Healing Religious Abuse Among Women
Since we provide Healing and Restoration Live-In Programs for Women of All ages, and backgrounds, Pastor Nina recently, during prayer, had the idea to conduct a search regarding women who have suffered from religious abuse, such as polygamy—and during her search, she found two groups, founded by Women, who fled from the oppression and abuse of polygamy and polygamous communities. These groups have provided help for Many Women who have chosen to seek refuge, in efforts to take their children to Safety, in hopes to find Freedom, and a New Life.
Pastor Nina says, “One recent morning when I woke up, the Lord spoke a verse to me, found in 2 Timothy 3:6, and the words I heard Him say were, “taking weak women” and as I looked up the verse and the context surrounding this verse, this is what I found. I understand that this context of verses can be applied to many areas, but this morning Jesus by His Holy Spirit led me to look at these verses in connection to the subject of Polygamy. This is what it reads:”
2 Timothy 3:1-9
1But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;
WARNING TO WOMEN:
Avoid (Greek means to Turn Away from) such men as these.
6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak (vulnerable) women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,
(this does not mean that women are incapable, because they are made in the image of God. This talks about women who are vulnerable and who may be naïve, and without wisdom of who they are in Christ, and their rights and their freedoms that come from Jesus Christ. )
7 always learning (what others tell them) and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.(of God’s Word)
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. (That Rebellious spirit is in the hearts of man today; people who oppose the commandments of Jesus; the law of Christ and the Royal Law of Love)
9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also. (This is in connection with the verses that say, “What is done in the dark will be brought to the light” Why is that? Because the Word of God tells us that God “see” and God “hears” and that He “Knows our thoughts” so, if people men or women think they are hiding their evil thoughts or deeds, they’re NOT hiding them from God. The scriptures tell us He, meaning Jesus “Knew their thoughts”. Therefore, because God sees and hears, and Knows everything we do (Read Psalm 139) it says he with “thwart” their plans. (‘Their folly will be obvious to all” can also be applied to FLDS cult leader Warren Jeffs who now serves a Life sentence in prison (Texas) for child sexual assault after two convictions in 2011)
In 2 Timothy 3:6, that uses the word “weak” it means vulnerable, naive and without wisdom regarding the word of God to know when something is wrong, not aware of coercion and manipulation of men: 2 Timothy 3:6 describes false teachers infiltrating homes to manipulate vulnerable individuals, using the Greek terms endunontes(creeping in/insinuating) and aichmalōtizontes (taking captive)
For among them are those who enter into households (ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὰς οἰκίας – endunontes eis tas oikias): Endunontes implies getting into, slipping in, or insinuating oneself into.
and captivate weak women (αἰχμαλωτίζοντες γυναικάρια – aichmalōtizontes gunaikaria): Aichmalōtizontes implies taking captive as a prisoner of war. Gunaikaria is a diminutive, suggesting “little women” or weak-willed women.
weighed down with sins (σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις – sesōreumena hamartiais): Sesōreumena means having been heaped or loaded up.
led on by various impulses (ἀγόμενα ἐπιθυμίαις ποικίλαις – agomena epithumiais poikilais): Agomena means being led or carried away. Epithumiais(lusts/desires) and poikilais(manifold/various) indicate they are swayed by many passions.
If women do not know and understand what the Word of God says, and God’s definition of those verses, then they are susceptible of being “swayed” by Religion, Men, and others who take scripture out of context, or error in interpretation, in efforts to manipulate and coerce women.
When you are led by the Spirit of God; the Holy Spirit, as the Word of God is Spirit, you can then understand what the word of God means, and the context of those verses through careful study.
Be Aware: Anyone can take a verse, pull it out of its context, and begin to “surface” read, and then give it whatever definition they choose, that is why it is important to study the Word of God for yourself, “Study to show yourself approved” 2 Timothy 2:15, because when you study the scriptures and look up their original Greek and Hebrew meanings, the Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit is able to show you their true meaning, and you will find it will be much different than the lies you’ve been told. Jesus said, “Trust No Man.” Psalm 118:8, “It is Better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” And Jeremiah 17:5, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind…”
WOMEN CAN LEARN THE SCRIPTURES:
Since all scripture is God breathed and since we are ALL created in the image of God, we must understand that there is no verse that says women cannot study the word of God for themselves, in fact Jesus Encouraged Women to learn, for instance Mary of Bethany chose to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn (just as the Jewish men had for generations) and when Martha demanded that Mary come and help her with the serving, Jesus said,“But only One thing is Necessary, and Mary has chosen that Good part (learning from Jesus) and it shall NOT be taken from her.” Luke 10:42.
WOMEN ARE EQUAL:
Women are Equal; women are created in the “image” of God just like a male, with the same purpose, same calling, but religion has kept women silent and has taken just about every measure possible, including taking verses out of context, in efforts to keep them silent, and in the dark.
There’s a verse that says no man can teach you but the Holy Spirit can teach you. Mary of Bethany CHOSE to sit at Jesus feet to Learn, and Jesus did not discourage it, He Encouraged it and instructed others saying to both men and women “But only One thing is Necessary, and Mary has CHOSEN that Good part, and it shall NOT be taken from her.” Women have just as much right to Learn from Jesus and Speak for Jesus. Read my blog “All ONE in Christ Jesus” for an in-depth teaching with many Bible references regarding Women and their rights to speak up and walk in the Gifts Jesus called them to as well.
