Nothing meaningful in a woman’s life or ministry happens without courage. Yet, as Christian women, so often we go through the routines of the expectations placed upon us with a sense of mere duty or even drudgery. Sometimes we become fearful of the pressures and demands of life.
God, however, desires that we embrace the responsibilities He has placed in our lives and the opportunities He has placed before us with a sense of Spirit-filled confidence and godly courage.
In Judges 4, we are introduced to Deborah—a woman who lived and served with this kind of courage. Through her example, we gain a picture of what it looks like to serve with courage, and we see four realities we can expect when serving the Lord courageously.
We Will Face Resistance
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, and intimidation. So it stands to reason that if we are to live with courage, we will face these obstacles.
For Deborah, the challenge in front of her was huge. The oppressor of the northern Israelite tribes where she lived was Jabin, the King of Hazor. He had destroyed their vineyards, dishonored their women, and killed their children. He displayed his might with nine hundred chariots of iron. Additionally, the children of Israel had issues among themselves. Many Israelites had turned to idol worship, and the nation was filled with people who were doing what was right in their own eyes, bringing devastation on others.
The fear-inducing circumstances in front of you may not be as catastrophic as Deborah’s. But what area of your life brings fear? What brings anxiety, resistance, worry, doubt, or pain? Whether your answer relates to our culture at large, your ministry, your family, or your personal life, this is the area that you need to confront with courage.
Be encouraged to remember that believers throughout both Scripture and history have faced resistance. The enemy is after your courage. 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
We Are Equipped for Spiritual Battle
There will be moments of fear, but we don’t live in a spirit of fear. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Courage is not the absence of fear; it is moving forward in spite of it. This means that we need to be ready to confront our struggles with courage. We need to be on the offense rather than the defense, to be proactive rather than reactive. Practically and personally, we must engage in this battle.
In the turbulent spiritual and political landscape of Deborah’s day, Judges 4 zooms in on her sitting peacefully under a palm tree. You get the sense that she knew she was made for this moment. And here’s the good news—you are made for this moment too.
You were created to advance God’s kingdom. To always lack motivation, to be selfish in not wanting to overextend, to turn inward and focus on our own problems, to resist the spirit of courage is to live contrary to who God created us to be.
You are equipped to fulfill many unique roles. Deborah simultaneously served as a wife, judge, prophet, military leader, writer, and mother. With her numerous roles, she could have been content to stand on the sidelines and watch others courageously step out in faith. But she didn’t.
You can be confident in God’s presence. A direct correlation exists between Deborah’s private walk with God and her public service for Him. Our usefulness for God will be determined by the emphasis we place on our personal relationship with Him. Learn to fight feelings of fear with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 14:26 says, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” By spending time with God, our courage will grow as we develop a confidence that can only be found through Him.
We Are Called to Be Courageous
Don’t limit God to only working within your comfort zone. Deborah left her palm tree to lead ten thousand men into battle. She displayed no hesitancy, no second-guessing her role, no lack of wisdom or clarity.
Courage comes from the Holy Spirit and is fueled by faith in God’s Word. In Judges 4:6–7, Deborah communicated a clear assignment from the Lord to Barak. Our job as women of God is to share God’s clear instructions and promises for life with others—our children, our friends, and those we disciple. For each of our fears, we find a promise from God. For each season of apathy or resistance or conflict, we find the power to overcome in His Word.
When others were hesitant, Deborah moved to action in a way that encouraged Barak to believe that the war could be won, even though they were at a disadvantage. When you look at the word encourage, you will notice that courage is its root. To encourage someone means to give someone courage. Do your actions and words inspire others to reach their full potential for God? The call to be courageous is a call to action over intention. Lead and inspire others to join you in advancing God’s purposes.
We Will Prevail in His Power
The record of Deborah’s song in Judges 5 displays that God defeated King Jabin and his army by bringing a flash flood rendering the chariots useless. Although Sisera’s chariots were originally a cause for fear, they became a liability when God was involved.
God can use you to defeat your enemy. When we give our fears over to the Lord, He will demonstrate His power to us. God marvels in working through our weakness and insufficiency.
Courage is not obtained in our own strength. But when we rely on the Lord to empower us in our daily roles of service, we’ll recognize that it is through our weakness that His power is displayed. And before long, we’ll be praising Him for the victory.