The Uniqueness Of Ladies In God’s Agenda

Where would the church of Jesus Christ be today without the ladies? In most churches today, it’s the ladies who lead the way in serving, praying, Sunday School, mission projects, taking food to the sick, singing in the choir, etc. I thank God for the ladies in this church who are willing to roll up their sleeves and serve Jesus faithfully!
Some of Christianity’s greatest leaders today are powerful women of faith. I think of ladies such as Margaret Idahosa, folu Adeboye, Anne Graham Lotz, Kay Arthur, and Beth Moore etc. Most people (men or women) rarely rise to that level of spotlight and fame, but that’s ok. Some of God’s greatest leading ladies are those who work behind the spotlight – faithfully loving their families – faithfully encouraging a neighbour – faithfully drying the tears of a child. All through the Bible, God has chosen to work through everyday ladies to get the job done.
The Deborah Analogy
From the Old Testament Book of Judges, let’s look at Deborah. Deborah is an excellent example to all God’s people that He can use any of us in His service if we are willing and obedient to His call on our lives.
Let’s get ready to learn some important principles in being a faithful servant of the Lord!
#1. The Sin Of God’s People
“When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.”- Judges 4.1
The old saying is true, “Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, cost you more than you wanted to pay, keep you longer than you wanted to stay.”
There will never be victory in our lives and in the church like there ought to be until God’s people get serious about confessing and forsaking their sin before God. Some of us tend to wink at sin and then we wonder why there is little hunger for God and no desire for the Word of God! We are like the man who sent a check to the government for back taxes with a note attached that said: “I felt so guilty for cheating on my taxes I had to send you this check. If I don’t feel any better, I’ll send you the rest.”
We may not take sin seriously, but God does. How seriously does God take sin? He let His Son go to the cross to bear on His body our sins. Why is sin so serious a matter in the life of God’s people?
The Two Horrors Of Sin1. Sin Robs Us Of God’s Purpose
“So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Cannon, who reigned in Hazor.”-
Judges 4.2
God takes sin so seriously in the life of His children, in the life of His church, that if not dealt with through repentance and correction, God’s people can miss out on God’s purpose. God allowed His people to be placed in the hands of Jabin. Jabin was a king who reigned inside Cannon, the Promised Land! That’s where sin starts most of the time – not on the outside, but in the inside!
Why is it that God deals with His people over and over about sin? It’s because sin stops spiritual growth and leads to spiritual death!
Perhaps there was a time in your life when you wouldn’t think of missing church, were bold in sharing your faith, were quick to respond to the Spirit’s small voice in your life…yet now, it’s not a big deal to miss church. It’s okay to watch ungodly shows; it’s okay to spread a little gossip. If that is your attitude, you are not right with God. You need to get before God and let the Holy Spirit reveal the sin in your life.
Sin robs us of God’s purpose. What is our purpose? “We as a body of believers called together in Jesus Christ, gathered together for worship and discipleship, sent by the Holy Spirit to witness and minister to those in our community and throughout the world.”
We can only accomplish God’s purpose when we’ve confessed our sin to God.
2. SIN RESISTS US OF GOD’S POWER
“…Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly opposed the children of Israel.”- Judges 4.3b
How long were the people of God living in defeat because of their sin? Twenty years. What weapon did the enemy have on the people of God? Jabin had 900 chariots of iron! Let me tell you a truth I’ve found in dealing with sin in my life, if you give sin an inch, it will take the whole!
Another truth about sin is, it doesn’t go away easily. Pornography is ripping up homes, tearing down marriages, influencing our kids, infecting our churches because it does not go away easily. Sin whispers, ‘It’s just one click, no big deal!’ Sin says, ‘It’s okay, everyone is doing it. It’s harmless!’
Listen to what the Apostle Paul said about sin in Romans 6:16: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
A wealthy contractor finished building the Tombs prison in New York, only later to be found guilty of forgery and sentenced to several years in the prison he had built! Entering into his cell with his head low, he said, “I never dreamed when I built this prison that I would be an inmate one day.”
Now think about it, how did the people of God get into this sinful situation? Godly leader Joshua died and soon after the parents forgot God – they didn’t teach their children and grandchildren to know and worship the Lord – the next generation forsook the Living God and followed the pagan gods of the surrounding nations. It’s easier to get pulled downhill than to forge uphill. What a lesson for us today! The world needs to see Christians living and loving like Jesus!
Finally, sin took its toll and the children of God did the one thing necessary. They had a change of heart. Verse 3 tells us they “cried unto the Lord.”
#2. The Selection Of God’s Prophetess
The name Deborah means “bee.” Matthew Henry points out some of the qualities of bees that Deborah possessed: industrious, sharp perception, great usefulness, sweet to her friends and sharp to her enemies.
