Motherly Authority

May 2021

It’s time for mothers to burst forth in the body of Christ. It’s time for spiritual and natural mothers to use their voice for the advancement of God’s Kingdom in this hour. The church as a whole has allowed women to have great influence, but not much authority.

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 ESV

Like the book of Esther describes, Esther became very influential but had no authority in the kingdom. As danger rose up against her people, she had to find where her influence could be most effective to save her generational line. This is why it is important as women to know the areas the Lord has given us authority in and what areas we only have influence so we know how to navigate by submitting to authority without becoming frustrated or critical. Esther came to the kingdom for such a time as this. Just like her, we too need to awaken to the realization that we have been born for a reason. We must understand that God has placed us on the earth for His purpose and begin to walk in His power for such a time as this.

“For such a time as this I was placed upon the earth. To hear the voice of God and do His will, whatever it is.” – Wayne Watson

Esther had great influence as the wife of the king for a reason that only God could design. She used her influence for good and not harm. Based on the protocol of her day and time, she had influence, but not authority. Even though Esther remained submitted to the king's authority, she was determined to fulfill her call and the will of God for her life. She made a choice to follow God over protocol, even if it meant death. Her husband, the king, held the key to her calling. It was vital that he aligned for God’s will to be brought to earth and save His people. She could not violate her husband and had to remain submitted to him, but a higher authority and submission to God was required for Esther to step into her calling. It took great courage to press through the vulnerability, fear, and insecurity Esther must have felt in order to go before the king in such a way. The king, through his past wounds of his ex-wife Vashti’s betrayal, could have seen Esther as a threat instead of a blessing and killed her. He had a choice. Esther and her people's destiny laid in the hands of the king. He was either going to extend his scepter, the key to her destiny, or his sword. He chose to unlock her and give her a voice for her people instead of killing her. Because of the king's wise decision to trust and allow her to have a voice of authority and not just influence, many were freed. It is important that we, as Christ followers, partner together to see people set free. Only together can we get the job done and gather the harvest.

“When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king.” Esther 8:14 ESV

“Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18 NLT

Many leaders (male and female) in the church today are being presented with this same choice for the women and future females of our generation. Will they extend their scepter or sword? Will they allow the women God has sent to have influence or authority? There is a missing piece in many churches and across the body of Christ. This is nothing new and many advances to correct this issue have been made. But for some reason, there has not been the final push to break through in allowing women to step into their rightful places and be used as God has called––for such a time as this. Mothers must first arise in authority through submission to God. Women need to respect the protocol of their situation and seek to find if they have influence to make a difference in their surroundings or if they have proper authority. Leaders in this hour need to give women who are submitted to God the authority to speak, move, and flow the way God has called them. Not just allowing them to have only influence, but to also have a voice to impact future generations to come. It’s time to walk in our God given authority to fulfill the great commission.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, to proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives and freedom to prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1 AMP

Daughters of the most high King have a major role to play in the Kingdom of God. Their role is undeniably irreplaceable in the body of Christ and church leaders need to recognize and release the call on their lives. God’s end time plan is for mothers and fathers to partner together in the Kingdom to gather His harvest and to perform His will on the earth. As women are released, it will further advance the Kingdom of the Lord. God used queen Esther at the proper time to save a nation and He is using many women today to start a new revolution for Him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.” 1 Peter 5:6 ESV

The trap is that these men and women will not humbly work together in harmony as the Father designed. There is a heart cry for women to be heard, taught, and released from sitting in a pew to walking in their destiny. Through God’s Word, women have received the same commission as men to raise up an end time army. But, there must be partnership between the mothers and the fathers in order to have a completeness in the body of Christ. Women have a specific role they must fulfill that a man cannot and vice versa. One without the other leaves gaps for the enemy to invade. This is why it is vital in these last days that we walk as a chosen people (a royal priesthood—daughters and sons of the King) humbly into our God given call and destiny. We can not depend on others to do the work God has commissioned us to do.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

