| In the New Testament, we find many women who display aspects of every gift of the Spirit whether or not they were aware of it. For example, take the Samaritan woman at the well, whose name is lost to history (see John 4:7–29). Jesus singled her out and she is considered by many to be the first true evangelist in the Bible. When she told the townspeople the Good News about the Christ, many of them believed.  Consider Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and cousin of Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.
Both of these devout women were active in prayer, worship, and faithful waiting on the Lord for the fulfillment of His prophetic promises. The interchange between these God-fearing women resulted in exuberant praises and prophesying concerning the destiny of Mary's Child, the Messiah Jesus. The magnificent prophetic exchange that unfolded is recorded in Luke 1:39–55. In addition to these prophetic songs of Elizabeth and Mary in the first chapter of Luke, we also see mention of "a prophetess Anna" in the second chapter:
And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers (Luke 2:36–37). In other words, Anna's prophetic ministry was expressed through intercession. Somehow she had come to know about all of the prophetic promises concerning the Messiah, promises that had not yet been fulfilled. She was on the lookout for this promised Messiah, the Deliverer and hope of Israel. Like Simeon a moment before, Anna's spirit leapt within her when she saw the little bundle in Mary's arms. This was the One! She blessed Him, knowing that all of the words of the prophets were coming to pass. I love Anna, and I know that women who are prophetic intercessors love her even more. Other Notable Women Mentioned in the New Testament We must cast a light on Phillip's four daughters. Phillip, known to us as "the Evangelist," had "four virgin daughters who were prophetesses" (Acts 21:9). Apparently all four of Phillip's unmarried daughters had been acknowledged by the local body of believers as having prophetic gifts. We do not know any words or actions specifically attributed to them, but surely the term "prophetesses" must have been well-deserved. Sometimes I think that God plays favorites, and Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" were surely among them. Those two women arrived first at the empty tomb, were the first to hear the words, "He is risen," and the first to announce His resurrection (see Matthew 28:1–10). Their unwavering loyalty and faith put them in the forefront of prophetic fulfillment. The Holy Spirit also highlights a distinct woman in the market place. A prominent lady named Lydia, the well-to-do businesswoman from the city of Thyatira in modern-day Turkey whose conversion outside the Macedonian city of Philippi and subsequent outreach opened the door to the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout Europe (see Acts 16:14–15). She is considered the first convert in Europe, since she lived and worked far to the west and north of the rest of the Middle East and Asia. Prominent Women in Church History Throughout the history of the church we know of many women of vibrant faith whose gifts and courage made a difference for the Kingdom in many nations of the earth. You may recognize many of these names; they are some of my favorites: - Vibia Perpetua (A.D. 181–203)
- Joan of Arc (1412–1431)
- Madame Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717)
- Susanna Wesley (1669–1742)
- Catherine Booth (1829–1890)
- Fanny Crosby (1820–1915)
- Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844–1924)
- Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944)
- Amy Carmichael (1867–1951)
- Lydia Prince (1890–1975)
- Mother (now Saint) Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997)
- Basilea Schlink (1904–2001)
Women on the Frontlines Today Today, preaching the Good News, prophesying and praying as the Spirit directs are many women of great diversity. Some of these valiant woman include Jane Hamon, daughter-in-law of Bill Hamon, and also Sharon Stone of England, both accurate prophets of Christian International. I must point out the tenacious Bonnie Chavda, prophetic lioness and wife of Mahesh Chavda. Joan Hunter doesn't only carry on the mantle of the Happy Hunters, she carries her own healing grace raising up women of faith and courage. Then there is Cindy Jacobs, founder of Generals International and one of the leading prophetic and prayer voices internationally in modern times. Among her many books is Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, which is about prophetic intercession. In their diverse ways, prophetic leaders are often forerunners who carry a breaker anointing into the various seven cultural mountains of influence. This is especially true concerning my dear friend in ministry, adventuresome and articulate media entrepreneur, Patricia… | 
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