The subject of women in leadership is often a very controversial subject, but when you read the Bible you’ll find some incredible women being used for God’s purposes. Notice that Deborah was…
-A Woman Of Great Character
“And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”- Judges 4.4-5;
Dr Brian Harbour points out that between Moses and Samuel, no one else filled all three roles of prophet, judge, and military leader, except Deborah. On top of her service duties, Deborah was also a wife and mother. Judges 5.7, “Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel.”
Parents/Grandparents what a call this is to remember to live a balanced family, faith, and work life, etc. Too many parents are losing their families because their jobs are more important than their kids. Take time to simply be with your kids. Build that relationship with them. Never forget your assignment from the Lord is to raise up children who know Jesus and build their lives based on the Bible.
We are talking about a character crisis. Our young people long to see consistency in our lives. If they see us living out what we proclaim to believe, this will be a wonderful witness to their lives, of our faith in God.
When people looked at Deborah, they saw a lady and leader standing firm in the Lord. Is that what people see when they look at you?
Having character doesn’t mean you are perfect. It does mean that when we sin, when we don’t keep our promise, when we blow our temper, we confess it to God, we apologize to the ones we hurt…then by faith, we move on with God and go in His direction!
-A Woman Of Great Confidence
“And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.”- Judges 4.6-10
Barak, the leader of Israel was not willing to go into battle alone! The only way he would go was if Deborah was willing to go, too!
Imagine the scene – Sisera had 900 iron chariots, multiplied thousands of skilled soldiers greatly outnumbering Israel, etc. On his own strength, Barak had every reason to fear defeat. Yet, he forgot something that Deborah had said earlier. God had told them He was going to deploy, deliver and destroy Sisera at the River Kishon. Evidently, Barak didn’t fully believe this, but Deborah did. Deborah believed God no matter how impossible the situation looked.
What impossible situation are you facing today? Financial, Family, Friendship? I urge you to commit this verse to memory, Psalm 20:7,
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright.”
-A Woman Of Great Conquering
News began to spread to Sisera’s side that Israel had a plan for attack.
“And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.”- Judges 4.13-16.
As Israel moved forward in faith with God, the battle was already won.
“LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.”- Judges 5:4-5
King Jabin’s army and Sisera were humiliated and demolished! Sisera took off and thought he found relief at Jael’s tent. Jael was the wife of Heber the Kenite, a friend of King Jabin. Sisera felt secure enough in the care of Jael that he fell asleep in her tent.
“Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.
Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.
And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.
So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.
And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.”- Judges 4:17-24
Deborah started the victory and Jael sealed it! Let’s review: We’ve seen the sin of God’s people, the selection of God’s prophetess, and now…
#3. The Shouting Of God’s Praises
“Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.”-Judges 5:1-3;
Let me remind you that the same God who gave Israel victory over the enemy is the same God who gives you the victory in Jesus Christ our Lord. Just as Deborah and Barak gave praise to God, realizing there was no way they could have accomplished it on their own, that’s what God deserves from you and me today.
Let me share with you one of my favourite verses on victory, 1 Corinthians 15:57,
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This song included…
#Praise For The Lord’s Help
They gave praise to God for His incredible faithfulness! Church, today is the day to sing, “Great is thy Faithfulness!”
It’s always good to stay praising the Lord. Not only for the big victories, but the small!
#Praise For The Lord’s Helpers
“Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves- Judges 5:2.
How are we going to have victory like Israel had victory that day? The leaders were leading in Israel…and the people willingly offered themselves. The pastors and people got hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder and God worked mightily through them.
Are you one of the Lord’s helpers? Read through Judges 5 and the song extols those who made the effort to join in the army of God, and it also questions those who sat on the side-lines and were unwilling to offer themselves. (Lack of faith, fear of enemy, fear of failure, etc.)
“Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.”- Judges 5:16-17;
“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.”- Judges 5.23
There is no excuse alive today for God’s people not to be serving Him faithfully!
Today is a decision day for you! You are either marching forward in faith or sitting on the side-lines. The choice is yours!
Are you faithful in your Testimony – Tithe – Time – Temper?
The leaders were leading…and the people were voluntarily following! Let your commitment to God be as strong as the sun is to shine! (Judges 5.31)
Because of the people’s sin, they were in bondage to the enemy for 20 years. Because one lady was willing to listen and obey God, “the land had rest for forty years.”
Perhaps the enemy has had you down and defeated. Listen, it’s time to “Awake!” Awaken to service! Awaken to sing! Awaken to the Reality, This is your day!
As the year 2024 draws to a close, wakeup to right doing and get ready for a fruitful 2025.
Merry Christmas And A Very Prosperous And Fulfilling 2025!