Tag Archives: Deborah and Barak

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If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail

Attempt Great Things For God

SYNOPSIS: What would you attempt for God if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith would lead you. How energetically would you press forward if you knew he was waiting there for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began? The truth is, when God calls you to step out, he has not only promised to be with you, he has promised to actually go before you, and while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there with your victory in hand.

If You Knew You Couldn't Fail - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Focus: Judges 4:14-15

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic.

What would you attempt for God if you knew the Lord was marching ahead of you? What grand thing would you pursue if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith would lead you, waiting for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began?

When God calls you to a step of faith, you are guaranteed his presence and his power, which means that you are invincible in the journey. Moreover, he has not only promised to be with you, but he has also promised to actually go before you, and while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there, waiting for you to take the victory lap for a victory that he won for you. How cool is that!

That is exactly what the prophetess Deborah is telling the reluctant general of the Israelite army, Barak. He is shivering in his boots knowing that his army is outmanned and outgunned by the Canaanite army of General Sisera. We are told in Judges 4:3, “Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.” 900 iron chariots to Israel’s none…no wonder, on a human level, Barak was not too excited about leading Israel into battle.

But this battle was not going to be fought only on a human level. No battle is. In the spiritual realm, God had already heard the cries of the Israelites and had determined to deliver them from their oppressors under the guidance of Deborah the Judge and Barak the General. In light of that, the fight was over before it even started. Barak couldn’t see that, but Deborah could. That is why she told him, “now get out there and fight, for God is already ahead of you and how guaranteed the victory. C’mon, go take your victory lap.” And that is exactly what Barak did, and a great deliverance for Israel was accomplished.

Perhaps you are a little uncertain about what’s next for you. Maybe you’re not too confident about your future. Maybe the circumstance you face is overwhelming, from a human perspective. You are outnumbered and outgunned. But where God is asking you to step out in faith, those odds do not matter one iota. God is on your side; he is with you, he is actually before you. He is already where he has called you to go, waiting for you to walk into a victory that he has secured for you. You cannot lose. So take heart.

Therefore, because of God’s exemplary record of faithful goodness in leading his people to victory, do not be afraid to trust an unknown tomorrow to a known God. So get ready! This is the day God will give you victory, for he is marching ahead of you. That is God’s promise to you!

In a verse similar to this, King David said to his son Solomon as he gave him the daunting task of building a temple in Jerusalem to the God of Israel,

Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly. (1 Chron 28:20, LB)

Whatever is before you, if God is calling you to step out, then do it with confidence. God is already out there where you have been called to go. And he has guaranteed victory if you will go with him!

Take A Moment: Picture your greatest challenge. Once you have that in view, picture God already there waiting for you. Now get out there; go take a victory lap in a victory that God has won for you.

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Your Judas

God’s Deeper Work Sometimes Comes Through A Betrayer

SYNOPSIS: In living out the law of agape love, we become like God—something that truly honors and pleases the heart of our Father. That’s what Jesus said: “You will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35, NLT) That’s a pretty compelling reason for choosing to express unconquerable, benevolent, kind, invincible, reconciling agape love—especially toward people who least deserve it. It is who God is, it is what God does, it is when we are most like God, and it is what his Son asked us to do.

Moments With God // Matthew 26:16

From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Sorry to be the one to break the news to you, but everybody gets a Judas in life. At one point or another, you will bear the pain of someone you trusted thrusting a knife in your back. It is simply, and sadly, the awful reality of living in a broken world alongside fallen human beings.

Among the sixty conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 BC was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted his assassins, but when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn, he gave up. He pulled the top part of his robe over his face, and uttered those heartrending words immortalized by Shakespeare, “Et tu Brutus” … “You, too, my child?”

Julius Caesar was not the only one to know such treachery. The passionate Scottish patriot William Wallace experienced it when Earl Robert de Bruce betrayed him. Not even the brightest theological mind who ever lived—the Apostle Paul—or the most perfect human being ever—Jesus Christ—was spared. No one gets a pass on betrayal.

So here’s the thing: Are you willing to consider the possibility that God has a far deeper work to do in you that can only come through the betrayer’s knife? Charles Spurgeon said,

I bear willing witness that I owe more to the fire, the hammer and the file than to anything else in the Lord’s workshop. I sometimes question whether I have ever learned anything except through the rod. When my schoolroom is darkened, I see the most.

