"Is God Building Character and Reserve In You?
By: Joyce Picker
We all have Sisera types in our lives. It’s in these very situations I believe God builds our character and reserve, as an individual, community, family and nation. It’s for the good of the Body of Messiah. In every situation we are in, we should stop and remember the GOOD, not the BAD!
Let’s take a look at the Scripture:
Judges 4:21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died.
This is such a compelling story. Everytime I read it I am amazed and in awe of the very events leading up to this act. Here is a recap of the events prior to the death of Sisera.
● Ehud dies and when this happens, Israel turns away from God again. Gee, what a surprise! Sometimes when we lack leadership or faith, we turn back to our old ways.
● They are conquered by Jabin, the king of Canaan. It’s when our guard is down, we can flounder without purpose.
● Israel cries out to the Lord, yet again. We cry out to God, why? Because we have nowhere else to turn or because we know He is the ultimate King and Ruler and even when circumstances say death, there is always life!
● God raises up an awesome judge: Deborah, a prophetess and the only female judge in the book. Wow, this is amazing to me. Not just because God used a woman in power but because she was prophetic and knew God would give the victory to another woman. This is significant in many ways. God does not show favoritism. He can and does use people who are ready and willing.
● Deborah tells Barak, an Israelite general, that God commands him to take 10,000 soldiers from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and attack Jabin's army. She promises that God will give them victory.
● Barak says he'll only go to battle if Deborah comes, and she does, but lets him know that it won't be him who kills Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army—it'll be a woman! We all assume it’s Deborah! At least that’s the way I read the text.
● Barak leads his 10,000 men against Sisera's army, including 900 chariots of iron. That is a lot of men willing to fight!
● Barak's army kills every last one of Sisera's men—except for Sisera. He's hiding at his friend Heber's tent. Heber's wife, Jael, goes out to meet Sisera, “and Jael came 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.” (Judges 4:18).
● Sisera tells Jael not to tell anyone he's in the tent. Jael obeys tucking him in and covering him with a rug and gives him some milk. I believe God had already laid out His plan and Jael was faithful to administer it.
● After he drifts off to sleep, Jael "took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground" (Judges 4:21). My question has always been: How in the world did she do this without Sisera even noticing or understanding that he was in danger? That’s the POWER of God. It’s beyond our comprehension. For we know that He causes ALL things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! (Romans 8:28). Israel is called according to God’s purpose and so are all Believers.
What kind or type of a Sisera are you facing today? Why not turn over a new mindset as we start January, 2023? We are truly overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. It does not say we may be or we could be overcomers, no, we are overcomers. Revelation 12:1-12.
We all need additional encouragement so here it is!
So what kind or type of a Sisera are you facing today? Why not turn over a new mindset as we start January, 2023? We are truly overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. It does not say we may be or we could be overcomers, no, we are overcomers. Revelation 12:1-12
12 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. [a] 2 She is pregnant—crying out in birth pains, in agony to give birth.[b]
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: a great fiery red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. [c] 4 His tail sweeps away a third of the stars of heaven—it hurled them to the earth.[d] Now the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that whenever she gave birth he might devour her child.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with an iron rod.[e] And her child was snatched away to God and to His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God so they might take care of her for 1,260 days.
7 And war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels making war against the dragon.[f] The dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they were not strong enough, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, called the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world.[g] He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [h] 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters—the one who accuses them before our God day and night[i]—has been thrown out. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death.
12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great rage, knowing that his time is short.
As we start this New Year, let us reflect on what was but let us focus on the present and the wonderful future God has for us. Let us remember we are not defeated by the Sisera’s in our lives. They are put there to strengthen us and to let us know God is for us, not against us.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for a fantastic New Year 2023. Thank you for your hedge of protection around us and our families. Thank you for protecting Israel and the USA from her enemies. Thank you for raising up Godly Leaders who have been appointed by You for this time. Give your people the wisdom to elect Godly Leaders. Thank you that we rest in your peace, wisdom and protection. Amen!
Just a P.S. for everyone, over the past years I have written numerous teachings on the Biblical Feasts and Festivals and some of them are Blog’s. We are in the midst of the Fall Feasts and Festivals right now so if you want to read about them, please feel free to do on the HHH website under blogs. Thanks!
[i] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
[ii] Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.