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(You will be glad you did!)
By Mary Lindow
I had just worked four days and had put in 46 hours on my feet. I was tired. I had spoken life and ministered to many people in my position as an office manager and chiropractic assistant to a wonderful Doctor that loves people and loves God. But nonetheless, I was tired.
I had been asked to come and minister at a women’s gathering on my day off, which would be Friday evening. I rested part of the day, did laundry the rest of the day and spoke to the Lord and prepared what he was giving me for the evening ministry meeting.
As I Got In The Car, I Noticed That My Indicators Were Telling Me There Was Something Wrong With The Car. Engine light flashing, cruise button not working and I had no time to spare to get to the meeting on time. So, I simply prayed, put my pedal to the metal and prayed all the way there.
When I Arrived, The Room Was Filled With Tired, Weary Women, Who Had Also Been Working Hard. Many of them, single mothers, many of them were parents who had taken on the adoption of their children’s children, because their own children had gone wild and embraced a lifestyle of drugs and freedom. They were pouring everything they had into these grandchildren, yet they still came. Many in the room we’re still seeking employment because they had lost previous jobs due to economic down change. And there, sitting in the church were young pregnant mothers.
Also, in the room were teenage high school girls and there I was, sent in my fatigue, to speak to them about the hope of Christ. I can tell you, I am so grateful for time in the word and time in prayer that anchors us and shows us the purpose beyond our own, as to why God sends us into different places.
I Was Honest, I Was Raw, And I Was Right In Front Of Them As One Of Them. As I began to talk about what it means to be in the presence of God, to really know him and his presence, and that it is there for us to draw from, to drink from, in order to survive this cruel world, something in the room began to change.
We are all aware of when the presence of God comes into a meeting and we call it the glory of God, Or We Call It The “Shekinah Glory”, Or The Holy Presence Of The Lord, And All Of This Is Very True! But in this meeting there was such a kindness and such tenderness towards this room of women who showed up on a Friday night after a long workweek, just to come in hope that they could touch the hem of his garment.
There were people in that group from about 11 years old all the way up to I would say late 70s. But every single one of them were women created in the fashion that God wanted them to be made in. Each of them still has dreams alive inside of them, even if their bodies are aging and are beginning to slow down a bit. There’s a fire inside of them that God wants to keep lit so that he may use them to the fullest.
But How Do You Address Those Situations With Multiple Generations? You talk to them about how much God loves them. You tell them about the hope that Jesus brings and then you get honest and tell them where you are!
When You Don’t Put Yourself On A Pedestal or lift up the icon of “your great knowledge of the Lord”, but instead, you get in the boat with them, they suddenly feel that they can receive from something or someone who “gets where they are at”.
I told stories of when I was a young girl, and first came to know the Lord and I had the young girls laughing, and it was so wonderful! But the Lord gave me their attention then.
I began to talk about raising children and how frightening it can be in a world where the narratives are screaming to influence our children’s minds, and I cheered the mothers on who are willing to do the hard things of homeschooling or be on top of the things their children are learning at school and to be vocal.
I talked about what it means to have pain in a family and to see children suffer, to see orphaned and adopted children come into your home, and you love, and care and nurture them as your very own.
And, I talked about when our bodies begin to change and grow a bit weaker and a bit older, the things we must do to remain strong in the Lord and yet what we can do with what we have, and how we can walk the floors in prayer, how we can be in the church building and pray for those who need to know Christ, and if we can’t walk, we can ride in our car and drive around and pray for our neighborhoods.
You See The Nurturing Quality Of God Is Real!
It is the Holy Spirit in a mothering form,
but it also has to come across with direction.
People Are Looking For Direction Today.
They need to see a course set out before them that has light and hope, and the wonderful woman of God, Deborah in the scriptures, had a journey, and a story to tell that in fact, turned her nation around because she chose to work and do the hard things in her community, where God began to then build a rapport with those who would even go to war and lead the armies.