The truth is, the fire, the hammer and the file of a betrayal may result in some of God’s finest craftsmanship—if you keep your heart soft and your eye on him. If you are going through the pain of a betrayer’s wound right now, remember, you are walking where great people have walked before. Their greatness came because they didn’t allow betrayal to ruin them; they learned how to turn their pain into greater usefulness for the Lord.

Jesus responded to Judas’ money-making treachery with obedient submission to God—and transformed the world. Perhaps God wants to use your pain to form you, and to transform your world.

To what enemy do you need to extend unconquerable, benevolent, invincible, reconciling kindness? Go do it! It’s what your Father would do—and you’ve got his DNA.

Take A Moment: If you are going through the pain of betrayal, memorize and pray this psalm of David, who knew a little about betrayal: “But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice…Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” (Psalm 55:16-17, 22)

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2021: God Is Already There

What Would You Attempt If You Knew You Couldn't Fail?

SYNOPSIS: What would you attempt for God as you look ahead to 2021 if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith will lead? How energetically would you press forward if you knew he was waiting for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began? The truth is, when God calls you to step out, he has not only promised to be with you, he has promised to actually go before you. And while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there with your victory in hand.

A New Year Promise // Judges 4:14-15

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic.

What would you attempt for God in 2021 if you knew he was marching ahead of you? What grand thing would you pursue if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith would lead, waiting for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began?

When God calls you to a step of faith, you are guaranteed his presence and his power, which means that you are invincible in the journey. Moreover, he has not only promised to be with you, he has promised to actually go before you, and while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there, waiting for you to take the victory lap for a victory that he won for you. How cool is that!

That is exactly what the prophetess Deborah is telling the reluctant general of the Israelite army, Barak. He is shivering in his boots knowing that his army is outmanned and outgunned by the Canaanite army of General Sisera. We are told in Judges 4:3, “Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.” 900 iron chariots to Israel’s none…no wonder, on a human level, Barak was not too excited about leading Israel into battle.

But this battle was not going to be fought only on a human level. No battle is. In the spiritual realm, God had already heard the cries of the Israelites and had determined to deliver them from their oppressors under the guidance of Deborah the Judge and Barak the General. In light of that, the fight was over before it even started. Barak couldn’t see that, but Deborah could. That is why she told him, “now get out there and fight, for God is already ahead of you and how guaranteed the victory. C’mon, go take your victory lap.” And that is exactly what Barak did, and a great deliverance for Israel was accomplished.

Perhaps you are a little uncertain about what’s next for you. Maybe you’re not too confident about your future. Maybe the circumstance you face are overwhelming, from a human perspective. You are outnumbered and outgunned. But where God is asking you to step out in faith, those odds do not matter one iota. God is on your side; he is with you, he is actually before you. He is already where he has called you to go, waiting for you to walk into a victory that he has secured for you. You cannot loose. So take heart.

Therefore, because of God’s exemplary record of faithful goodness in leading his people to victory, do not be afraid to trust an unknown tomorrow to a known God. So get ready! This is the day God will give you victory, for he is marching ahead of you. That is God’s promise to you!

In a verse similar to this, King David said to his son Solomon as he gave him the daunting task of building a temple in Jerusalem to the God of Israel,

Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly. (1 Chronicles 28:20, LB)

Whatever is before you, if God is calling you to step out, then do it with confidence; God is already out there where you have been called to go. And he has guaranteed victory if you will go with him!

Thrive: Picture your greatest challenge. Once you have that in view, picture God already there, waiting for you to arrive. Now get out there and go for it! In fact, as a declaration of faith, go ahead and take a victory lap in anticipation of the victory that God has won for you.

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A Winning Strategy

Reflect:
Judges 4:1-5:31

“Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?’” ~Judges 4:14

The inclusion of Deborah’s story in Judges raises all kinds of interesting discussion points about the role of women as spiritual leaders. As tempted as I am to weigh in on this, I won’t at this point, except to say that the very fact the Holy Spirit saw fit to include the account of Deborah’s heroic leadership over Israel ought to open our hearts to the legitimacy of God’s call upon uniquely gifted women in the church today. But I am not going to talk about that…

Easy to miss in her dramatic story is this one little line Deborah delivers to Barak, a very nervous and reluctant man God had chosen to be military leader over Israel at this time. Her words are fraught with all kinds of encouraging spiritual implications for believers today:

“Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” (NLT)

Don’t overlook that line: “The Lord is marching ahead of you.” If that be the case for Barak, and by extension, for you and me, then why would Christians ever need to be worried, anxious, fearful or reluctant to step out on God’s behalf? If that be the case, no wonder Scripture commands us not to fear, but to always be courageous more than any other command.

