December 2018
Luke 1:42
“And she exclaimed with a loud voice, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’”
Introduction
Every woman has a womb, a sacred space within her body where life is conceived, grown, and nurtured. This physical womb serves as a powerful symbol of a woman’s spiritual womb, which functions similarly. The spiritual womb is a repository of spiritual insight, intuition, and discernment, where visions, dreams, and purposes are conceived, nurtured, and brought to fruition.
The spiritual womb carries out four essential functions:
1. Implantation: Establishing God-given visions and dreams within a person’s heart and mind.
2. Growth: Nurturing and maturing those visions, allowing them to develop and take shape.
3. Nourishment: Providing spiritual sustenance for growth, sustaining and strengthening the vision.
4. Protection: Safeguarding against harm, negativity, and external influences that may seek to undermine or destroy the vision.
A wife’s role is to be fruitful, implanting, growing, nourishing, and protecting her husband’s God-given vision (seed). Her fruitfulness hinges on these four virtues. When a wife understands and operates in her spiritual womb, she becomes a powerful catalyst for her husband’s success and their shared destiny.
A barren wife often feels lifeless or useless without a seed (the husband’s vision). Rachel said to her husband, “Give me children or else I die” (Genesis 30:1-2). The fruit of the womb is God’s reward to every wife (Psalm 127:3).
When a woman’s spiritual womb is empty because her husband fails to plant his vision in it, the enemy can use it for destructive purposes, opposing God’s plan and causing harm to the children of God. When this happens, the consequences can be devastating for generations.
Biblical Examples:
A) Eve (Genesis 3:1-7, 15)
Eve “saw” that the forbidden tree in the garden was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. She allowed the lies of the serpent to take root in her heart, believing that God was withholding something good from her. This deception led her to view God as untrustworthy.
The serpent’s lies were seeds of mistrust that Eve implanted in her mind, altering how she perceived God. These seeds grew, and as they were nourished and protected. This pattern of disobedience and mistrust led to the curse of sin passing through Adam’s bloodline.
After the fall, Adam changed Eve’s name from “Woman” (indicating oneness) to “Eve” (indicating a shift in their relationship, now based on the children she would bear). Don’t allow the enemy to implant his lies in your spiritual womb, causing harm to your relationship with God and your generations to come.
Eve’s spiritual womb conceived the devil’s lies, leading to disobedience and sin. This pivotal historical moment highlights the importance of guarding our spiritual wombs against deception and temptation. Don’t allow Satan to tempt you to doubt God’s truth and question His intentions.
B) Sarah (Hebrews 11:11-12; Romans 4:19)
Sarah’s womb—both spiritual and physical—not Hagar was the one ordained by God to carry the promised seed, Isaac, a shadow of Christ. This was part of God’s plan for Abraham to fulfil his divine calling. Every woman must understand that God has chosen them to support their husband’s vision or seed.
Sarah, however, conceived the idea to involve Hagar in producing an heir, which was not God’s plan. Wives should be careful not to invite “strange women” into their husband’s vision. God has prepared every wife’s spiritual womb to accommodate the promises He has given to her husband (Gen 17 v 17). The size of the wife’s womb perfectly matches the size of the husband’s vision: “And I will bless her and give you a son by her” (Genesis 17:16).
A wife should not be discouraged when her husband seems not to believe in her spiritual womb (insight or suggestions to matter) (Genesis 17:17-18). It’s the Lord that has given you the insight, and it will surely come to pass, and we will see it.
Despite the deadness of her physical womb, her spiritual womb remained active and alive, filled with faith in God’s promises. Husbands and wives must be vigilant and prayerful to protect the spiritual womb from fear or doubt, which can lead to dangerous decisions, such as when Abraham and Sarah lied about their relationship, thus Pharaoh took Sarah as his wife. If Pharaoh had planted his seed in Sarah’s womb, the promise of God through Isaac would have been compromised- her children would be of the world and in bondage forever.
A Critical Moment in Sarah’s Life
At another time when God had blessed Sarah and opened her spiritual womb for greater works for this vision (mother of nations), this vision should start within one year. Abraham gave Sarah to Abimelech to use the physician and spiritual womb within that time. If Abimelech had slept with her, then the Philistines (one of the prominent enemies of the Israelites) would have been the father of nations.
Even if the promised seed (Isaac) should come after, the Israelites would be ruled and conquered by the Philistines. Since it’s within the year, the devil would have laid claim on the promised seed in her womb if Abimelech had slept with her.
Don’t let worldly gains or fear make you use your spiritual womb to carry the devil’s seed.
Restoring Right Order
When a wife realizes that she has brought a stranger into her home, threatening her husband’s dream or vision, whether present or future, she must correct this mistake by seeking forgiveness and the way forward from God. She must prayerfully cast out the bondwoman (representing Hagar) and her children Genesis 29:9-10; Galatians 4:21-31.
Reflective Question
Woman, if there is no glory in you, why would the kings of this earth desire you, even in your old age when childbearing is impossible? The devil sees the glory ahead and seeks to steal it.
Summary
Sarah’s spiritual and physical womb were prepared for the promised seed, Isaac. Her story illustrates the significance of a wife’s spiritual womb in supporting her husband’s vision. Wives must understand their role in nurturing and protecting their husband’s God-given purposes.
