Strong Communication
Devotional Contributor: Al Schierbaum
Scripture:
Judges 4:8—9 “Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go." And she said, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.”
Observation:
Why there are not more sermons on the life of Deborah I don’t know. All the messages on leadership and her name rarely comes up. Even when people talk about the great women in the Bible, she ends up on the back page. Deborah was a great leader who was respected by military generals and the people alike. Deborah was a judge leading the nation, a prophetess leading people to God, and a military commander. Barak, Israel’s military general, told Deborah that he would not go into battle against the Canaanite commander, Sisera, unless she went with him. Her relationship with God coupled with her great leadership abilities brought great comfort. People knew when Deborah showed up, so did God. Her leadership brought forty years of peace to Israel amidst enemies on every side.
Application:
One of Deborah’s greatest strengths was her ability to communicate truth. Judges 4:4 says, “Deborah was a prophetess”. And Judges 4:5 says, “Deborah held court, … Israel came to her to have their disputes decided.” Deborah knew how to declare and apply God’s Word to situations that brought resolution to conflicts and disputes. Like Deborah, if we become a person who seeks to know God’s word and will, we can be used to be a peace maker. Judges 4:8-10, 14-15 tells us that Deborah’s communication to Barak gave him confidence to trust God and defeat Sisera. When we encourage someone with scripture, the Word of God will breathe confidence into that person to trust God and fulfill His purposes.
Request:
Dear Lord Jesus, I commit to seeking You and Your Word so that You will use me to bring truth to people and apply truth to life situations. I desire to communicate Your truth clearly and ask that You speak Your Word powerfully through me. In Jesus Name! Amen