Fri.’s Devo - Fight and Pray

Read: Judges 4:1-5:31, Luke 22:35-53, Ps. 94:1-23, Pr. 14:3-4 Once Ehud died, the people went back into sin. God raised up Jabin to discipline them for twenty years. The commander of Jabin’s army was Sisera. When they cried out to God to deliver them, God gave them Deborah. Deborah was also a prophetess so she heard from God, then executed what see heard. She called out Barak to lead an army of 10,000 men to go up against Sisera’s 900 iron chariots. Barak refused to go without Deborah. She told him she would go but a woman would end up getting credit for the victory. I wonder if that wasn’t Jabin’s judgment for not trusting God alone to be with him. It turned out just as Deborah said. Sisera stopped to rest at an old friend’s tent and his wife, Jael took the tent peg and nailed it through his temple as he lay asleep. Israel got the victory and Jael the credit. Jesus is about to leave his disciples. He reminds them that when He was with them, they lacked nothing. Now they are going to need to be more careful and safe. Instead, they fall asleep in the garden when they were suppose to be praying and they watch as Jesus is taken from them by force to the high priest’s house. I can relate to both Barak and the disciples. All of them felt inadequate within themselves and lacked the discipline it took to be brave and fight when they needed to fight and pray when they needed to pray. Lord, help us in both areas. Make us strong warriors who know our God, and intercessors that can tap into Your power. You have become our fortress. and our God the rock in whom we take refuge.