differently.

00:22:23.401 --> 00:22:30.061
So we can be a Proverbs 31, but it's gonna be our own way. How do we do it God's way?

00:22:30.221 --> 00:22:35.601
How does God design us? Maybe we're not tapestry. I know I'm not. Maybe we can't sow.

00:22:35.881 --> 00:22:39.041
I know I'm not. Am I wise at buying land? It's going to take me a minute to

00:22:39.041 --> 00:22:40.801
figure it out, but I probably can do that.

00:22:41.181 --> 00:22:45.961
The things of the virtuous woman, they might not be all the things that you

00:22:45.961 --> 00:22:49.801
can do, but God wants you to create a list, a schedule, right?

00:22:50.041 --> 00:22:56.001
The Proverbs 31 that we can be part of is that she feared the Lord.

00:22:56.481 --> 00:23:01.381
Another thing we can be is we can actually honor our children and our husbands.

00:23:01.959 --> 00:23:05.459
Let's take a moment. Let's look at a couple of women from the Bible regarding

00:23:05.459 --> 00:23:06.959
the ladies and the lions.

00:23:07.159 --> 00:23:12.059
The first one who I love all of them, I adore Deborah, the woman of wisdom and

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:13.619
leadership. Let's check her out.

00:23:13.959 --> 00:23:17.759
Deborah was a judge, prophetess, and leader over Israel.

00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:23.599
Judge 4.4 says, and Deborah, prophetess, she judged Israel at all times.

00:23:23.679 --> 00:23:27.199
So she had like a lot of jobs. Remember, she was a wife. She was a prophetess.

00:23:27.479 --> 00:23:32.399
She was a judge. So she had, her schedule was full. She walked in spiritual

00:23:32.399 --> 00:23:34.439
discernment, wisdom, and courage.

00:23:34.639 --> 00:23:37.539
Men and women came to her for judgment and direction.

00:23:38.184 --> 00:23:43.244
And she carried godly authority. She represents the 31 woman because she operated

00:23:43.244 --> 00:23:46.544
in wisdom, she led with discernment, she strengthened others,

00:23:46.604 --> 00:23:48.644
and she obeyed God boldly.

00:23:48.764 --> 00:23:53.004
Just like Proverbs 31 says, she opened her mouth with wisdom.

00:23:53.304 --> 00:23:59.144
Proverbs 31 20, Boris shows us that the kingdom woman can lead without abandoning

00:23:59.144 --> 00:24:01.844
humility or submission to God.

00:24:02.004 --> 00:24:06.944
So you can be strong in what God has called you to do without the fear,

00:24:06.944 --> 00:24:12.504
come on now, of abandoning God, but also without the fear of being submitted to God.

00:24:12.804 --> 00:24:16.384
Submission to God looks different in different realms, right?

00:24:16.544 --> 00:24:20.244
If you're the one that speaks to God openly and you say, let me pray and you

00:24:20.244 --> 00:24:22.804
want to pray and bring him on the scene, some people do it that way.

00:24:23.024 --> 00:24:26.184
Some people just show up after they are praying and they take care of God's

00:24:26.184 --> 00:24:28.684
business. Whatever works for you, works for you.

00:24:28.884 --> 00:24:32.544
Let's look at Esther. Esther, a woman of courage and influence.

00:24:32.684 --> 00:24:36.044
We understand Esther came into the kingdom as a young lady.

00:24:36.744 --> 00:24:40.224
She was an orphan. She came into the kingdom very young.

00:24:40.664 --> 00:24:44.144
And so Esther was placed in that palace for a divine purpose.

00:24:44.324 --> 00:24:48.184
We are placed where we are placed for a divine purpose.

00:24:48.444 --> 00:24:53.524
And what I find out is people get the job and they start looking at the negative

00:24:53.524 --> 00:24:57.664
and start flowing with talking, get with, see the negative.