God Is Raising Up Many Deborahs In This Hour. Many who have been silent and quiet. Maybe it’s your wife, maybe it’s your daughter, and maybe it’s your grandmother.
But right now there are women who see on the horizon, the great and dark, gloomy agendas of the world. And Friends, when you have a mother’s, fighting spirit and you have experience, there is nothing you will not do to stand up and protect your family and to go to war in the kingdom of God.
“God's eyes are searching to and fro over the earth looking for a heart that is fully His.” -2 Chronicles 16:9
What caught His eye when He came to Deborah?
Was it the uncompromising fire of holiness, an unwavering faith or an unrelenting love that set her apart? Was it something about the integrity of her character, the depth and integrity of her wisdom and the richness of her kindness, which produced confidence in both men and women?
THE LORD IS SO JEALOUS
FOR EACH ONE OF US
TO LOVE HIM AND KNOW HIM!
When We Start To Move Away From Him, He Allows Evil Kings To Oppress Us. The Word tells us that God is the one who appoints evil kings and magistrates, but He also rises up the godly judges and kings! Deborah was the fourth judge and for the first 20 years of her 40-year reign, the nation was oppressed by one of history's most powerful and cruel Canaanite Kings, Jabin, and his sneaky military commander, Sisera. (Judges 4:1-4)
Deborah Captured The Heart Of God!
What is amazing is that the Lord raised up a woman to deliver a nation! What is especially surprising is that it happened in the Middle East thousands of years ago! Deborah was not only a wife, mother, intercessor, psalmist and prophetess but also a judge and a national deliverer. That’s not a bad resume for a middle-aged woman living in that oppressive Middle Eastern culture!
Against Great Odds, God Used Her Powerfully.
Deborah broke outside of her culture but she wasn't in rebellion, she was in obedience -- to her God. She was used radically and set her people free, and the people loved her. It's a wonderful story of faith in God, and it champions men and women partnering together in a war to save their nation from great oppression.
When we read about this revolutionary prophetess and judge, it expands our religious studies of women being allowed to lead governmentally. But I really feel that God is raising up a troupe of end-time Deborahs.
THERE IS GREAT GLOBAL SHAKING
THAT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN,
AND THE LORD IS CALLING NOT ONLY
THE MEN, BUT ALSO THE WOMEN OF GOD!
The Lord is saying,
“ARISE! SHINE Deborahs!
Be a part of the army of the Lord!”
There Are Two Root Words For Consecrate In Hebrew: never (separating from) and cades (separating unto).
Deborah, Like The Other Defenders Of The Faith, Was Separated From The World And Unto God. She did nothing on her own but spoke just what the Father taught her.
This is where the true victory lies,
in listening to Him.
Deborah's Work History
We tend to think of multi-tasking as a 21st century sensation, but Deborah was functioning in five major roles. Many scholars believe that one of Deborah's roles before becoming judge was being a lamp lighter in the temple.
In The Bible, Oil Is Often A Symbol For The Holy Spirit. Deborah was married to Lapidoth, whose name means, shine, lamp, flame, burning lamp, lightening, and torch. Isn't it interesting? He, too, was a lamp that had oil!
Deborah Was A Keeper Of The Oil And Light, Carefully Tending The Lamps. This shows us that she was a woman who was passionately spending long hours dwelling in the temple. She was a woman of prayer and of worship. She lived between two villages, Ramah and Bethel, in Ephraim, which means the valley of fruitfulness.
Biblical Names Often Have Profound Prophetic Meanings. The ancient village of Ramah was known to be the seat of high adultery.
Bethel was known as the house of the Lord with open heavens, where Jacob had his ladder experience in Genesis 28.
Deborah stood in the gap interceding between the seat of high idolatry and pagan worship and the house of Bethel with its open heavens.
