Worship

“Jireh” by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music

Scripture

“‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song!’” -Judges 5:12a, ESV

“Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.” -Judges 4:4-5, emphasis added

“‘Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.’” -Judges 5:7, emphasis added

“‘So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.’” -Judges 5:31a, ESV, emphasis added

(Feel free to read Judges 4-5 in their entirety!)

The Foundation of Identity

There are so many prophetic words coming forth from many; God is raising up Deborahs in this hour. It’s a glorious and beautiful word coming from the throne room of Heaven! You can catch one from Nate and Christy Johnson here: “I can hear the sound of a great and mighty army marching on the horizon. It is an army of God’s daughters, coming to claim their inheritance. I can feel the ground shaking as they march together in unison, sending shockwaves into the enemy’s camp for they come to retrieve their territory.”

“I am already loved / I’m already chosen / I know who I am / I know what you’ve spoken / I’m already loved / More than I could imagine / And that is enough.”

-Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music, “Jireh”

Sisters, before we pick up any mantle, assignment, or calling, we have to know foundationally that we are LOVED. We are CHOSEN. We are enough because HE IS ENOUGH! We want to partner with the Lord to bring forth transformation, revival, and reformation, which is marvelous.  But if we don’t move out in our calling in the understanding of our identity of being loved daughters of God, we can lose sight of WHO we really are in the midst of the work. (Father, release to us a revelation of Your love for us and the depth of our identity as daughters.) We have to know this at a bone-deep level, daughters of the Most High God. He has to release this insight and understanding to us in greater revelation and conviction in this hour.

We are not workers; we are daughters!

Deborah, this warrior woman of deep intimacy with God, came on the scene during decades of oppression. The enemy was ensnaring God’s people. They were wayward once again, tantalized by false gods and living out of that belief system. It was time for some repentance and returning! (It took them about 20 years of living in misery before they finally cried out to God.) The Israelites, under Canaanite rule, were disarmed and unable to fight. Public roads were unsafe to travel on, and there was much anarchy and confusion released in the land. I would say they were in a “lockdown” of sorts. How that sounds like 2020.

The Priority of Intimacy

God found a willing woman to bring forth victory for His people. She was a wife and a mother. She knew her God from her place as intercessor and prophet (both requiring deep intimacy with the Lord). She was also a judge and military strategist who led her nation to freedom and victory. She called her nation back to righteousness, knowing the times and seasons that were appointed both for her and the people of God (thanks to those princes of Issachar that were with her (Judges 5:15)). I would say based on all this, Deborah brought forth revival to Israel first from her place of intimacy with her Father and then with a movement of faith, vision, and courage. You don’t have one without the other!

“As the Lord begins to direct you to embrace your calling and the stirring in your heart for His destiny and purpose for you, I believe that you will begin to take on a similar divine urgency and sense of responsibility for things greater than yourself. I believe that you will begin to see yourself as a woman of influence, conviction, and power. There is a divinely inspired cry coming out of your spirit, declaring, ‘Not on my watch!’ The passion and righteous indignation of the Lord is arising in the hearts of women to take up the sword of the Spirit to touch heaven through prayer and intercession to bring reformation on the earth.” -Michelle McClain-Walters, “The Deborah Anointing”

Deborah was not afraid to confront the enemy. She was not afraid to rally the armies of Israelites and move with the word of the Lord and the strategies of Heaven. She didn’t fear man, but she feared God. She wanted freedom and repentance for her nation. I believe the justice of God pulsated through her veins. She was one who released the prophetic words to God’s people as both an intercessor, judge, and prophet. She didn’t question what she received, but she moved on with courage and boldness, clarity and vision. She did not back down or back out. She arose as a mother in Israel with persistence and authority and power. As I write this and know many of your stories, I declare to you: He’s doing the exact same thing with you today in your areas of leadership and influence. But hear me on this: our intimacy with the Lord is imperative before we take one step to the right or the left. If you don’t have the “YES” of the Lord, do not move, even if the idea or offer seems to fall right in line with your gifting and calling. And with that, FEAR and CONFUSION has no place to counsel or minister to you as you listen for the Holy Spirit to speak.

The Power of Worship

One of the most glorious aspects of Deborah’s life is that she was a worshipper. In Judges 5 she sings a song of worship, retelling the story and giving the glory to God and God alone. This was her greatest weapon. She could mobilize armies with the strategies of Heaven, but her worship was the drum beat of her life I believe. Why? Because this was the very thing that generations could sing with her! Thousands and thousands of years later, we are still reading her song of worship!

Worship moves the heart of God, and worship transforms nations and generations.

