KNOWING OUR WORTH, Guest post by Kate Kenaston

So if every boy is born with a question, what questions is a girl born with? Some people say, “Am I beautiful?”

I disagree.

I believe it’s, “Am I accepted?”

When God went to form Eve, He could have used dirt just like man. But he chose to instead open Adam’s side and remove a rib. Adam was human.

There was blood and sacrifice involved.

Eve lived because Adam sacrificed his body.

When she was brought to Adam, the man verbally proclaimed her identity over her. His approval was not based on how well she performed her role. At that moment she had not done anything.

He approved of her, because she was HIS. She was taken out of him…and the man celebrated his sacrifice.

When Jesus came to earth, He left His acknowledged identity. He left His honor, His comforts, His dignity and His preferences. Laying down his life was much more than the cross. And when His life culminated on Golgotha and He died on the cross, His side was pierced and out flowed both blood and water.

His side was opened.

There was blood and sacrifice involved.

The church lives because Jesus sacrificed His body.

And Jesus verbally proclaims her identity. His approval is not based on how well she performs her role. We are approved of before we have done anything. He approves of us because we are HIS. We live because of Him and Jesus CELEBRATES His sacrifice.

There is a REASON for everything God says and does.

Women were created to be a physical representation of the church.

• We are worth sacrifice.
• We are valuable.
• We are vital.

We desire to be loved, approved of, accepted, chosen and seen as blameless in our husband’s eyes, even IN our unacceptable state, because that is how Jesus sees His church. Innately we desire what we were created to receive.

And THAT is why men are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

He chooses her above his own reputation, comfort, conveniences and preferences. Put that with a woman who gives back to him all the honor, respect and admiration she can muster …you have something unstoppable.

You see, what most men don’t realize is when they truly forsake all others and cleave only to his wife and LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES, the honor, respect and submission they crave will be a spontaneous outflow of gratitude. Just like the church’s worship, respect, love, praise and celebration and the church’s spontaneous overflow to JESUS for what He has done.

Satan’s goal isn’t only to keep men isolated.

He is also out to keep women from feeling loved, because he knows that if he can keep us from feeling loved, we will have a hard time to truly honor.

There are many men who refuse to forsake all. Instead they cling to their identities, reputations and entitlements. If Jesus had done that, there would be no church.

But I don’t believe fulfilling our role depends on the other’s performance.

We have no excuses. And we will get into that later on.

We need to understand GRACE.

You love him with his imperfections, just as Jesus loves YOU.

John 15:12 “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”

In order to GIVE this kind of GRACE, we have got to have experienced it ourselves. We cannot give what we do not have.

We have got to understand the grace God pours out on the church. We have got to be able to see ourselves in God’s eyes. Our identity has got to come from GOD…not our husband.

When our HEARTS are turned towards the FATHER, no matter what our actions are, He loves and accepts us. He accepts us when we are unacceptable, because our position is TOWARDS HIM.

It’s when we turn our back to Him, no longer willing to receive HIS input into our lives, that creates the void between us. And I believe that is what sinning against the Holy Spirit really means. It’s repeatedly choosing to block out His voice and refusing to listen. It’s hardening your heart. God doesn’t turn His face away. WE are the ones who turn.

Grace is being accepted when we are not acceptable.

It is trusting the identity that JESUS spoke over your life. That never fluctuates by your performance. The approval of God on your life is not dependent on the approval of your husband.

And when we can live in unshaken grace, we can extend unshaken grace.

You cannot extend what you don’t possess.

Pt. V: LIVING OUT EZER

Every military establishes a strategy BEFORE the conflict.

OUR STRATEGY: RESPECT & HONOR

Matthew 10:16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

Let’s back up and review.

• God believes in male and female equality (Gal 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.)
• God strategized, by establishing order and divvying out strengths/weaknesses.
• We are not to look at our roles as “greater and lesser”. Jesus is “under” God, but we all know He isn’t lesser.
• Women are a physical representation of the Bride of Christ and we relate to our husbands the way the church relates to Jesus.
• every boy is born with a question: “Do I have what it takes?”

We know Satan wants to answer this question. His agenda is to prove to the man that he is as insignificant and incapable as his deepest fear whispers he might be.

Respect isn’t something we do because it’s the “right” thing to do. Remember, God doesn’t get bright ideas just for the thing of it. He does everything with a purpose. Showing respect is for a certain RESULT. It’s to accomplish something.

