She Did What She Had to Do
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 5/22/2020Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:7
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42:02
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez delivers an empowering Mother's Day message focused on the unique grace and tenacity God gives women to navigate seasons of loss, transition, and survival. Using the lives of Naomi and Moses' mother, he encourages women to lean into their God-given strength and reminds the church to honor the sacrificial love of mothers.
Key points
- •Every believer is given specific grace and unique abilities to handle life's challenges based on their God-given assignments.
- •Mothers possess a distinct anointing to protect, defend, and care for their families, often doing so while selflessly neglecting their own needs.
- •The life of Naomi illustrates that women have an incredible tenacity to survive multiple layers of loss - including relocation, the death of a spouse, and the loss of children.
- •A 'virtuous woman' is defined by Proverbs 31:25 as one clothed in strength and honor, reflecting her resilience in times of weakness rather than just outward moralism.
- •Mothers must often balance the protective instinct to hide their children from danger with the necessity of eventually releasing them into a world that may be hostile.
Scripture
Purpose
Grace
Family
Perseverance
Character
Life application
This week, identify a situation where you feel overwhelmed and declare that you have the 'grace to perform' in that specific role. If you are a child, reach out to your mother or a mother-figure to offer specific honor and gratitude, recognizing that your longevity and potential are tied to this act of honor.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life do you feel you are currently being forced to 'do what you have to do' just to survive?
- How does redefining a 'virtuous woman' as one clothed in 'strength and honor' change your perspective on your own worth?
- Like Moses' mother, what 'baskets' of protection have you built for those you love, and how can you trust God when it is time to set them in the river?
- Naomi faced three major life transitions; which of those transitions (loss, relocation, or changing family dynamics) resonates most with your current season?
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Full transcript
0:00Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
0:03God bless you. Let's just pray. Father,
0:05we thank you for this opportunity that
0:08we have
0:09as a church family to come together
0:13to pray, to worship you in spite of
0:16social distancing.
0:18We're grateful that you are Lord of
0:21every dispensation. You are Lord of
0:23every crisis.
0:25That nothing will ever take you by
0:27surprise.
0:28And though we may be separate from each
0:31other,
0:32our spirits are knitted together.
0:35We thank you that your word is true.
0:37That it brings transformation.
0:40We thank you for every woman, every
0:42mother that's watching.
0:44That today will be a day of empowerment
0:47for her.
0:48Thank you for every man,
0:50every boy,
0:52every person
0:54who will receive this word today.
0:57I pray it will help them to understand
0:59no matter what.
1:02Sometimes in life, it calls us to do
1:05what we have to do
1:07in order to survive.
1:09Bless your word. Bless your servant
1:11today.
1:12I prepared myself. Now, I am leaning on
1:15the Holy Spirit
1:17to guide me, to control my thoughts, my
1:20words,
1:22so that everything I say
1:24will bring you glory today in Jesus
1:27name.
1:29Amen. Amen. God bless you. God bless
1:32you. Bless you. Bless you.
1:35You know, I thought about what I should
1:36share with all of you on this special
1:39day, especially Mother's Day.
1:42Um what would be the perfect message,
1:46the word that I believe God would place
1:48in my spirit
1:50to share uh with you. And uh this is
1:53what the Lord dropped in my spirit to
1:55encourage all of you women out there
1:58because I think you'll connect with this
2:00and it simply says, she did what she had
2:04to do.
2:05She did what she had to do.
2:08It's kind of like you.
2:10You have to function
2:13and constantly do things that you're
2:16forced to do. You have to do it.
2:20And I shared with someone this past week
2:23that every one of us has the ability to
2:27successfully go through the challenges
2:30of life.
2:32All of us.
2:33We do have that ability
2:35to go through the challenges of life.
2:38And sometimes I know we feel as if it's
2:41too much, you know, God has put too much
2:44on us and it's unbearable. But I believe
2:48that God has given every one of us the
2:50grace, that's it, the grace to deal with
2:54every situation we go through. Even on
2:57this day, ladies, God has empowered you
3:00with the ability
3:02to handle the pressure and and the
3:04emotional trauma that comes with a day
3:08like this. We all have our assignments
3:12to fulfill on the earth and those
3:14assignments were given to us based on
3:17our God-given abilities.
3:21I firmly believe that every one of us
3:23God has graced us
3:26with certain unique abilities to get
3:29through life.
3:31We do have the ability to get through
3:34life. Romans 12:6 says,
3:37"Having gifts that differ according to
3:40the grace given to us, let us use them."
