How God Works for Our Success

Read Judges 4-5.

Cycle number three begins with the very first verse.  After 80 years of peace, Ehud, the judge who delivered them, died, the new generation left the God who loves them to go their own evil way.  This time the LORD raised up King Jabin of Canaan to conquer and enslave Israel for 20 years.  Then, the people cried out to God for help.  God responded by using Deborah, a prophetess and judge.

Deborah chose Barak to lead Israel's army in the overthrow of the Canaanites.  Barak's insistence on Deborah going with him was probably assurance of presence of wise counsel and the presence of God.  Barak exercised great faith in taking this assignment and completing it.  He is listed in Faith's Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11:32.

In her prophecy statement to Barak, she said, "Up!  For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand." (4:14)  The scripture makes it clear that the LORD went before them and caused the Canaanite army to flee.  Sisera escaped and was killed by a woman, Jael.  "So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel." (4:23)

The victory was followed by a long, narrative duet by Deborah and Barak.  Then, the nation enjoyed peace again for 40 years.

The lessons of the repeating cycles are the same.  God will not allow people to go on indefinitely in sin.  Sin has devastating consequences.  Yet, when sinners abandon their sin to obey the LORD, He faithfully responds with forgiveness and deliverance.  In freeing His people, God has a plan for them and a time for the plan (4:14).  God even goes before His people to clear the way ahead.  But notice they still must do the fighting and pursuing.  God will not do it for them.

In the duet, we learn some additional take away principles of success.
1. "Leaders took the lead." (5:2a)
Dr. Lee Roberson originally coined the phrase, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."
Olan Hendrix asked, "Have you ever noticed that the bottle neck is always at the top?"
Every nation, organization, church, and family needs godly and/or good leadership to survive.  But leadership is not a position, it is an active endeavor.  People never achieve all their potential as a group unless leaders take the lead.

2. "The people offered themselves willingly." (5:2b)
No person can lead anything alone.  A person is not a leader unless someone is following them.  The people within a nation, organization, church, or family have the responsibility to follow godly and/or good leadership.  Concerning the Macedonian believers Paul wrote, "...they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us." (2 Corinthians 8:5)