Have you ever asked the question, “Why should I honor, respect and submit?”

Unlike many authorities, God is never threatened by our questions. Acts 17:11 Paul commends the Bereans for questioning and studying. His reasons are big enough for questions.

Ephesians 5:22-33 ESV

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

To understand the meaning of a word, we need to back up and look at two things.

• The etymology (original definition) of a word
• And the context

So let’s do that here.

The Greek word “submit.” hupo-tasso-mai

The Greek word “submit” is a combination of a verb with a prefix. The verb “tasso” could be translated as “set, arrange, order.” What we miss right away in English is that this verb was a military term for arranging soldiers in ordered formation to confront an enemy. It was primarily military language for “designating, commissioning, appointing or deploying. Or “assign, appoint, arrange.” The ending of the word tells us we’re in the passive/middle voice.

Literally, we could read the verse, “deploy yourself under”.

Now we could read the verb as it appears in Ephesians 5:22 as “place yourselves under your husband” and you might be technically correct, and then you might look, as past translators have, for something like “be subject to” in order to render the verse in better, quicker English.

But…you lose the military context of hupotassomai, which is about forming up for battle and about deploying or stationing yourself to support.

Should we even be surprised? If God chose the military word Ezer to define woman’s role, doesn’t it make sense that He would chose another military term when assigning her the strategy?

What we are talking about is not an ancient Greek word for abstract obedience, but a concrete metaphor of military support!

Context of its use:

This translated word, “submit/deploy” is embedded within a passage that provides an extended military metaphor.

Eph 1, God’s power and plan:

• 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,. (He just gave us the end goal.)
• We celebrate the fact that we are adopted into God’s own family.
• Vs 9 “God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ–which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ.”

This is why He does the things He does. Think of this next part as his strategy, equipping us so we can help him accomplish this. This is going through Ephesians and giving a basic overview of subjects covered.

• We are reminded how we are made alive again.
• Importance of peace and unity among believers.
• Explains how we are a temple of God.
• The giftings to each believer. Your giftings are to forward the Kingdom of God, NOT to make you feel good about yourself.
• Living as Children of light in a practical way.
• Living by the Spirit’s power
• Chap 5 Spirit-guided relationships “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (He talks about how we should walk as children o light…and then goes on to specific instructions to relationship: wives, hubands, children, servants…)

And THEN it goes into:

• Putting on the Whole Armor of God

At the time, these letters were being written to challenge hierarchy, not support it.

Numerous times Paul talks about how men and women are “one body, fellow heirs, and husbands to love their wives as their own body.”

1 Cor 11:11-12 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.

Lots of women cringe a little bit when reading 1 Cor 11. But I’m pretty confident that in Paul’s day, it was the MEN who were doing the cringing.

Eph 6:10-18 (Read this with your relationship with your husband in mind.)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

Now, I want to explore the meaning of the word, “head” used in Ephesians. I believe in God’s order of authority. We see that authority order lived out in Father God-Jesus-Church. Take a moment and dwell on how that order is lived out. I know a lot of us have experienced negative church experiences, where we haven’t experienced the Church living as a beloved Bride. But she is. And as we go into this, let’s mirror the God-Jesus-Church order and line it up with God (3-in-one)-man-woman order.

FATHER GOD-JESUS-CHURCH

GOD (3 in 1) – MAN – WOMAN

“22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”

• The meaning of the world translated as “head.”

The Greek word used here has two meanings. “Head” and “Origin.”

A “source. Like the head of a spring or a head of a river. ”

We don’t respect or submit because the man has better ideas. We don’t respect and submit to him because he is always right. We don’t respect or submit because it’s wrong to disagree.

And let’s think again. WHY does the church submit?

If we need to submit like that, we need to understand this.

It’s not to gain approval–we are approved of because of what JESUS did for us…not our own works. It comes from a genuine feeling of THANKFULNESS that spontaneously outflows. And that is how it should be in submitting to our husbands.

We respect him because we are accomplishing a goal.

We are strategizing WITH GOD.

We have a point to prove.

We have a question to answer.

We have a man to help.

And we are given the tools to accomplish that.

And this leads into something else. This is why I don’t believe in excuses. We aren’t victims–even if you find it impossible to submit with the same attitude that the church does. Remember that God is using military language, and war is never easy.