The women I see the Lord is bringing forward in this hour have been extremely faithful to Him. They are submitted to God, their natural and spiritual fathers, husbands, spiritual authority, and have hidden His Word in their heart. These women have spent countless hours locked away with Jesus as the Holy Spirit has been teaching and training them. They are dead to selfish desires and submitted to God and in authority. They do not seek a name or platform, but only to make Jesus’ name famous out of their surrendered obedience. Many of these women have extremely clear and accurate words from the Lord on how to lead their people to freedom, but have been bound by leaders not giving them permission to complete the call. Many leaders are holding the keys to unlock the next generation of women’s destinies and must allow them to be free.

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:26-28 ESV

Although many mothers have been praised in the context of their homes, many have been bound with chains by the church for far too long. Church leaders will stand before the Lord for either keeping women in bondage or freeing them. I know this is not a fun or popular topic to discuss, especially on Mothers Day, but it’s true and needed. I feel women have just now been able to gain some influence in the church, but we must not stop there. Bringing attention to a topic is not freedom. Bringing attention to something is only talking the talk and not walking it out. Authority is action, influence is talking.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Men and women have clear directives on how to operate in an honorable way in the body of Christ as they fulfill the call on their lives. In 1 Timothy 3:1-11 NLT, it explains how both leadership positions can function in a pleasing way to the Lord. “‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.’ So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.”

Many women have found the only way to have their destiny released and God’s will to be done through them is by influence alone, thus leaving an open door for the enemy to have a heyday. I have observed how manipulation and control has lied to many women and filtered their view on influence as it was the only way they felt they could be heard. Women must break any form of manipulation and control off of them and repent for using that method as a default mode to having a voice. Leaders need to guide and teach on Godly authority and submission by the leading of the Holy Spirit and not through a religious lens. It’s time to use their microphone as a scepter to grant authority to the women who have truly been chosen, sent, and called for such a time as this to give a voice and hope to the nations. If leaders don’t rise up now, we will never break through and gain ground in this area.

“Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 ESV

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22 ESV

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25 ESV

The enemy’s attack is to keep broken families broken. It’s no different among the body of Christ and in church buildings. He wants to separate the fathers and mothers in the faith by not allowing them to work side-by-side as the Lord created. We have so many amazing fathers in the faith, but only a handful of mothers with true authority. I encourage the fathers to release the mothers, giving them a voice for the Kingdom. By giving the women this permission and unlocking their destiny (which may in fact be held in the hands of those in authority like in the story of queen Esther), power from the Holy Spirit will flow and restoration will take place.

“They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." Luke 12:53 NIV

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. ”Isaiah 58:12 NIV

Women, I encourage you to go for it! Just like Esther, you have to make a choice to whom you are submitting to and what God is calling you to do. Stay in proper alignment, but don’t fear what people may say as you step out and do what the Lord has commissioned you to do. It may look scary now, but it will be worth it as you step out in faith, backed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mothers young and old, natural and spiritual, it’s time to arise! Mothers, it’s time to use your influence for Kingdom purpose and not a people pleasing agenda. Mothers, it's time to use your voice to change the nations and raise the next generation of Jesus lovers. Mothers, it’s time to fast and pray for opportunities and doors to open for God given authority. Mothers, it’s time for you to be used for God's glory. Mothers, it’s time to let nothing and no one stop what God has told you to do.

“‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:29-31 NIV

Mothers, it’s time we lay the piece we hold as caretakers and hens of God's children at the cross. We must lay our piece at His feet as a gift for the Holy Spirit to fill. Mothers, it’s time to give our all as a sacrifice to Jesus and surrender to His will no matter what may come our way. For now is the time and for such a destiny as this. Our children’s future depends on us being mothers in the Kingdom and walking in our God given authority to bring glory to the King. Now is the time to prepare, submit to authority, and know our place in history so that we can fulfill our destinies just like queen Esther. Mothers arise in the authority of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

“I will place on His shoulder the key to the house of David; what He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.” Isaiah 22:22 NIV