LINES OF AUTHORITY

1 Corinthians 11:4-5 says; “A man dishonors his head* if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5 But a woman dishonors her head* if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.” What do these verses imply? Why must a man not cover his head when praying? Why must a woman cover her head when praying?  Many people have misconstrued these verses to mean tying of scarf. Therefore, when a woman is praying she should tie a scarf, if not she will be dishonoring her head. The scriptural meaning of these verses are not something physical, something we can see and feel but spiritual.

These verses are a figurative statement showing a line of authority between Christ and man, and between man and woman. Christ has authority over every person. But in marriage, He has authority over the man and the man has authority over the woman. The submission of man to Christ is spiritual and the submission of woman to man is physical. The reason being that man cannot see Christ physically but a woman can see man. So, it is the man that connects with Christ spiritually, while the woman connects with the man physically.  Also, Christ is the source of new life for the believers. But in marriage, He is the source of man and man is the source of woman. It is on this premise that the Bible says “the man is the image and the glory of God and woman is the glory of man.” Therefore, when a man prays he connects with his head- Christ. His prayer opens up the heaven for the release of heavenly blessings for the family, God’s divine protection, favor, and guidance. When he does not pray he disrespects, disconnects himself from his head and as well shuts the heaven’s gate against his family.

A man receives direction from Christ and gives direction to his wife, and that is what empowers him to rule her. A man is what Christ makes of him and the woman is what man makes of her. In a Christian marriage, God only sees the man because he is the candlelight of the Lord in which He searches the inward part of his wife.  This is the reason why when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and God came to call them to account, it didn't matter that Eve had sinned first. God said, “Adam, where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). That is God’s word to the family! Adam, husband, father, where are you? If something is not working right at your house and Jesus comes knocking on the door, he may have an issue with your wife, but the first thing he’s going to say when she opens the door is, “Is the man of the house home?”

In the above verses man and woman have one thing in common, both are called to pray. While the man’s prayer keeps the family connected to Christ, the woman’s prayer protects the home.  A woman’s prayer alone is not enough to secure and safeguard her family. Even though, her prayers can sustain the family and keep it intact and everything will look Ok on the outside. But the spiritual covering which the man provides will be lacking making his family vulnerable to an attack or possible damage and worst still open to physical or emotional harm. No matter how long a woman prays, until the husband prays too, they are not totally free from the devil’s onslaught.  We fight not against fresh and blood but against principalities and powers. And Christ has given the authority and the mantle to the man of the house to fight and overcome.  Husbands rise up and use the authority and power bestowed in you to protect your home from devil’s onslaught.   Your depreciation of authority depreciates the authority of Christ. If you are not born again and do not make effort to develop a relationship with Christ, you lack the capacity to operate with this power. 

In providing money and other needs of the family, a man is only fulfilling an integral part of his obligations to his wife and children and not securing them from the devil’s mayhem.  Many families are in disarray today, not because the man of the house is lacking in his responsibilities towards his wife and children but because there is a disconnection between the man and his source. The spiritual overrides the physical! Life without Christ is full of crises. Until a man is spiritually in charge, there would continually be a crack on the wall of his home for the devil to lynch his missiles. ‎"Money can't buy happiness and protection the family desires; it can, however, rent them".  If money is all that a man believes they need, then he will be poor, poor in happiness, poor in all that makes life worth living." A home established on gospel principles is a place of refuge and safety, where the Spirit of the Lord can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy and happiness..