Chapter 5:
*The Hidden Strength of Rahab*
An extract from coachowidi.org Rahab book. (Among other 7 books)
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By coach Owidi.
“The wise woman builds her house…” — *Proverbs 14:1*
“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” — *Hebrews 11:31*
Before she was remembered for her faith, Rahab was defined by her profession. A harlot. A woman on the fringe. Yet her name is recorded in the Hall of Faith alongside Abraham, Moses, and David.
Why?
Because Rahab was more than what people called her. She was courageous. Intelligent. Strategic. She was a woman of hidden strength—the kind only God sees until the time is right.
Faith Before She Belonged: The Power of Pain-Formed Faith
Rahab’s belief in the God of Israel didn’t come from being part of a temple.
She wasn’t raised among God’s people.
She didn’t have access to priests, Torah scrolls, or a godly upbringing.
But she had something many overlook: an ear that listened and a heart that was open — even in her pain.
She had heard the stories.
And something in those stories stirred hope deep inside her, beyond what her life had shown her.
“I know that the Lord has given you this land…” (Joshua 2:9)
*Q, What if Your Struggle Is the Soil of Your Faith?*
*So many of us see pain, rejection, or hardship as disqualification.*
*We think if we’re not inside the circle, if we don’t look the part or come from the right background, then God must be distant.*
But Rahab proves something extraordinary:
Sometimes it’s the outsider who has the clearest vision of what God is doing.
And *sometimes it’s pain that softens the heart in a way that prosperity never could.*
*Don’t Despise the Season That Broke You* — It May Be the One That Builds You
Rahab’s life before the spies was hard.
She was marginalized.
Used. Labeled. Overlooked.
*Her home was literally in the wall* — a symbol of the divide between belonging and rejection.
*But that very wall became her vantage point.*
That very pain created a hunger in her heart for something different.
For truth.
For God.
*What others saw as a disqualifier — God used as preparation.*
Q, What Can We Learn From Rahab’s Pain-Formed Faith?
*Pain Can Teach What Comfort Never Will*
Rahab’s struggle made her listen closer, watch more intently, and believe more boldly. She recognized truth when others feared it.
You Don’t Have to Belong to Believe
She aligned with God before she ever had a place among His people.
Don’t wait for others to validate your faith — move toward God anyway.
*Faith Isn’t Always Comfortable — Sometimes It’s Costly*
Rahab took a massive risk. She hid the spies under threat of death. *Real faith often costs something.*
But the reward?
It rewrites stories.
Where You Start Isn’t Where You Have to Stay
Rahab didn’t just survive — she thrived.
She moved from a prostitute to a protector.
From an outcast to an ancestor of the Messiah.
Final Encouragement: *Let your Pain Push You Toward Purpose*
Maybe you’re in a season right now where you feel like Rahab:
Misunderstood.
Stuck between who you were and who you want to become.
Hearing about God but not yet seeing Him fully.
Don’t give up.
Don’t let the pain convince you that you’re not part of God’s plan.
Let your faith rise — right there in the middle of the unknown.
Because sometimes, *the most radical faith is found not in the temple, but in the wall.*
And like Rahab, your faith today may become the foundation of redemption for generations to come.
Street-Smart and Spirit-Led
Her trade—though unholy—taught her survival, negotiation, and reading people. *She likely learned to speak multiple languages,* to keep secrets, to think fast, and to build networks.
Skills that, in God’s hands, became part of her divine assignment.
She hid the spies.
She made a deal.
She asked not just for her own safety—but for her entire family.
That is leadership. That is courage.
She was bold enough to lower men out a window to save their lives. Resourceful enough to hide them under flax stalks. She was a tactician. She wasn’t just feminine—she had a masculine strength, a *resilience shaped by hardship.*
And God used it all.
Strength in What the World Despises
*We often shun the streets as places of danger and disgrace—but the Bible says:*
*“Wisdom cries aloud in the streets…” (Proverbs 1:20)*
There’s wisdom found in struggle. In people who’ve had to fight to survive. While we, as Christians, may recoil at the ways of the world, it doesn’t mean we can’t learn from their discipline, grit, and persistence.
Pagans fight for their businesses.
They go after what they want—sometimes by bribery, yes—but with tenacity.
Now imagine if we, God’s people, fought for righteousness with the same level of passion—but guided by truth, honor, and faith.
What could happen if Christians walked in their callings with courage, structure, and fire?
A Promise of Strength in Weakness
Rahab not only survived—she was redeemed. She married into the tribe of Judah. She became the mother of Boaz, the great-grandmother of David, and an ancestor of Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 1:5).
What kind of transformation allows a former prostitute to become royalty?
Only grace. Only God.
He specializes in strength born from weakness. He is drawn to the humble.
And He elevates those the world has cast aside.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
Listening Creates Redemption
Rahab’s strength wasn’t just in action—it was also in listening.
She listened to the stories from travelers and traders. She paid attention. And when the moment came, her knowledge became her lifeline—and the key to saving her family.
If we want to help people rise, we must create safe spaces to listen to them.
Before we preach, we must hear.
Before we correct, we must understand.
Before we judge, we must see the whole person.
Every soul has a backstory. Every failure has a trigger. And every person labeled by the street has something valuable to offer—if we take the time to know them.
Reflection:
Who are the "Rahabs" in your life right now—people you may have overlooked because of how they seem on the surface?
What strengths might be hiding behind someone’s brokenness?
What can you learn from people who’ve had to fight harder than you ever have?
Extract from Rahab book
Coachowidi.org