• 

1 Peter 3:1-22

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 “Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them.

WHY? God did not intend these verses to be a three point plan on how to have the least conflict in marriage. He’s not afraid of conflict. God actually values tension.

I want you to remember that you are strategizing with God. Remember, God is the one who created man….and He knows how to teach you the language of a man’s heart.

And it goes right back to the question haunting your man’s every day. “Do I have what it takes?” To a man respect, honor and submission means, “I value you. You got what it takes. Your mistakes do not change the way I perceive you and YOU are more important to me than being right.”

It allows him to put his guard down, as he has nothing to prove.

It creates a safe space.

It opens his ears so he will listen to you.

It gives us a platform to speak into his life.

It is so much BIGGER than just doing what he says.

Like everything else, it’s your heart and what motivates you.

There are a lot of women going about the motions of respect and submission. They never dispute or challenge. They agree and comply. But all these motions are just for “doings sake.”

The purpose is forgotten, and just like a church loses life when religion sets in, so honor loses its power when it is no longer done on purpose.

2 Timothy 3:5 Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

The goal is not to “do the right thing.” We need to know what we are doing. WE need to be aware and active. We women have the Spirit of God inside us. We host power in that Spirit. And with the power invested in us, we can come against the devil and his agendas.

There is devastating damage when a church embraces religion. When the outward actions are put before the inward heart. When DOING is more important than BEING.

And God created us to exemplify the church.

Remember the ditch of Deadly Compliance? That passive control? Putting on a form of godliness for our OWN benefit. So we can feel good about ourselves. There are many women who submit just like that. To feel good about themselves. And it destroys their home, their husband, their children and their own lives.

Proverbs 31:10-12 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her,and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

We often think of finances when we talk about your husband trusting us. But can you prove to him that he can trust you with his failures, or does he always have to prove to you that he was right? Can he trust you with the painful parts of his past, or is he afraid that you will think less of him? Do you know RIGHT NOW what his present struggles are? Does he know you are co-laborers TOGETHER, with Christ, or does he feel like he is slogging up the path by himself?

So we build trust and believe in him.

We create safe spaces.

We have patience.

We do not fight for a place. We PREPARE a place.

Now some people stop at honor and respect, but Ezer isn’t just about making a man feel like he is capable of going out to battle, it’s about being willing to go out with him and fighting FOR him.

DOING BATTLE:

1 Corinthians 7:13 “If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is consent to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.”

I know. Most of us are married to really decent guys who love God and go to church.

And as women, we desire the approval and acceptance of our spouse more than anything. And what holds us back the most from being Ezer is fear. Fear of criticism, fear of rejection, fear of conflict. Fear of vulnerability. Exactly what Sapphira was afraid of.

Do you remember what Peter said about Sarah?

We are her daughters if we aren’t afraid.

If your actions are motivated by fear, they are the wrong actions.

So what do we do?

1. Stop and renounce fear. Refuse to participate.

Fear will not only affect any decision you make, but it will make your husband react as well. When a woman is afraid it makes a man go on the defensive. He will feel like you don’t trust him and he will tend to want to control or else he will give up and stop trying. Neither stance is the response needed for healing.

When you allow yourself to see what is really going on, If all you can do is stand against fear, know that that in itself does a lot. There is power in recognizing a hurt area in your husband’s life, seeing for what it is, and standing against fear in your heart.

Why? Because standing against fear takes the power of God. You engage the darkness with light. You are willing to accept the tension it brings. And what is the opposite of fear? Yes, it’s faith. Faith, knowing that God is there. It’s not you and your words and your suggestions. Standing there, allowing yourself to see what is going on, and standing silently in faith before the Throne of God. Your husband doesn’t even have to know you are doing it. He’s feeling your love and respect. He is aware of your honor. Your presence means safety and warmth.

PRAYER IS WARFARE!

2 Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”

Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

Matthew 18:18 “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

We do not have authority over the man, but we definitely DO have authority over the spirit world!

Using your authority:

First we need to understand where it comes from.

Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore….”

God himself is the power behind our authority!

We need to understand it belongs to us.

The Bible says that you are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). Jesus is the Head, we are the Body — and His authority is perpetuated through the Body. When Jesus rose from the dead, He transferred His authority on earth to His Body, the Church. In God’s mind, when Christ was raised, we were raised.

Ephesians 2:6 “ the God raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

Both the Head and the Body are seated there, next to God, in the place of power and authority.

