Jesus Gives Us Empowerment, The Women's Story

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Hey friends, Jesus has risen. He has risen indeed. His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection

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redeemed us from sin and death, making a way for us to become children of God and receive a heavenly

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inheritance that never perishes, spoils, or fades. That's not just an amazing story. It is truth

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and life to those who believe. I'm your host Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader at Somebody Cares

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America, an international author and traveler on this journey of faith, and I am delighted to welcome

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you to the Her God Story podcast. We have just celebrated the resurrection of Jesus and all that

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means for us. It's tempting to quickly move past the celebration and immerse ourselves in everyday

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life again. There's always so much to do, but instead, let's linger here a bit. And as we linger,

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we'll look at how Jesus' resurrection impacted the lives of some of the women who knew Him best.

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As we do, I think you'll be impacted too. Now you probably know that by His heavenly fathers'

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leading, Jesus chose 12 men to be His disciples. Those He invited close, traveled and spent time

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with, explained confusing teachings to and relied on in many, many ways. But there was also a group

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of women who traveled with Jesus and His disciples, and they provided the generous financial support

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for Jesus and the ministry. The Gospels of Mark and Luke mention their care and support for Jesus.

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They were all set free by Him in some way. Now Luke 8 verses 1 through 3 tells us that a group

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of women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases traveled with Jesus. He cast seven demons

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out of Mary Magdalene, setting her free from torment and pain. Joanne, the wife of Cusa,

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manager of Herod's household, as well as Susanna and others, were also among that group, and they

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were privileged to have a front row seat to many of Jesus' teachings and miracles. They saw His

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humanness and His divinity as He interacted with them, with His disciples, and with the many

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desperate people coming to Him for healing, deliverance, truth. They were no doubt also

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aware of the growing hostility that many religious leaders felt toward Jesus. They heard Him talk

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about His death and resurrection, but at the time they didn't comprehend what He was saying. How

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could they? After all, they had seen or at least heard how Jesus brought several people back to life,

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including Lazarus, who'd been in the grave four days. How could anyone kill Jesus? He was the

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Messiah, wasn't He? But then it happened. Jesus was arrested, beaten, tried, and sentenced to death,

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and in spite of His power, His divinity, He allowed it all. I am sure they were hoping, even expecting

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Him to come down from the cross, so were utterly devastated when He died. If you've ever lost a

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loved one or close friend, you can understand a little of their bewilderment and grief.

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They stayed by Jesus, even in His death, and followed Joseph of Arimathea to the tomb where

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Jesus was buried. But since it was Sabbath, when no work could be done, Jesus' body was not wrapped

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properly for burial. So these women planned to come back after the Sabbath and make sure it was

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done right. Then they went home to mourn and reconsider their beliefs. Maybe Jesus wasn't the

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Messiah. Maybe He was simply a powerful prophet pointing the way, as so many had done in the past.

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But when Sabbath was over, early the next morning, the women head back to the tomb with burial spices.

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Drawn by the love they had for Him and had felt from Him, it was likely a long walk. But by early

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light, they arrived to discover the huge stone placed in front of the tomb had been moved.

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Imagine their confusion as they crept inside and realized Jesus' body was not there.

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Who would do such a thing to the body of their beloved teacher, their prophet?

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While they were standing around wondering what was going on, two angels appeared. Luke 24, 5,

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and the NIV says, in their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground

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as they lay trembling on the ground. They were told that Jesus had risen and was reminded of what

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they heard Jesus say about being crucified and rising on the third day. And yet now they kind of

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remember what He said. But they were still grieving, confused, and frightened, not fully

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comprehending what was happening. The angels send the women off to tell the disciples Jesus is alive.

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Matthew 28, 8 says they hurried away, still afraid but also filled with joy. And verse 14,

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verses 9 and 10 says suddenly Jesus met them. Greetings, He said. They came to Him, clasped

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His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers

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to go to Galilee. There they will see Me. It doesn't say how much time they spent with Jesus

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as they worshiped at His feet. But it was long enough for their fear to subside and for them to

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fully realize the truth of Jesus' resurrection. Can you imagine? Now remember, Jesus' disciples

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did not know any of this yet. Jesus first told His faithful female followers that He had risen.

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They were the first to see Him and worship at His feet. The men were still grieving and probably

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afraid they'd be arrested and crucified too. So can you imagine the scene as these women burst

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into the place where the disciples were holed up? In my mind I see them all talking at once, crying

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and laughing and hugging each other. They were a mess. It's no wonder the disciples did not

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immediately believe. Yes, Jesus eventually appeared to them too, but women like Mary Magdalene,

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Mary the mother of James, Solomay, Joanna, and others, they knew Jesus was alive. They had seen

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Him. They had heard Him. They had touched Him. And He had commissioned them to tell the others.