00:24:57.944 --> 00:25:00.564
Talk with people who already have a negative work attitude.

00:25:00.884 --> 00:25:04.524
Begin to create that negative work attitude, which creates stress in your body.

00:25:05.128 --> 00:25:09.848
Forgetting that God has said, you're here for a purpose. Yeah, you're getting paid.

00:25:10.148 --> 00:25:12.508
Yeah, you might not like this part. You might like this part,

00:25:12.608 --> 00:25:14.688
but you're here for a purpose.

00:25:15.128 --> 00:25:17.408
And Esther 4.14 says this, and

00:25:17.408 --> 00:25:22.088
who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

00:25:22.188 --> 00:25:27.728
How do you know that God didn't put you where you are right now for such a time as this?

00:25:27.848 --> 00:25:33.728
To set you up for victory, to set you up for success, but yet you're using your

00:25:33.728 --> 00:25:39.028
mouth to create a negative world that God did not design for you.

00:25:39.348 --> 00:25:44.348
Esther get in the home. Esther gets in the castle and she realized that this is a lot.

00:25:44.468 --> 00:25:48.248
This is going to be a lot for me. I'm new at this. I never had any experience.

00:25:48.528 --> 00:25:54.648
My resume doesn't say princess or queen on it. So how do I learn how to be a queen?

00:25:54.868 --> 00:25:57.748
We learn how to be a queen because we're listening to who?

00:25:58.048 --> 00:26:00.348
God, our father, who put us there.

00:26:00.828 --> 00:26:04.228
But however, Esther uses her influence, what? To save people,

00:26:04.448 --> 00:26:07.208
even when she had to risk her own life.

00:26:07.548 --> 00:26:09.108
Esther reflects the Proverbs 31

00:26:09.108 --> 00:26:14.028
woman because she walked in wisdom and restraint. She understood timing.

00:26:14.607 --> 00:26:17.427
Ladies, timing is the key.

00:26:17.907 --> 00:26:22.627
And she carried influence responsibly. She sacrificed for others.

00:26:23.007 --> 00:26:27.207
Like Proverbs 31 women, Esther's beauty was not her greatest strength.

00:26:27.447 --> 00:26:32.507
Her obedient and courage and discernment were. Proverbs 31 25 tells us strength

00:26:32.507 --> 00:26:33.767
and honor in her clothing.

00:26:34.047 --> 00:26:40.787
When we read about the Proverbs 31 women, nothing about that tells us what she looked like.

00:26:40.907 --> 00:26:44.747
It told her what she dressed like. It told her how she spoke.

00:26:44.967 --> 00:26:49.047
It told us how she take care of her husband. It told us how she take care of her children.

00:26:49.227 --> 00:26:54.487
But it did not tell us what she looked like, what her physical attributes were.

00:26:54.727 --> 00:26:57.627
We don't see that. We don't see what she looks like.

00:26:57.887 --> 00:27:01.407
So we don't have to become the Proverbs 31.

00:27:01.627 --> 00:27:03.967
You know how people make a t-shirt on and I'm the Proverbs 31 woman.

00:27:04.127 --> 00:27:06.887
What does that look like? We don't know. It could be you.

00:27:07.087 --> 00:27:11.687
It did show up in Deborah's life and it showed up in Esther's life.

00:27:11.687 --> 00:27:17.767
What does walking in strength by the power of the Holy Spirit look like on a

00:27:17.767 --> 00:27:19.667
woman who is submitted to God?

00:27:19.847 --> 00:27:23.467
Let's go to Ruth, the woman of loyalty and faithfulness.

00:27:23.827 --> 00:27:28.467
So Ruth represents commitment, humility, and covenant faithfulness.

00:27:28.567 --> 00:27:32.487
Go to Ruth 116. It reads, whether thou goest, I will go.

00:27:32.607 --> 00:27:35.887
Thy people should be my people, and thy God, my God.

