Are You one of God's Little Shield-maidens.
"OOOh!!! You run like a girl, hit like a girl, throw like a girl!"! Whatever!...The idea that we are somehow less is still brought home to us in spite of all the advances the feminists have made the last few years.
I have preached for years that intelligence is not gender specific, and though our gifts may be different, men and women are just two parts of a whole.
But some folks may still wonder, are men more important to the Kingdom of God than women? The Bible tells us in Galatians 3:27, 28 that "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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." Mankind was made all at one time when God fashioned a man from clay and breathed into him the breath of life. At that moment he became a living soul. Eve was separated from the living Adam life from life....and so it has been from the beginning of time...like sparks from the original flame, we all spring from that first breath God breathed into Adam. Woman is part of man who was made in God's image. Both together form "Mankind.' Man and woman reflect different aspects of God. Man is the Warrior, protector, provider and Woman is the life giver, comforter, servant. This doesn't mean there isn't sometimes a crossover between the two. Men can comfort and women can go to war and often do.
God can never be put in a box and the classic roles of men and Women are sometimes turned around to meet a need or circumstance. In the Book of Judges we see the story of Deborah who judged Israel, (in those days Israel had judges instead of kings). With the help of her General Barak (who refused to go to battle unless she was present) she led Israel to victory over almost insurmountable odds (Judges 4:1-11, 5:1-18). Then there is the story of Jael who tricked the enemy King into coming into her tent and killed him by driving a tent peg through his head. (Judges 4:17-24, 5:24-27).
Contrary to what many people think the New Testament actually advanced the role of women if you look at it in the context of the times. The first Evangelist was the Woman at the Well who evangelized her community when she urged them to "come see a man." In John 4:4-42. And in Matthew 27:60-66 we see that women were the first at the tomb to bear witness of Christ's resurrection, and these are just two illustrations.
If we look at secular History we see women like Joan of Arc who led the French against the British. She was burned for her trouble but her bravery has been remembered for hundreds of years. We can also speak of Boudicca (or Boudica) who was leader of the British Iceni tribe who gave the Romans fits in 60 or 61 AD.
There are also women from more modern times like Lyudmila Pavlichenko. a female Russian sniper in WWII who has been credited with killing as least 309 Nazi soldiers. She became very famous, the press even tagged her "Lady Death".
Then there are stories about women like Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester a Kentucky National guard Trooper who won the Silver star in Iraq March 2005. She and a convoy she was escorting were attacked by as many as 50 insurgents with RPGs and light Machine guns. Hester ordered a charge to a better position and she and Staff Sgt. Timothy Hein attacked an enemy trench and after an half hour of combat killed 27 enemy insurgents. Those Hill girls can be tough.
Women can be tough when the need arises, anyone who has ever given birth can attest to this. Most women don't seek warfare out for fun, but when duty calls and necessity beckons a woman will pick up her weapons and fight as bravely as a man.
I know that Women as a whole are not always as physically strong as men, this fact should considered and not ignored. I do not even believe we should send our girls into ground combat today. Oh I hear your sighs of disappointment! But I'm not finished yet! I am not saying that they shouldn't fly planes and do just about anything else to defeat the enemy. You see there is a strength not measured in muscles. Women ARE strong, they are uniquely equipped, not less capable than our male counterparts. There is a certain innate strength that a woman can possess that would make a well trained Green Beret proud. Challenge a Mother Bear or a lioness and you may not live to tell the tale.
Throughout Secular History and in the Bible we have seen women rise up with a fierceness born in Love to get the Job done..Now in these last days God is calling his Shield-maidens to war.
In 2 Corinthians 10:4 Paul tells us that. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;"
A shield-maiden is defined as a woman who dedicates her life to the ways of a warrior. She understands how to use the weapons of war and is proficient in the use of a sword and shield or whatever else she needed. Properly trained and motivated She was a fierce foe who could rival for any man on the battle field.
The Viking women were some of the fiercest female warriors. Sometimes they were given the honor of being buried with their battle gear and swords.. causing archeologists to mistake them for men. When the remains were more closely examined and questions arose it was easy to pass it off by saying that they had probably been buried with a male warrior whose remains had deteriorated back into dust. But in time we finally understood and were forced to admit they were the remains of women warriors.
Shield maidens make and interesting subject to study. They could be called the first feminists, but I don't think that was what they were about. They were about loving as much as the gentle Mother rocking her child is about loving. They were warriors, yes, but I think they were mainly just "taking care of business...They fought in the physical realm..Songs and stories are written about them and we enjoy their adventures vicariously. That's interesting and fun to think about for a little while, but the time comes in all our lives when we too must fight. Not necessarily in the physical but we must take up arms in a even more dangerous realm, the Spiritual realm.