Now The Picture Becomes A Little Clearer As“ Deborah Was Raised Up By God To Intercede Against Idolatry (Ramah). She wanted to turn the hearts of the children of Israel back to the house of God (Bethel) to inherit a double portion of fruit (Ephraim).
Deborah's Relationship With The Lord Was Very Precious And Intimate.
I believe that in those twenty years of captivity, Deborah stood in the gap and interceded to change the course of Israel. God promised Abraham, in Genesis 18, that He would save a nation for the sake of ten righteous men. I believe that the righteous prayers of Deborah availed much!
She Worshipped And Had A Deep Intercessory Life With God. She would go into the temple and fill the lamps with oil and ask God for revelation for people around her in great darkness.
She was prepared in this secret place as she stood in the gap in desperate intercession for her people and her nation. She would hear from God and would bring down great wisdom and counsel.
She Spent Long Hours In The Temple. This dedication moved the very heart of God and changed the very heart of Deborah.
He led, she followed. She led, Israel followed.
Oftentimes we have the misunderstanding that worship is merely the thirty-minute time slot before the sermon, when we sing songs of devotion to God. This is part of worship.
But Doing Small Things With Great Love Unto Him Is Living A Life Of Worship. Deborah was a worshipper who loved the oil of the lamps, the Holy Spirit.
We Need To Be Like Deborah, Men And Women Of Prayer. Sincere and passionate prayer is the key to unlock our relationship with Almighty God.
Many struggle with praying because they feel that their intercession is not much more than empty cries to an invisible God who seems so distant. We often think that our prayers bounce off the ceiling and back to us unheard and unanswered.
But Beloved! God Loves Conversing With You!
He promises that He will hear you and answer!
IT TAKES ONLY A FEW SECONDS OF
A FACE-TO-FACE ENCOUNTER WITH GOD,
TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY
FOR YOU, YOUR CITY, OR YOUR NATION.
In Fact, Connecting With God Is The Highest Purpose For Which You Were Created!
This is eternal life to know me! (John 17:3)
Our Hunger For God Is What Fuels Our Prayer Life. When His presence is our passion and our hunger is for His heart, we can approach the throne of God boldly with the confidence that our Papa loves our prayers, but having this first love is so important.
For Deborah, intercession was an exchange of ideas in which God began to download strategic battle plans, blue prints from heaven, and keys to open doors that no man can shut, and shut doors that no man can open. Isa. 22:22 How else could she have so wisely judged so many civil cases with the Israelites?
The journey of Deborah is a declaration
of the power of just ONE life…
…Fully set apart for God.
Deborah Stood As A Prophetic Representation,
a suggestion that as a woman who may have been weaker in her physical attributes, she had the word of God! She had a history of going in and lighting the lamps.
She Had A History Of Hearing The Voice Of God In The Secret Place. So swiftly, when the hour came for her tangibly to go into war, she was ready. She was in the place to say yes because she knew the voice of her God.
What Is The Reason Why God Was Attracted To The Life Of Deborah? Prophetess Deborah functioned in the divine dimension of a spirit of wisdom and revelation. It was almost as if God had supernaturally, placed a divine compass in her, always guiding her to Him. The judging that Deborah did so well might have been because of her gift as a prophetess. She would have been able to make wise decisions if she saw well in the Spirit. She was humble, willing and wise.
In Matthew Henry's Commentary, he writes:
“She was a woman of illuminations, or of splendors, one extraordinarily known and wise, and so came to be eminent and illustrious. She was intimately acquainted with God, she was a prophetess, and one that instructed others in divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and had gifts of wisdom, to which she attained not in an ordinary way; she heard words of God, and she probably saw visions of the Almighty. She was totally devoted to Israel. After Jehovah, Israel was she first love.”
Deborah Was One Who Received Fresh Instructions From Heaven,and though she knew how evil the oppression of King Jabin was, she also knew that with God anything is possible! Something in Deborah knew how to pull on the sources of heaven, standing in the guidance of the Lord (Jer. 23) and open her mouth and let Him fill it (Psa. 81:10).
