Pr 31 part 2

The Virtuous Woman - continued

Pr 31:10b for her price is far above rubies.

Value is to esteem, to hold in respect, to highly regard, or to have great significance.

Our worth and value come from what is inside us.

We should be more valuable as we get older just as jewels are mover valuable as they get older. The world sees things differently. Thankfully God sees us as very valuable.

Precious gems are hard, and have rough edges when they are first found. We see them after they are buffed and shiny. But we don't see the process they go through to get that way. When we first begin to walk with God we are the same way. We are hard and have rough edges. We will always have some rough edges for God to work on. But they should get smaller and fewer as we grow in the Lord. He uses people and situations to file our edges down and sometimes, alot of times it hurts or is uncomfortable.

Gems sparkle in the end and so should we.

If we look up to other christian women and want to be like them, we need to find out what it took for them to get there. It was a process for them just as it is for us. And we will most likely find that it was a hard and difficult process. Are we willing to go through whatever our process will be? It will be different for each of us. Each of us are different, we will have different struggles we will have to face and deal with.

God has always valued us as women. Virtuous women are hard to find, just as rare jewels are hard to find.

6 Strategies of the enemy to come against women

The enemy will try to rob us of our value.

If we don't see our value we can't pass it on to others to see theirs.

1. He will come to attack your identity.

Most women don't place enough value on themselves.

Gen 3:1 He questioned what God said
Mt 4:1-3 He questioned who Jesus was even though at the end of chapter 3 God made it very clear He was the Son of God

If he questioned Jesus about His identity he will surely question us.

He will make you question your salvation and your walk with God.

Jn 1:12 says those who receive Him become children of God. Have you received Him? There is your identity. Don't let the enemy tell you differently.

2. Comparison

He will try to get you to compare yourself with other women. That is a no win situation. There is a difference between comparing yourself and aspiring to be more virtuous because of something you see in someone.

If in comparison you find you are better then them, that leads to being prideful. If we are equal to them, that leads to being competitive, if we are less then them, you become inferior.

We have all compared ourselves to someone at one time or another. We need to take a stand against the enemy and not do it anymore.

Ps 139:14

We need to thank God for the way He made us. Doesn't mean we can't strive or aspire to be better. Doesn't mean we have always taken care of the body He gave us the way He wants us to, but we should be thankful He created us the way He did in the beginning and strive to be all He wants us to be.

3. Insignificance

He will make us feel unworthy. He will point out how far we have left to go instead of how far we have come.

You listen to one lie of the enemy and end up under a wave of insignificance and unworthiness.

Jer 1:4-5
Jer 29:11

God gives us a little at a time of the plan He has for us because He knows we couldn't handle all the great things He has planned for us at one time.

4. Unrealistic expectations

He will try to get us to carry an undue weight and responsibility.

90% of the responsibility we have, we took on ourselves. If a responsibility comes from God, He will provide everything I need to handle it also.

When we take on responsibility that God hasn't given us, we are trying to take the place of God. When responsibilities are to heavy for us to carry, they are not from God.

You will have peace and strength for anything He has called you to do. If we take on responsibility that He didn't give us, it can weigh us down even when we are trying to do the things He has called us to be responsible for.

5. Doubt

Alot of times we carry on a conversation in our minds and we think it is ourself but it is the enemy.

This is the same thing that Eve did in Gen 3. She had a conversation with the enemy. And we know how that ended. Our conversations with him won't end any better.

The enemy will try to make us doubt the very thing we know God has spoken to us about.

In MT when he is talking to Jesus, just two verses before God said Jesus was His Son.

A woman of resolve dispels fears and doubts.

The more we have discussions with the enemy the more we become defeated.

God will never question or change what He has told you before.

If you haven't heard from God lately, what is the last thing He gave you to do? You must not be completed finished with that yet.

James 1:6

6. Discouragement

He will remind you of your failures and mess ups.

It doesn't all happen in a day. He does it a little at a time.

When you are discouraged it is hard to witness or do anything else for God because you feel unworthy.

Ps 121:1-8

Discouragement keeps your eyes cast down.

Remembering where your help comes from will cast out discouragement.

No one will value you as God does. No matter how great they are. Your value and worth come from who you are in God.