We fight for our loved ones and for our Lord. Sometimes Celtic couples would go into battle and fight the enemy standing back to back so each could protect the others hinder parts. (the illustration of a perfect marriage don't you think?) They literally "Had each others back." In order to win at Spiritual Warfare we must "have each other's back" as we bind together in warfare against our common enemy, Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) tells us " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". How many testimonies have you heard through the years about healings, protection, provision and lost loved ones coming home through Momma's or Grandma's prayers? Women of God have been waging warfare for the family and the Church since the first day the Church came together as a body, (remember Pentecost).
I have preached for years that intelligence is not gender specific, and though our gifts may be different, men and women are just two parts of a whole.
But some folks may still wonder, are men more important to the Kingdom of God than women? The Bible tells us in Galatians 3:27, 28 that "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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." Mankind was made all at one time when God fashioned a man from clay and breathed into him the breath of life. At that moment he became a living soul. Eve was separated from the living Adam life from life....and so it has been from the beginning of time...like sparks from the original flame, we all spring from that first breath God breathed into Adam. Woman is part of man who was made in God's image. Both together form "Mankind.' Man and woman reflect different aspects of God. Man is the Warrior, protector, provider and Woman is the life giver, comforter, servant. This doesn't mean there isn't sometimes a crossover between the two. Men can comfort and women can go to war and often do.
God can never be put in a box and the classic roles of men and Women are sometimes turned around to meet a need or circumstance. In the Book of Judges we see the story of Deborah who judged Israel, (in those days Israel had judges instead of kings). With the help of her General Barak (who refused to go to battle unless she was present) she led Israel to victory over almost insurmountable odds (Judges 4:1-11, 5:1-18). Then there is the story of Jael who tricked the enemy King into coming into her tent and killed him by driving a tent peg through his head. (Judges 4:17-24, 5:24-27).
Contrary to what many people think the New Testament actually advanced the role of women if you look at it in the context of the times. The first Evangelist was the Woman at the Well who evangelized her community when she urged them to "come see a man." In John 4:4-42. And in Matthew 27:60-66 we see that women were the first at the tomb to bear witness of Christ's resurrection, and these are just two illustrations.
If we look at secular History we see women like Joan of Arc who led the French against the British. She was burned for her trouble but her bravery has been remembered for hundreds of years. We can also speak of Boudicca (or Boudica) who was leader of the British Iceni tribe who gave the Romans fits in 60 or 61 AD.
There are also women from more modern times like Lyudmila Pavlichenko. a female Russian sniper in WWII who has been credited with killing as least 309 Nazi soldiers. She became very famous, the press even tagged her "Lady Death".
Then there are stories about women like Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester a Kentucky National guard Trooper who won the Silver star in Iraq March 2005. She and a convoy she was escorting were attacked by as many as 50 insurgents with RPGs and light Machine guns. Hester ordered a charge to a better position and she and Staff Sgt. Timothy Hein attacked an enemy trench and after an half hour of combat killed 27 enemy insurgents. Those Hill girls can be tough.
Women can be tough when the need arises, anyone who has ever given birth can attest to this. Most women don't seek warfare out for fun, but when duty calls and necessity beckons a woman will pick up her weapons and fight as bravely as a man.
I know that Women as a whole are not always as physically strong as men, this fact should considered and not ignored. I do not even believe we should send our girls into ground combat today. Oh I hear your sighs of disappointment! But I'm not finished yet! I am not saying that they shouldn't fly planes and do just about anything else to defeat the enemy. You see there is a strength not measured in muscles. Women ARE strong, they are uniquely equipped, not less capable than our male counterparts. There is a certain innate strength that a woman can possess that would make a well trained Green Beret proud. Challenge a Mother Bear or a lioness and you may not live to tell the tale.
Throughout Secular History and in the Bible we have seen women rise up with a fierceness born in Love to get the Job done..Now in these last days God is calling his Shield-maidens to war.
In 2 Corinthians 10:4 Paul tells us that. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;"
A shield-maiden is defined as a woman who dedicates her life to the ways of a warrior. She understands how to use the weapons of war and is proficient in the use of a sword and shield or whatever else she needed. Properly trained and motivated She was a fierce foe who could rival for any man on the battle field.
The Viking women were some of the fiercest female warriors. Sometimes they were given the honor of being buried with their battle gear and swords.. causing archeologists to mistake them for men. When the remains were more closely examined and questions arose it was easy to pass it off by saying that they had probably been buried with a male warrior whose remains had deteriorated back into dust. But in time we finally understood and were forced to admit they were the remains of women warriors.
