Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Spiritual Growth
Organizing the Inside – Day 316 Exercising Confident Judgment
4Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. 5She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. 6One day she sent for Barak …. She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. 7And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.” 8Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.” Judges 3:4-8 (NLT)
Deborah was a strong woman whose heart trusted God entirely. She never seemed to waver and found great strength in her faith. Her inner assurance that God would grant victory made her a great judge and a wonderful example of a strong godly woman.
As women we often feel as though we must first become strong before we can serve God. I believe the message God wants us to understand is that when we are in Him, then we are strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10) Indeed preparation is important in fulfilling the plan of God in our lives, but many times we make preparing the one obstacle that keeps us from actually pursuing our purpose. Go ahead, move forward with the same strong confidence that Deborah had. She relied upon God as she went about conducting business for Him. Even men looked up to her because of her unwavering certainty and trust in the God.
What kind of faith does your life show? Does it show a simple and unyielding faith in your creator, or does it show a trembling mass of uncertainty every time you must make a decision? Deborah was a confident judge who was respected by the people. She took her job as a judge seriously, but it seems clear that as she sat under the palm trees and rendered decision after decision she was not afraid of making mistakes, because she trusted the internal wisdom of the God she served.
Being confident is not about having pride in your abilities or gifts, the contrary is true. True confidence requires us to trust in the One who called us and is far greater. Be confident when faced with decisions, and reject the fear of failure. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4, 5 (NLT) Don’t allow your role as a woman to create a preconceived notion against the plan of God. Yes, Deborah was a great leader and she did it while being married. Know that just as God used Deborah’s gifts and abilities, as she led Israel to victory, He will also use your gifts to give victory over life’s battles, as you trust Him. Resist the temptation to be indecisive under the weight of responsibility. It’s easier to say, it’s all just too much, and look for the first rock to hide beneath! Remember, the greater one lives in you and has already won the victory. (1 John 4:4) The pressure is not on you to perform; that sort of thinking will only lead to defeat. Instead, trust God and rest (under the palm tree) confidently in His ability to do great things in and through you.
Trust God to minister to you and strengthen you, precisely when you need it most. Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” Daniel 10:18, 19 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 