"Women in ministry have what it takes to make a big impact!"

If you ask women everywhere "do you always feel confident as a woman?" Most of them would say "no." Women lost their confidence in the garden at the beginning of time.

As women, we have been vulnerable to the lies of Satan, which have made us feel insufficient, inadequate, insecure and ill-equipped. When you look up the prefix meaning of "in" or "ill," they both are defined as negative, privative, lacking, mistaken and so on. We have to quit using "in" or "ill" before our confessions and instead put "I am" or "I can." 

Confess things such as:

• I am adequate to do what God has called me to do!
• I am equipped by the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill my purpose!
• I am secure in who I am in Christ!
• I am anointed to preach the gospel through the power of God!
• God's grace is sufficient in my life!
• I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

We do not fight for a position of victory, we fight from a position of victory. You have to understand that if God has called you, He will equip you. You cannot fulfill God's plan and purpose for your life without the power of the Holy Spirit.

As a pastor's wife, I would drown myself daily in negative thoughts and insecurities. I found myself feeling inadequate and wondering why God called me to be a pastor's wife. At times I would hear people say "we are praying for you, pastor" to my husband, and I would selfishly think, Who is praying for me?

Pastors' wives, whether they work in ministry or not, are a huge target for the enemy. He knows if he can discourage or get the pastor's wife to isolate herself, it will adversely affect her husband. 

One day, I was preparing a message for one of our women's events and I read this passage:

"Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8:26-27, MEV).

I began to weep as I realized that I was not alone and the Holy Spirit is always making intercession for me! He helps me in my weakness and helps me to overcome. I was overwhelmed with God's presence at that moment knowing that He is here with me and through Him I can do anything He has called me to do. From that day forward, I found myself daily talking to the Holy Spirit about my thoughts and my insecurities, and I ask Him for help. I began to recognize I cannot be confident or successful in any area of my life without His help.

Jesus was the first advocate for women; He made women feel safe and whole. God's plan for women is to be whole, confident, secure and influential to carry out His will. Women have a lot of influence and make a huge impact in people's lives if they allow the Holy Spirit to work through them.

I am so grateful that, after many years of doing things the wrong way and perceiving myself through my own eyes, I more humbled today allowing God to show me my true identity and purpose in life. When you begin to see your life in this perspective you will, as I am now, find yourself more confident in God, more secure in who you are as a person and trusting Him in every area of your life. 

With social media being a big part of our lives today, we have to be very wise and careful to not fall into a rut of insecurity or comparison as we see into the lives of other people. There is no one that has a perfect life and most people whose lives look glamorous are just like you and me. You have to learn to be content in the life God has given you, the person He created you to be and enjoy the ministry He has given you. 

I love this new season in my life of learning more about my gifts, being comfortable in who I am as a person and finding more fulfillment in my life doing what God created me to do. I love being me! This is what God wants for women everywhere and those in ministry, He wants you to love being who you are. There are many people on the other side of your obedience, don't live in your past. Go forward in the confidence of the Lord and live victoriously in Him.

Along with her husband, Pastor Luis Reyes, Tricia Reyes is the co-founder of The New Church Of Joy in Waukegan, Illinois. She is a blogger and author and helps manage her daughter Madison's (Maddie Rey) Music Ministry. She is a devoted wife as well as mother to Madison and Matthew and loves the Lord with all her heart! To learn more about Tricia's ministry or to book her for a Women's Event/Conference visit her website at triciareyes.com or thenewchurchofjoy.com.

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