The Women’s Ministries Department conducted a Week of Prayer on Zoom, April 5-11, 2026, at Trinity Church in Athens, Ala. The theme for the week was “A Woman’s Place is in the War.”
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier,” 2 Timothy 2:3-4, pertains to all Christians, men and women. Additionally, counsel is given in the Ministry of Healing, page 453: “The Christian life is a battle and a march. In this warfare there is no release; the effort must be continuous and persevering. It is by unceasing endeavor that we maintain the victory over the temptations of Satan. Christian integrity must be sought with resistless energy and maintained with a resolute fixedness of purpose.” Therefore, the next logical step is to be armed for the warfare, which leads all to putting on the whole armor of God.
Each night of the Week of Prayer, the women presented an item of the whole armor of God, as listed in Ephesians 6:13-17, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” pointing out its effectiveness as many are on this Christian journey.
The first article in the wardrobe of warfare was presented by Mildreth Easter, “loins girt about with truth.” This is the girdle that held together the soldiers garments, being held together with truth: the Word of God. Easter let everyone know that this garment is like a belt; all need to make sure it is not loose, or it will drop off before they know it. She said the way to know if the belt of truth has become loose is when they are slacking in their worship, slacking in reading the God’s Word, or if prayer life has slacked off. She admonished that it is time to “tighten up” the belt to keep from tripping up — tighten up by getting back to devotional life, reading the word of God, and strengthening prayer life. She reminded all that the article of the garment has its effect mentally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually.
The next article was the armor presented by Tanisha Joseph, “the breastplate of righteousness.” Joseph took the woman’s position in the warfare on her homefront. She shared that the family structure is being attacked every day, and in the war, as in all wars, all must have clear goals and objectives for the attacks that many face in the home. She reminded all of the honored position of the wife and mother of the home, and how the breastplate of righteousness protects the vital organs of the body — this righteousness being the righteousness of Christ.
Renata Drake presented “our feet shod with the Gospel of peace.” She said that having sure footing is important in the warfare, and that sure footing comes from total trust in God, Who will give peace. She shared that there is only one narrow path to peace — through Jesus Christ. Drake warned about the peace-stealers: lustful thoughts, guilt, anger, bitterness, self-centeredness, jealousy, and unbelief. She ended her presentation by reading the New Living Translation of Ephesians 6:15: “For shoes put on the peace that comes from the good news, so that you will be fully prepared.”
Dawn Jackson presented “the shield of faith.” She admonished that to have the shield of faith at all times is to saturate the mind with the Word of God. This will make your faith an active faith — trusting in God’s goodness, which will in turn help to show kindness.
Concerning the “helmet of salvation,” Carolyn Hines presented that this article of the armor is to protect your mind — mentally as well as spiritually. She also reminded all that, as stated in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Hines then encouraged all with the words of the song “Soldier of Christ, Arise.” The song’s first verse reads, “Soldiers of Christ, arise, And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies, Through His eternal Son; Strong in the Lord of Hosts, and in His mighty pow’r, Who in the strength of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror.”
The “Sword of the Spirit,” which is the Word of God, was presented by Pearl Wise. She reminded all that in Christ’s temptations, He responded to each temptation with “it is written,” which pointed to the Word of God, and is how all should respond when tempted to sin. Wise compared the sword to the surgeon’s scalpel, which is used to cut deep into the body. She pointed out that the sword of the Spirit is meant to cut deep into the life to cut sin out. She admonished that the goal is to stand firm holding on to the Word of God.
Donna Roper-Roach, D.Min., concluded the Week of Prayer during the divine worship hour on April 11. Her message confirmed the theme by reminding all of the vital roles played by the two women of Judges 4 and 5 — the prophetess Deborah and the wife of Heber, Jael — during the war between Israel and Canaan. Their actions were divinely led and supported the theme that “A Woman’s Place is in the War.”
South Central | September 2026
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