Day 2 | When Men Falter, Women Often Rise | Keeping the Mission Alive: God’s Call for Men to Rise and Women to Keep Standing

Throughout history, when men faltered or hesitated, God raised up women to keep His mission alive. 

Not because He changed His order, but because His purpose refuses to die. Because God’s plan must be fulfilled. 

Many of us are like that, for whatever that’s worth: if we ask our husbands or children to do something for us and they hesitate or take too long, in our minds, to do it, what do we do? Sit and complain? Well, some of you actually do. But me: I do it myself. Anybody like that?

 God, our Creator, His plan has always been to move through obedient vessels — whoever will say “yes.”

In the book of Judges chapter 4 verses 4–9, we are told, “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah… and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.” 

Barak, Israel’s military commander, was chosen by God to lead His people into battle. But when fear made him hesitate, Deborah rose in courage. She didn’t take his place out of ambition — she acted out of conviction. She told Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand.” (Judges 4:14, NKJV).

Notice that God didn’t pause His plan because a man hesitated. God used the woman who was willing. 

And that’s the pattern we see throughout Scripture — God’s mission doesn’t die when someone withdraws; it finds another vessel to carry it forward.

In 1 Samuel 25, we meet Abigail — a woman married to Nabal, a harsh and foolish man. We spoke about this just last week.

When David’s men sought kindness, Nabal insulted them and provoked the anger of a future king. David, in fury, set out to destroy Nabal’s entire household. But Abigail acted quickly. She gathered food, humbled herself before David, and said, “Please, let your maidservant speak in your ears… The Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house.” (1 Samuel 25:24, 28, NKJV).

Abigail’s wisdom averted bloodshed and preserved David’s destiny. While her husband’s pride nearly destroyed them, Abigail’s discernment kept the mission intact. God used her voice, her humility, and her timing to protect the lineage of Israel’s greatest king.

Let’s look at this other example:

In 2 Kings 22, during the reign of King Josiah, the Book of the Law was rediscovered after years of neglect. When Josiah heard its words, his heart broke for how far the nation had drifted from God. To confirm the word, he sent his officials — not to a priest, not to another prophet — but to Huldah the prophetess. 

Scripture says, “So Hilkiah the priest… went to Huldah the prophetess… and she said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, tell the man who sent you to Me, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring calamity on this place… because they have forsaken Me.’” (2 Kings 22:14–17, NKJV).

Huldah’s word carried weight and authority because God’s Spirit was upon her. She didn’t promote herself; she spoke what God gave her to say. When others might have been silent, she stood up for truth.

These women—Deborah, Abigail, and Huldah—were not trying to lead instead of men; they were leading for God. And when you are truly called by God, you don’t do it for recognition—you do it out of obedience. You may not even realize you’re standing in a prophetic gap, but you’re doing what God placed in your spirit to do. I see that even in my own life—I’m not here to seek attention, but to help draw hearts back to the ways of the Lord. Amen.

So again, Deborah, Abigail, and Hulduh stepped in, not to dominate, but to keep the mission alive until men could rise again in strength and obedience.

And that same principle remains true today. 

Sometimes men withdraw — not out of rebellion, but out of health reasons such as exhaustion, or because of fear, or loss of vision. And often, God raises women who keep praying, teaching, preaching, serving, and leading until the mission regains its strength.

A practical example we can identify with today: When Bishop T.D. Jakes’ health challenges slowed his pace, he didn’t abandon the mission — he passed the torch to his daughter, Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, empowering her to continue what God started in their family. That’s continuity.

Even in ministries that faced moral or leadership failure—like PTL with Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, and Eddie Long’s New Birth Church—God still preserved His mission. Some fell, some were restored, and some were restructured under new leadership. 

But the gospel never stopped going forth. God’s mission doesn’t collapse with human weakness—it continues through the willing and the repentant. Hallelujah. God’s work is never dependent on one man, one woman, or one organization. His mission survives because He Himself sustains it.

When men falter, women often rise — not to replace, but to reinforce. And when women stand, they ought to do so not to boast, but to bear the burden of the mission until balance is restored.

This is the heart of divine partnership. 

The faithfulness of women through history shows that God values obedience more than hierarchy. He looks for those who will rise when others step back. So don’t think because you refuse to accept a position in the church or a ministry that the mission will fail. A lot of people think too much of themselves sometimes, and that is their downfall.

The traditional lead-pastor role remains majority male in many contexts. But we do see a trend where women often outnumber men in attendance, commitment, and supportive ministry roles. And a growing number of churches now allow women pastors. 

What this reveals is not a crisis of men vs women — but the opportunity for men to rise, and women to continue standing strong, so together the mission remains alive.

So, the call is for men to rise again. Let courage lead your choices. Lead your homes, your ministries, and your communities with humility and strength.

And women — keep standing. Keep praying. Keep declaring the Word. Keep lifting the mission when it feels like the world is falling.

Because God’s mission never dies. It simply waits for someone willing to say, “Yes, Lord — use me.”