00:27:36.127 --> 00:27:40.087
Ruth made a decision early on who she was going to hang out with.

00:27:40.087 --> 00:27:43.207
She could have went with her sister-in-law.

00:27:43.622 --> 00:27:46.842
Oprah, but she decided I'm going to go with Naomi.

00:27:47.182 --> 00:27:50.682
I'm going to go where you go. I'm going to go where your God is.

00:27:50.782 --> 00:27:54.602
Because I tried this other God over here and my husband is dead,

00:27:55.002 --> 00:27:57.262
you know, so I'm going to go where you go.

00:27:57.442 --> 00:28:00.582
You talked about this God so much. I'm going to go where you go.

00:28:00.702 --> 00:28:02.002
I'm going to do what you do.

00:28:02.242 --> 00:28:06.982
That's humility. She left her hometown to go to a town she did not know to do

00:28:06.982 --> 00:28:08.702
something she never thought she would do.

00:28:08.902 --> 00:28:13.402
To marry a man she never would have met if she would have stayed in her hometown.

00:28:14.142 --> 00:28:18.122
Even after loss and hardship, Ruth remained faithful, hardworking,

00:28:18.182 --> 00:28:20.262
and obedient to God's direction.

00:28:20.542 --> 00:28:24.742
She reflects the Proverbs 31 woman because she worked diligently.

00:28:24.762 --> 00:28:27.562
She did. Remember, she went out and gleaned the field.

00:28:27.862 --> 00:28:32.762
She brought the food home. Didn't say she drove. She walked. She worked.

00:28:33.082 --> 00:28:37.182
She walked home. You hear many of those stories on the news about how somebody

00:28:37.182 --> 00:28:41.962
wanted to provide for their family and walk two hours, work eight to 10,

00:28:42.122 --> 00:28:44.422
and then walk back home and then take care of their kids.

00:28:44.622 --> 00:28:47.282
What is that? That's courage. That's diligent.

00:28:47.622 --> 00:28:52.542
She honored relationships, right? Ruth could have got over to her new town and

00:28:52.542 --> 00:28:56.582
left Naomi in the streets and then ran off to do her own thing.

00:28:56.722 --> 00:29:03.562
But no, she committed in her heart to take care of Naomi, her mother-in-law. She walked in humility.

00:29:03.802 --> 00:29:06.022
She trusted God during uncertainty.

00:29:06.442 --> 00:29:13.102
Proverbs 31 describes a woman who works willingly with her hands and cares faithfully for her household.

00:29:13.482 --> 00:29:18.042
Ruth embodied the spirit long before she became the wife of Boaz.

00:29:18.242 --> 00:29:24.482
She was what God needed to be part of his lineage, to produce the lineage of Jesus.

00:29:24.782 --> 00:29:30.022
Isn't that powerful? Proverbs 31, 27 says she looks well to the ways of her

00:29:30.022 --> 00:29:31.802
household. Let's go to Mary.

00:29:32.288 --> 00:29:37.308
We're talking about the Linus and the ladies. Mary was a woman of surrender and purpose.

00:29:37.688 --> 00:29:42.268
Mary carried one of the greatest assignments in scripture, giving birth to the

00:29:42.268 --> 00:29:45.448
Messiah. As we studied that out, I did a Christmas story.

00:29:45.688 --> 00:29:49.348
This lady, Mary, had a big assignment.

00:29:49.488 --> 00:29:54.228
I think she was like 14 or 15 years old and pregnant by the Holy Spirit with

00:29:54.228 --> 00:29:57.008
a baby, the Messiah, the future Messiah.

00:29:57.288 --> 00:30:01.468
She said, I don't understand this, but be it unto me according to thy word.

00:30:01.468 --> 00:30:04.168
She didn't know the full picture.

00:30:04.408 --> 00:30:08.288
How many of us have to wait until we get the full picture, the outline, the schedule?

