Day 21

Judges 1-3

WILLINGNESS

When leaders lead…when the people willingly offer themselves – Judg. 5:2

            There is a familiar saying that goes “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”  During the years of the Judges the citizens of Israel kept deciding to get out of the way.  The highways were deserted; travelers sought out of the way paths for safety.  People would not take up arms, and law enforcement went underground.  Conditions had become so unsafe that village life came to a halt until a mother in Israel arose.  Deborah became judge by default.  No man had courage wear the badge.  This woman rallied the people, recruited some leaders, and led Israel to a resounding defeat of the Canaanites.  She had to shame Barak into commanding the army, but to his credit he followed the lead of this daring woman who saw leadership in his timidity.  After overthrowing the invading forces Deborah wrote a praise song to the Almighty blessing Him for the faithful who possessed the will to offer themselves.

            When leaders lead and people willingly offer themselves victory follows.  The converse is also true.  When leaders do not lead and people do not offer themselves the church of God is routed.  Jesus’ built the church to storm the gates of hell (Mt. 16:18).  No war is ever won without with out offense.  If we are to invade the dungeons of the damned, leaders must be willing to lead and people must be willing to offer themselves.  God has gifted leaders to equip His troops to stand against the Devil (Eph. 4:11-12; 6:11).  Before Deborah Israel’s army didn’t retreat.  They weren’t even in uniform. 

            The great blight on the church today is the sin of not suiting up.  Swords and shields have been laid down.  Armor has been traded for amusements.  Vice has been substituted for values.  Our enemy, like the Canaanite army, is running rough shod over our youth, our marriages, our children and our morals.  The Church seems happy to forfeit rather than fight. 

            There has never been a time when stakes are so high.  The spirit of lawlessness reigns unrestrained in a world running wild without God.  It is time for God to move.  “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against it.”  When we don the armor of Jesus we fight in Spirit power.  But, we must put on the armor.  Lift Jesus high.  He is our Standard.  The Church will prevail when leaders lead and people willingly offer themselves. 

No armor, no Spirit.