The Apostle Paul stated the need for excellence in the use of spiritual gifts in the book of 1 Corinthians 14:12 saying, ‘for as much as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church” The purpose of every gift is to build up yourself and others, be it in the Church or in the secular world.  Every life must have a purpose. I hear people say many times that, “I am just hanging in there” and I usually respond that you cannot be hanging if your faith is on the Lord of the Universe. His desire is for us to stand! This means that when we are grounded in the word of God, all our faculties will be tuned in to receive divine inspiration from Him to plan, invent, and to leave a mark in the world that we are traveling in.

What is your purpose?  I have been asking this question a lot of everyone or group that I am privileged to minister to. As a woman, a lot of limitations exist to minimize your contribution in many areas because of mindsets. What is important however is that you must understand what the natural order of God is which is that the man is the head of the home. Having said that, the question is, is it possible for you as an individual to think, plan, invent or pioneer anything? Absolutely, yes! These days, we have women who take their studies to the peak of their profession, some making it big in business, ministry and other areas. I researched and found that there exists a long list of women through decades who have invented some really great things and are listed among famous women inventors. The first that caught my attention is Dr. Temple Grandin who did a lot of great studies to improve animal handling devices, earning a PHD and becoming a renowned teacher and speaker. What amazes people is that she did accomplish all these while living with autism. Anyone who has ever driven a car in the rain or snow storm can attest to the high importance of windshield wipers. What a lot of people don’t know is that windshield wipers were invented by a woman.  Mary Anderson received a patent for her car-window cleaning device in the year 1903.

Many more women worthy of note are, Rachel Fuller who co-invented Nystatin, the world’s first useful anti-fungal antibiotic. Marie Curie discovered radium and furthered X-ray technology. Lillian Gilbereth was an inventor, industrial engineer, industrial psychologist, and mother of twelve children! Helen Free was the inventor of the home diabetes test while Ruth Handler invented the Barbie doll in 1959.  Sarah Goode was the first African American woman to receive a US patent. (Culled from www.women-inventors.com ).   

  There are women with severe disabilities who are also doing great things, not allowing their physical limitations to hold them down. I heard about a group of disabled people in Nigeria who teamed up to become a powerful gospel singing group led by a woman simply known as Sister Wonder. It is reported by their matron Rev. Felicia Coker that during a performance in Ijesa Isu in Ekiti State, Nigeria, while the lead vocalist was singing, visible tongues of fire appeared on his head because of the anointing that was upon him.  There are people in church today who  are very healthy but would rather lament about their situation than take charge of it. This group of the blind and lame found a purpose in praising God!

Searching through the Bible, you can find women like Deborah who led a nation into battle. In Judges Chapter 4 verse 9, she told Barak who was commissioned by God to fight with king Jabin of Hazor and doubted his ability to deliver. However, she did say to him, ‘you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman’   That woman was Jael  who was positioned to do the Lord’s bidding.  Her family was friendly with the enemy of Israel, and the captain of the enemy army whose name was Sisera thought he found a hiding place in her tent when his army was defeated and only he escaped. But Jael was on the Lords side. She brought him into her tent, made him comfortable and when he was fast asleep, she drove a nail through his head therefore securing victory for Israel from their oppressors.

  Woman, your purpose is to arise and fight by prayer, by action to snatch our children out of the hands of sin, drugs, sexual perversion, and idleness and deliver them in the name of the Lord from every hold of Satan. We can do it.  It is time to start that business, that ministry, that project. It is alright to ask for help. Remember the woman in 2 kings 4:1-7? She was the wife of one of the sons of the Prophet whose husband died and left her with a lot of debt. She came to Elisha for help and he told her in verse 3. ‘Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels, borrow not a few.’ He then instructed her to shut herself and her children up in their house and pour the oil that she had into the vessels that she had borrowed. When they were all filled up, he told her to sell them and pay her debts. Your miracle is in your hands if you take time to look.  I am challenging you to do something positive that you have never done before that will bless you as well as other people.

   Rev. Grace Eledan is Co-Pastor Leaders Church Intl and the founder of Women Aflame Intl., a friendship network, intercession ministry and charity organization mentoring and mobilizing women to be more productive in their spheres of influence. She can be reached at (718) 503-2580.

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