Larry Sparks: "God is Handing Out Swords and Mantles to His Wonder Women"

Intro from Julie A. Smith:

I truly believe that women are being called to take on the toughest issues of our day...throughout the nations of the earth.

Larry Sparks, publisher of Destiny Image, nails it in his latest article about the Lord mantling women. If you've noticed we've published quite a few articles lately regarding the Lord raising up women in this hour. This is a clarion call for the women of God to take their palace. Daughters of God, you are being summoned by the King "for such a time as this" to take your place, your palace, in the Kingdom!

This excerpt by Larry Sparks is so true...but it needs to be said, and I'm glad he did:

For too long, Christianity has perpetuated a "women's conference" mentality, where anointed and gifted women "preachers" are given opportunities to share what Holy Spirit has put on their hearts—but in a restrained setting, women-to-women. Yes, continue to have women's conferences. Yes, continue to ensure that women disciple women. The problem is this cannot be all there is.

I prophesy that the hour is at hand where women are going to be released from exclusively speaking to women. Because they have been "knighted" by their Father in Heaven, I see the daughters of God arising to boldly declare the Word of the Lord to the Church and release supernatural solutions into the broken parts of society.

Together women and men of God...we are being called to so much more. I truly believe God is calling us to shift culture(s) and make a huge impact in today's society at large! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Julie A. Smith, Managing Editor
Elijah List Publications
http://www.elijahlist.com

While watching the movie Wonder Woman with my family, I sensed the Holy Spirit present a series of prophetic thoughts directed at what He is doing in women in this generation.

The Lord is handing out swords to women in this hour! A sword represents authority. A sword qualifies you to fight. A sword is not a shield. A shield is defensive, but a sword is offensive.

In the spirit, I see the King of glory knighting women with swords, as if to authorize them to offensively advance the Kingdom into spheres of society that demand solutions only Holy Spirit can provide. When men carry these solutions, half of the assignment is being accomplished—and that's great. But when the Spirit was poured out, men represented only half of the containers purposed to carry God's glory, power, and strategies into the Earth; women are the missing link. I believe God's wonder women are the key to unlocking the fullness of outpouring into the Earth, an outpouring that will only come to the world through the people of God.

Women Will Bring Solutions to Society

The Lord is releasing women from the restraints of the "Women's Conference Circuit." As daughters of God, you carry messages, anointings, talents and leadership abilities that are purposed to bring solutions to problems. It's not just solutions for women; it's solutions for both the Body of Christ and society at large.

For too long, Christianity has perpetuated a "women's conference" mentality, where anointed and gifted women "preachers" are given opportunities to share what Holy Spirit has put on their hearts—but in a restrained setting, women-to-women. Yes, continue to have women's conferences. Yes, continue to ensure that women disciple women. The problem is this cannot be all there is.

I prophesy that the hour is at hand where women are going to be released from exclusively speaking to women. Because they have been "knighted" by their Father in Heaven, I see the daughters of God arising to boldly declare the Word of the Lord to the Church and release supernatural solutions into the broken parts of society.

"Take up the sword and step into your assignment."

The Lord is releasing mantles to women. A mantle was passed from Elijah the prophet to Elisha, his successor. In Charismatic circles, we have this picture of receiving someone else's mantle. I want the mantle of Wigglesworth or I want the mantle of Kuhlman. This cheapens what mantles are, as they are not for a human being to give, nor are they exclusive property of one person or another. Mantles are God's to give and they represent supernatural power for specific assignments.

The Spirit is not passing out mantles based on the qualification of gender. Women of God, if you read historical examples of men serving as catalysts for national awakening, for engaging cultural crisis, and shifting the course of history, I sense the Holy Spirit is asking you a question: Do you want it? How do you know that God might have one to give you? Simple.

• What problems in society or the Church particularly burden you? Do you have a passion to bring solutions to these issues?

• What stories and historical figures cause your heart to burn? Those past examples are testimonies of what measure of change and transformation are possible through an able and willing man or woman.

What Qualifies You for a Mantle?

Mantles are not for Charismatic showcase—to show off our power, gifts of the Spirit, abilities, etc. Mantles provide "able" to your willing (more about the willing part below). They are endowments of unusual supernatural power and strategy, not so you can appear spiritual, but so you can solve problems through the Holy Spirit's means and methods. Mantles are the exclusive property of God and God alone; He distributes them as He sovereignly desires. And yet, the Sovereign God is searching the Earth for those who are filled with His Spirit, burdened for what burdens Him, and asking for a mantle of transformational power. So, what qualifies you to receive this? (Photo via Pixabay)

What qualifies you for a mantle? While processing this word about mantles, I sensed that, for many women, there is often "a wall". It makes sense for women to ask for mantles that were on the "wonders women" of the past—Aimee Semple McPherson or Kathryn Kuhlman or Maria Woodworth-Etter. But what about women asking for the mantles upon Billy Graham, Reinhard Bonnke, William Wilberforce, or Jonathan Edwards?