C) Rachel (In Light of the Marriage Instituted by God)
Rachel, although Jacob’s second wife, refused to repent and leave the marriage. became a source of strife in the household, manipulating her way into Jacob’s favor and influencing him to sleep with her maidservants. Her spiritual womb was filled with envy, bad ideas, and evil counsel, all of which disrupted the harmony of Jacob’s family.
Do you tempt another woman’s husband to go out with you?
- Stealing Love and Joy
Rachel’s presence caused Jacob to neglect Leah, his wife, despite Leah bearing three sons for him. This raises a critical question:
“Do you steal love and joy from other people’s homes and marriages due to your own marital dissatisfaction?”
- Contentious Spirit
Rachel was a contentious woman, wrestling with others and causing discord. The devil exploited her womb (insight) to quarrel with others’ homes and prevail against others’ marriages.
The name Naphtali, meaning “I wrestled with my sister and prevailed,” illustrates Rachel’s sinful determination.
- Envy and Manipulation
Rachel’s womb was filled with envy for her sister Leah. Do you envy fellow sisters in Christ or church members blessed by the Lord? Repent from such attitudes.
- Idolatry
As Jacob’s household departed from Syria, Rachel introduced idolatry into their home. She secretly stole her father Laban’s idols, deceiving her husband Jacob (Genesis 31:19, 30-35). When Laban searched for the missing idols, Rachel cleverly concealed them.
This incident led to Jacob’s curse on the unknown thief (Genesis 31:32). Unbeknownst to Jacob, his own wife was the culprit.
- Preparing for Bethel
As Jacob’s household prepared to meet God at Bethel, they consecrated themselves from strange gods and cleansed themselves (Genesis 35:1-4). However, Rachel refused to part with her idols.
- Consequences of Idolatry
As Jacob’s home embarked on a new spiritual journey, no unclean thing could remain. God required purity and holiness. Rachel’s refusal to relinquish her idols made her a hindrance to the family’s spiritual growth.
- God’s Elimination of Idolatry
To maintain the spiritual integrity of Jacob’s household, God eliminated Rachel, the idolatrous woman. Her death served as a reminder that Idolatry has no place in God’s kingdom and spiritual purity is essential for those who follow God.
Rachael introduced strange gods to Jacob’s home as they departed from Syria. She secretly stole her father’s idols unknown to her husband and craftily escaped with them when her father searched for them. This occasion led to Jacob’s curse on whoever stole the idol. In preparation for Jacob’s home to meet with God at Bethel, they consecrated themselves from strange gods and cleansed themselves except for Rachael. Thus, because no unclean thing must continue with this new birth in Jacob’s home, God had to eliminate this idolatrous woman.
- Control and Witchcraft
Rachel controlled Jacob, dictating his interactions with Leah. This is a form of witchcraft. Leah resorted to hiring Jacob’s attention with gifts (Genesis 30:15-16).
- Evil Intentions
Rachel saw her fruitfulness/barrenness as good as being dead. God does not make women spiritually barren, however God did this due to her evil intention. Many women seek to secure another man’s home and hold it hostage by bearing children. This is evil! God eliminates such women.
- Consequences
God initially granted Rachel’s request for a son, she named him Joseph meaning God has taken away my reproach and the Lord shall add to me another son (Gen 30:24). God granted the second request, opened her womb and she conceived. She had sorrow at delivery naming him, Ben-oni, son of sorrow and untimely death. Rachel died near the family home.
- Restoration
When a “Jacob” commits to God, He will remove strange women from his life. O! Woman, repent and avoid destroying others’ homes. Repent and God will give you joy, a good husband, and an open spiritual womb of greatness.
Rachel’s envy of Leah’s fruitfulness and her control over Jacob’s affections led to dysfunction in their marriage. Wives should avoid the temptation to compare themselves to others or to manipulate their husbands for personal gain. Rachel’s desire for children at any cost and her idolatry practices led to her untimely death, showing the dangers of spiritual barrenness and disobedience.
Summary
Rachel’s spiritual womb was filled with evil intentions, causing strife and contention. Her story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us to repent from sinful behaviours and seek God’s restoration. We must guard our spiritual wombs against envy, jealousy, and selfish ambition.
D) Mary, Mother of Jesus (Luke 1:39-45)
Mary’s womb—both spiritual and physical—was pure and prepared to carry the Savior of the world. Her humility and willingness to serve God made her a vessel for His divine purpose. Mary’s spiritual womb was blessed, and she was chosen to bring forth the seed of salvation for humanity. Her example demonstrates the power of a surrendered and consecrated spiritual womb, willing to carry the weight of God’s purpose.
While Eve became the mother of the seed of the serpent through her disobedience, Mary became the mother of the Lord, the seed of the woman, through her faith and obedience.
Prayer Points:
- Lord, let my womb be pure, virgin and holy to conceive Christ-like visions for my husband.
- Help my womb to be dead to sin and temptation, so I do not pass them on to my husband or children.
- Bless my womb with insight to nurture the seed of greatness for my husband and future generations.
- Protect my womb from conceiving anything that could destroy my home or future generations (e.g., the seed of the serpent or Ishmael).
