Deborah's Story Series

Series: Extraordinary Women of Faith

Thesis: Extraordinary is defined as very unusual or remarkable – not ordinary or normal! Yes, the opposite of extraordinary is normal! We were created by God to live and to do extraordinary things in our lives with His power and presence.

Question: Do you want to be normal or extraordinary? Last week Kathy Rolly shared a thought with me: “Normal is what is on washers and dryers!” Normal in life is really to over rated! So, let’s choose to all be extraordinary people of faith and see God use us in ways we never thought were possible!

Scripture Verse for series: 1 Cor. 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Introduction to series:

Our Scripture text tells us that when we are in a love relationship with Jesus – with God – that our minds cannot imagine what God will do with our life. Eyes who have been watching our lives will be amazed by what they see and ears which have been listening to our lives will be overwhelmed by what God does with our lives.

The truth is - Faith in God – choosing to serve Jesus is what will make us extraordinary people in this life.

Extraordinary comes from understanding who we are in Christ – whose family we are a part of – and who desires to empower us to live extraordinary lives. It comes from taping into the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Extraordinary comes from living a life for the Lord and not for ourselves.

As we have been doing this series on extraordinary women we have looked at:

Queen Esther

Bethany Hamilton

Hannah

Kate Royal

Ruth

Mother Teresa

Today I want to explore the story of Deborah – called a warrior princess, a judge of Israel, and a prophetess (See Judges 4 and 5).

Scripture Texts:

Judges 4:4-5: Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Judges 4:6: Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun.

Judges 4:8-10: Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." She said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him.

Judges 4:14-16: 14Deborah said to Barak, “Charge! This very day God has given you victory over Sisera. Isn’t God marching before you?” Barak charged down the slopes of Mount Tabor, his ten companies following him. 15God routed Sisera—all those chariots, all those troops!—before Barak. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran. 16Barak chased the chariots and troops all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s entire fighting force was killed—not one man left.

Judges 5:1-3: Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, "That the leaders led in Israel, That the people volunteered, Bless the LORD! "Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers! I--to the LORD, I will sing, I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Judges 5:7: "The peasantry ceased, they ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Until I arose, a mother in Israel.

Judges 5:11-12: "At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the LORD, The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel Then the people of the LORD went down to the gates. "Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take away your captives, O son of Abinoam.

Introduction:

Deborah was The Judge – a political and spiritual leader of Israel in a hard time, harsh time – a time filled with evil and sin was running rampant everywhere – a time when her nation as a whole had deserted God and rejected God. Child sacrifice was everywhere, idol worship was at a all time high, there was famine, war, atrocities and evil running wild in the country.

In the midst of this hard time of Israel a woman rose to leadership named Deborah! God always seems to raise up a leader in times of hardship and crisis to deliver His people.