In Search Of A Virtuous Woman

 

 

Proverbs 31:10-31

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

 

Proverbs 31 is the classic description of a truly Godly woman.

• Her husband can trust in her.
• She seeks to bring a good name to herself and to the man she calls husband.
• She is industrious and not lazy.
• She provides for her household and she is generous to those in need.
• She is adored and praised by her children and husband.
• She fears the Lord.
• She is blessed because of the work of her hands, and her great works will outlive her and praise her once she’s gone.

 

These are magnificent qualities.

• Traits that are pursued and exemplified by many honorable ladies present today.
• But there is a treasure which is found in the beginning of this glorious discourse in verse 10:

 

“Who can find a virtuous woman?”

 

• With that probing question in mind, on this Mother’s Day I preach to you:

 

“In Search of A Virtuous Woman”

 

• Perhaps I have miss-applied and misinterpreted the word “virtuous” in this text.
• I’m almost certain that you have to.
• I have always translated the word to mean, “pure, holy, clean, righteous, without stain or blemish…etc.”
• And though I am certain that I was not necessarily wrong in that conclusion, I have found a deeper meaning of the word that opens new doors of revelation.
• The word “virtuous” in this text comes from the Hebrew word, ARETE, which means, “excellence, heroic, having valor, powerful and exercising dominion. Warrior-like”
• With this is mind, let us ask the original question again:

 

“Who can find an excellent, warrior-like, heroic woman, full of valor, who will exercise power and dominion?” That’s a virtuous woman!

 

• Heaven is in search today for that kind of a woman.
• Hell fears that kind of a virtuous woman.
• A warrior-like, heroic woman full of valor that’s not afraid to take on the legions of hell.
• She’s a woman of unshakable faith.
• A woman of unwavering confidence.
• A woman of consistent prayer.
• A woman of unyielding righteousness.
• A woman who carries within herself the power of the almighty God.

 

The Word Virtuous is used only three times in the Bible

• Twice by Solomon and once by his great grandfather, Boaz, in describing his bride-to-be, Ruth.
• The word “virtue” is found in 5 different locations.
• It’s used on two different occasions in the Gospels when divine healing went forth.
• When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, Jesus stopped and asked, “Who touched me? For He perceived that VIRTUE had went out from Him.”
• The glorious, powerful, warrior-like virtue of God that emanated from Jesus Christ was the very thing that defeated a terminal disease that had hung on for 10 years.

 

Luke 6:19

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

 

I speak of virtue this morning that will heal and set free.

• Virtue that will heal cancer.
• Virtue that will straighten crippled limbs.
• Virtue that will defeat the power of hell.
• Virtue that will fight hell for the salvation of your children.
• Virtue that will stare down the enemy and declare, “Not in my house! This home has been dedicated to the Lord.”

On this Mother’s Day, God is in search of “Virtuous Women”.

• Heroic, Warrior-Like Women who are full of courage and valor.
• Women who will fight for what God has promised.
• Women who will stand their ground and not give the devil an inch.

 

Virtuous Women of the Bible

• It was a virtuous woman, a heroic, warrior-like woman name Jochebed who took her son Moses, when Pharaoh’s armies had been commanded to slay every man-child of the Hebrews, who found the courage and the faith to place her son in basket, and float him down the Nile, trusting in God for the outcome. Even after she was asked by Pharaoh’s daughter to be the child’s nurse after he was retrieved from the waters, she hid her true identity as Moses’ birth mother. But every day, this virtuous mother told her baby boy, “You’re not an Egyptian, you’re a Hebrew, and there’s some things that you’ve got to know. ‘Here O Israel, the Lord  our God is one Lord…’”

 

• It was a faith-filled, virtuous woman, a heroic, warrior-like woman by the name of Deborah, who said, “If no man can be found to defend Israel against her enemies, I’ll go to battle.”

 

• Though she would live the first part of her life as a prostitute, Hebrews 11 would call her a woman of great faith. It was a virtuous woman, a courageous woman full of valor, by the name of Rahab that gave quarters and a hiding place to the spies of Israel. And as she hung a scarlet cord out of the window of her house, she testified that she would believe in and live by the Words of the Lord with a pagan society all around her.

 

• Won’t we all agree that it was a virtuous young woman, a heroic, warrior-like woman that listened one afternoon to the message of the angel who said, “Thou art highly favored. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.”

 

• Paul commended his young protégé Timothy for his unpretentious faith. He would go on to say, “But I know why it’s there. Because it was first in your grandmother Lois, and then your mother Eunice.”

 

• Virtuous, heroic, warrior-like women, full of valor, spiritual dominion and power.

 

• I’ve heard the expression all my life that says, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

 

• I would like to change that.

 

• “Hell hath seen no fury like a virtuous, heroic, warrior-like woman who bows her knees in prayer, who will lift her voice in faith and exercise power and dominion over Satan and his kingdoms.”

 

Nona Freeman was a 20^th Century Virtuous, heroic, warrior-like woman.

They went to be missionaries in South Africa in 1948. That was in the days before PIM’s and stateside support. A man in South Africa was supposed to have $3,000 for them, when they arrived, he was gone and so was the money. Sis. Freeman, her husband, and five children, ages 9 to 6 months old, found themselves with no home, no food, and no one to call on. Sis. Freeman prayed, “God, you sent us to Africa and know we’re going to depend on you to provide for us.” Sister Freeman talking about it many years later said, “It was the greatest thing that could have ever happened, for it taught us to live by faith.”

Before the day was up, an elderly lady came to them saying, “God told me to tell you that you were to come and live in my house, and I’m supposed to feed you.”

 

Spiritual darkness ruled in Africa. She told the story of watching a dark shadow, a figure walk into their house and hover over their youngest child who immediately became violently ill. Sister Freeman pointed her finger at that evil spirit and said, “In the name of Jesus I command you to take your hand off my child and get out of my house.” About 5 minutes later that spirit left and never came back again.

 

• A virtuous, heroic, warrior-like woman, full of valor.

 

God is in this house this morning on Mother’s Day searching for virtuous women.

• Looking for women who will allow His powerful, glorious virtue to move through them.
• Where are the courageous, faith-filled women here today who are ready to defeat hell?
• Ready to break the yokes and chains that try to bind your children and your families?
• Where are the virtuous women who will come forward today and declare to hell, “You can’t have my children! You can’t have my family!”