“I Saw an Army of Women!”

Yet, despite Deborah’s assurance of victory, Barak refused to go against Sisera unless Deborah agreed to go with him (Judges 4:8). Deborah agreed to go with the army, but prophesied that because of his lack of faith, he would receive no honor from the victory God would give them. Instead, she said,”She said, ‘I will indeed go with you. However, the way you are going will gain you no glory, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hand of a woman.’ Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.” (Judg 4:9). That woman was Jael. She was at home in her tent, but God brought the battle to her.

When Barak attacked, God caused Sisera and his men to run in panic. Looking for an escape, “Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, ‘Turn aside, my lord. Turn aside to me. Do not be afraid.’ So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. He said to her, ‘Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.’ So she opened a leather milk container, gave it to him to drink, and covered him.

“He said to her, ‘Stand in the entrance to the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you, “Is there a man here?” then you say, “No.”‘ Then Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and went quietly to him, for he was fast asleep and tired. She drove the tent peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground, so he died. Now as Barak had been chasing Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said, ‘Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.’ When he came in, there was Sisera fallen dead with a tent peg in his temple” (Judg. 4:17-22).

Jael was probably the last one that Barak considered would win the battle for Israel that day, but God chose her for that very reason. God was sending us a message: We cannot limit Him! He refuses to be put in a box! Tell Him He can’t do something and that is just what He will do. Give Him a desert and He’ll make a forest (Isaiah 41:19). Give Him a housewife and He’ll make her a warrior. This is God’s heart concerning you. He sees beyond our weaknesses and sees a victorious warrior.

Who Are You?

When I first began to write, a good friend of mine offered to show my writings to an editor of a major publication. Of course I was delighted … until I heard back from her. The editor thought my writing was good, but implied I was a nobody, with no influence. “Who is she?” the editor asked my good friend, “to tell me how to live.” It hit me like a brick and for another 10 years I wrote nothing. I listened to their words and let them define me.

Ten years later, God showed me a vision for my writing. I saw a simple notebook full of prophetic words the Lord gave me and from the center of the page four silvery white birds suddenly appeared and flew out from the pages. I watched as I saw the birds fly all over the world—from an African hut, to the elaborate rooms of a palace and pulpits all over the globe. The Father promised me, “If you obey Me, I will carry your words all over the world.” 

I was simply in shock and fought hard to even believe what God showed me, but I obeyed Him and wrote. God fulfilled His promise to me and He has literally taken my simple words all over the world.