"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him'" (Gen. 2:18).

This one powerful verse describes God's intent and plan for women. Women were created to be a helper suitable for the male species.

Men need us, women! Even God knows that!

The word used in the Bible for "helper" is the Hebrew word "ezer."  (To read last week's column, click here.)

"Ezer" is used to describe a warrior who continually fights for the right and who is never intimidated by evil or by darkness.

This word "ezer" is used in the Old Testament to describe women and to describe God Himself!

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help [help] and our shield" (Ps. 33:20).

If the longing of your heart is to tap into God's extraordinary "ezer," then you will wait for Him and spend time just enjoying His presence. When you rest in all that He is and all that He does, His strength will become your strength. His power will become your power.  His "ezer" will become your "ezer"! 

What an extraordinary possibility!

This "ezer" quality that women share with God Himself is only exhibited and stirred up when a woman is determined to wait on God and to hope in His presence. As women, we are the blessed recipients of "ezer" when we spend time listening for His voice and then binding ourselves to His strength.

God's primary purpose for the feminine gender is that we would be so desperate for His "ezer" that we would wait only on Him and have hope only in Him.

Sisters, you were made to be a vessel of the "ezer" strength of God, so don't settle for anything less!

"You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help [ezer] and their shield" (Ps. 115:11).

I long to be a show and tell of the strength of God and so I must determine during the most challenging days of my life to trust Him. His purpose for my life is that I would put all of my confidence in Him; the stunning result of this one human decision is that his "ezer" power now floods my life!

When life is hard ... I choose to trust the God of "ezer."

When I don't get my own way ... I fully expect the goodness of the God of "ezer" to intervene in my circumstances.

When my world falls apart ... help is on the way because I fully hope in the God of "ezer."

Unfortunately, many women choose to listen to the enemy's lies rather than the truth of the God. When a woman is deceived by the manipulation of the adversary, she mistakenly believes that moaning, whining and complaining are justified and therefore she is weakened rather than strengthened.

Sisters! Get a grip! You are a perfect fit for God's "ezer" and in order to receive it you must wait on Him and trust in Him!

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help [ezer] come? My help [ezer] comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:1-2).

This is a stirring reminder that our help doesn't come from chocolate ... from shopping ... or from a day at the spa.

The help for which we are desperate cannot be found at the beach ... from losing 40 pounds ... or from living in one's dream home.

Your help ... your strength ... your power ... and your wealth comes from one place and one place alone!  It comes from God, who is the source of all strength and is the birthplace of all that is good.

God's purpose for a woman's life is that her ability to battle circumstances in life would come only with God's help.

I believe that since the beginning of eternity, God knew that this planet would need the strength and the vital characteristics that are unique only to women. God, who is the Source of all truth and wisdom, understood that the earth would require the help that women bring into battle. It was God's perfect plan that the enemy could not be defeated or dismantled without the unique fighting strength, staying power and protective nature of women.

"... and may You help [ezer] him against his enemies" (Deut. 33:7).

Woman of God! You and God are an "ezer" against the adversary and against the forces of darkness.

Whatever God is fighting, you should also be joining in the battle because you have been given the "ezer" nature of God!

"Ezer" is God's purpose for your life!

Woman of God ... you are a perfect fit for Him and for all that He has for you!

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written five books: No More Ordinary, Holy Estrogen!, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart and Defiant Joy! Her most recent book, Refined: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire, was released on Aug. 1. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman's Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. 

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.