Dare To Be A Deborah

 This for all my ‘sisters’ out there…..

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” Acts 2:17

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

 “When God is going to do something wonderful,” author Anne Lamott claims, “God always starts with a hardship; when God is going to do something amazing, God starts with an impossibility.” At this point in time the people of Israel were experiencing a crisis, a time of great stress thinking doom was all but certain. The situation appeared hopeless and impossible until God raised up the right person to meet the challenge head on. It just so happens that person was a woman! God called a woman to do what was thought of as a man’s job! Deborah’s story has often been at the center of the battle over what God does and doesn’t want women to do in service to Him. We find no indication in the text that Deborah did anything but follow God with a whole heart. She didn’t choose her position….God did! Often times when someone tells me God doesn’t call women to preach, I tell them, you might oughta’ take that up with Him cause He was the one who called me.

  I sense a wind of change and you can be a part of that change. Women are powerful, but I see them rein in that power every day, you need to stop hiding your gifts, stop tossing aside your valid emotions, we need to understand we can be strong women and still be soft and feminine. Deborah had those qualities…they called her the Mother of Israel because she was so nurturing. Most women have a natural intuition and instinctive power. I personally believe that just makes us a little more sensitive to the Spirit. Amen? We by nature are compassionate, and have a creative force, almost as if it’s divine life itself, but you must learn to unleash your God-given gifts…You see, you’ve always had this power, but you have to learn it for yourselves. It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to, has power over you..if you allow it…Soooo, if you ever find yourself in the wrong story…Leave! You’re the author of your story,take the pen out of someone else’s hand and write your own ending

 Learning to control self in order to unleash these God-given gifts may be the most difficult superhero task you’ll ever perform. You must take radical care of your heart, mind, and body. The Word tells us to protect our hearts, our inner man. Honor the sacred warrior in you. If your cape only works for others but not for yourself, it will tear with every rescue you attempt. It’s easy to be someone else’s hero, but it’s the journey of a lifetime to fearlessly become your own. Be you! Be who you are and not who or what someone else thinks you should be. Don’t try to be someone else! God made you YOU and no one can be you better! You can be a part of this change, what God is doing now! Just relax, go with the flow, move when Holy Spirit says move!

 Judge Debby, she was not, doing away with criminals with a sarcastic remark and a wave of her hand. Instead, the biblical Deborah was a renowned prophetess, an honored judge, and an ideal role model for every woman called to lead others.

 Deborah was a trailblazer for us all. She lived in a time when society was dominated by men and when women judges were rare but in spite of that fact Deborah stepped up to the challenge and was an amazing woman of God and a strong ruler. Among the twelve judges of Israel, she was the only woman; yet she was respected and loved by the people she ruled over. She not only loved God but loved those He loved and they knew it. People know when you truly love them with a Godly love, an agape love, a Jesus love!

  She was also known as a prophetess and settled people’s disputes and gave wise counsel. Deborah is introduced as a ‘prophetess’, but a prophet was not someone who foretold the future. They ‘heard’ a message from God and passed it on. I would dare to say Deborah was a preacher! An oracle of God, such as many of you! Deborah always sought and obeyed the Lord and insisted His will..not hers…be done. Isn’t that how we all should pray….even so Lord, thy will not mine?

 What can we learn from Deborah? How can we dare to be a Deborah? The name Deborah means ‘bee’ in Hebrew. It also means ‘spirited or fiery woman’. When attacked, Deborah could sting like a bee.

  D…A…R…E to be a Deborah!

 D…… Dare
Dare to step out and be the first one to do something. If God has placed a dream in your heart and given you the passion and talent to pursue it, then there is absolutely nothing that can stop you. You can do all things in Christ Jesus! Don’t let society, doubt, or unbelievers hold you back or keep you down. Bigger is He that is in you than he that is in the world and no weapon formed against you will prosper….so fly my little bumble bees…spread your wings and fly!

 When Israel fell under the oppressive rule of Jabin, Deborah didn’t just sit down and do nothing. Instead, she rose to the occasion. She didn’t let the hard times destroy her, she let them make her stronger. Because of her faith in God, confidence in herself, and her determination, she led the people of Israel to return to God and be victorious in battle.

 A…..Afraid
Don’t be afraid. Fear not (used in this context) is found in the Bible 80+ times. I have to tell you I’ve heard and been told it was in there 365 times, one for each day of the year and as well as I like that idea, it’s not. Don’t be afraid to step out into what God has called you to do. I remember the first time I was asked to bring the message. Even though I had been teaching/preaching adult Sunday School, this was a Wednesday and more people would be there so needless to say I was a tad nervous. Holy Spirit gently reminded me that is was not me that would be doing it but Him. Whew! I tell you that took the load off my shoulders and put it right dab in the middle of His. So after that night each time I walked behind the pulpit to teach or preach, I’d tell Him, okay Lord you’re on. Don’t be afraid, fear not for I am with you saith the Lord your God! He will be with you every step of the way! A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you for He is with you. And don’t be afraid to move. Some of us are sensing a wind change….a moving of the Spirit. In the Word often times wind is used in reference with Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters in the beginning, He’s hovering over His people today. In Isaiah He says…”For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Hallelujah! Do you not see it? Do you not feel it?