Sadly, too many women in many religious circles have been told they DON’T have a Voice, that men control them, and that they are to submit to their husbands. Listen ladies and men, I have studied this subject for a very long time, many years, and follow Many men and women bible scholars who study the ancient manuscripts of the scriptures (the Greek and Hebrew) and find many translators over the years changing verses and adding words that are not in the original Greek (the NT was originally written in Greek) such as Ephesians 5:22, as many of you have read in other translations or have been told, “Wives submit to your own husbands” yet because of lack of study, those same people who manipulate you in pulpits or even your own husband and pastors, will tell you to submit to your husband, well, I am here to help you: that word submit that you see in many translations is NOT found in the original Greek manuscripts (Read my blog Papyrus 46) therefor it correctly reads, “and wives to her own husbands.” This verse is in context with verse 21, “submit yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ” in this verse there is a mutual submission, and it’s Not the hierarchy kind of submission, but is a one of “serving,” Love, care for, and do Good for, Not domination.
Now you can put these two verses together, properly and scripturally, “submit yourselves One to Another in the fear of Christ…and wives to her own husbands.”
Daughters of God, You have a Freewill, no one is permitted by God to control, manipulate or coerce you in any way! In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man (Adam in the hebrew means human being, therefore the word man is the Hebrew word Adam which means “human being”) in Our Image (both male and female) and in Our Likeness…They (together) will Rule and Reign over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea and over every scurring creature that creeps along the ground (that included the serpent/Satan that deceived them)” But notice, God did NOT design for a woman to control her husband nor a man to rule over his wife. In Genesis chapter 3 where God addresses Adam, the Woman and the Serpent, you will read that God is “Describing” NOT PRESCRIBING what happened due to their sin. This is very important to learn.
Let’s also look at what the Holy Spirit says through Peter, in 1 Peter 3:7, “In the same way, you husbands MUST give Honor to your wives,” Look at that! God is commanding husbands to HONOR their wife, and the word Honor in the Greek is “Time,” and it means to Value (remember Provers 31 says “she is far more precious than rubies” (wealth of the world)). And we see the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul in Ephesians 5, “Husbands LOVE your wife AS Christ Love the Church and Gave Himself for Her.” How did Jesus Love us? He laid His way down; His life down for us, well ladies, God has Commanded husbands to Lay their way down, to serve, to Honor their wives, not treat them as slaves!
Therefore, in order for a Woman to be Free from the domination of men (males) including those who have lived in or are involved in Polygamous marriage, relationships, communities, she must first listen to her Gut (that’s your inner being, created in the image of God) and take the necessary measures of getting to Safety and Freedom and Never returning! And in this process, it is imperative that she Learn who she is in Christ Jesus. If you are one of those women, please read my other blog articles regarding Women in the Bible and our God given rights. Also, listen to my YouTube videos at: YouTube.com/@PastorNinaTidwell
OUTWARDLY THEY APPEAR RIGHTEOUS:
We must also understand the context of these verses in 2 Timothy 3:1-9, we see men who appear and sound like godly, but they are Not. God says they have a “Form of godliness” they look and sound like they’re godly, but their actions prove otherwise. Another verse says, “You will KNOW them by their fruits…” and Jesus WARNS us of such people (and yes, this can include people we love, even spouses, we must not be dull or naïve, we must Always be “Alert” because Satan the deceiver can “deceive” those who they “thought” were godly) “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the Faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8,9.
Paul by the Holy Spirit says it perfectly 1 Corinthians 11:12, “…those who are looking for an opportunity to boast of their work…13 These people are FALSE apostles. They are Deceitful workers who disguise themselves as Apostles (or Prophets) of Christ, 14 BUT I AM NOT SURPRISED! EVEN SATAN DISQUISES HIMSELF AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.”
Jesus also shows us in Matthew 23:27, of these ungodly men (males), that appear to be holy, but are not, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, (today this would mean anyone calling themselves prophets, ministers, any of the five fold ministries, even priests) Hypocrites! For you are alike unto whited sepulchers, which indeed APPEAR beautiful outward, but are within Full of dead men’s bones, and of All uncleanness, V28, Even so you also OUTWARDLY Appear Righteous unto men (human beings) but within you are full of Hypocrisy and iniquity.”
The scriptures also tell us “In the mouth of two or three witnesses, shall EVERY WORD be Established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1. In other words, just in the verses I have shown you in this article, they all agree and are connected to help us see and be aware of those who say, and look like they are righteous, or godly, but they are not.
In my message, “Polygamy VS The Law of Christ” (YouTube) I teach in-depth regarding how God created monogamous marriage, based on the verses found in Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, and Ephesians 5:31, which confirm that one man and one woman united is God’s ordained plan, and it begins in Genesis 2:24, “For this Reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his Wife; (singular) and they shall become One Flesh.” Jesus confirms this in Matthew 19:4-6, “And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH? So they are no longer two, but ONE flesh. What therefore God has joined together let no man separate.” And of course Paul who teaches the words of Jesus, confirms what both God and Jesus have said in Ephesians 5:31, “FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE (singular) AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”
If you are seeking Refuge from such religious backgrounds and the abuse within these communities, please send an email to Pastor Nina at womenfororphans@icloud.com, and she will be more than happy to talk with you, and provide an application to our Living Hope Refuge: A Live-In program for Women and Women with children, providing free housing and support programs to help you Heal emotionally, and spiritually.
