If you have led women’s ministry for any period of time, I know you have come up against some opposition at some point. Perhaps someone didn’t get what you were trying to achieve in one area, and was critical (unconstructively). Maybe you have had women get mad easily over petty things. Either way, I am sure you have had some negative experiences along the way, because you deal with people — it happens.
Not only is it a good idea to acknowledge difficult personalities instead of people, it is equally important to know how to deal appropriately with negativity and spiritual immaturity.
None of us are immune to being negative or petty.
We all come to church with some ill-conceived notions, don’t we? Some of it has been acquired by previously being a part of a dysfunctional church culture. Some we’ve inherited from our parent’s views and opinions on church. And some is due to our own spiritual immaturity. Wherever our misguided thinking and attitudes come from, they can begin to take on a prevalent nature and influence the body of Christ, negatively.
We must make sure that we always check our own motives as we have opinions and thoughts about the various facets of our church and its ministry.
When it comes to dealing with the women we serve in women’s ministry, there are 4 counterproductive spirits to be aware of, and carefully deal with.
Detect and Defuse:
Those who oppose leaders of a ministry or church bring much distraction and can yield much destruction. As such, I am going to spend the next few weeks breaking each of these influencing spirits down, as well as provide some strategies for detecting and defusing them.
Spur on!
~gina
” And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” Hebrews 10:24
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Melissa Deming says
April 22, 2015 at 10:14 amHi Gina – I am so excited about this series! Can’t wait to read all the posts!
~Melissa
ginaduke says
April 23, 2015 at 12:41 amMelissa,
I am so excited about sharing it. And YOU! You have been rocking some great women’s ministry posts. I plan to reference and link to one of them when I talk about the spirit of Jezebel. You hit on something a while back, and it has not left me yet! Blessings and love to you, sister! ~gina
Ann Thompson says
May 9, 2015 at 12:07 pmI’d love to be able to catch up with the Jonah spirit but every time I click on the link it takes me to the intro. How can I read the Jonah spirit? Thanks.
ginaduke says
May 9, 2015 at 9:13 pmDid you click on the link for the Jonah spirit? Here it is… http://77.104.162.72/~ginad732/2015/04/womens-ministry-tip-4-spirits-to-detect-defuse/
Joan says
March 14, 2016 at 2:07 amHie, I am Joan from Malawi, Africa! I have been recently appointed as a director for our church Womens Ministry! Was searching for some ideas for Womens Ministry, came across your website on pin interest! I am about to click on the links for contrary spirits! Hoping to be blessed more! Remain blessed, thanks!
ginaduke says
March 14, 2016 at 11:34 pmGlad to have you, Joan. God bless your work in Africa!
josie ayson says
April 12, 2018 at 1:35 amHi Gina, I am from the Philippines, I was appointed as the President of our women’s group. I was searching for ideas and programs and I find it interesting to follow you. Thanks and God bless.