Hearts of Men in the Hands of God

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Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.

Psalm 119:34

I remember the first time I looked around a room full of Christian men and realized I was surrounded by giants. Spiritual giants of the faith. Men who believed and spoke and led well in Christ Jesus. I remember feeling a sense of wonder, awe, and respect. I felt safe in that moment, as if any enemy could attack and they would be immediately taken down by these faithful men.

This was probably twenty years ago, but it permanently changed my perspective on the importance and strength of men in the body of Christ.

I remembered this feeling recently, and then again just last night at a graduation ceremony in which one of these faithful men stood before the audience and shed tears without shame over all the Lord had done for him. This man had chased the wrong things, followed his own ways, but someway, somehow… just like the Father always does… God found him and brought him back into His light.

It changed his life for good.

I find it a privilege to sit in the presence of men who share boldly and honestly about the saving role of Christ in their lives. As one who struggled to overcome an absent father, a string of fallen male leaders, and a good helping of spiritual abuse in my former life, I feel honored that the Lord would allow me to see the greatness of men after the Lord’s own heart surrounding me on all fronts. Through God’s doing alone, I have been re-fathered time and time again, both by Him and by the spiritual giants in my own life, and I am incredibly thankful.

A Dream of Men in the Body of Christ
On June 22, 2025, while working as an intern for a biblical counseling ministry, I dreamed a horde of the enemy had come to attack me because of the work I was doing. I had walked onto their land for the purpose of learning their strategies and how to overcome them. I was studying their tactics so I could teach others to be free. The smiles on their faces were sinister as they chained the gate and thought they had me trapped. 

In a rush, I picked up the treasures I had collected and turned to find another way out. When I whipped my body around, this is what I saw:

Stationed inside the enemy's camp was a bright white church, under a bright blue sky, with a tall steeple soaring overhead. It was the leader of the church I saw first: A tall man of 7-feet carrying a large machine gun that he readily pointed toward the enemy mob. I remember he had kind eyes, which reminded me of Jesus. Then I saw men of every shape and size join him on the front lawn, weapons in hand, ready to fight. 

And then a little in the distance, I saw a man who was new to the group trying to drive a tank, but not doing a very good job. Another man tended to him and began teaching him how to drive the tank effectively and take the enemy down. One man lifting up another, training him in the ways of the Lord. 

I felt the same sense of wonder, awe, and respect in the dream that I had in that church twenty or so years ago. Surrounded by these strong men of God, I knew I was safe.

This dream was a gift to me, and a reminder from the Lord to stay planted in my church while studying to do His work… worshipping, receiving teaching, and finding fellowship with other women. In this way, I am keeping myself under the covering of the church… under the Lord’s umbrella and the chain of proper authority over my life… under the protective prayers of the faithful men who stand watch, in Jesus’ name.

This was actually the second dream I’ve had about strong and faithful men in the body of Christ… watchmen on the road… but I’ll save the first one for another time.

We can gauge the health of a church by the leadership and participation of healthy Christian men. Where the covering is weak and manipulative, most men won’t stick around. I have been in churches where I’ve asked the Lord, “Where are all the men?” There’s nothing wrong with women in leadership, but when men are totally absent, things are out of balance and most-likely out of order.

The Body of Christ needs men of character and spiritual maturity to stand up and take the lead. When the hearts of men are in the hands of God, His greatness shines through in the protective stance over their families, in the drive to lead and humility to serve, and in tears of repentance and joy shed without shame in a room full of strangers.

I pray for the men in my own life to be strengthened, encouraged, and protected from the enemy’s schemes. I pray for the men in my church to have increased wisdom, clarity, and God’s own direction as they rise up and lead. I pray for the overwhelming protection of God over our pastors and leaders who put their lives on the line for us every day. May God be the friendly counsel over their tents. May the enemy’s camp be confused and every strategy of his thwarted on their behalf, in Jesus’ name.

 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let everything you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14