Spiritual Resilience Through the story of Deborah and Barak

Evil never stops itself. Evil must be stopped. God sends people to get in the way and make it stop. When we look at the book of Judges we see multiple instances, a cycle emerges. This cycle shows that when we follow God's lead, we live in peace and His hand is on our lives. On the other hand, when we go against God to serve our "idols," we are overtaken by evil in many facets. This hasn't changed. It is a continuous cycle that will be until we fully align our hearts with what God has for us.

Let's talk about borders. Looking at Judges, the Israelites were told to get rid of every single Canaanite, and their animals. They failed to do that. They dwelt among them. Eventually they intermingled with them, which the Lord explicitly told them not to do. They worshipped their gods. Their borders were open to the demonic influences of the evil culture that they dwelt with instead of getting rid of. Likened to today in America, they had open borders, they had defunded the police. There was anarchy in the streets and the major cities were not habitable by good people or good families, they couldn't stomach the evils they were around day in or day out. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes, not what was right in the eyes of God. This message isn't just about what took place 3,000 years ago, but also what is happening in our own day.

We are anticipating and preparing for what is going to happen in our day by looking back at the time of the judges. We see the same themes and patterns that took place then take place today and we need to prepare ourselves for all that will transpire in the future. Their borders were unsecured and they were invaded. They didn't have the military capacity to fight back, their military lacked nerve, and their police department was defunded. There was 20 years of cruel oppression. Just when you think it cant get any worse, open and read your bible, it can. After 20 years, God's people were sick of it. The corrupt politicians, different movements and protests, they had a God sized problem.

Our civilization and western culture has a God sized problem. Unless Gid shows up, nothing is going to change.

Judges 4:1-5 The people's cry went up. God's anointing came down on Deborah. For good to start, bad must end. They had reached a desperate place. Sometimes good can come from a desperate place. Some of you, your marriage is in a desperate place, your business is in a desperate place. Your wayward, prodigal child is in a desperate place. Your health is in a desperate place. Are you in a desperate place? Ultimately, you need to just stop and cry out to the Lord. As in the days of the judges, we as a body, need to cry out to the Lord. We need to repent of anything we may have done that has contributed to the problems and invite Him in as the solution. They finally did that after 20 years.

Judges 4:4-10

"Now, Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains if Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgement. Then she sent and called for Barak, the son of Abinoam, from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, 'Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against youI will deploy Sisera,the commander of Jabin's army, with hus chariots and gis multitude at the river Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand'?' And Barak said to her, 'If you will go with ne, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.' So she said, 'I will surely go with you, nevertheless, there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.' Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; he went up with 10,000 men under his command, and Deborah went up with him."

Everything can change if God raises up a strong spirit filled believer. He does that through Deborah.

I find it interesting to note that this military leader/strategist would not go into battle unless a woman went with him. To me this shows a weakened masculine. When the men are weak, either in courage or might, God will use a woman to bring about His plans. Our society today has been producing weak men. Men who would rather be at home with mom indefinately. Men who relish in the fact they have a woman to take care of them. Men have stepped out of the masculine and into the feminine by and large in today's culture. I personally believe this to be because of the social structures we have in place today that reward single mothers with freebies if they dont have a working man in the home. Boys who grow up without fathers or father figures grow up expecting from a woman instead of being taught to provide for and protect women and children.

Nevertheless, Deborah went with Barak. In so doing, she brought the Spirit with her into the battle. She brought confidence to Barak when his faith was lacking even though he had been promised victory. It was the wavering, I believe that lost him the glory of the win. But it also shows that God can and will use a godly woman when the men fail to stand. His will, will be accomplished. Sometimes you don't get the annointing you need until you step out in faith. It took her presence and the anointing of the Spirit on her to provide him with the necessary faith to overcome Jabin's army and his tyrannical commander, Sisera.

Ungodly governments in the Bible and throughout histiry attack God, godly principles, and God's people. Godly leaders serve in godless governments throughout the Bible. Examples: Joseph, Obadiah, Nehemiah, Daniel, Kings like David, and judges like Deborah and Gideon to honor God and to protect His people. Today, our governnent has sought to replace God and rule over the Church by redefining gender, marriage, educating children, punishing Christian leaders who hire and fire by their convictions, killing innocent human life and closing churches. They threaten to take away the 501 C3, tax exemption from churches that are vocal about Christians taking an active role in confronting political issues. They want us to "stay in our lane," But what they fail to realize is if it affects the human life that Christ died to save, it matters to the Christian because people matter to God. The future of the next generation matters to God.