That means YOU are seated there! You are seated in the power position, and you are His heir (Romans 8:17). That means that everything that’s His — including His authority — now belongs to you.

Using it:

You have got to understand your true position of power in order to use it. Remember the verse that I read “Having a form of godliness but denying the power”? Meditate on your position in Christ until you fully grasp the revelation that you are seated with Him, and YOU ARE the one He moves through.

Then use your authority by speaking out what His Word says, using the Name of Jesus.

Think about that! When you use the Name of Jesus, believing that you’re seated with Him at the right hand of God, you are backed by all the power in heaven! Every knee must bow to that Name (Philippians 2:10).

Jesus made it very clear that His Name is the key to all authority:

“Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 13:13-14).

How does this work out?

You know your husband’s weaknesses as well as satan does.

You can identify the vulnerable areas and approach the areas satan is destroying in your husband’s life and come against them in Jesus’ name.

If it’s a relationship with a child, you can pray over that area. Even while an encounter is going on, you can pray against satan’s agendas. You can barr him from entering into the relationship.

You can pray that Holy Spirit will enlighten your husband to lies he believes. And you can ask Him to strategize WITH you by giving you thoughts, questions and words you can speak into his life.

All this can be (and I believe should be) done without your husband knowing it. All he is aware of right now is your honor, your trust, and a new confidence and strength that radiates out of you.

Remember, it’s not your husband you are taking authority over. It’s darkness.

SPEAK:

For some of us, this is the hardest part of all. It feels super vulnerable to allow the Spirit to flow out of us to our man. And honestly I have no formula to give you, except love.

When Holy Spirit speaks, the motivation is ALWAYS love and empowerment.

If you are not motivated by love, it’s not the Spirit of God.

And the right words spoken in the wrong spirit are NEVER right.

• Have you ever prayed outloud over your man?
• Have you put your hands on him and blessed him?
• Have you looked him in the face and told him, “

Holy Spirit is in you. I believe in you. I see Jesus in you. I really love the way you related with that child. I’m so thankful for you. May your spirit rule over your mind and body today. Thank you for all your do for us.

Are you intimidated or afraid by these suggestions?

If so, I ask you why? It’s worth exploring.

And I remind you that just like Sarah, you should not allow fear in your life.

I am not sure when He will tell you speak life into the man in your life, or what words God will give you, but if you allow your heart to overflow in honor. If you stand against darkness. If you pray in the spirit. I know that in the moment you need them, God will give you in the exact moment you need them, the words he needs to hear.

So what would have happened, if Sapphira would have been willing to be Ezer?

What if she would have made herself a safe place where Ananias could have voiced his insecurities? Showing honor, voicing appreciation, refusing to cower, refusing to bow to the spirit of fear…and yet asking nudging questions, little by little to guide him into exploring the places in his heart he’s afraid to go.

And once she was a safe place and Ananias opened up, sharing his insecurities, she held his heart and PROVED her trustworthiness. What if instead a lecture or silence, she spoke words of faith and love. All bathed in respect and honor. Proving to him that he wasn’t a “lesser” man in her eyes. Proving to him that he isn’t his worst fears.

And yet, when the time came. If he still decided to go ahead and pretend religious righteousness, she could have stood for what is right. She wouldn’t have lied to Peter.

She wouldn’t have been afraid.

Believe me, you are up to this task!

God has equipped you with every skill needed to be Ezer.

• He gave you an identity to represent in physical form the most treasured part of His life. His bride. His church.
• He has given to physical characteristics to see past the physical day-to-day.
• He gave you the tools and strategy you need to reach your husband’s heart.
• He gives you grace–seeing you as accepted even when you are unacceptable.
• He gave you all authority to resist darkness.

And He has given you the strength to see it through, because He promises that you can do ALL things through Him.

Matthew 16 the disciples start worrying if they have enough food because they forgot to bring any. Jesus reminds them of all the miracles He worked, providing for their needs.

And then in verse 13 He asked a question:

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

I believe that we can take that verse literally.

Jesus will provide not only the daily bread you need, but He also has given you the keys. When we know who Jesus is and thus know who we are in Him, any lie, stronghold or struggle the man in your life faces, cannot withstand an Ezer. The gates of hell cannot withstand us.

“Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she’ll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she’ll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she’ll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she’ll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.”― Erick S. Gray