00:30:08.568 --> 00:30:11.728
You know, who's going to be our boss? Who are we going to work under before

00:30:11.728 --> 00:30:14.808
we even make a decision to say yes to Jesus?

00:30:15.068 --> 00:30:18.988
When the angel spoke to her, her response was immediately surrendered.

00:30:19.428 --> 00:30:26.428
Luke 1.38 tells us, Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.

00:30:26.708 --> 00:30:30.288
Mary represented the Proverbs 31 woman because she trusted God

00:30:30.614 --> 00:30:37.314
God completely, but she trusted him immediately. We talked about immediate obedience.

00:30:37.634 --> 00:30:41.574
She didn't say, let me go pray about it. She said, I don't know how this is

00:30:41.574 --> 00:30:44.514
going to work, but be it unto me according to thy word.

00:30:44.654 --> 00:30:49.374
She submitted her will to God and she carried a purpose with humility.

00:30:49.634 --> 00:30:51.994
She endured suffering with faith.

00:30:52.254 --> 00:30:56.454
She didn't even ask her soon to be husband, was this going to be okay if I follow

00:30:56.454 --> 00:30:57.974
God with this part? Hello.

00:30:58.294 --> 00:31:01.914
When we start asking too many questions and not being obedient,

00:31:02.234 --> 00:31:07.194
we get talked out of blessings that God has already assigned to us.

00:31:07.354 --> 00:31:11.034
Priscilla, the woman of teaching and ministry. Priscilla collaborated with her

00:31:11.034 --> 00:31:14.594
husband in ministry and helped teach the gospel accurately.

00:31:15.114 --> 00:31:21.114
They took, verse 18, 26 tells us that they took him unto them and expounded

00:31:21.114 --> 00:31:23.354
unto a way of God more perfectly.

00:31:23.814 --> 00:31:27.974
Priscilla was in ministry, and what she would do was take disciples,

00:31:28.294 --> 00:31:31.994
new disciples, and begin to train them with her husband.

00:31:32.294 --> 00:31:37.614
Remember, it's a team. Proverbs 31 represented that she used wisdom and teaching. She served faithfully.

00:31:37.874 --> 00:31:43.194
She strengthened the church, and she operated in a partnership with spiritual maturity.

00:31:43.354 --> 00:31:47.654
Proverbs 31, women's build, teaches, nurtures those around her.

00:31:47.974 --> 00:31:52.494
Priscilla demonstrated this beautifully. Many times God gives us a gift that

00:31:52.494 --> 00:31:56.054
is so big and we're like, oh Lord, I'm going to do this by myself.

00:31:56.054 --> 00:31:57.254
No, you're going to do this with me.

00:31:57.634 --> 00:32:01.654
Priscilla was given a husband. Virtuous woman was given a husband.

00:32:01.894 --> 00:32:05.634
What about a single woman who was not given a husband?

00:32:05.914 --> 00:32:09.534
He expects you to have that much spiritual maturity to handle it.

00:32:09.654 --> 00:32:14.334
At the right time, at the right season, if God saw, he would bring forth some help.

00:32:14.554 --> 00:32:17.834
Otherwise, it's just you and him and the team that he gives you.

00:32:17.834 --> 00:32:22.974
So when we talk about a Proverbs 31 woman, we're not talking about a person who's perfect.

00:32:23.601 --> 00:32:27.741
You know, we're not talking about a person who is rich.

00:32:27.921 --> 00:32:31.681
We're just talking about how this pattern can fit into your life.

00:32:31.841 --> 00:32:37.761
That what she used to be successful in her daily life. We see that she uses

00:32:37.761 --> 00:32:39.501
wisdom. She uses strength.

00:32:39.761 --> 00:32:45.281
She uses discernment. And she uses her surrender unto God.

00:32:45.521 --> 00:32:48.861
The kingdom woman is not weak because she submits to God.

