Christian Women Of Virtue In The Marketplace

By Steve Lyston

The Marketplace is a critical place for the end-time move of God. In looking at Joseph and Pharaoh, we see that both needed each other in order to fulfil their purposes. The Marketplace needs God’s blessings for prosperity, while the church needs the resources in order to fulfil God’s Great Commission.

The Marketplace needs the government of God—meaning, His principles and solutions—to create a global economy for sustainable development. Jesus showed us that the Church cannot focus only on the spiritual needs of its people but also on the physical needs that exist. Remember the five loaves and the two fish.

Not everyone is called to the Marketplace Ministry as Joseph, Daniel, and Mordecai were. It is a special anointing they had on their lives known as the “Governmental Anointing.” It takes a particular grace and capacity for an individual to function both in the spiritual and secular worlds. Joseph, Isaiah, Daniel, and Mordecai were not just ordinary Prophets of God; they could function in both realms effectively. They were able to mentor and manage people in both realms. Not every pastor understands how to manage Marketplace professions.

THE MARKETPLACE WOMAN

Let us look at the women in particular, because they are often more active in these roles. In order to do so, we need to look at the Proverbs 31 woman.

The Proverbs 31 woman is not only a manager of her personal environment, but she is also a marketing entrepreneur.

A virtuous woman in the Marketplace lives a balanced life. 

1. She is a mother, wife (or pastor’s wife), pastor, and manager. She is excellent in all areas and is not found wanting.
2. She is not a feminist.
3. She is a lady, and there is a difference between a woman and a lady. A lady always dresses like a queen: modest, leaving much to the imagination, not X-rated or overly exposed! She changes the secular instead of allowing the secular to change her!
4. She encourages both single and joint accounts, always using her money to build her family and ministries and never allowing work to cause her to neglect her ministries and family.
5. She is very submissive and is not selfish and rebellious.
6. She represents her husband and her pastor at the highest level wherever she goes!
7. She does not allow the ways of the world and the Marketplace to corrupt or sway her. Neither does she fall away into temptation.
8. She fears/respects God and refuses to allow reproach to come to His name or His House.
9. She does not manipulate the pastor but instead encourages her pastor, and respects the pastor’s decisions.
10. She makes every effort to implement things that will help the House of God run more effectively and according to the God-given vision for that ministry or church.
11. She walks in Faith.
12. She is an eloquent speaker and a hard worker.
13. She holds to sound doctrine and teaching and doesn’t fall prey to New Age teachings and other religious practises.
14. She always consults her head—her husband or pastor—when they are about to make major decisions in the workplace. (For example, job promotions, new positions, transfers.) She always gets the blessing of her head before making any final decisions.
15. She is a watchman of no mean order and an uncommon intercessor.
16. She knows how to separate the Marketplace from the church and from home and still be effective in all three areas.
17. She is always at her post, regardless of her work pressures; she does not abandon the House of God for the Marketplace.
18. She does not refuse her husband’s sexual desires because of the Marketplace.
19. She complements her spouse and does not compete. While she may be a leader in the Marketplace, and while her business ability may place her on par with her husband, she still knows how to be submissive to her husband.
20. She promotes her husband wherever she goes and supports him financially so that he may be able to focus on the ministry.
21. She always has a gentle tongue (Proverbs 31:26).
22. She is an example to all other women, both in the Marketplace and in the Church.
23. She allows the Holy Spirit to be her Guide.
24. While in the Marketplace, she still sees herself as a woman of God.
25. She is always helping the poor and is involved in humanitarian efforts and affairs. She utilises her skills to help transform the secular using Kingdom principles.
26. Because of her example, her children, her church, and those around her call her blessed.
27. She understands protocol.

Apostle Dr. Steve Lyston presides over Restoration World Outreach Ministries Inc (RWOMI). Contact: biblical_economics@yahoo.com