3:45Let us use them. We have different gifts
3:47that have been given to us
3:49that the charge is they've been given to
3:52us according to the grace of God.
3:56According to what he's
3:59in his own sovereign power have decided
4:02that we can handle based on our
4:04personality type. You see, what I can
4:07handle perhaps you can't and the same
4:09for me. What you can handle maybe I
4:12can't handle it, but each and every one
4:14of us were given the grace to handle
4:16certain things
4:18and we are encouraged to do so. Every
4:22one of us is encouraged to use the gifts
4:25God gave to us
4:27so that we can operate in his grace.
4:31We can operate in the grace of God.
4:34Not everybody can be a mother. Not
4:36everybody can be a father. Not everybody
4:39can truly be a brother to your sibling
4:43or a sister to your sibling because
4:45there tons of stories in the Bible where
4:47just because you wear a title don't mean
4:49you operate in the anointing.
4:52Cain and Abel were brothers, but one
4:54killed the other.
4:57So you you have to understand that God
4:58will give each and every one of us a
5:01grace to perform. We don't have to covet
5:03another person. We don't have to be
5:04jealous over another person's ability.
5:07All we need to do is to function
5:09in the ability that God has has given
5:12us. So every one of us
5:14right, is encouraged to use the gifts
5:17God gave us so that we can operate in
5:20his grace and the same is true for
5:22women.
5:23You should use your gifts
5:26in the grace
5:28that were given to you to be a mother.
5:31Use your gift
5:33to be
5:35a mother, to be what God has called you
5:37to be. It is an anointing on a woman's
5:40life to be a mother. A mother's role is
5:43key to the success of her family,
5:46especially her children.
5:48It's key.
5:49I don't know what this world would do
5:51without women
5:52and especially mothers.
5:55Mothers operate in a grace
5:58that fathers can't. And that's true.
6:01Mothers operate in a grace that fathers
6:05can't. Now, it doesn't mean that fathers
6:07are not important. So, men,
6:09as you're watching, don't feel as if
6:10this guy's not talking to me today. I'll
6:12just wait till Father's Day to tune in
6:16to the service. Don't do that, right?
6:18We're talking about women here. They
6:20were given the grace to do certain
6:22things that we guys just can't do.
6:25Her spirit is the fragrance that
6:29dominates the air and creates a
6:32welcoming atmosphere.
6:35A gifted, anointed woman,
6:39when you walk in her presence, that's
6:41it.
6:42You can sense it. You can sense the
6:45love, the care, the compassion. 1
6:48Corinthians
6:50uh 12:7, it says, "To teach to each is
6:54given the manifestation of the spirit
6:57for the common good."
7:00To each is given, to women also, is
7:04given the manifestation of the spirit
7:07for the common good. A fragrance, a
7:11unique gift. Every one of us, men, we
7:14have a unique ability to become fathers.
7:18But for women, they have a unique
7:20ability to become mothers, caretakers of
7:23the home,
7:25for the common good. And one thing is
7:27for sure, women will do what they have
7:31to do
7:32to care for and watch over their
7:35children and family.
7:37That's it.
7:38All throughout the history of mankind,
7:41women have demonstrated that God
7:44has given them a special anointing to
7:47protect, defend, and care for their
7:51family.
7:52There's no denying.
7:54There are many women watching right now.
7:57And perhaps if you know a friend who's
7:59not watching, not streaming, maybe you
8:01just need to hit the share button and
8:03you need to let them know they need to
8:05hear this message because it is going to
8:07encourage them because every woman is
8:10anointed to defend, care for, and
8:13protect her family.
8:15You have the gift to do that.
8:18You know, women will attack you. You
8:20touch their children, you touch their
8:22family, they'll put their Bible down for
8:25a moment and knock you out.
8:29And all the sisters need to type amen.
8:33They will knock you out. You mess with
8:36their man, you mess with their children,
8:39they will knock you out. That's a unique
8:41ability. You know, us guys sometimes we
8:43walk away, we want peace, you know, not
8:45women. No, you come up in their house
8:48and mess with them, they'll take you out
8:51and tell the Lord you died and then pick
8:53their Bible back up and start praising
8:55the Lord.
8:56You see, naturally, a woman gives birth
8:59to her children in pain. They know what
9:01it is to experience pain.
9:04I know as a man, I don't want that.
9:07I And ladies, don't be mad with me. I'm
9:09glad that was not given to us men. Glad.
9:13I just looking at it alone is painful. I
9:16don't like that. Naturally, a woman
9:19cares for,
9:20defends, and protects her family while
9:24at the same time
9:26in need of the very thing she's given
9:30away.