00:32:49.041 --> 00:32:54.061
She becomes powerful because she does. And the enemy fears a woman who knows

00:32:54.061 --> 00:32:57.261
how to walk in both strength and surrender.

00:32:57.561 --> 00:33:00.601
And you're saying to yourself, okay, those are Bible people.

00:33:00.961 --> 00:33:06.561
What about me? Well, I knew that was coming. And so this is for my listeners and my readers.

00:33:06.981 --> 00:33:11.801
Before we finish this, I want to speak directly to every woman listening today.

00:33:12.021 --> 00:33:17.401
You are not, you may not see yourself as a Proverbs 31 woman because religion,

00:33:17.401 --> 00:33:21.561
Religion has made the standard feel unreachable, exhausting.

00:33:22.476 --> 00:33:27.256
Perfection-based. But I want to tell you that the Proverbs 31 woman was never

00:33:27.256 --> 00:33:28.836
meant to intimidate women.

00:33:28.956 --> 00:33:33.916
She was meant to reveal what life surrendered to God can produce over time.

00:33:34.136 --> 00:33:37.576
She was not perfect. She was yielded. She was not disciplined.

00:33:37.856 --> 00:33:42.736
She was faithful. She was wise enough to allow God to shape her.

00:33:42.936 --> 00:33:46.596
And what that means to you ladies, ladies, that means that there is room for

00:33:46.596 --> 00:33:49.536
growth, healing, restoration, and transformation.

00:33:49.756 --> 00:33:55.136
Some of you are learning how to trust God again. Some are even rebuilding after a heartbreak.

00:33:55.396 --> 00:33:59.536
Some are carrying families alone. And some are battling fear,

00:33:59.636 --> 00:34:02.336
insecurity, trauma, exhaustion, or even disappointment.

00:34:02.656 --> 00:34:08.376
And some of you have spent years being strong for everyone else while silently falling apart inside.

00:34:08.816 --> 00:34:13.416
But guess what? God still calls you valuable. He still calls you chosen.

00:34:13.656 --> 00:34:15.836
And guess what? He still calls you capable.

00:34:16.376 --> 00:34:20.996
Capable means you are well able to finish the course.

00:34:21.356 --> 00:34:25.476
However, the enemy wants you to be confused about your identity because a woman

00:34:25.476 --> 00:34:30.516
who understands her authority can become dangerous to darkness. And you know we can't.

00:34:30.695 --> 00:34:35.435
We'll have enough is enough and we'll, we'll wake up the enemy early in the

00:34:35.435 --> 00:34:37.255
morning, three o'clock in the morning praying.

00:34:37.275 --> 00:34:41.395
He was like, oh my God, that should never touch her. Shoot. She's about to destroy our kingdom.

00:34:41.715 --> 00:34:44.975
Yeah. He fears God in you, not you.

00:34:45.255 --> 00:34:50.255
He fears the God in you. So you do not have to become hard to become powerful.

00:34:50.495 --> 00:34:53.455
You don't have to become controlling to become respected.

00:34:53.715 --> 00:34:58.875
You do not have to abandon femininity to walk in authority. The kingdom woman

00:34:58.875 --> 00:35:03.295
learns how to stand firm while staying submitted to God.

00:35:03.715 --> 00:35:09.575
And today, you do not fully look like the woman yet. We're all in this growth

00:35:09.575 --> 00:35:11.415
process, but that's okay.

00:35:11.815 --> 00:35:16.395
Neither did Ruth when she was grieving. Neither did Esther before she found courage.

00:35:16.595 --> 00:35:20.135
Come on, neither did Mary when she was afraid about her assignment.

00:35:20.335 --> 00:35:24.635
And neither did Deborah when she realized she had a lot of responsibility to do.

00:35:24.895 --> 00:35:29.575
Growth is part of our journey. The goal is not performative,

00:35:29.575 --> 00:35:31.255
the goal is transformation.

