Hello, friend. Welcome to Authorized Sword Ministries.

We're so glad you're here.

Today we're talking to the ladies. Young or older, single or married, new in the faith or walking with the Lord for years, this lesson is for you.

The world tells women a lot about who they should be. Be beautiful. Be busy. Have it all. But what does God say makes a woman strong? Let's open the Bible and see.

Our Key Verse

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." — Proverbs 31:30 (KJV)

Charm can fool people. Beauty fades with time. But a woman who fears the Lord, who honors Him, trusts Him, and obeys Him, has something that lasts. That's where a woman's real strength comes from.

Strength from the Lord

Proverbs 31:10 calls a virtuous woman's price "far above rubies." Look at how she is dressed:

"Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." — Proverbs 31:25-26 (KJV)

She isn't afraid of tomorrow. She "shall rejoice in time to come." And when she speaks, there is wisdom and kindness.

Where does that kind of strength come from? Not from herself.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." — Psalm 46:1 (KJV)

Some days you won't feel strong. That's okay. God is your strength. He is "a very present help," right there with you in the trouble.

Beauty That Lasts

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." — 1 Peter 3:3-4 (KJV)

God isn't saying it's wrong to look nice. He's saying don't let that be where your beauty comes from. A meek and quiet spirit is not weakness. It's a heart at rest in God. And God says that heart is "of great price" in His sight.

Women Who Chose God

Ruth was a young widow from the land of Moab. She could have gone back to her own people and her own gods. Instead, she said to her mother-in-law:

"And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:" — Ruth 1:16 (KJV)

"Thy God my God." Ruth chose the Lord, and God honored her. She became the great-grandmother of King David, and Matthew 1:5 names her in the family line of Jesus Christ.

When the angel told Mary she would be the mother of the Saviour, she didn't understand everything. But she said:

"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." — Luke 1:38 (KJV)

That's what faith looks like. Trusting God even when you can't see the whole road.

Sitting at Jesus' Feet

One day Jesus came to the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Mary sat at His feet and listened to His word. Martha was busy with "much serving," and she asked Jesus to make her sister help.

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." — Luke 10:41-42 (KJV)

Serving is good. Martha loved Jesus. But Jesus said the "good part" is time with Him. A woman grows strong at the feet of Jesus, in His Word and in prayer. No matter how busy life gets, don't skip that.

If You Are Single

"There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." — 1 Corinthians 7:34 (KJV)

Being single is not second best. Paul says the unmarried woman can give her heart to "the things of the Lord," and be "holy both in body and in spirit." Use this season to know Him, to grow in Him, and to serve Him.

If You Are Married

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." — Ephesians 5:22 (KJV)

"Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." — Ephesians 5:33 (KJV)

Notice the words "as unto the Lord." A godly wife honors her husband because she loves and trusts Jesus. "Reverence" here means to respect him. And in that same chapter, God tells the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church. Both have a calling from God. We look at this more in our Building a Godly Home course.

Passing the Faith On

Paul wrote this to Timothy:

"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." — 2 Timothy 1:5 (KJV)

A grandmother and a mother passed their faith down, and a young man grew up to serve God. Your faith is never unseen.

In Titus 2:3-4, God asks older women to be "teachers of good things," so they can "teach the young women." If you are younger, find a godly older woman and learn from her. If you are older, look around. Some young woman needs you.

Come to Jesus

Friend, the strength we've talked about isn't something you can work up on your own. It begins with Jesus. He died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. And He is calling you.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." — Romans 10:9 (KJV)

A Prayer

Before we go, let's pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this friend who is listening right now.

Thank You that You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Lord, make every woman listening a woman who fears You. Clothe her with strength and honour. Give her a meek and quiet spirit, and a heart that loves to sit at the feet of Jesus.

If she is single, help her give her whole heart to You. If she is married, bless her home. And help her pass her faith on to the next generation.

And if anyone listening doesn't know Jesus as Saviour, open her heart today.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

From all of us at Authorized Sword Ministries, God bless you.