Ch5: Episode 4: Deborah's Bold Faith, Leadership and Unwavering Call

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Welcome back to the Chapter 5, Gifts of No Return, Embracing God's Unchanging

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Call, where we explore the timeless and unchanging nature of God's call in our lives.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm glad that you're back.

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And today, we're diving into a story of Deborah's leadership,

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as recorded in Judges Chapters 4 and 5, with the theme, Boldness and Authority in God's Calling.

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We'll look at Deborah's role as a prophetess and as a judge,

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her leadership in a male-dominated society, and the victory over Cicero's army.

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Deborah's story reminds us that God's call can defy cultural and societal norms.

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It highlights the importance of bold faith and leadership.

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So let's explore Deborah's remarkable leadership together.

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So let's start out by understanding the context of Deborah's story.

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I like the word Deborah, it sounds more mm. And after the death of Ehud,

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the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord, And they were oppressed

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by King Jabin of Canaan and his commander Sisera.

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That's found in Judges 4, verses 1-3. And let's describe the situation.

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So let's read from Judges 4, verses 1-3.

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It says, Again Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead.

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So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazar.

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Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in this place. I can't spell it.

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I can't read it either. Hazarus Hagagim.

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Find that in Judges chapter 4, 1 through 3. because he had 900 chariots fitted

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with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.

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And they cry for the Lord for help.

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So let's just take a backdrop. If we had a movie here,

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we can kind of check out and see what was the Israelites doing again here to

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get in the situation to cause Deborah to emerge on the scene.

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So the story of Deborah is found in Judges 4.

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It is set during a turbulent period in Israel's history where the cycle of sin,

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oppression, repentance, and deliverance was repeating itself.

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Understanding the why behind Deborah's emergence as a leader provides insight

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into God's response to Israel's circumstances and the role Deborah was destined to play.

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So we know that Israel had a cycle of crying out for help and then God rescuing

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them, sinning, crying out for help, and then getting rescued by God.

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So let's see about the cycle of sin that they had themselves in again.

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But we see here that this cycle of sin lasted 20 years. So that 20 years is a mighty long time.

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And so here, there's what was going on with their sin and oppression.

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Number one, it was disobedience and idolatry. Sounds familiar?

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The book of Judges described a reoccurring cycle in which the Israelites repeatedly

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fell into idolatry and disobedience after the death of Joshua.

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Each time they returned away, turned away from God and follow the pagan practices

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of the surrounding nations.

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They face oppression as a consequence of their unfaithfulness.

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So what was their oppression this time? Oppression by the Canaanite King Jabin.

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At the time of Deborah's emergence, Israel had once again fallen into idolatry.

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As a result, they were oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled from Hazar.

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His military commander, Sisera, led a mighty army equipped with 900 iron chariots,

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a formidable force that terrorized the Israelites.

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That's found in Judges chapter 4, verses 2 through 3, which we read.

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Crying out to the Lord, the oppression lasted for 20 years, during which the

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Israelites were harshly oppressed and significantly weakened.

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In their desperation, they cried out to the Lord for help, acknowledging their need for deliverance.

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This cry for help set the stage for God's intervention through Deborah.

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So why did Deborah, why did God choose Deborah, a female at this time?

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So God responds to Israel's cry. God's pattern throughout the book of Judges

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is to raise up a deliverer in response to the Israelites' cry for help.

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Deborah's emergence, he raised up a woman, is directly linked to this divine response.

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Despite Israel's disobedience, God heard their cries and chose to act by raising

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up Deborah, a prophetess and a judge.

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Come on now. She was, she really rose up a prophetess and a judge.

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And so we realize that God raises up a female, a prophetess,

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come on now y'all, and a judge.

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So this female was doing a job of a prophetess and a judge.

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In the Bible, a female, come on, let's hear it, to lead and deliver them from their oppression.

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Deborah had a unique role. Deborah's role as a prophetess and a judge was unique for several reasons.

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Number one, spiritual leadership. Unlike other judges who were primarily military

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leaders, Deborah, Deborah, let me get it right.

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I like it. Deborah was first and foremost a spiritual leader, a prophetess.

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As a prophetess, she had a direct line of communication with God,

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receiving divine guidance and delivering God's messages to the people.

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This was crucial for a nation that has lost its way spiritually.

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God knows how to get a person trained up and put them in the right position.