00:35:32.015 --> 00:35:36.235
So as you continue to walk with God, he will develop you in your speech,

00:35:36.455 --> 00:35:40.355
in your discernment, in your strength, in your grace, in your identity,

00:35:40.595 --> 00:35:44.295
in your confidence, in your authority, and in your peace.

00:35:44.315 --> 00:35:48.555
Because a woman under God's authority is never beneath God's purpose.

00:35:48.775 --> 00:35:53.775
So to every reader, every listener, every woman trying to find her footing again,

00:35:53.995 --> 00:35:57.955
do Do not underestimate what God can do through a surrendered life.

00:35:58.175 --> 00:36:02.995
You are not disqualified because of your past. You are not forgotten because of your pain.

00:36:03.115 --> 00:36:06.795
And you are not powerless because you choose humility.

00:36:07.015 --> 00:36:10.815
The power of 31 woman is not just a woman who does many things.

00:36:10.995 --> 00:36:15.715
She's a woman whose life reflects the character, the wisdom, and the order of God.

00:36:15.935 --> 00:36:20.015
And that kind of woman changes home, community, and nations.

00:36:20.315 --> 00:36:24.675
Wow. We want to be like her, right? But God says you already like her.

00:36:24.835 --> 00:36:27.735
You are already like her.

00:36:27.935 --> 00:36:32.735
Let's go to, let's talk about the lioness here. The lioness.

00:36:33.054 --> 00:36:38.974
I keep comparing us to the lioness, but the lioness has power under control.

00:36:39.234 --> 00:36:42.394
She can actually just kill an animal, right?

00:36:42.594 --> 00:36:47.294
She's powerful, but she can actually bring home the bacon, but she doesn't use

00:36:47.294 --> 00:36:51.614
that temperament when she's around her lion and when she's around her cub.

00:36:51.874 --> 00:36:55.854
She doesn't act without awareness. She doesn't respond to everything.

00:36:56.094 --> 00:37:00.174
She moves with control, And because of that, her strength is effective.

00:37:00.514 --> 00:37:03.194
And sometimes it's not that she lacks strength.

00:37:03.594 --> 00:37:06.754
Sometimes we don't lack strength. We just don't, we're under the wrong governing.

00:37:07.214 --> 00:37:11.874
So check out the lioness. The lioness can actually destroy a lion,

00:37:12.094 --> 00:37:15.294
not a lion, destroy the prey that she's after.

00:37:15.354 --> 00:37:20.654
But she doesn't bring that same energy to the pride. She don't bring it home.

00:37:20.954 --> 00:37:23.694
So you may go out into the world and you might be conquering,

00:37:23.914 --> 00:37:27.274
CEO, owning many businesses, doing many great things in the world.

00:37:27.654 --> 00:37:30.254
But yet, you bring that home. Home.

00:37:30.974 --> 00:37:35.974
Remember, happy husband, happy, happy life. Yeah, you run in the show out in

00:37:35.974 --> 00:37:40.414
the streets, but that energy doesn't need to come home. It needs to be calmed down.

00:37:40.554 --> 00:37:43.854
So calm that down on your prayer on your way home from work.

00:37:44.334 --> 00:37:46.814
Calm it down just before you walk in that door. And then boom,

00:37:47.034 --> 00:37:51.154
you are humble before your lion, your husband.

00:37:51.514 --> 00:37:55.994
We see here in Matthew 28, 18, that all power is given to me in heaven and earth.

00:37:56.294 --> 00:38:01.354
All power belongs to God. Yet his power is not chaotic. it, it's ordered,

00:38:01.574 --> 00:38:03.534
it's purposeful, and it's aligned with truth.

00:38:03.774 --> 00:38:08.074
It says, we also know that he's human. He has humility.

00:38:08.414 --> 00:38:13.714
Humility is that Jesus didn't, he had the power, but he had it under control,

00:38:13.854 --> 00:38:16.034
right? Even in authority, there's submission.