The Process of Preparation

Sisters, neighborhoods, cities, and nations are awaiting your intercession, worship, and words to prophesy them into their fulfillment and restoration. The armies of Heaven are waiting for you to put them on assignment as God gives you the word! Can you even fathom that? When my oldest daughter, Lizzy, was around 15 years of age, there was a couple praying for her and the husband prophesied over her, “Your worship will put angels on assignment!” I believe wholeheartedly that, as a worship leader, she brings Heaven to Earth and angels move in their callings and assignments! But this is not just for Lizzy. This is for you, Jordan; for you Leslie; for you, Patti; for you, Cynthia; for you, Heather; for you, Alli; for you, Kristen; for you, Maya; for you, Alex; for you, Annie; for you, Stacy; for you, Meredith; for you, Grace; for you, Karen; for you, Peggy; for you (put your name in here). It’s time to take your place under the Palm of Deborah (signifying providence and wisdom from the Lord) and awake and arise to your place!

Nations and generations are waiting for your voice to come forth as Jesus longs to release His freedom and victory right through your mouth!

Deborah had to have an awakening moment. There was a time in her life when God said to her, “Awake, awake, Deborah (Judges 5:12a)!” There was a time when she must have said “yes” to the Lord to begin to step into all God had for her. I doubt she laid under that palm and sun bathed and read magazines hoping to one day step into her destiny. If she was a judge who knew the times and seasons, God obviously had training and learning for her in preparation. The process for Deborah’s profound leadership mattered to God. All the days before she stepped on the scene as judge and prophet and intercessor and worshipper and warrior mattered to the Lord. Her years and years of preparation mattered to the Lord, and He used every last ounce of it to bring victory to her nation and to the people of Israel on the matters that conflicted them. Please hear me: God is in these days of mundane, hard, tumultuous, lonely, joyful, in-over-your-head, overwhelming, and underwhelming. And all of it is preparing you to be raised as a spiritual mother in your nation so you know how to steward well all He hands to you.

Your lifestyle of passionately pursuing Jesus is going to call scores of people to return to their first love as well as come alive to Him for the very first time.

“So I say to you young ladies, use your God-given abilities. You have the power to leave your mark on the world, to make a difference. From the stay at home mom, to the woman in government, you are extremely important. Let your fingerprints be on the next great breakthrough, an innovative creation, or perhaps the cure for cancer. As moms, or even a great teacher, shape the lives and minds of children, who will be the next history makers. Be one who helps strengthen our nation, or even the world, and represents well the One whom we serve—King Jesus.”

A Call to Action

When Jesus awakened your heart to Him, you were dressed in new robes, and your tree of victory was the cross. And He made a massive deposit in your life when He decided to come wash you by His blood and dwell in you by His Spirit. That way you could move in power and hear Him clearly. We are even better equipped than Deborah was—we have the cross, and we have the Spirit! What Deborah did in the Old Testament for Israel, Jesus commissions us to for the nations! So now, as God is raising up an army of Deborahs, will you be one who raises her hand and says, “Lord, I want to carry forth that calling in Your story of redemption and revival throughout the Earth”? Will you give God your YES before He even invites you into this place of leadership? If He’s wooing you right now to this place of worship and surrender, just dive in over your head. He is trustworthy, and He is good.

My prayer is that we would be part of that army of passionate Jesus lovers who count our lives as nothing but knowing Christ and Him crucified. He will fill in the rest!

“Daughter-prophets—arise and advance! It’s time for you to arise, embrace this calling and assignment, and it is time for you to advance. This means that you take everyday, little steps toward fulfilling this assignment. Don’t despise the un-glamorous steps along the journey, for the very generation that’s waiting for you is not looking for glamour. They don’t want a spiritual show. They want authenticity. They want real. They want diapers and disappointment. They want to hear about the breakthrough and breakdown. They want the pure, the real.” -Patricia King, “Arise”

Let’s go make history with God, together!

If you are raising your hand to give God your YES, will you email me at [email protected]? I would love to pray for you.

A Few Key Notes

• Our Arise Harvest Day in Waco is right around the corner, April 9-10. I am asking the Lord for 40 women to attend that weekend. There is no cost for the weekend, and locals are helping to provide housing. Email me at [email protected] if you are interested in partnering with us to bring in the harvest in Waco! Training is available upon signing up.
• Mark your calendars for the luncheon in May featuring Patrice Vines as our keynote speaker! Keep an eye out for an email coming soon with RSVP details.

Date: May 13

Time: 11:30 a.m.

Location: The Hope Center, 2001 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75075

• Have a happy Easter! He is Risen!