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Now let's ponder that for a minute. Jesus entrusted the greatest news of all time to women.

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This news wasn't for them to hoard or lord it over others, but to freely and joyfully share.

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Some people may think that the Bible undervalues or even teaches oppression of women. Nothing

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could be further from the truth. Throughout scripture, God esteemed women and when Jesus

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was on earth, He set women free, healing them, delivering them, inviting them into His service,

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inviting them into His circle, commissioning them to share the good news. Let's also consider how

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gracious and kind Jesus was when He appeared to them. They had been through emotional whiplash.

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They were already afraid, so He spoke kindly to them. When He showed up, He calmed their fears

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first. Then He gave them purpose. Jesus' resurrection gives us purpose too. As you thought

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about and celebrated Easter, what were you feeling? Maybe you were a little confused because of stuff

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going on in your life that you did not expect or think should happen. Maybe you're disillusioned by

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that too. Maybe you're afraid by something you don't fully understand in the world, in the Bible,

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something that you heard at church or somewhere else. You want to believe, but there's a hesitation.

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Maybe you are overflowing with joy and don't know how to fully explain it. Maybe it is something

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completely different, but wherever you are, whatever you're feeling, God wants to meet you

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there with exactly what you need. If you're confused, God wants to give you wisdom to understand.

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Just ask Him. If you're disillusioned, God wants to give you faith. If you're afraid, God wants to

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give you peace. And if you're filled with joy, He wants to give you so much more. And then,

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God wants to give you purpose, His purpose. And that should not be a scary thing. After Jesus gave

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the women and His disciples purpose, direction, the Great Commission, He then empowered them to

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fulfill it. Acts 1 and 2 tell us that 50 days after the resurrection, the disciples, Mary, the

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mother of Jesus, along with the other women and many others were together praying when the house

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they were in was filled with the sound of a mighty wind. Tongues of fire appeared on their heads and

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they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled

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them. They were empowered to fulfill the purpose God had for them. God wants to empower you too.

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Hebrews 13, 8 tells us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So God's empowerment

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for us today is the same too. And we need the Holy Spirit's empowerment in our lives to be

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our lives to fulfill the purposes of God. We cannot do it on our own. We must have God in us

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and working through us. In 1 John 14, 12 and 13, Jesus said, whoever believes in me will do the

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works I've been doing. And they will do even greater works than these because I am going to

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the Father and I will do whatever you ask in my name so the Father may be glorified in the Son.

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We must ask, Jesus will answer, and God will be glorified. Ephesians 1, 13 and 14 tell us

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that when we believe in Jesus, he gives the Holy Spirit to identify us as his own. Romans 8, 11

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says the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. And 1 Corinthians 12, 1 through

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11 tell us the Holy Spirit gives us special abilities, special gifts that empower us to serve

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the Lord. The disciples needed a mighty display of God's power at that point to overcome any

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lingering fear or doubt. They prayed and asked God for the promised Holy Spirit and God answered.

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So when Holy Spirit gave them the ability to speak in other tongues, other languages that they did

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not know before, they had the ability to share the good news about Jesus with people from many

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different nations in their own languages. God knows you, he knows what you need, and if you

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believe that Jesus is Lord and follow him, the Holy Spirit lives in you already. Just ask for the

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spiritual gifts and empowerment you need to fulfill God's purposes in your life. He loves to answer

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that prayer. Let me take a moment and pray for you. Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus. You gave

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him to be the perfect sacrifice to cleanse us from our sin so that we can be part of your family and

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have that heavenly inheritance of eternal life with you. Thank you also for sending Holy Spirit

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to live in us and empower us to live our lives in a way that is worthy of the calling you have for

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us. Father, I ask you to give each of these dear listeners special gifts that will enable them to

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fulfill your unique purposes for them and fulfill Jesus' words in John 14 by leading us into greater

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works than he did, all for your glory. Let them experience healing, deliverance, and freedom in

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their own lives and give them faith to follow you to minister those things through them as well, to

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allow you to minister those things through them as well. I ask all this in Jesus' name, amen. Thank

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you for tuning in. Watch for the next episode of Her God's Story to hear how Kathy Pollock

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experienced the amazing love of God in her and working through her. Check out our show notes at

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hergodstory.org for scriptures, links, and other information. There you can also get a free six

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We love to pray with you on our 24-7 prayer and text line. Give us a call or text anytime at 855-459-CARE

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or email us at prayer at somebodycares.org. And now dear friends, I bless you from Ephesians 3 verse 20.

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May the Lord do immensely more for you than you could ask or imagine according to his power

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that is at work within you. Her God's Story is a ministry of Somebody Cares America and international.

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To find out more about or support the ministry go to somebodycares.org.