You see, when God calls a Christian to step out in faith and obedience, in reality, the Lord himself has already gone before them and is there waiting where the step of faith will take them. Yes, he goes before them (Isaiah 52:12), prepares the way for them (Exodus 23:20), he gives them safety and protection on the journey (Deuteronomy 23:14), he guarantees their success (Joshua 1:7-8) and he ensures they end the journey of faith with an outstanding testimony (Deuteronomy 26:19).

“The Lord is marching ahead of you.” When God calls you to a step of faith, in reality, he has already gone before you and is waiting where the step of faith will take you. Yes, he goes before you (“the Lord is going before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.” Isa. 52:12), he prepares the way for you (“I am going to send an angel before you to protect you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.” Ex. 23:20), he gives you safety and protection on the journey (“For the Lord your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you.” Deut. 23:14), he guarantees your success (“if you are careful to obey each of his laws, then you will be successful in everything you do.” Jos. 1:7) and he ensures the journey of faith will leave you with an outstanding testimony (“If you do, he will make you greater than any other nation, allowing you to receive praise, honor, and renown.” Deut. 26:19). So wherever God calls, step out, you are only walking where he already is.

That is the winning strategy the prophetess Deborah gave to Barak, and there is a reason it was included in the Holy Scriptures. It was not just for a reluctant nervous leader then, it is for God’s people today. God has given you the same winning strategy: Where God calls, step out, for he has already gone before you—and he is waiting for you at the finish line.

“A man with God is always in the majority.” ~John Knox

Reflect and Apply: Where are you being called to take a step of faith? If you are at all nervous about what is before you, go back and reflect on these verses: Isaiah 52:12, Exodus 23:20, Deuteronomy 23:14, Joshua 1:7-8, Deuteronomy 26:19 and Hebrews 13:5

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A Winning Strategy

Essential 100—Read:
Judges 4:1-5:31

“Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Go! This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?’” ~Judges 4:14

The inclusion of Deborah’s story in Judges raises all kinds of interesting discussion points about the role of women as spiritual leaders. As tempted as I am to weigh in on this, I won’t at this point, except to say that the very fact the Holy Spirit saw fit to include the account of Deborah’s heroic leadership over Israel ought to open our hearts to the legitimacy of God’s call upon uniquely gifted women in the church today. But I am not going to talk about that…

Easy to miss in her dramatic story is this one little line Deborah delivers to Barak, a very nervous and reluctant man God had chosen to be military leader over Israel at this time. Her words are fraught with all kinds of encouraging spiritual implications for believers today:

“Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” (NLT)

Don’t overlook that line: “The Lord is marching ahead of you.” If that be the case for Barak, and by extension, for you and me, then why would Christians ever need to be worried, anxious, fearful or reluctant to step out on God’s behalf? If that be the case, no wonder Scripture commands us not to fear, but to always be courageous more than any other command.

You see, when God calls a Christian to step out in faith and obedience, in reality, the Lord himself has already gone before them and is there waiting where the step of faith will take them. Yes, he goes before them (Isaiah 52:12), prepares the way for them (Exodus 23:20), he gives them safety and protection on the journey (Deuteronomy 23:14), he guarantees their success (Joshua 1:7-8) and he ensures they end the journey of faith with an outstanding testimony (Deuteronomy 26:19).

That is the winning strategy the prophetess Deborah gave to Barak, and there is a reason it was included in the Holy Scriptures. It was not just for a reluctant nervous leader then, it is for God’s people today. God has given you the same winning strategy: Where God calls, step out, for he has already gone before you—and he is waiting for you at the finish line.

“A man with God is always in the majority.” ~John Knox

Reflect and Apply: Where are you being called to take a step of faith? If you are at all nervous about what is before you, go back and reflect on these verses: Isaiah 52:12, Exodus 23:20, Deuteronomy 23:14, Joshua 1:7-8, Deuteronomy 26:19 and Hebrews 13:5