9:31I want to say that again.
9:33Naturally,
9:34a The cares for, defends, and protects
9:38her family while at the same time in
9:41need of the very things she's given
9:45away.
9:46Selflessly.
9:48She's given away stuff. She's protecting
9:52her family while sometimes she herself
9:55is in need of protection. She's caring
9:57for even on a day like today.
10:01Mothers are in the kitchen. Mothers are
10:02still trying to get the family together
10:05and so forth even on her day. That's a
10:08woman.
10:10Women, especially mothers, are survivors
10:12of neglect, abuse,
10:15inequality, lack, and discrimination.
10:18That's the truth.
10:20But even with these unfair treatments,
10:23women will do what they have to do
10:27to rise above these obstacles.
10:31They'll do what they have to do.
10:33You put them in the worst situation,
10:36they are going to do what they have to
10:38do.
10:39They will They will pray. They will work
10:42overtime. Whatever they have to do,
10:45they'll do it just to take care
10:49of their families. You see, a woman will
10:52do what she has to do when death steals
10:56from our house.
10:58Naomi in the book of Ruth
11:00is a very good example
11:02of what women do when faced with
11:06adversities.
11:08Three things happened to Naomi
11:11that every woman should take note of.
11:14Three things.
11:15Because there's some of you right now
11:17with tears in your eyes and the memory
11:19of what this day means to you. Some of
11:22you have lost your mom.
11:24Some of you your mom, they're in heaven
11:26and and you truly had a good
11:29relationship with your mom. Some of you
11:32your mom died and you did not make peace
11:35with your mom.
11:36Some of you your mom is living and and
11:38there's still no connection. Some of you
11:40your mom is ill and she's not doing
11:43well. There's so many things. Some of
11:45you are going through all kinds of
11:46stuff. I want to show you
11:49three things that happened to Naomi that
11:53hopefully you can understand that women
11:55will do what they have to do in order to
11:59get through life. Here is Naomi, her
12:01husband Elimelech, and their two sons
12:05left their country because of famine
12:08and they ended up in Moab.
12:12Naomi, her husband Elimelech,
12:15two sons, two boys,
12:18there's a famine where they were living
12:20and they just said, "We've got to go."
12:23Just like women in times of crisis, you
12:26have to relocate. You have to move. You
12:28have to go to a place where you feel you
12:31can provide for your family. So, you
12:33know, Naomi had her support.
12:36You know, because some of you are single
12:37women and fine, you know, we'll show you
12:40in the story how life will change things
12:44on you to cause you to have to do what
12:46you got to do
12:47in order to survive.
12:49But here's this woman, perfect image of
12:51a family. She had her husband.
12:54Her husband was right there. He was the
12:56supporter of the family. Back in those
12:58days, he was the one who brought home
13:01the resources so that they can live a
13:03quality life.
13:05No doubt Naomi was happy. She had two
13:07sons, you know, and she was glad. Back
13:10in those days, if you you know, study
13:13well, you know, woman that has a son,
13:16that was huge in those days because it
13:18carries the name of the family.
13:21So, she was happy. She had two boys.
13:23And of course, she wanted girls, but God
13:25have a way that sometimes when you just
13:28end up with what he has given you, he
13:30he'll find other ways to give you what
13:32you desire.
13:33So, here it is, this young family
13:36decided like what most of you have done,
13:38you've left one country to another, you
13:40have left one state to another, one city
13:42to another
13:44in search of a better job, in search of
13:46a better future. You know, so you can
13:49take your your family. Here's Naomi
13:51doing her thing and the Bible says,
13:53"Okay, fine, they are now in Moab."
13:57And some of you can see yourself like
13:59that woman, like Naomi. You got to do
14:01what you got to do. Okay, there's a
14:03famine, there's a recession right now in
14:05the entire world. Okay, baby, we going
14:08to do what we got to do. You me with
14:10together, man, we're married. Okay, we
14:12going to make life, man, that we got
14:13them kids, man. We we just going to do
14:16what we got to do. The second thing I
14:18want you to take note of
14:20is that not too long after reaching
14:22Moab, Naomi's husband, Elimelech, died.
14:26He died. Now, wait a minute now.
14:29It's one thing to deal with a a
14:30financial crisis in your life, but when
14:33your husband,
14:35you know,
14:37just he's taken away. He's gone. When
14:40your husband has now passed away,
14:44the breadwinner, the one who you lean
14:46on, you had a good marriage. I'm not
14:48talking about you having a bad marriage
14:51and, you know, and you you you know, you
14:53know, when when stuff like that happen,
14:55you're like, "Praise the Lord, you know,
14:57whatever." No, it wasn't that situation.
