Are You Going to Control Her?

Part One: Are You Going to Control Her?

In Numbers 11, Moses was overwhelmed. The burden of leading Israel was too heavy. So God told him to gather seventy elders, and God took of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed it on them. They prophesied. But two men — Eldad and Medad — had stayed in the camp, and the Spirit rested on them too, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses. And Joshua, Moses' right hand, said: "Moses, my lord, forbid them!"

Listen to Moses' answer: "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" Joshua wanted to control who could operate in the Spirit and where. Moses said: I wish everybody had the Spirit. Don't shut it down. Don't control it. Don't gatekeep what God is doing.

Now let me ask you: when a woman operates in the gifts God gave her, are you like Joshua or are you like Moses? Are you trying to control who speaks, where they speak, and under whose authority — or are you saying, "Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets"?

Part Three: Covering vs. Control

The Covering That Protects

I am not against spiritual covering. Biblical covering is real — it is accountability, wisdom, protection, and relationship. Every person operating in ministry should have people who can speak into their life, correct them in love, and cover them in prayer. But there is a difference between covering and control. Covering says: "I'm here if you need me, I've got your back, I'm praying for you, let me help you walk in your calling." Control says: "You can't do that unless I say so. You need my permission. You need to operate under my authority structure. You need to submit to me before God can use you."

God Doesn't Need Permission

When God puts His Spirit on someone — a woman, a young person, someone outside your circle, someone you didn't ordain — God does not need your permission. He didn't ask Joshua before He put the Spirit on Eldad and Medad. He didn't ask John before He empowered the man casting out demons. And He will not ask you before He anoints the woman He called to preach, to teach, to lead, to prophesy. The question is: when He does, will you be like Joshua — trying to shut it down? Or like Moses — wishing more people had the Spirit?

The Gifts Are Not Gendered

The Holy Spirit does not check your gender before distributing gifts. The same Spirit who fell on the seventy elders fell on Eldad and Medad who weren't even at the tent. The same Spirit who empowered Peter to preach at Pentecost empowered the daughters who would prophesy in the last days as Joel foretold. If God put the gift on her, who are you to tell her she can't use it? Who are you to control what God is doing through her?