Thursday, March 25, 2010

Feminine Spirit of the Gospels

This is just a list of some verses from the gospels of women who who could perceive the Spirit before the outpouring in Acts. I think it is so cool to see that women were already sensitive to the Spirit and moreover that the authors of the gospels mention them. These women were facilitating and acting in a Spirit of wisdom that should inspire all of us.

An angel appears to Zechariah to tell him he and Elizabeth will have a son. Zechariah questions the Lord, but Elizabeth believes.

"Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men." Luke 1:25

I am sure it is this attitude that had to do with the Lord choosing Mary to be the mother of our Savior.

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Luke 1:46-47
Anna, a prophetess at the temple, Recognises Jesus as Savior even though he is only a few days old.

"Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." Luke 2:38

This woman knew Jesus was not like the other rabbis and would not think her "unclean" for her blood issue.

"And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years...When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole." Mark 5:27,28

The rejected Canaanite women is not too proud to beg even for the crumbs of Jesus. She had a hunger even though she was rejected. Jesus honored her by saving her daughter.

"And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us...But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Matt. 15:22,26-27

A women in the crowd seems to have total understanding of Jesus' discussion the devil and casting out demons. She is the only one who speaks out.

"And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" Luke 11:27

Herod's wife fears the "supernatural power" given to Jesus by John the Baptist. Herod is afraid to get involved. Herodias demands his head. Tell me she wasn't in tune with the spirit realm even though on the wrong side.

"And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger." Matt. 14:8

Jesus compares the coming of the permanent indwelling of the Spirit with women giving birth.

"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world." John 16:21

Two different women on two different occasions anoint Jesus. Once on the head, the other time on the feet. In the original Greek text in both these verses "spikenard" is two words. Nardos being the herb and pistikos meaning "power of persuading" or "one that can be relied on". Spikenard was used in the ancient world as a perfume but also as a stress reliever or to calm headaches. See how a woman's "power of persuading" is a spirit connection. It can be used for good or bad. In this case deep called to deep and the women knew the Spirit of Jesus and what he needed.

"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured [it] on his head." Mark 14:3

"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." John 12:3

Even Pilate's wife can sense in the spirit who Jesus was. But her husband fears the people.

"While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” Matt. 27:19

It is a woman that Peter first denies Jesus to.

"And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, 'This man was also with Him. And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not." Luke 22:56-57

While most of the disciples were hiding in fear. The women ministered to Jesus at the cross just as they had through his entire ministry. Interceding for him and sowing in tears.

"And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children." Matt 27:55-56

"In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there." Mark 15:41"And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him." Luke 23:27

The women help Joseph of Arimathaea prepare Jesus' body for the tomb.

"And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid...And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments;" Luke 23:53,55-56

The women are the first at the tomb and have no trouble believing that he has risen!

"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him...And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here..." Mark 16:1,6


"And as they{the women} went to tell His disciples,behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him." Matt 28:9"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." Luke 24:11

What an awesome example are these women! More on this next...


No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...