14:59She loved her husband.
15:01And he died.
15:03And the only family she now had
15:07was her two sons. Like some of you
15:10women.
15:11They are men who have died, your
15:15husbands, maybe your fiance.
15:18He died, your children's father. He
15:20died. He was a support, he was your
15:22bedrock. Whatever. Yes, everybody's got
15:24issues in their relationships, but but
15:27you were there with him and you were
15:29making life, but death has a way to come
15:32into your house and to rob you of the
15:35very thing you hold dear to. What do you
15:38do? Women have an incredible tenacity
15:42to keep on going even when death visit
15:45their home.
15:46And the same is true for Naomi.
15:49When her husband died, she was left with
15:51her two children. So women,
15:53some of you right now, not only did your
15:55husband pass away, and I know I know
15:57it's very difficult hearing this message
15:59today, but it's a message of hope. I
16:01know you miss him, just like Naomi.
16:04But some of you women, your husband,
16:06he's not dead. He's still alive. He's
16:08somewhere, or maybe your child's father,
16:11your ex, whatever. He's still around.
16:13He's still walking around the planet,
16:16but you're left with your children all
16:18by yourself.
16:20On this Mother's Day, you wanted the
16:21perfect image like Naomi. You wanted
16:24that image where you have a You know,
16:25you don't mind a famine. Many of you
16:27women, it's not that you live just for
16:29money. You understand, look, crisis will
16:32come. Financial crisis will come. You
16:34know You know how to just go in the
16:37refrigerator and the pantry and cook up
16:39a meal and and and and put your label on
16:42it. You know how to take a little bit of
16:44everything and cook a meal cuz you are
16:47not going to let your family go hungry.
16:50Right? Most of you coveting this this
16:52this kind of a woman, Naomi. You want
16:54the image of the family, but life has a
16:56way of presenting certain things to all
16:58of us. Here it is. For whatever reason,
17:01that man walked out on you.
17:03For whatever reason, you you know,
17:06things just don't work. You don't have
17:08him in the child's life anymore. You
17:10couldn't tell
17:11when was the last time you had a
17:13conversation with him. He's missing. His
17:15number is gone. He He discon- uh
17:17disconnected his number. You Your kids
17:20are longing for their father.
17:23And now you have to step in, like Naomi,
17:26to become the mother and the father, to
17:28play a role that you are not anointed to
17:32play.
17:34How do you handle that?
17:35But women
17:37have an incredible way of doing what
17:40they got to do in order to survive. The
17:43same with Naomi.
17:44She took her two sons and
17:46And then number three, the thing that I
17:48loved about what happened, things start
17:50changing for Naomi. You know, she has
17:53her two sons now. All of a sudden her
17:56two sons
17:57brought joy to her heart because they
17:59got married. And it was kind of a
18:02bittersweet now for Naomi.
18:05How so? Bittersweet because
18:08though she was happy that her sons got
18:10married, she was also sad because now
18:13she was left alone for the second time.
18:17I don't know who I'm talking to.
18:19She's left alone for the second time.
18:22Her husband, she loved him. He's dead.
18:24He's gone.
18:25Left with her two sons. And some of you
18:27mothers, you hold on to your children.
18:30You don't want to let them go. Some of
18:31you have turned your sons into mama's
18:34boy. You know, you turned your daughters
18:36into mama's girl. And it it's hard for
18:39you to to deal with them leaving home
18:42and going out in life to struggle and
18:44and to make life on their own. Same with
18:47Naomi.
18:49Now that her sons came in and says,
18:51"Mom, we found the love of our lives.
18:53You know, we want to live what you and
18:55Daddy used to live. We're going to get
18:57married. We're going to go on our own
18:58now." And can you imagine the pain in
19:01Naomi's heart knowing that she had her
19:04boys, that they were there, they were,
19:06you know, her life. And now two women
19:09came into her space and took her two
19:13sons away like some of you women are
19:15having a difficult time with come on now
19:18with your sons' wives.
19:21You know, you you can't handle it.
19:24Because
19:25the truth is they have threatened your
19:29comfort.
19:31To you, you're feeling they stole
19:32something from you.
19:35But you know, life has a way of
19:38repeating itself.
19:41The final thing I want to tell you about
19:43Naomi is that those two boys, the two
19:46boys that she perhaps got mad that they
19:49got married and left her, those two boys
19:53now
19:55died.
