Arise O Women of God…our young sisters are under physical, emotional and spiritual attack. It is time to stand in the gap in prayer as well as begin the practical process of counteracting the Enemy’s attacks. We must wake up to the fact that many of the girls and young women in our church struggle each day to maintain their identity in the Lord. There is fierce opposition to them becoming all God desires them to be. We must equip them to be strong women of God. What a privilege to outfit them for God’s army. Coming up in this next generation are the Deborah’s (Judges 4:4-6) , the Esther’s (the Books of Esther), the Huldah’s (2 Kings 22:14-20) and as we catch the vision of preparation, they will make their mark for the Kingdom. As the handmaidens helped prepare Esther for meeting the King, we must be aware of the needs of these young women.

What are they up against?

Alcohol: In the 1960’s 7% of new female users of alcohol were ages 10-14, but by the early 1990’s, that figure had risen to 31%. In a shift since 2002, girls now outnumber boys in using alcohol. 38.5% of ninth-grade girls reported drinking in the past month, versus 34 percent of boys. Some 21 percent of girls and 19 percent of boys reported binge drinking. Until that year, girls had reported consuming alcohol at rates less than or nearly equal to boys. Heavy drinking can launch a perilous cycle. One drink for a teenage girl has roughly the same impact as two drinks for a teenage boy, due to lower body weights and different metabolisms. The insidious nature of alcohol opens the door to other vicious cycles. Attempting to escape from the pain of insecurity and self doubt they dull the pain with alcohol or drugs—giving a brief reprieve from the uncomfortable world of their perceived reality.

Self-injury: (such as cutting, bruising, scalding, hitting or scratching) Young women outnumber young men in the ration of 7:1. Self-harming can help release feelings of self-hatred or anger, acting as a mood altering activity. People who self harm often find it difficult to express their feelings, and the onset of self-harming behavior has been linked to difficult things going on in a young person’s life such as being bullied at school, not getting along with parents, abuse, rape, or bereavement.

Suicide: Girls think about and attempt suicide about twice as often as boys. In the past 25 years, while the general incidence of suicide has decreased, the rate for those between 15 and 24 has tripled. It is generally considered to be the third most common cause of death among adolescents.

Fashion Industry: It is difficult for young teens to find modest clothing that does not focus on revealing their body. This can bring even more insecurity to an already insecure young woman.

Sex and Molestation: One in three girls will be a victim of child molestation by the time she is 181. This many times leads to low self esteem and worthlessness which can trigger sexual promiscuity. The vicious cycle escalates where the sexual promiscuity can cause serious health risks, continue damaging their self esteem and emotional health. Among teens each year there are about 3 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases and approximately 1 million pregnancies. HIV infection is the 6th leading cause of death among persons 15-24 in the United States.

Statistics: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 36.9 percent of 14-year-olds have had sex - more than one out of three. Among 12th graders, 66.4 percent have had sex. The nationwide survey, based on interviews with 70,000 families, also found that girls surpassed boys in abusing prescription drugs. Of the youths surveyed in 2004, 14.4 percent of girls and 12.5 percent of boys reported misusing prescription drugs.

Even those who choose to stay pure, don’t drink or do drugs are affected by these statistics. Teenagers trying to be sexually pure can feel terribly isolated. They need friends to help affirm and confirm their convictions. Unfortunately, some have bought into the lie that oral sex is not really sex and therefore is permitted. The guilt and shame that arises from compromising what they initially confessed can lead them to walk away from God and the church. Others hide in secret shame or delve into pornography.

As you can see our daughters are at risk. These are cultural assaults I believe instigated by Satan to damage and derail our young women.

How can we help keep them safe?

We must become informed. Living in the land of denial will not make these issues go away. We must become comfortable in discussing these issues, acknowledging that they exist. As a parent, I must confess, these are some areas where I was very reluctant to talk to my children. I believe I did them a dis-service and even though God graciously kept them from getting too deep in these pitfalls, I recognize my default. My mom didn’t talk with me so I didn’t know how to talk with them.

We must pray earnestly for the young women of this generation. Interceding for them with heartfelt prayers will make a difference. We must release our faith in this area. However, it is not enough to pray.

We must not believe the lie that they don’t want to hear from us. Many young people are hungry for direction, insight and wisdom. Ask God to open your eyes and ears to those around you. At church—begin connecting, perhaps by simply saying hello. Ask after their day. Include them in your conversations. Begin a relationship and follow God’s leading. Smiling is a great beginning!

We must educate them. Help them to beware of the pitfalls. Teach them how to walk in faith, and respect their selves. Give them tools to resist the works of the enemy. Teach them how to refuse to go along with Satan’s plans. Help them understand the Word of God and how to use the Scriptures as weapons of their warfare. Use practical Bibles studies to help them understand the love of God and His plan for their lives. Teach them to pray and to hear from the Lord, to know Him personally. Teach them how to discern good relationships from bad and what to look for in husband material. Help them forgive themselves when they make mistakes.

Encourage them to develop the gifts God has given them. Remind them God gave them these gifts for a reason.

Support the youth ministry in your church or area. Volunteer to hang out at the next youth event. Not just being a ‘watch dog”, but actively engaging with the girls in the group. Look for those on the fringe, the loners, and the ones who don’t seem to have a friend. Become their connection. Take the time to thank those that do this vital job. Value the volunteers that show up week after week. They are making a difference. Pray for the youth leaders in your church and region. Look for ways to help them—emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Give them alternatives. Teen age girls need to have times where they are just with other young women. Slumber parties, movie nights, arts and crafts or even gourmet cooking lessons can help with this. They need opportunities to teach them how to deal with peer pressure, how to help them feel confident in who they are and in their Christian faith.

What else can be done?

Include young women in your women’s ministry. Look for ways to make them feel apart—not just as baby sitters. They need to know that God values them and the best way to do that is to value them ourselves. Wendy Treat, pastor at Christian Faith Center always encourages teens to come to their women’s conference. They give special rates to those 13-18 to let them know that they are valued. Then take the time to include special ministry to these girls to let them know that they need to connect with God during these meetings as well.

They need the opportunity to talk honestly and safely about these issues. Knowing that many of these girls may fall into the 1 out of 3 who have been molested, or have addiction problems, or are self harming themselves we must be prepared to help them heal. Pray for their healing and teach them how to look for ways they can help others as they have been helped. Be prepared to offer them help or refer them to others who can help them deal with these serious issues.

Help their parents know how to parent them. Provide classes or materials for parents to learn how to communicate with their daughters.

Celebrate them. Give them the honor that is due them. They are strong. They are useful to God’s Kingdom. Love them. God does!