Deborah. . . A Woman Who Loved God Through the Eyes of Her Heart.
The story and life of Deborah is only one of many extraordinary stories in Scripture that reveal the great love and mercy of God. And since God’s love and mercy are so deep & inexhaustible it can’t be measured. Our goal today is to encourage you not just because you are a woman but because you are a co-heir with Christ. In God’s story every one of us is given a script to live out, but remember God wrote them all. His desire is that we all play our part giving glory to Him and being assured of the outcome.
Let me begin by saying, God delights in strong women. Perhaps we can all relate to the story of Deborah in Judges chapters 4-5, by far one of the strongest women in Scripture and one of the few mentioned prophetesses. Deborah’s story doesn’t give us a biblical formula for success, but more so an example of proven Godly character as God uses her to exercise strategic leadership among God’s people. However her leadership skills only play a small part in her overall story, so let me point out a few things we can glean from her life.
Deborah’s story points our eyes to God
Remember that Deborah’s story may be unique to us and we may never step into her shoes, but Deborah was also part of a people who were part of God’s redemptive plan for humanity, and she faithfully played her part never realizing how powerful the outcome would be. Ladies, each of you as well, are part of God’s redeeming story and when you play your part faithfully, no matter where God has placed you, you become a woman of proven character that glorifies God. We also want to celebrate this woman of God because human strength “as Scripture shows us is a derived strength.” Remember always, “Our sufficiency is from God-not ourselves” (2 Corinthians 3:5). In other words, our strength is eternal not circumstantial or conditional. Consequently, if we keep our eyes heavenward, we keep Jesus in our sights revealing that we play a part in God’s plan – not apart from it.
Deborah Declares God’s Word
This is what the prophets of old did, they spoke God’s Word. In all of Deborah’s dealings, whether commands, judgments, or promises Deborah’s mouth, essentially what was in her heart (Luke 6:45), does not cease to declare God’s Word. Again, this characteristic nature of Deborah making God’s Word the sword on which she led Barak into battle becomes iconic of her strength (Judges 4). The strength of declaring God’s Word becomes the strength of our journey as well because we are walking & living in the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is the power of the Gospel that dispels darkness, brings anxiety to peace, destroys the works of the devil and heals the brokenness of past failure & disappointment.
Deborah Sings God’s Word
Deborah not only speaks God’s Word; she obeys it and now she sings it. She uses her singing to praise God and notably, her Spirit-inspired poetry reveals a heart turned toward the Lord & His faithfulness. She sings glory to God for His deliverance and destroying their enemies, many of which, were never known. We to, may often forget that God, in the midst of our worship, has destroyed enemies working against us before they even reached us. Singing is never just words with music, it’s a form of worship that reveals a loving heart within you for your trust in Him. Worship keeps us in the moment insulating us from past failures & future fears. Worship is a spiritual weapon against the enemies thought patterns meant to destroy us. “For our weapons are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Closing Thought . . .
Deborah’s story reminds us of our all-powerful Creator & Redeemer whose Word has ordained our days and steps. In one sense we are living in a story already told and in another we can be assured of our victory through what Jesus did on the cross. God uses imperfect and weak people, men & women such as you & I and makes them strong through the power of His Spirit. I leave you with the words of C.S. Lewis, “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.” Coram Deo!