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June 22, 2023
Seize the Opportunity to Destroy the Enemy
Beloved one when you get a message from God do you stand on it and follow His instructions or let it pass you by? When you consistently pray, God will listen, give you a message, and He will give you a message to destroy your enemies! (Judges 4-5) Deborah was a judge, a prophetess, and a mother of Israel – she prayed and interceded over Israel. She was married to Lappidoth who must have been secure in his identity in Christ because he supported and encouraged his wife in all her giftings. Deborah led her country! She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment because she judged righteously. (Judges 4:4-5 NLT) King Jabin’s commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha goy. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. (Judges 4:2-3 NLT)
One day Deborah sent for Barak who lived in Naphtali to give him a message. “This is what the Lord says, ‘the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.” (Judges 4:6-7 NLT) Barak told her, ‘I will only go if you go with me!’ “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you, but you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So, Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. (Judges 4:8-10 NLT)
When King Jabin heard the news Barak and his army was on their way to take them out, he ordered 900 of his iron chariots and all his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River. 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. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all Sisera’s warriors. Not even one was left alive. (Judges 1:14-16 NLT)
Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. She gave him milk to drink, and he fall asleep. But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died. When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. She said, “Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” He followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temple. So, on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. (Judges 4:17-22)
All Israel rejoiced honoring and singing the praises of Jael. “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. (Judges 5) They had twenty years of peace from their enemy after that! After you take out your enemy through spiritual warfare/prayer, peace will flood your soul and life.
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