Are you willing to whatever God calls you to do? Even if you never get the credit?
1. Absence of Heroic Spiritual Leadership leads to the demise of a generation…
2. The presence of Heroic Spiritual leaders can influence a generation…
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations” — Deuteronomy 7:9
Israel is a people who have lost their way and their primary identity, and only God in mercy can bring order to this chaos.
Judges 2:7-10
7 The people served the Lord throughout the rest of Joshua’s life and throughout the next generation of elders who outlived him, those who had seen all the great things that the Lord had done for Israel. 8 Joshua, Nun’s son and the Lord’s servant, died when he was 110 years old. 9 They buried him within the boundaries of his family property in Timnath-heres in the highlands of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash. 10 When that whole generation had passed away, another generation came after them who didn’t know the Lord or the things that he had done for Israel.
Children adopt their parents passions—not their beliefs
Forgetting Out First Love – Revelation 2:1-5 CEB
“Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus: …I know your works, your labor, and your endurance. I also know that you don’t put up with those who are evil. You have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and you have found them to be liars. You have shown endurance and put up with a lot for my name’s sake, and you haven’t gotten tired. But I have this against you: you have let go of the love you had at first. So remember the high point from which you have fallen. Change your hearts and lives and do the things you did at first. If you don’t, I’m coming to you. I will move your lampstand from its place if you don’t change your hearts and lives
Consequences — Judges 4:1-2
After Ehud had died, the Israelites again did things that the Lord saw as evil. So the Lord gave them over to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, and he was stationed in Harosheth-ha-goiim.
3. Who Will Step Up and Lead?
“Build up the broken places...” — Ezekiel 22:29-30
The important people of the land have practiced extortion and have committed robbery. They’ve oppressed the poor and mistreated the immigrant. They’ve oppressed and denied justice. I looked for anyone to repair the wall and stand in the gap for me on behalf of the land, so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. But I couldn’t find anyone.
Deborah (Hero) & Barak (Not a Hero) — Judges 4:4-9
V4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was a leader of Israel at that time. She would sit under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraim highlands, and the Israelites would come to her to settle disputes. She sent word to Barak, Abinoam’s son, from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "Hasn’t the Lord, Israel’s God, issued you a command? ‘Go and assemble at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand men from the people of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. 7 I’ll lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to assemble with his chariots and troops against you at the Kishon River, and then I’ll help you overpower him.’" 8 Barak replied to her, “If you’ll go with me, I’ll go; but if not, I won’t go.”
Barak’s lack of faith & inability to dream God’s Dream For His Life
Deborah Prophesies: V9 “I’ll definitely go with you. However, the path you’re taking won’t bring honor to you, because the Lord will hand over Sisera to a woman.”
An heroic leader inspires faith and God’s greatness in others! — Judges 4:14
Then Deborah said to Barak, "Get up! This is the day that the Lord has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn’t the Lord gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men behind him.
Questions:
1. Who are your spiritual mothers and fathers?
2. To whom are you a spiritual mother or father?
3. Where do you see the greatest need in the world?
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