Episode Description:

Have you ever wanted to do more with your life? Have you felt called to have a greater vision and stop playing small? Have you ever wanted to make your life count by influencing other people? Join us in this latest episode of ‘Hearing God’ as we unpack Deborah’s story in the Bible, how she heard God, and how it can apply to your life. Deborah didn’t play small. She lived an influential and extraordinary life, fully committed to God and fearlessly trusting Him.

Episode Notes:

Background to Deborah

• The story of Deborah is found in Judges 4-5.
• The introduction to Deborah starts with Judges 4:1 “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord…. The Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin King of Canaan.” Sisera was the commander of Jabin’s army and severely oppressed the Israelites.
• Deborah was leading Israel when the Israelites cried out to God to be rescued from the tyranny.

First Principle:  We are all called to live extraordinary lives.

• Deborah was fully committed to God.
• Deborah went into battle fearlessly trusting in God.
• She was willing to contend for God. To stand and declare the truth of His word.
• Deborah was the wife of Lappidoth (meaning light). She was considered to be the mother of Israel.
• She was a Judge, Prophet, Military leader, and Worshipper. She healed and empowered the nation.
• She was an intercessor and sought God’s battle plan.
• Judge – settling disputes and making decisions. She held court between 2 cities (unlike men who sat at the city gates). Under a palm tree (symbol of justice). Open, neutral place, maybe near her home.
• Discerning.
• She knew the times and seasons of God.
• Solomon – 1 Kings 3:9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. God was pleased with him.
• Deborah didn’t play small—an encouragement to enlarge your vision. Don’t play small.

Second Principle: When I pray, do the heavens shake?

• Judges 4:5
• Put your relationship with God first.
• What authority do we have in the heavenlies?
• Deborah heard the battle strategy from God and took God at His word.
• She sent for Barak, a mighty warrior, to lead the Israelite army. She told him to take 10,000 men to Mt Tabor. Meanwhile, she would lead Sisera and his huge army to the Kishon River and put him into Barak’s hands.
• Barak says, “If you go with me, I will go. But if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
• Where have all the courageous men gone?
• Deborah replies that she will go with him but that the honour of the outcome will be given to a woman. Sisera will be delivered into the hands of a woman.
• The Lord rerouted Sisera as it poured with rain, and the dirt roads near the river became muddy, and the chariot wheels got stuck. Siera fled on foot. Israelites defeated them.

Third Principle: Community is important to God.

• Our relationship with God impacts others.
• An outworking of our relationship with God is empowering others to succeed.
• Deborah nurtured the nation.
• Jael – Sisera fled to Jael’s tent because of an alliance between him and her husband’s family. She invited him in, and he lay down. Jael covered him with a blanket. She gave him warm milk to help him sleep. He asked her to stand by the tent flap and protect him. Jael didn’t lie. She picked up a tent peg and hammer and drove the peg through his temple.
• Jael could easily be overlooked and dismissed as ‘just a housewife’ / tent keeper.
• She stepped up to the plate at the right moment. Did she hear from God? Don’t know, but it seemed the right courageous thing that she was equipped to do right at that moment.

Summary:

1. We are all called to live extraordinary lives.
2. When I pray, do the heavens shake?
3. Community is important to God.

Prophetic activation:

Turn your heart and thoughts to Father God and ask Him –

• “God, what would it look like for the ‘Heavens to shake’ when I pray? For my prayers to be answered?”
• “Father God, is there an adjustment I need to make for this to happen?”

Time Stamps:

[0:39] – Gary & Jane share briefly how they have heard God this week.

[3:30] – Background to the story of Deborah.

[4:27] – First Principle: We are called to live extraordinary lives.

[9:19] – Deborah didn’t play small. Enlarge your vision.

[10:48] – Second Principle: When I pray, do the heavens shake?

[15:33] – Third Principle: Community is important to God.

[18:03] – Recap the principles.

[18:28] – Prophetic activation.

[19:34] – Gary & Jane both share a prophetic word for a listener.

[21:35] – Gary prays for you.

Resources / Links Mentioned:

• Amplifying Christ’s Voice Podcast (By Evangelist Regina): https://acvpodcast.buzzsprout.com/
• Winter Shelter: https://stableone.org/find-a-shelter/
• Website: https://garyandjane.co

Bible Verses Mentioned:

• Judges 4-5
• 1 Kings 3:9, 16-28

Connect with Gary & Jane:

• Visit the Hearing God podcast website https://garyandjane.co
• Email admin@garyandjane.co
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• Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/hearinggodpodcast/

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