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I love it. Second thing about Deborah's new unique role was she was in judicial authority.

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Deborah's role as a judge meant she was a leader who settled disputes and provided

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guidance to the Israelites.

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She sat under the palm of Deborah, where people came to her for And that's found in Judge 4, verse 5.

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We'll get to that one, that verse. This position of authority made her a respected,

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trusted figure in a time of a national crisis.

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And number three, she was military leadership.

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Although Deborah was not a warrior herself, she played a pivotal role in the

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military deliverance of Israel.

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God used her to summon Barak and command him to lead an army against Caesarea.

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Judges 4, 6-7, we'll get to those.

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Deborah's presence in the battle and her leadership inspired Barak and the Israelites'

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forces to take action against their oppressors.

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She got more. She was a symbol of God's power.

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Deborah Emergence as a leader also demonstrated God's power and sovereignty.

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In a patriotical society where male leadership was the norm,

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God raised a woman to lead his people, showing that he can use anyone,

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regardless of gender, to accomplish his purpose.

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Deborah's leadership was a reminder that human expectation or social norms do

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not confine God's strength and wisdom.

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And finally, fulfillment of divine justice.

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The oppressor of Israel under Jabin and Cicero was a consequence of their disobedience.

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Obedience, but Deborah's leadership brought about divine justice,

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the subsequent victory over Cicero's forces.

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With the final blow dealt by another woman, J.L., highlights God's ability to

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deliver justice in unexpected ways, as found in Judges 4, 21-22.

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Deborah's role was central in orchestrating this deliverance.

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The why behind Deborah's emergence in Judges 4 is rooted in God's response to

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his people's desperate cry.

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Despite their disobedience, God showed mercy and raised up Deborah as a leader

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who would bring spiritual guidance,

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judicial wisdom, military strategy to deliver Israel from their oppression.

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Deborah's leadership was a testament to God's faithfulness,

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his ability to work through unexpected means and his commitment to deliver his

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people, even when they stray from his commands.

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That's powerful. What was the good and bad and ugly about this Deborah with

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all that power? I mean, she has spiritual leadership, judicial leadership, military leadership.

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She was a symbol of God's power and a fulfillment of divine judgment.

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She was raised up for just a time as this.

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We talk a lot about Esther, but we need to talk about this lady right here, Deborah.

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Deborah is one of the most prominent female figures in the Bible.

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Known for her role as a prophetess, a judge, and a military leader in Israel

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during the time of oppression by the Canaanites.

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Her story is primarily found in Judges 4 and 5. You get a chance,

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you got to read it through. It's so, so good.

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Like many biblical characters, her life and leadership reflects a mix of strength and challenges.

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Advantages so let's explore the good the bad

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and the ugly aspects of Deborah's story

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so number one we know she has strong leadership God chose her she held you know

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we already talked about that so we she had strong leadership she had prophetic

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insight she had courage and initiative initiative mean that she had the goal

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in her you know she had that goal she had that warrior in her.

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Right? And she had that song of victory after they won. So she had that in her. Come on, women.

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Come on, come on. Strong leadership, prophetic insight, courage and initiative, and a song of victory.

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After the victory, we'll talk to that about the victory. We'll walk through the story.

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But after the victory over Caesarea and Canaanites, Deborah composed a song

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of praise known as the Song of Deborah found in Judges 5.

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This song not only celebrated the military victory, but also praised God for his deliverance.

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It highlights the importance of unity among the tribe of Israel and the courage

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of those who answer the call to fight.

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This lady was talented.

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And I know there's a lot of ladies out there that have the same strength,

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strong leadership, prophetic insight, courage, and initiative.

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That she was a warrior, that she even had a songstress so she could write a song and sing a song.

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Come on. God anointed this lady for that particular time. What was the bad about this situation?

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So the bad wasn't even about the borrower. Bad started with Barack.

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Barack, that sounds familiar, but we ain't talking about that president.

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We're talking about this Bible character, Barack reliance on the board while

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not directly fought on the board.

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The narrative revealed that Barack, the military leader was hesitant to go into

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battle without the board's presence.

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That's found in Judges 4.8. This reliance on Deborah's leadership, while understandable,

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might suggest a lack of confidence in his own calling or dependency on Deborah's

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authority rather than fully trusting in God's command.

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So the lack, not in Deborah's ability, but a lack in his ability in trusting in God.