19:57They passed away.
19:59Her two sons
20:01the the the two people who were
20:03connected to her by blood
20:06now died.
20:07Naomi was forced now to leave Moab. She
20:10was done.
20:11Because women understand that that that
20:14sometimes you have to leave the
20:16environment that gave you the most
20:19painful experiences.
20:22She couldn't handle it. I got to leave
20:24Moab. I'm going back to where we left. I
20:27know there's a famine there, but there's
20:29nothing here for me to do. I've got to
20:32leave. You know what? It's you know, I
20:35lost my husband. I came here to make a
20:36good life and you know, I thought things
20:38were working well and and now my two
20:41sons. Naomi did what she had to do to
20:45comfort and to confront
20:48the challenges of life. To comfort
20:50herself
20:51and to confront the challenges of life
20:53and you too must do the same. All of you
20:56women, you too must do the same. You've
21:00got to do the same. You got to do what
21:01you got to do
21:03to meet the challenges of life. I don't
21:05know what your challenges are.
21:07But you've got to do what you got to do
21:09to stand up.
21:11And when life change things on you, you
21:14got to stand tall and strong. You got to
21:18readjust. You got to do what you got to
21:20do to make sure you don't break in
21:23difficult times. And listen, another
21:26example of a woman who did what she had
21:29to do
21:30was Moses' mother.
21:33You see, Pharaoh had decreed that all of
21:36the baby boys of Israel would be thrown
21:39in the River Nile
21:40because he, Pharaoh, was fearful of them
21:44becoming too powerful.
21:46You see, women give birth to their
21:47children.
21:49And you know you've prayed over your
21:50children. You've declared greatness and
21:52you've declared the power and the
21:54anointing of God over your children.
21:57And then there are things that are
21:58threatening your children out there.
22:00The child There There are things that
22:02are threatening your children.
22:05Crime, drugs, wrong company.
22:09Your Your Your kids under their pressure
22:12their their pressure of their peers. You
22:14know,
22:15if you're not careful, it it it it
22:17drives you crazy and it makes you feel
22:20insecure. Makes you feel sad. It makes
22:22you panic.
22:24Just like
22:26the story of Moses' mother.
22:30His mother was concerned.
22:32There's a decree out there that every
22:34male child must be thrown into the river
22:38because the king was fearful of the
22:41potential of that child. What do you do
22:44when you know you got to send your
22:46children out to school every day?
22:48What do you do when you know your kids
22:50going to their cars and they're driving
22:51around? When they're jogging like
22:53recently, an unarmed black guy
22:57was jogging
22:59in a neighborhood. I mean I mean we we
23:02we got to look at this reality. How long
23:05should a certain race of people and if
23:08anybody know me, I'm not a racist.
23:11I pastor all kinds of people, all kinds
23:13of culture and race in this church.
23:16But when are we going to stop this
23:18madness for one race to think that
23:20they're superior over the other?
23:23When are we going to stop this that you
23:25think that a black person is not
23:27qualified to run in a neighborhood
23:31or live in a neighborhood?
23:33Do you know the pain black mothers go
23:35through
23:37to have black children
23:39and to know that their children are
23:41going to go in a society that's going to
23:44threaten them just because of the color
23:47of their skin as IF THEY HAD ANYTHING to
23:49do with how they were born?
23:52And two men
23:54who so far I don't know all the facts,
23:56so I'm not trying to cast judgment here.
23:59But two men who have a history of
24:02certain ideology,
24:04a certain belief system, felt it was
24:07necessary and lied about it to cover it
24:10up. It was necessary to take an innocent
24:14boy's life
24:16who didn't even get to see 26 years on
24:19this planet.
24:21Like Moses' mother,
24:24she was threatened.
24:26The king,
24:28the higher power,
24:30was there saying every male child
24:33is going to die. Anyone that has a
24:36Jewish blood in them
24:39will die.
24:41Think about that for a moment and she
24:44had to do what she had to do. When the
24:46child was born, she hid him for 3
24:47months.
24:49Do you know what it is
24:50to give birth to that joy and that that
24:55thing and that baby, that child that
24:57you've prayed for, you've carried for 9
25:00months knowing that there's a world out
25:02there threatening your child.
25:05She went and she hid Moses and when she
25:09could not
25:10any longer, the Bible says she placed
25:12him in a basket and put him watch this
25:15when I read this,
25:16I was like God, this is something else.
25:19She placed him in the same river
25:22that Pharaoh wanted
25:25to drown him in. The same river.