 There’s a wind change coming and when He decides to move, don’t be afraid to move with Him. I’m longing for a move of God through His Spirit, because I’m convinced that where He is there is freedom, power and the ability to do greater things for God. He makes everything easy when He shows up. It is like the working of His mighty power within. I feel in my spirit He’s moving (there’s a wind change) and something big is about to happen and it will come suddenly! That’s a word I keep hearing in my spirit….suddenly! And when it does, I want to be smack dab in the middle of it.

 Judges 4:6-7 reads: Then she (Deborah) 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 ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?“ Deborah knew that the God of Moses, Abraham and Isaac was with her! She knew she was not alone in this deal. She knew He was with her and she trusted Him to see her through. She was not afraid to go where God led her.

  Deborah didn’t try to take Barak’s place, she was simply there to support and assist, but she didn’t shy away from entering the war zone either. (Judges 4:9) “She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” But Deborah is not the woman spoken of here as some might think. That woman was another daring courageous woman (Jael) but that’s a whole nuther story. Deborah knew that God had called Barak to lead these men into battle and she wasn’t going to step on his toes and take his place. Don’t try to step into someone else’s calling! 2 Peter 1:10 tells us…“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.”

 Wait for God and bloom where you’re planted and your gift will make room for you. (Proverbs 18:16) Don’t be prideful! Don’t be too proud to say this is not my calling; this is not what God called me to do. Take me for example…I’m a teacher/preacher, an evangelist. I’m not a Pastor! God didn’t call me to be a pastor and I have no desire to pastor a church. I’ll tell you right quick…thanks but no thanks, I’ll pray for God to send someone, but that’s not what He called me to do. Don’t be afraid to refuse a position you know God didn’t call you into. Wait on God and He’ll find your place.

 There’ll be people who at one time or the other that may ask for your help in doing what God has called them to do. Don’t refuse them. Mentor them! Help them in any way you can, even if it’s only to say, I’m praying for you. Learn to work well with others and be a good partner like Deborah. We are always stronger together. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 I’ve heard it said, I’m not my brother’s keeper, well in this case….sister. But we are! We are our sister’s keeper! We need to be Aaron and Hur to our sisters. When they’re fighting a battle we need to hold their arms up by praying for them, lest they get tired and quit. Bottom line folks….we need each other!

 E…Encourage
Be an encourager! I decided long ago if I couldn’t be anything else, I could be an encourager! Deborah was an encourager. Barak’s faith in God was not as strong as Deborah’s faith in God. He doubted that he could lead the Israelite army to victory. But because God had told Deborah that Barak was the right man for the job, she believed in Him.There have been few people in history who inspire such loyalty in the people around them that they can achieve what seems impossible. Deborah seems to have been that kinda’ person. She had the charisma needed to convince people they could take extraordinary risks and succeed. The force of her personality and her complete faith in God gave Barak the courage to face odds that he knew to be overwhelming. Like a cheerleader, she encouraged him and told him that he could do what God had called him to do. She also encouraged the people of Israel, imploring them to come back and stay close to the God they knew to be the one true God and turn away from the idols they’d been worshiping.

 There are a lot of captains, sometimes we just need to be a cheerleader. Standing on the sidelines cheering someone else on, telling them, ‘go you can do this! Me and God, we got your back, go for it’.

 When you see others doubting their dreams, their ability, themselves, their reason for being alive, or even doubting God; don’t sit by and do nothing. Go over and encourage them. Your words, hugs, or smile may be just what they need to keep going, to hold on a little bit longer, or to win the battle they’re fighting. Sometimes you may not need to say anything…just being there may be enough. And always, always pray for one another building them up in the Holy Ghost. And on the flip side of that coin, if you find yourself bogged down and depressed or just plain tired of being tired or experiencing a burn out…don’t hesitate to seek out someone you know and trust for guidance, encouragement and help. No man/woman is an island! There are no me and Jesus, we got our thing going. We are the body and the little toe is no less important than the right arm. The one standing behind the pulpit is no more important than the little woman back there in the nursery taking care of the babies. There are no big I’s and little u’s in the body of Christ. The ground at the foot of the cross is level ground.

I’ve heard someone call Deborah ‘God’s Leading Lady’, a woman after God’s own heart! Wouldn’t you like to be known as a woman after God’s own heart? Hallelujah! I would!

Deborah is an excellent example to all of us, proof that He can use any of us if we are willing and obedient to His call. So get out there my sisters and dare to be a Deborah!

God bless you! I love you, but God loves you more!

Father God, thank You for making us women after Your heart. Give us the wisdom, courage and strength of Deborah. Give us understanding and revelation knowledge. Give us ears to hear what thus says the Lord and an obedient heart to follow. Guide us as we walk, no run after You. Make us God chasers! Use us in the battle against evil for we know the closer we get to Your coming the evil will get more evil and the darkness will get darker. I want to be a part of what You’re doing today and I know these women do too. We sense a wind change in our spirits, a moving of the Spirit and we want to be part of that change. We want to soar as eagles on the winds of Holy Spirit. Make us strong warriors in your army Lord….make us Deborahs! Remove the obstacles in our lives that keep us from absolute obedience to you. Help us never to put conditions on our obedience, but always to be ready to immediately respond to the promptings of the Spirit. Thank You for this time spent with my sisters and may we not leave here the way we came! Let us leave here as overcomers, more than conquerors! Deborahs, armed and ready for battle!

In His love,
Elizabeth