03/27/2022: SEEKING THE SECRET PLACE WEEK 9
March 27, 2022

Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. —Isaiah 58:12

1  When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. 
2  So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim. 
3  And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.
4  Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5  And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 
6  Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun;
7  and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”
8  And 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!”
9  So she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 
10  And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; he went up with ten thousand men under his command, and Deborah went up with him.
11  Now Heber the Kenite, of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Zaanaim, which is beside Kedesh.
12  And they reported to Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 
13  So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the River Kishon.
14  Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 
15  And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 
16  But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth Hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. —Judges 4:1 - 16

6  “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways.
7  Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel.
8  They chose new gods; then there was war in the gates; not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
9  My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord! —Judges 5:6 - 9

“Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam! —Judges 5:12

1. Recognize the times you are living in don’t define you.

6d … The highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways.
7a  Village life ceased… —Judges 5:6d - 7a

4  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 
5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. —2 Coronthians 10:4 - 5

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on
eternal life, to which you were also called
and have confessed the good confession
in the presence of many witnesses. —1 Timothy 6:12

If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit —Galatians 5:25

2. Arise in your identity.

… Until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. —Judges 5:7b

3. Awake! Awake! Awake! Awake!

Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, sing a song! —Judges 5:12a

1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 
2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:1 - 2

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. —Luke 6:40

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” —John 8:31

4. Call to the warriors.

Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. —Judges 5:12d

Therefore He says: “When
He ascended on high, He led captivity
captive, and gave gifts to men.” —Ephesians 4:8

5. Be willing to go fight.

Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. —Isaiah 58:12

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. —1 John 5:4

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. —Romans 8:37

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. —1 Corinthians 15:57