25:27Why would God touch a mother to give
25:30birth to her son, to her daughter
25:34knowing that the world is out there to
25:36threaten your child, to kill your child,
25:39to destroy your child, to take from your
25:41child, yet you will cover your child so
25:45much and put that child into something
25:49and send them out in the world. Listen
25:51to me, there are many mothers, many
25:53women out there, you have grabbed your
25:55children, some of you have adopted
25:57children, I'm going to include you too.
25:59Some of you are grandmothers taking over
26:02from where your children have failed,
26:04right? But but you would would do
26:06anything to put your child in a safe
26:09environment, you would educate them, you
26:11would protect them, you would give them
26:13all kinds of stuff, you would buy them
26:15just about anything you could can
26:17afford.
26:18Yet you will still put them out in the
26:21environment that you are scared of.
26:24The environment that you know
26:26potentially can destroy them. That's
26:28exactly
26:30what
26:31uh Moses' mother did. She placed him in
26:34the basket.
26:36Placed him there.
26:37Pharaoh's own daughter went down to the
26:40river to wash herself
26:42and when she saw Moses in the basket
26:46the baby started crying, she called for
26:48one of her maids
26:49to take him home. God has a unique way.
26:53Oh, glory to God.
26:54What the enemy meant for evil,
26:57God has a unique way
27:00of turning it around for your good.
27:03The very bloodline or thing that was
27:07attached to the thing that's trying to
27:09kill Moses, the daughter.
27:12The daughter of Pharaoh, God used her
27:15to call for her maid and say, "Take him
27:17home." Moses grew up in Pharaoh's
27:20Pharaoh's daughter took him as her own
27:23and called him Moses
27:24because she drew drew him
27:27uh from the water. A woman
27:29a woman, I believe, will do anything
27:32anything to get through life.
27:34She said, "I pulled this boy from the
27:37water
27:38that was dangerous for him.
27:42Was dangerous for a baby. He doesn't
27:43know how to swim.
27:45You all know that you sometimes your
27:46children, just like the story in the
27:48Bible of the prodigal, you know,
27:51sometimes you your children think they
27:52know how to handle themselves out in the
27:55world, but you know better.
27:57You provide a covering for them.
28:00You see,
28:01what is your story?
28:03What is your story like? What is your
28:06story like of your struggles as a woman,
28:10as a mother?
28:12What did you have to do or what did you
28:14had to do, I should say, to navigate
28:17through the things
28:19in life
28:20in order to overcome them?
28:23Many of you have your own stories of the
28:25things you had to do
28:27in order to overcome the obstacles of
28:30your life. So, the question I have to
28:31ask you today
28:34that comes from Proverbs 31:10,
28:37it says, "Who can find a virtuous
28:40woman?" Who?
28:41Who can find a virtuous woman?
28:45And I think the best answer was given in
28:47verse 25.
28:49The best answer because a lot of people
28:52think a virtuous woman
28:54they somehow attach that to a virgin.
28:58Who can find a virgin? A woman that's a
29:01virgin.
29:02A virtuous woman.
29:05Pure and holy, never been touched by a
29:07man.
29:08A woman that's never cursed. A woman
29:11that's never done
29:12you know, stuff out there that that
29:16people be ashamed of.
29:18But you're going to see in verse 25
29:22that
29:24the author was giving you some answers.
29:26And of course from verse um
29:2811 down on there was different answers,
29:30but I I found the best one.
29:33So, you want to know why women will
29:35always do what they have to do
29:38to get through life? Verse 25 says,
29:41"Strength and honor
29:43are her clothing." Let me stop there for
29:46a moment. Strength and honor
29:48are
29:49her clothing. She's clothed
29:52with strength and honor.
29:55Somehow
29:57a woman
29:58will press her way through because of
30:02the strength that God placed on the
30:05inside of her. Listen to me, woman of
30:07God. There's strength in you.
30:10Whatever you're faced with today
30:13whatever uncertainties you are worried
30:16about, I'm telling you a virtuous woman
30:20is a woman full of strength.
30:23You've got an incredible amount of
30:25strength in you. Why? Because God wired
30:27you that way.
30:29God wired you that way. You can go
30:32through the worst situations in life and
30:35you come out as pure gold.
30:39Come on now.
30:40It's your strength. Lean to your
30:42strength.
30:43Not to your weakness.
30:45Lean to your strength
30:47and honor.
30:49She honor. Here's that word. Not only
30:51it's our strength, but it's
30:54the honor that is given to her. And I
30:56want to say to all of you children
30:57today,
30:59your mom is still alive,
31:01your dad is still alive, give honor
31:03to them.
