Power Without God Is Useless

Text: John 15:5 " “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Characters in the story:

• God

• Israelites (God’s Children)

• Jabin (Canaanite King)

• Sisera (Canaanite Chief Army Officer)

• Barak (Israelite Army Commander)

• Deborah (Israelite Judge & Prophetess)

What did the Israelites do?

? They intermingled with strange gods and intermarried with foreign women (Judges 4:1; 3:5-6)

What did God do?

? He punished them in the hands of Jabin (4:2)

For how long did they suffer under Jabin?

? 20 years (4:3)

How could the Israelites be redeemed?

? Through their return to God (4:3).

Who were the 2 possible liberators of Israel?

? Deborah & Barak

What power did Barak have?

? Military might

What power did Deborah have?

? Spiritual might (a prophetess - vs. 4)

From the conversation between Deborah & Barak, what can we learn?

• Recognized the need for humility: Barak recognized that (4:6-10); acknowledgment of God

• Barak obeyed without query; the power of God is not gender-specific.

• Diligence is crucial to leadership (Deborah was judge, wife, prophetess)

• Barak acknowledged that his military Power without God is useless (vs. 8)

• This reminds us of Moses' attempt to fight for the Israelites using his own strength, he couldn't do it (Exo. 2:11-15), until God became involved (Exo. 3:1-12)

• When God is involved, there is revelation (4:14)

• When God is involved, He helps put our enemies to flight (4:15-16).

• When God is involved, battle is easily won (Sisera was killed by Jael who was not even involved in the battle - 4:17-24).

Prayers:

? Lord, raise a Deborah (the spiritually sharp, knowledgeable, inclined) for me and my household - who will always tell us your mind.

? Raise Deborah's for our nations- who will always tell us the mind of God, to help deliver us from oppression.

? Lord, raise me up as the Deborah of my household, community and the nations.