Judges 4:11-16

"Now Heber, the Kenite, of the children of Hobab,the father in law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenitesand pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Zaanaim, which is beside Kedesh. And they reported to Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam, had gone up to Mount Tabor. So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the river Kishon. Then Deborah said to Barak, 'Up! For this is the dayin which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?' So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all hus army with the edge if the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his cgariit and fled away on foot. But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth Hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a man was left."

How did they defeat 900 chariots of iron? This was their equivalent if a modern tank! Judges 5: 19-22 " The kings came, they fought...from heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancuent torrent, the torrent of Kishon. March on my soul, with might! Then beat the hirses hooves with the galloping, galloping of his steeds."

God sent a torrential rain. The Kishon became a mighty raging river. If they tried to cross, they were swept away. 900 chariots, stuck in the mud or swept far down stream. The men fought. The Lord routed Sisera.

Judges 4:17-24 "But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael,the wife of Heber the Kenite for there was peace between Jabin and the house of Heber. And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'turn aside my lord; turn aside to me and do not be afraid.' So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. And he said to her, 'please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.' So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. And ge said to her, 'stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, "is anyone here?" Say, "no". But Jael, the wife of Heber took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand. Then she softly went to him, and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, "Come and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." So he went into her tent and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg in his temple. So on that day, God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin, the king of Canaan, until they destroyed the king of Canaan.

The Kenites were related to the father in law of Moses. Sisera had mistakenly assumed that since Jabin had peace with the Kenites that this meant he would be safe in the tent of a woman married to a Kenite man. He was mistaken. God had routed him there for his defeat. Sisera had assumed Jael as an ally, but she was on the side of the Israelites.

In this text we see:

1. The anointing is everything.

2. some miracles happen in an instant, others over time.

3. The battle belongs ultimately, to the Lord.

4. God is in your fight.

We see male vs. female, small army vs. large army, warrior vs. civilian, Canaanite vs. Israelite.

But most importantly we see the hand of the Lord.

Judges 4:2 "The Lord sold them into the habd of Jabin, king of Canaan."

Judges 4:7 "I (Deborah) will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, and I will give him into your hand..."

Judges 4:9 "The Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman..."

Judges 4:21 "Jael, the wife if Heber took a tent peg and took a gammer into her hand."

Judges 4:24 "The hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan."

The Lord allowed the 20 years of oppression to teach the Israelites to need Him yet again. His hand lifted allowed this to happen. The Lord raised up a woman and filled her with the anointing if His Spirit, to lead Barak and the Israelites to victory over the larger army of the oppressors. The Lord gave the glory if the victory to a woman. Without His hand in action, we wouldnt see the victory recorded in this chapter. Without the hand of God in our own individual lives, we see the same obstacles. We see hatred, strife, depression, anxieties. Our governments become overrun by wicked politicuans with demonic agendas. His hand lifted bribgs about our need for Him. His hand extended to us provides from victory to victory.

This little story of Deborah is an allusion to the greater story of Jesus Christ. She was a judge, a prophet, a worship leader and a warrior. Jesus came at His first advent as a baby. Gres into a Teacher, Prophet, Miracle Worker, Dead Raiser, meek and humble sacrificial lamb. His returning, He's coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to put all evil away. He came first as a lamb, He's coming back as a lion.

Revelation 19:10-16

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. (The angelic messenger) But he said to me, " See that you do not do that! I am tour dellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit if prophecy." Now I saw heaven opened and vehold a white horse. And He who sat on him was calles Faithful and True and in righteousness He makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on His head were many crowns. He had a name wrtten that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself will tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

There is a such thing as a justified war. When evil rises, those who belong to God cry out. God raises leaders to squash the evil and bring peace to His people again. We are in a brief reprieve. Let us not lose sight of our God's hand! Let us cling all the more closely to him. Let us keep His hand of protection over our lives, over our families, over our businesses, over our churches, over this nation.

Keep us in Your Divine Will, Lord. In Jesus's Mighty Name. Amen