31:05Give honor to your mom. In this case,
31:06because it's Mother's Day,
31:08give honor to your mom. Honor to your
31:11mom. Well, you know, Henry, you just
31:13don't understand. She don't deserve it.
31:15No, no, no, no. Give honor to your mom.
31:18Honor your mother and your father that
31:20your days may be long. You honoring your
31:23parents has nothing to do with the way
31:25they treated you. God's going to take
31:27care of them.
31:30Trust me on that. God's going to take
31:32care of every parent who did you wrong.
31:35But on your end, if you want to live
31:38long on the earth,
31:40if you want to live long to maximize
31:42your full potential, well, here's the
31:44word of the Lord to you. Strength and
31:47honor. She's clothed with those things.
31:50So, you give honor to your parents.
31:53Because because what goes around,
31:57you got it,
31:58comes around.
32:00It'll come back to you.
32:02Honor your parents.
32:04So, if you've not yet picked up the
32:05phone, made a phone call, do it.
32:08Do it. Well, it's too late now to get a
32:10gift, right? Do I understand that, but
32:12but do something.
32:14Do something. Honor your parents. Do
32:17something for them today. Be creative.
32:20Let the Holy Spirit guide you to tell
32:22you how to be creative. And watch him
32:25bless your life.
32:27So women
32:28you want to be virtuous, you want to be
32:30great, listen, especially women of
32:32faith,
32:34being a virtuous woman has nothing to do
32:37with you being as natural as possible.
32:41You know, not wearing certain things or
32:44long dress or speaking a certain way or
32:47how you can quote scriptures or how, you
32:50know, you can brag in holiness holiness
32:53cuz you're not sleeping with nobody,
32:55you're not lying, you're not stealing
32:57and so forth. No, that's not a virtuous
32:58woman. Read the text.
33:02A virtuous woman is the woman who uh
33:05demonstrates her strength
33:08in times of weakness.
33:10A virtuous woman is a woman that has
33:12been honored. What are people saying
33:14about you? Truly.
33:16I'm not talking about people who just,
33:18you know, in your face will say certain
33:20things. What are people saying about
33:22What are your children saying about you?
33:25Are they giving you honor
33:27or the opposite of that? Dishonor.
33:30So, I challenge you today
33:32as you walk in your strength. Do what
33:35you got to do, ladies.
33:37Do what you have to do.
33:40I know sometimes you're left with the
33:42responsibility
33:44of being the head.
33:46I know you're left with the
33:47responsibility of being a mother,
33:51a father,
33:53the wife,
33:54the husband,
33:56and sometimes you have to be the
33:58children right?
34:00I know you play a lot of roles,
34:04but I'm telling you,
34:06you're wired with the ability
34:09to perform.
34:11Oh,
34:12if you could tell your own story
34:15of how many times you were at your
34:17breaking point,
34:19but God kept you.
34:23God kept you.
34:25You've had a lot of losses. Some of
34:27you've lost your husband.
34:30Some of you have lost that person that
34:33you were dating
34:35hoping to marry one day
34:38because death came before the marriage
34:42and took them away.
34:44Some of you have lost your children
34:47cuz they have died.
34:50But some of you, you've lost a lot of
34:52people
34:54but they did not physically die.
34:59What happened is
35:01that man that you were dating
35:05it just never worked.
35:08You found out a whole lot of stuff
35:12and it broke you.
35:14For some of you, he walked out.
35:17For some of you ladies, right now
35:20you want a man. You're trying to find
35:23one.
35:24You're trying to look and you just
35:26can't.
35:28And your space is void, it's empty.
35:32Some of you, your children
35:34they're alive
35:36but they don't call.
35:38They don't come by.
35:40In the midst of this pandemic you would
35:43think they'd be so concerned about you.
35:45You haven't heard from them, you haven't
35:47heard from your grandchildren
35:50because
35:52they're not like the wives of Naomi's
35:56sons.
35:58Both of them when Naomi said, "I'm going
36:00back."
36:01They said, "No, we'll go with you.
36:04We can't stay here."
36:07They walked out on you.
36:10Some of you are left by yourself
36:12and it's painful.
36:14And that's why today is a day for you.
36:16You're like, "What am I going to do?"
36:18You do what you got to do to survive.
36:22OH, I'M NOT TELLING you you can't cry.
36:24I'm I'm telling you it's not painful.