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We also see here the bad about, it wasn't about Deborah, division among the tribe.

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In the Song of Deborah, she highlights not all the tribes of Israel join in

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the fight against the Canaanites.

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The tribe of Reuben, Gilead, Dan, and Asher are mentioned as having stayed away

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from the battle as found in Judges 5, 15 to 17.

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This division among the tribe could be seen as a challenge to her leadership

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or reflection of disunity in Israel at the time.

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Come on, the cause of confusion and division.

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She's standing up for God, helping you out of your oppression and you can't stick together.

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Come on, don't that sound like some things going on today? Let's move on.

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What was the ugly about this as Deborah and leadership?

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The aftermath of the victory, while Deborah's leadership led to a significant

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victory, the period of peace that followed did not last indefinitely.

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The cyclical nature of Israel's unfaithfulness and disobedience,

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as seen throughout the book of Judges, suggests that despite her successful leadership,

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the underlying issue of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness remained unresolved.

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This reoccurring pattern of sin and deliverance reflects the broader ugly reality

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of Israel's spiritual condition during this period.

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And the second part of the ugly was that off this jewel,

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brutal jail, brutal act, also not directly Deborah's doing the story of JL,

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who kills Cicero by driving a tent peg through his head while he slept.

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Judges 421, we'll get to that, is a gruesome part of the narrative.

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Deborah had prophesied that the honor of killing Cicero would go to a woman.

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Still, the brutality of JL's act added a dark and violent twist to the story.

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While it fulfilled the prophecy and brought victory, it also highlights a brutal reality of the time.

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Deborah's story is overwhelmingly positive, showcasing her as a strong,

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courageous, wise leader who

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played a crucial role in Israel's deliverance from Canaan's oppression.

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Her prophetic gifts, her decisive leadership, and her ability to inspire others

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make her one of the most remarkable figures in the Bible.

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However, the narrative also includes challenges such as the partial participation

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of Israel's tribes in the battle and the brutal methods used to secure victory,

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which reflects the complexity and harsh realities of the period in which she lived.

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The royal leadership served as an example of how God can use individuals, regardless of gender.

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To accomplish, to accomplish his purpose and how robust and faithful leadership

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can bring about significant change, even under challenging circumstances.

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Okay, let's get back to the script here. So now here in verses four and five,

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let's see, after this oppression, we know all about the good stuff that Deborah

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did with her leadership and all her gifting that she had.

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Let's see her in action here so verses

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four and five now the boy a prophet and the wife

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so now she is a wife so she's a wife

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she probably got some children this lady is still

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talented okay was lee was the and his wife of lab lapidoth was the leading was

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i can't even say it i'm all this lady got more gifts now deborah a prophet the

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wife of lapidoth was leading israel at the the time.

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She held court under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim.

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And the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. We heard that already.

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So Deborah's role as a prophetess and judge is significant, especially in a male dominant society.

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Her leadership was recognized and respected by the people of Israel,

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illustrating that God's call can transcend cultural norms and expectation.

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So let's keep going. Deborah's leadership is further highlighted when she sends

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for Barak to deliver God's command.

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So God tells this lady, Deborah, go get Barak. Let's read Judges 4 and 6.

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She sent for Barak, son of Ammonam from Kadesh and Naphtali.

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I'm probably messing up these names, so please forgive me. and said to him,

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the Lord, the God of Israel commands you.

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Look at that. This lady, Deborah telling Barak, go take with you 10,000 men

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of Naphtali, I'm sorry, Zebulon and lead them up to Mount Tabor.

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I will lead, I will lead Sessera, the commander of Jabin army.

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You go that way, I'll go this way. and his chariots and his troops into the

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Kishon River and give him into your hands.

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Deborah's confidence in delivering God's command to Barak demonstrates her bold

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faithfulness and authority.

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She speaks with the assurance that God will fulfill his promise,

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showing us the importance of trusting in God's guidance and wisdom.

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That's why we said, you go that way, I'm going to go this way.

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Barak responds in agreement to accompany him into battle, further emphasizes her leadership.

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Let's go to verse eight and nine. Barak said to her, if you go with me, I will go.

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But if you don't go with me, I won't go.

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Certainly I will go with you, said Deborah.

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But because of this course you are taking, the honor will not be yours,

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for the Lord will deliver Cicero to the the hands of a woman.

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So Deborah went with Barak to Kadesh.