What makes mantles spiritually appealing are the end-results we tend to focus on as recorded in history books: cities transformed, bodies healed, devils cast out, nations reformed, multitudes of souls brought into the Kingdom, supernatural strategies that release solutions, etc. But for history to truly and fully capture what's involved in stewarding a mantle—an assignment from Heaven with significant, measurable results—yes, end-results must be presented, along with the cost. The demand. The price. And the question: Do you want it? How you answer this question determines your qualification to receive mantles from Heaven, regardless of the genders of the person who stewarded them in times past.

Do you want what those reformers and revivalists of old carried? Do you want that level of glory? Are you willing to pay that high of a price?

Gender does not qualify you to be used by God in a history-shaping, reformational manner. Gender does not qualify you to receive or not receive a mantle. Consider Paul's reminding words to the Galatians: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28, ESV).

What qualifies you is the same response that qualified every person throughout history who has ever been used by God: will you say, "Yes?" It's one thing to say "yes" with your lips; will you say it with your life? Your "yes" qualifies you for the mantle that God wants to give you, in the same manner that Elisha's "yes" to Elijah qualified him to receive that "double portion" mantle.

A Prophetic Restoration of the Genesis 1 Dominion Mandate

There are several moments in Wonder Woman where both the lead male character and Diana (Wonder Woman) are fighting the enemy, side-by-side. The male is not less masculine because of the presence of a powerful woman. Likewise, the powerful woman is not hidden so the strength of the male can be given prominence.

When male and female—operating in their created capacities and identifies—take up their weapons of warfare and fight together, I believe satan will experience a nightmare scenario. (Photo via Wikimedia)

The redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross set us free from the curse of the law (see Gal. 3:13). I often fear that the modern Church is not aware of how expansive her redemption is. When the Spirit of God was poured out on Pentecost, power was released thus authorizing both men and women to advance the Kingdom of God on Earth. The disciples asked about when the Kingdom would be restored to Israel, right? Jesus didn't ignore their question with His response; He just issued a superior answer. They were asking about some form of world-takeover; Jesus introduced something infinitely more powerful and impacting.

Remember how Paul explained our Kingdom-advancing assignment: "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Cor. 10:3-4, ESV).

We do warfare in the invisible realm. As victories are secured in the spirit, there are measurable tangible shifts in the visible realm. There are cultural changes. Governments are impacted. Bodies are healed. Torment is broken. This demands prayer and intercession, yes, but it also demands presence. It demands the presence of God being carried by men and women into the epicenters of battle. Into media, arts, entertainment, politics, government, education and every other spheres of society. It demands man and woman fighting together, without distraction. Without men compromising their distinctives, and likewise, without women laying down theirs. When men and women partner together to do warfare in the spirit realm, occupying high places of leadership and influence, a dominion is released that takes us right back to Genesis 1.

God's assignment to man and woman, together, was: "And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth'" (Gen. 1:28).

"What problems in society or the Church particularly burden you?"

God blessed "them" (not just him-Adam). God said to them to "subdue" the earth and have "dominion...over every living thing that moves on the earth."

When men and women fight together, lead together, preach together, and advance the Kingdom together, there will be a powerful manifestation of darkness being subdued and the "creeping" ones—satan and his demons—being crushed under the feet of an authorized and anointed Ekklesia.

Decrees Over God's Wonder(s) Women

• I decree that you are receiving a sword in this season—a sword of authority for your assignment. I decree that, right now, you are being set free from any intimidation associated with the assignment the Lord is extending to you.

• I break off word curses that have been pronounced over you.

• I break off the lie that your words, voice, and your thoughts don't matter, either because they were rejected or because someone spoke over you.

• I decree your words matter—if women don't prophesy, lead, and boldly speak forth, the fullness of Holy Spirit outpouring will not be released. It's a "sons and daughters" movement.

• I decree that mantles are being released by the Sovereign God—not male or female mantles, but Holy Spirit mantles that release power for reformation assignments and callings.

• I decree that you are qualified for these mantles, not because of your gender, but because you said "Yes" to the One who distributes mantles.

For the Lord would ask: "Do you want it?" His invitation is not exclusive to a certain gender; it's simply for whosoever will. Take up the sword and step into your assignment. You are God's wonders woman, anointed and authorized to release the wonders of His Kingdom into the Earth! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Larry Sparks, MDiv
Equip Culture
Email: equipculture@gmail.com
Website: www.lawrencesparks.com

Larry Sparks is publisher for Destiny Image, a Spirit-filled publishing house pioneered by Don Nori Sr. in 1983 with a mandate to publish the prophets. Larry is fueled by a vision to help the church community create space for the Holy Spirit to move in freedom, power and revival fire, providing every Christian with an opportunity to have a life-changing encounter in the presence of God. In addition to publishing, Larry is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine, he conducts seminars on revival, hosts regional Renewing South Florida gatherings, and has been featured on Sid Roth's It's Supernatural, TBN, CBN, the ElijahList, and Cornerstone TV. He earned a Master of Divinity from Regent University and enjoys life in Texas with his beautiful wife and beloved daughter.

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