I can remember it like it was yesterday. I heard a knock at my door very late at night. It was a young pastor friend of mine who was seeking shelter because the police were looking for him to arrest him. His crime: helping a young woman escape her Muslim parents who allegedly wanted to kill her for converting to Christianity.
This young lady was protected and would go on to fight her parents in court and had to suffer many trials for her conversion. She and I later became very good friends. As the years went on and life became busy, I lost contact with her (mostly due to her trying to protect herself and others). After a few years of separation, while watching Christian television, I rediscovered my friend, Rifqa Bary. She had matured into a vibrant young woman, and I watched her boldly share her story of this on a national TV show in the USA called The 700 Club! In spite of her life still being under assault, she shared on the program how she escaped Islam and how God is now using her testimony.
A Dream of the Rising Remnant
After watching this, I went to bed with a deep heart of gratitude before the Lord for preserving her life and allowing me to see the fruit of it. Many of us will never understand what it's like to have a price on our head for the Gospel. However, God in His mercy is calling forth a remnant of women out the greatest oppression, and healing their wounds. He is calling His Church to wash the wounds of a hurting society made up of the most oppressed women and children. That night, God confirmed this to me in a dream.
In the dream, I was at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, at an outdoor prayer gathering with thousands of people. A spiritual father of mine, Lou Engle, was handed the microphone and began to say, “It's time for the women preachers to arise! If you're called and you're a woman preacher, get up here.” Suddenly thousands began running and charging the stage. My spiritual father then said, “OK, I guess I'm done here.” I then said to him, “You're not done, because it's time for you to release your mantle, like Elijah, on a company of Elishas, except they are women. This is not going to just mark them, but brand them.”
I then got on an elevator to go into a room where I saw hundreds of Muslim women dressed in burqas, who I knew were empty and spiritually hungry. They were waiting to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We began praying for the women, and the dream ended.
Dream Interpretation: Wake Up Sleeping Beauty!
The dream took place in America at a memorial to President Abraham Lincoln – who is recognized for his work in freeing the slaves – because God is releasing an “Emancipation Proclamation” to women preachers. Their prayers have come up as a memorial before God, and they are being called to take their place on the stage of history.
The older generation of preachers are not done, until they raise up their sons and daughters. God wants spiritual fathers and mothers to pass their mantle to their double-portion daughters as well, to preach with Holy Spirit power. The women in burqas represent not only the impact this will have in the Middle East, but women being emancipated from every religious bondage through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
In short, I believe this dream represents how God is waking up His sleeping beauty, the Church, and how women will play a key role in liberating the nations. The mandate of Joel 2:16 is to break this bondage through repentance. God called His servant Joel to call the nation of Israel to come together in the place of fasting and repentance for the sins of the nation.
How to Break the Bondage
It is interesting to me because, as women, we often ask our children to repent when they've done wrong, or our spouses when they've made mistakes. Well, I believe God is asking women to take the first step in repentance. Why must women repent? In America, we opened the doors to feminism and liberalism – two movements that resulted in the abortion crisis, all done in the name of having rights to our own bodies. As a result, over 60 million babies have been aborted. Women must take responsibility as priests before the Lord in brokenness for what breaks our heavenly Father's heart. In response, God will act on behalf of our prayers.
In conclusion, I have a charge for the women who are reading this: You may not have a major platform before men, but you have the most powerful weapon in your hands; it's called prayer and fasting! I believe fasting and prayer are forerunners to revival and awakening – that's where Joel 2:16 and Acts 2:17 come into play. God pouring out His Spirit on all flesh is a result of the Church being aligned with God's heart. Do you want to see revival in your city, your public school, and your workplace? It starts with you and me in prayer and fasting. This is the place God will anoint you with power.
Acts 1:8 says, “…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” This power will come upon a fasting and praying people because you can't break the back of Islam or abortion (or any stronghold for that matter) in the natural. It's not enough to be a popular speaker or charismatic preacher. Beloved, you must have the power of God.
This power is already being poured upon women all over the world and God is visiting Muslims in dreams and revealing the Messiah. God is rescuing young girls from sex slavery and using fearless, laid-down lovers to partner with Him, and many of them are women. God is calling housewives and businesswomen to humble themselves so He can use them as His witnesses in the earth and be used in this great move of God in every sphere of influence!
A Charge to Women
Women of God, my charge to you is this: In the name of Jesus, take your place! You have a voice before Heaven that now will be used on Earth. You are emancipated and are being empowered to preach the Gospel! Women, its time to answer the call, to run the race set before you and contend for an epic outpouring.
Take up the charge and preach the Gospel. It is Psalm 68:11-12 (NASB) which says, “The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: ‘Kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home will divide the spoil!'” Women, when you respond to this call you will impact your homes and societies!