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Like we got to go together. We can cover two spaces, two lands, more space.

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But you want me to go with you? I'll go with you. Barak requests to Deborah

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to accompany him into the battle, reflects the respect and trust he has for her leadership.

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Deborah's willingness to go shows her courage and commitment to God's call.

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Her statement that the Lord would deliver Cicero into the hands of a woman also

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foreshadows the unconventional means by which God will bring victory.

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So the battle unfolds as Deborah predicted and the Israelites achieve great victory.

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Let's go to verse 14 through 16. Then Deborah said to Barak, go, go.

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This is the day that the Lord has given Cicero to your hands.

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Has not the Lord gone ahead of you? So Barak went down Mount Tabar with 10,000 men following him.

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At Barak's advance, the Lord routed Caesarea and all his chariots and army by the sword.

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Caesarea got down from his chariots and fled on foot.

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Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as the Harash Hagein,

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and all Caesarea's troops fell by the sword. not a man was left.

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The victory over Cesar's army is a testament to God's faithfulness and fulfillment of his promise.

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Deborah's leadership and Barak's obedience resulted in a decisive victory,

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demonstrating that when we act in faith and follow God's guidance, he brings success.

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The story concludes with the song of Deborah and Barak praising God for the the victory.

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Judges 5, 1, 2, 3 is that song.

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So on that day, Deborah and Brock, son of Abanon, sang the song.

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When the prince of Israel take

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the lead, when the people willfully offer themselves, praise the Lord.

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Hear this, you kings, listen, you rulers.

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I, even I, will sing to the Lord.

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The song of Deborah and Barak is a celebration of God's deliverance and a reminder of his sovereignty.

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It highlights the importance of giving.

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God the glory for victories and recognizing his hand in our successes.

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Deborah's story teaches us that God can defy cultural norms,

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cultural and social norms, societal norms.

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Her bold faith and leadership in a male-dominant society serves as an inspiration

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for us to embrace our own calling with courage.

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It also emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's guidance and wisdom.

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So how do we apply this to our daily life?

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So when Deborah said yes to God, she accepted her role as a prophetess,

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a judge, and a leader in a time when Israel was in need of deliverance.

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Unlike many other biblical figures, there was no record of Deborah hesitating

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or needing to be convinced to take on her responsibility.

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Her yes is evident in the way she faithfully carried out the task God set before her.

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Here's how her yes is reflected in her action. She said yes to prophetic leadership.

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She said yes when delivering her commands to Bari. rock. She said yes with her courageous actions.

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She said yes with her bold prophecy.

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She said yes in her bold song of victory.

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So Deborah, our yes to God was her acceptance to her multiple roles.

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Her yes to God, we can be used mightily to accomplish his purposes,

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even in challenging and unconventional circumstances.

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So how can we be bold like Deborah in our life?

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I want that. Number one, we embrace leadership roles with courage.

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How do we do that? We step into leadership positions with confidence,

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knowing that God equips those he calls.

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Reflect on Deborah's example and be willing to lead even when it challenged societal norms.

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We see Deborah had many different hats that she wore and she wore them with

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pride, not with pride, with courage and with honor and with respect.

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And she seemed like she had a balance with each one and she knew which one to

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use when needed, you know?

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And so she was written in the Bible and Judges 4 and 5.

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So when to step in that position with confidence.

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And then she was a wife. And so she was a wife. She probably has children.

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And so let's reflect on her example, how to have that balance as a wife,

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a leadership, a prophetic, a judge, a prophetess, a judge, have courage.

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She was even a songstress.

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Number two, trust in God's guidance and wisdom.

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Spend time in prayer, seeking God's direction for your life.

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Meditate on scripture that reminds you of God's faithfulness and guidance,

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such as Proverbs 3, 5 through 6.

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

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In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your path straight.

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And throughout these past podcasts, past episodes and devotionals,

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we're finding the same theme, like not lean on your own understanding.

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Just follow his instructions and he has a way of victory for you.

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He has a way of victory for you. Act bold in faith.

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Take decisive actions. Take decisive actions based on God's directions,

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even when faced with uncertainty.

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Remember that bold faith can lead to great victory, as seen in Deborah's story.

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Remember that bold faith can lead to great victories.

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So faith without action is dead, and so you have to move forward.

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Devorah just, he's not actually just stepped forth. Each person has a timing.