Shield maidens make and interesting subject to study. They could be called the first feminists, but I don't think that was what they were about. They were about loving as much as the gentle Mother rocking her child is about loving. They were warriors, yes, but I think they were mainly just "taking care of business...They fought in the physical realm..Songs and stories are written about them and we enjoy their adventures vicariously. That's interesting and fun to think about for a little while, but the time comes in all our lives when we too must fight. Not necessarily in the physical but we must take up arms in a even more dangerous realm, the Spiritual realm.
We fight for our loved ones and for our Lord. Sometimes Celtic couples would go into battle and fight the enemy standing back to back so each could protect the others hinder parts. (the illustration of a perfect marriage don't you think?) They literally "Had each others back." In order to win at Spiritual Warfare we must "have each other's back" as we bind together in warfare against our common enemy, Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) tells us " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". How many testimonies have you heard through the years about healings, protection, provision and lost loved ones coming home through Momma's or Grandma's prayers? Women of God have been waging warfare for the family and the Church since the first day the Church came together as a body, (remember Pentecost).
Life is hard and the Devil is a bad Dude, he will steal your health, your family and your finances if you let him. The time has come to drop the quivering helpless young selfie photographer persona and pick up your sword. You are God's shield-maiden, the sword of the Spirit is your weapon of choice, which is the word of God. Claim it's power by inserting it (quoting it) into every trying situation, it will release God's authority to work in your behalf. Get to know it, feel it's weight..carry it with you, make it as familiar as your own right hand. Around your waist you are wearing the belt of truth. In John 18:38 Pilate asked Christ "What is truth" and Jesus said "I am" You have quite literally "Put on Christ" and you carry him with you as his representative wherever you go Galatians 3:27, On your chest is the breastplate of righteousness, not your own righteousness but Christ's and his righteousness shields your heart from harm. You carry the shield of faith to keep back the fiery darts of the enemy. And the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace will help you on your journey as you spread the Gospel of peace.. Ephesians 6:13-20 tells us to "13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
When you engage in Spiritual Warfare you must lean heavily on the Lord, you are fighting an enemy who obeys no rules and who will fight you till your last breath. But the stakes are high, the stakes are your family and they are not negotiable. Put down your phone and turn up your praise music. When my husband and children left the house in days gone by I would turn the music up loud and let my spirit rise with the tempo of the music, it would help bring me to that "place". Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. Put simply "If you praise Him, He will come." You will feel his presence, it's the doorway to prayer. Pray!! Pray for your Husband and children, pray for your Mother and Dad, pray for family and extended family, pray for your Church and your Pastor and pray for the boy on the bicycle on the street outside your house. Pray for your President and your government..then pray for the clerk at the store. Pray for Missionaries and missing children, whatever you find in your heart..Pray for yourself to that you will be ready. Jesus is coming think how wonderful it will feel when he calls your name as one of his Shield-Maidens.. ever in the service of my Lord.. Jireh's Girl
When you engage in Spiritual Warfare you must lean heavily on the Lord, you are fighting an enemy who obeys no rules and who will fight you till your last breath. But the stakes are high, the stakes are your family and they are not negotiable. Put down your phone and turn up your praise music. When my husband and children left the house in days gone by I would turn the music up loud and let my spirit rise with the tempo of the music, it would help bring me to that "place". Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. Put simply "If you praise Him, He will come." You will feel his presence, it's the doorway to prayer. Pray!! Pray for your Husband and children, pray for your Mother and Dad, pray for family and extended family, pray for your Church and your Pastor and pray for the boy on the bicycle on the street outside your house. Pray for your President and your government..then pray for the clerk at the store. Pray for Missionaries and missing children, whatever you find in your heart..Pray for yourself to that you will be ready. Jesus is coming think how wonderful it will feel when he calls your name as one of his Shield-Maidens.. ever in the service of my Lord.. Jireh's Girl
More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
The Shield Maiden
I have dreamed of the battle;
And truly I have heard,
The ring of sword upon sword;
And tasted blood between my teeth.
I have met the enemy head on;
And vanquished him.
But not before his blows;
Knocked me time and time again, to my knees.
I have defended hearth and home;
And babies dear, from large demon invaders,
Blasting at my door.
Fearsome foes, not of this world.
I have met them on the field with battle cry;
I ran toward the fray.
I have sailed upon a long-ship bold;
To fight them in their own land.
But now my arm grows weary as I hold my sword.
The place is empty where my human strength resides.
My wound is deep,
My tunic stained with my own blood.
The song of battle fades to just a whisper in the wind.
It is not Odin or Valhalla that I seek;
It is another place where all good warriors go;
Where one may breathe the sacred air of peace;
To rest forever with Jehovah God.- by Jireh's Girl