You may be wondering why the title of this post has a negative connotation which is contrary to the usual titles of my articles. There is a good reason for this. I want to emphasize the seriousness of this topic that I am about to discuss.

Throughout the ages, women have been competing against men to ascertain their rightful place in society. They have been fighting for equal rights at the workplace and in every aspect of society. They have been trying hard to prove that whatever men can do they can also do and possibly even better.

Recently in the news two women have graduated from the army’s ranger school. The training involve in this part of the arm forces is very grueling and it was believed that women were too weak to participate in this area. Well, those two women have proved them wrong.

Are women really weaker than men? This question can easily attract some very heated debate because most women do believe that they are as strong as men. But is this really accurate? The bible does imply that women are indeed weaker than men.

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

When I look up the meaning of weaker vessel in the English dictionary all the definitions were negative. The dictionary said weaker vessel means an ineffective person, deficient in vigor, sickly, feeble, weak mind, lacking resoluteness and the list continues on a downward negative path.

I became discouraged, and I asked the Lord, “Did you make women feeble and sickly. A person who is ineffective and lack strength?”

The Lord said, “No, I did not!” As usual the Lord told me to return to the beginning of creation when He created man.

So God created man in His own image: in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet comparable to him. (Genesis 2:18)

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept, and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman and he brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; He shall be called woman because she was taken out of the man.” (Genesis 2:21-23)

 I want you to follow me closely as the Lord revealed the spiritual revelation of the above scriptures. The first scripture stated that God created man, male and female, He created them.

The Lord first created man in the spiritual realm, but this man incorporates both female and male. Gender did not segregate him. He was a prototype, and so both sexes were derived from him.

In the physical realm, God knelt on the ground and gathered the dust and created a male body. Then He breathed into this body His spirit which gave him life. This was a perfect man yet God recognized that His perfection needs improvement because there was another entity within this man that must come forth from him.

Hence, God put the man to sleep and took out one of his ribs and created the female body and then breathed in her His spirit that gives her life.

Of course when God took her to Adam he immediately recognized that she was a part of him – she was his wife. However, his wife was a unique and important part of him.

God created the physical man with tremendous power and strength. As a result of this power, pride could easily influence his mind as it did Lucifer (Ezekiel 28). So, in order to allow man to maintain a humble spirit God removed his strength and gave it to the woman. This is signified by the rib that he took from him. The bone is the strongest part of the body.

Now this spiritual transference of strength only occurs in marriage, and that is why Adam claimed her as his wife when God presented her to him.

Therefore when the scripture advised the husbands to honor their wife as the weaker vessel it was not referring to the physical ability of women it was specifically reminding the men that his wife possess his strength so he needs to respect and love her so that his prayers will not be hindered.

If the husband strength is transferred to the wife, the man has become weaker but because they are technically one body in marriage, it means that the most vulnerable part of him is the woman who controls his strength. Do you understand? Think about it carefully.

Throughout the bible, you will notice that the wives have some tremendous influence over their husbands and if their influence is bad they fall into sin. The devil knew this and so he target the wife and ensure that he deceived her first because he knew she would easily influence the husband. So sin entered the world via the woman. (Genesis 3)

Another example is Abraham who was influenced by his wife to have a child with her handmaid instead of waiting on the promises of God. The consequences brought tension and problems in the household but God knew the weakness of man and did not withdraw His promise to Abraham but instead fulfilled it and he had a child with his wife in their old age. The Lord said it, and it must come to pass.

A research of all the kings of Israel in the books of Kings and Chronicles in the bible revealed that most of the kings were crowned at a very tender age, and their mothers name were mentioned. Why was their mothers’ name given in the bible? A name signify your reputation as an individual, it gives you your identity and it also foretells your destiny.

Therefore, these young kings were greatly influenced by their mothers. If the King was known for his wicked and idolatrous reign, he learned his bad habits from his mothers.

If the kings walk in way of the Lord and were obedient to Him throughout their reign, they learned their good behavior from the examples of their mothers, not from their fathers. The father usually died when they were still young and that was the reason they received the throne at an early age.

It is important that women recognized their strength and power which God gave them. The men are physically stronger, yes, but we do not need to compete with them because where they are physically weak you are strong and vice versa.

Women need to use their strength wisely and positively. Be a good role model for your children and influence your husband in a godly way. Therefore, you need to ensure that you develop a firm relationship with God and is obedient to Him.

Women, use the strength of your influence to give LIFE and not death.