36:26I'M NOT TELLING YOU DON'T express your
36:28feelings. Express your feelings. Do what
36:31you got to do. Scream, whatever, get it
36:34out. Talk to a counselor. Do what you
36:37got to do.
36:39That's it.
36:41Do what you got to do. Slam the
36:42refrigerator six times.
36:45Turn all the faucets in the house.
36:48Throw your shoes on the wall. Whatever
36:50you got to do. Just don't break nothing
36:52cuz you got to pay for it at the end.
36:55Whatever you got to do.
36:56Just express yourself.
36:58But in the end, the woman of God, I
37:00don't know who this word is for.
37:03And if I'm talking to you,
37:05I ask that you respond because I want to
37:07read it. I want to know that God sent me
37:09here today to tell a woman do what you
37:12got to do to survive.
37:14Do what you got to do.
37:16Do what you got to do. You got to tell
37:18yourself, I got to do what I got to do.
37:21Oh, hallelujah. I sense the presence of
37:23God right now. Do what you have have to
37:25do
37:26in order to survive.
37:28You will survive, but you cannot
37:32allow yourself to sink into depression,
37:34to allow yourself to think that you are
37:36not worthy. You are full of honor and
37:39you're clothed with strength.
37:43Cuz that's how God created you.
37:46I wish I could bring back what you have
37:48lost.
37:50That would be the story of Naomi.
37:53If she could have brought her husband
37:55back or two sons,
37:56absolutely.
37:58But life has a way of not bringing back
38:00to you what you've lost.
38:03Life has a way of not bringing back the
38:04relationships you have lost. Life has a
38:06way of sometimes not bringing the
38:09children who went astray. Your story may
38:12not be where the prodigal came home
38:15and apologized and was brought back into
38:18the family. Maybe your story is not
38:20that.
38:23But I tell you what
38:25you have the power to do
38:28what you have to do.
38:30Would you just stretch your hands
38:32towards that screen and let me pray with
38:34you? Father,
38:35I thank you today
38:37that you have empowered me to speak to
38:41that woman.
38:43Ah, she needed this word today.
38:47She needed this Mother's Day's message
38:54to remind her
38:56that she's virtuous.
38:59She's full of strength
39:01and honor.
39:04That she has it within her
39:08to be the woman
39:10that you've called her to be.
39:13Even with pieces,
39:15even with the fragments of her life on
39:17the floor,
39:19even while she's bleeding,
39:23you can heal her and you can bring her
39:25through. Bless the mothers today, I
39:27pray.
39:29Strengthen them.
39:31Bless those, God, who are desiring to be
39:34a mom.
39:36God, give them an uncommon opportunity,
39:38an uncommon blessing to fulfill that
39:41dream of being a mother.
39:44I pray, Lord,
39:46that every woman under the sound of my
39:49voice
39:50will take this message, listen to it
39:52again and again so that her spirit can
39:55be fed, her faith can be developed
39:58because faith comes by hearing
40:01and hearing by the word of God. Thank
40:03you Lord
40:05for ministering to them today. Thank you
40:07for the men
40:09who are supporting these women. Thank
40:10you for the army of men globally who are
40:14praying that God will touch them.
40:16Men who won't feel jealous or left out
40:19because our day will come
40:21when we'll be honored.
40:24But for the women,
40:26we honor them.
40:27Bless them now, I pray.
40:30And Father, I thank you
40:32for every person watching and those who
40:34will watch the rebroadcast of this
40:36message
40:38that the same anointing that was in the
40:39first service,
40:41that they will sense it. They'll feel
40:43your presence before them.
40:46Now Father, we thank you for every
40:47person who have given,
40:49who have supported this ministry,
40:52who have planted a seed
40:53in helping us to make sure messages like
40:56these
40:57will get out to other people.
41:00That they will be ambassadors and they
41:02will support the ministry financially.
41:05Thank you for their giving.
41:06Thank you for blessing their lives.
41:09I pray for every person in need of a
41:11miracle, a financial miracle,
41:14that you'll grant it on to them in
41:16Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Somebody ought
41:20to shout hallelujah. Everyone, this is
41:23Henry Fernandez and I want to thank you
41:25so much for watching this video, my
41:27friends, and I want you to subscribe to
41:29my channel. And my friends, give me a
41:32thumbs up if you like the video, hit the
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41:39I'm sending out on a daily basis. And
41:42please, I want you to follow me on all
41:45of my social media platforms. And
41:48remember, you can connect with me on my
41:49website henryfernandez.org
41:52or the faithcenterint.org.
41:55My friends, faith in your God will
41:58always move mountains out of your life.