00:38:16.294 --> 00:38:18.274
Even in power, there is alignment.

00:38:18.774 --> 00:38:23.294
Nothing is done outside of order. And this is what governs true strength.

00:38:23.574 --> 00:38:27.994
The lion is moved with controlled power. The lady is called to do the same,

00:38:28.134 --> 00:38:31.714
not react, not to be overwhelmed, but to align with Christ.

00:38:32.014 --> 00:38:35.334
There's a difference between having power and walking in authority.

00:38:35.714 --> 00:38:37.994
One reacts, the other responds.

00:38:38.454 --> 00:38:42.034
In Christ's strength is not chaotic. It is steady, directed,

00:38:42.034 --> 00:38:43.774
and under control. Let's pray.

00:38:44.134 --> 00:38:50.274
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, you have all power, yet you walk in perfect order.

00:38:50.574 --> 00:38:54.094
Teach me to walk in the same way. Help me to govern my spirit.

00:38:54.094 --> 00:38:58.414
Move with self-control and respond with wisdom rather than reaction.

00:38:58.714 --> 00:39:03.794
Let the strength you have given me be directed by your spirit so that my life

00:39:03.794 --> 00:39:07.974
reflects order, peace, and truth. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:39:08.354 --> 00:39:13.354
I'm your host, Tani Morris, and this is the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:39:13.754 --> 00:39:18.054
Hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you on the next episode. Goodbye.

00:39:29.093 --> 00:39:32.233
Family, thank you for spending time with me today.

00:39:32.493 --> 00:39:36.213
To every woman listening who has ever felt hidden, overlooked,

00:39:36.273 --> 00:39:38.633
or pushed aside, hear me clearly.

00:39:38.913 --> 00:39:43.453
God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.

00:39:43.813 --> 00:39:48.693
Now let's go before the Lord and close this out with a word from God,

00:39:48.893 --> 00:39:53.413
because someone out there needs this reminder today.

00:39:53.753 --> 00:40:00.473
Jeremiah 29, 11, verses 11 through 14. For I know the plans I have for you,

00:40:00.633 --> 00:40:04.253
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

00:40:04.613 --> 00:40:06.913
plans to give you hope and a future.

00:40:07.193 --> 00:40:12.013
Then when you call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you,

00:40:12.253 --> 00:40:17.473
you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

00:40:17.613 --> 00:40:23.533
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity.

00:40:23.993 --> 00:40:29.933
Father God, we thank you for your word, that it is true, that it is living, that it is for us.

00:40:30.113 --> 00:40:35.253
You said you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us and not to

00:40:35.253 --> 00:40:38.053
harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.

00:40:38.313 --> 00:40:42.673
So today we receive that, not just in our minds, but in our hearts.

00:40:42.813 --> 00:40:46.653
When we feel overlooked, remind us you still see us.

00:40:46.813 --> 00:40:52.113
When we feel forgotten, remind us you still have a plan. And when we feel hidden,

00:40:52.373 --> 00:40:54.613
remind us you are still working.

00:40:55.053 --> 00:41:00.653
Your word says that when we call on you, you will listen. So we call on you now. Hear us.

00:41:00.993 --> 00:41:05.093
Strengthen us. Guide us. Help us to seek you with our whole heart,

00:41:05.293 --> 00:41:08.333
not halfway, not sometimes, but fully.

00:41:08.553 --> 00:41:12.973
And as we seek you, let us find you in every season, in every place.

00:41:13.520 --> 00:41:18.760
Even the hidden one. Restore what was lost, renew what feels broken,

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:23.560
and remind us that nothing in our lives is wasted in your hand.

00:41:23.780 --> 00:41:29.900
Lord, we trust you, we believe you, and we stand on your word. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:41:30.460 --> 00:41:34.460
This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host, Connie Morris,

00:41:34.620 --> 00:41:37.380
and I'll see you on the next episode.