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There's always a timing when we step forth.

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I always, when you look in history, whether we step outside the Bible and we

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look in history, we always ask, why did this person step forth at this particular time?

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There's a space in time that when you are called to step forth,

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that's your space in time. and you step forth and you do do that thing.

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And you ever notice when that person is done doing that thing,

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then they're done and they just fade out, right?

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And you ever notice if anybody tried to do that thing longer than they're supposed

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to, they still slowly kind of phase out in a way.

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So there's a timing and a purpose for what God has for you.

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Be ready to step into it, act in bold, you know, act bold and just do it.

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It's your time. The spotlight is on you.

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Number four, give God the glory.

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Give God the glory. God, give God the glory.

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Acknowledge that God's hand is in your successes and victory.

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And remember, he's the one who has his hand on your back, holding you up there,

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right? He's holding your hand.

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He has his righteous hand in your hand. And so he's your support.

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And celebrate and share testimonies of God's faithfulness, just as Deborah and Barack did.

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Remember, they wrote a song about it. Put it in your journal.

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Sing a song about it. Tell others about what God has done for you.

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Matter of fact, they probably know because they said, you couldn't have did that without God.

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This is all about God. Just a real quick review here.

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Practical applications, embrace leadership roles with with courage,

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when people say, you can do that.

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People are always humble. Say, no, I can't. Just stand up and toss it.

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I'm going to do it afraid. Keep it to yourself, though, and just do it.

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And you'll be surprised how when you step into that role, it's your time and

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it's your season, just like Deborah.

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It was her time and it was her season. She had prepared for that. She was a wife.

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She was a wife. She was a mother. So she's leading at home.

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She probably worked as a judge, then was called as a prophet.

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It was always a warrior you know

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and then just how god just kind of moved her

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up into that position of a military leader too

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you know so slowly moving her up and she

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just was just bold about her business trusting god's

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guidance and wisdom he has a direct path for you instructions for you so follow

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those instructions always spend time in prayer getting his wisdom getting his

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downloads so So you know exactly where you need to be, what you need to say, and how you need to do it.

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Act bold in faith. When you get it, don't be wimpy. Just do it boldly.

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You know, this is something that someone said, fake it till you make it.

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Don't be faking it. Be real about it.

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Act like you know what you're doing until you know what you're doing.

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How about that? Act like you know what you're doing until you know what you're

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doing. I don't like the word fake it till you make it because then you keep faking it.

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And that's not a good feeling. Just act like you know what you're doing until

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you know what you're doing. How about that? And then give God the glory.

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Always give him the glory before, after, and during it.

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I even give him glory every day, every moment, because I'm just happy that he

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has chosen me for such a time as this and celebrate.

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And sometimes we can, our songs may never get published, but we can sing a song

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to God from our heart and just sing it to him, just like they did,

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praising God for the victory.

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So let's close this out with some decrees.

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We're going to decree for bold leadership. Let's go.

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Decree for bold leadership. I decree that like Deborah, I will embrace my leadership

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roles with courage and faith.

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I trust that God equips and empowers me to lead according to his will.

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Decree for divine guidance. We always need divine guidance.

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I decree that I will seek and follow God's guidance and wisdom in all aspects

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of my life. I believe that he will direct my path and lead me to success.

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Decree for bold faith.

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I decree that I will act in bold faith, trusting in God's promises and stepping

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out confidently in his calling for my life.

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Decree for giving God, giving glory to God.

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I decree that I will give God the glory for all my victories and successes,

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recognizing his hand is in every aspect of my life.

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So as we conclude this episode, take some time to reflect on how God has called you to lead,

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no matter where that is or how little or how small, all and how you can embrace

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that calling with boldness and faith.

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Remember, God's call can defy societal norms and his guidance will lead you to success.

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Thank you for joining me on this next episode.

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The next episode, we'll discuss our gift and callings and how to get you ready for leadership.

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And so we will do that. Thank you for joining me on this episode of Gifts of

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No Return, Embracing God's Unchanging Call.

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And if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share this with others

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who might benefit from this message.

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Thank you for listening and God bless.

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Until next time, Stay encouraged and keep embracing the gifts that God has placed within you.

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Remember God's gifts and callings are irrevocable. He doesn't take them back.

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And he has a unique and unchanging plan for your life.

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This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host, Connie Morris.

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Until we meet again, bye.