She Was A Mother Of Israel. What made this woman a mother of Israel? Deborah loved well.
Imagine facing the unending line of people all needing a touch of heaven. Imagine her tired eyes looking out on the faces of His design as she felt the ache in their hearts for God. They had come so far, how could they leave empty handed? The eleven other scattered tribes of Israel walked for miles and risked their lives on the dangerous highways as they struggled through to hear from God, through Deborah's voice.
In Judges 5:6-8, listen to what she says.
“The highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways. Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel. They chose new gods; then there was war in the gates.”
I believe that Deborah could hear the groans of the Israelites who were oppressed for 20 years and feel the throbbing pain in God's heart over His people's sin and oppression.
I Believe That It Was Her Ability To Hear His Heartbeat That Allowed Her To Save A Nation In A Day. Deborah ruled with the sword of a prophet but the staff of a shepherd -- she truly loved God's people.
She always led well. She led by loving.
Military Policymaker Deborah Was More Than A Judge; She Was Used To Deliver Israel From The Second Longest Captivity. As a prophetess and military strategist, she called the nation to war. She not only brandished the hand of God but also operated with the heart of God. You see, Deborah was a deliverer!
She Loved The People And They Loved Her.
She Delivered Them From A Great Enemy.
The Lord literally issued a clear prophetic word to summon Barak, the Israeli commander, to rally the troops for battle against impossible odds.
Why? Because the Hebrews had no weapons -- none. They had all been taken away by the Canaanites.
God Showed Deborah The Secrets Of How To Win The Battle. She brought a holy “about-face” to the wicked plans of Israel. When the city gates were at war, Deborah, a mother of Israel who was willing to lay down her life for her God and county, arose.
Why We Need Deborahs To Arise And Shine Today
There is a cry going out from the hearts of God’s people
about the oppression the church is under from the enemy.
Heaven Is Aware Of The Issues Affecting The People Of God. But, until a cry goes out from the people of God, the hands of Heaven are tied.
Without A Cry, We Show We Are Satisfied Or Comfortable With The Way Things Are. The harassment had been going on for well over 20 years. How long do we put up with things before we cry out for change?
GOD HAS BEEN WATCHING AND STIRRING UP DEBORAHS
FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW
AND THE TIMING IS RIGHT.
When We Get To The Place
To Where Revival Itself Isn’t Enough,
But We Must See Change Take Place,
We Know We Are On The Verge
Of Something Great.
We Have Got To Get To The Place
That We Don’t Just Want Change,
But We Are Willing To Rise Up
And Put Our Hands To The Plow,
To See Change Occur.
Actions truly do speak louder than words.
Deborah Represents The Steadiness And Dependability Necessary To Both Win And Keep Victory. Barak means “lightning flash”. That is temporary.
We don’t need a temporary fix or a temporary anointing. If a temporary, quick fix was enough; we would be in a great position by now! We didn’t get to where we are at quickly, and the victory must be won with reliability and dedication.
When Deborah Arose, The Warriors Returned. There is a group of God’s warriors who are waiting for someone to rise up and lead them back to the place and position for which they have been created.
God bestowed peace and victory for 40 years. The time of victory was twice as long as the time of oppression. The sad part is that after the 40 years, the Israelites went back to their wicked ways and found themselves in a place of oppression again.
Let Us Be Men And Woman Who Will Stand In The Breach
And Go Before God And Cry Out In Intercession These Very Words,
“Lord, we need restoration!
Lord, we need the Kingdom of God to
break in with the resurrection power of life!”
This Is A Call To Combat!
This is a call for you to say that you want to hear the voice of God…
… From the secret place.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably, with reverence and awe.”
-Hebrews 12:28
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Thank You! 2023
"THE MESSENGER" - Mary Lindow
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