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<strong>Think</strong> Like<br />
D E B O R A H<br />
A Woman of Bold Faith<br />
Calling You to<br />
Live Your Life Out Bold<br />
by<br />
Nikki Chaplin
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Copyright © 2016 by Nikki Chaplin<br />
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains<br />
material protected under International and<br />
Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any<br />
unauthorized reprint or use of this material<br />
is prohibited. No part of this book may be<br />
reproduced or transmitted in any form or<br />
by any means, electronic or mechanical,<br />
including photocopying, recording, or by any<br />
information storage and retrieval system<br />
without express written permission from the<br />
author / publisher.
Dedication<br />
To my daughter Nicole<br />
You are the kindest,<br />
loveliest person I know.<br />
You have brought so much joy to my life.<br />
iii
iv
Contents<br />
Introduction 1<br />
Section One: God is Waiting on You! 7<br />
Chapter 1: Exploring the Deborah Mindset ..... 9<br />
Chapter 2: Activate Your Faith .......................27<br />
Chapter 3: <strong>Think</strong> Victory ..................................49<br />
Chapter 4: Overcome Your Limitations ..........63<br />
Chapter 5: Be Fully Persuaded ......................73<br />
Section Two: The Creative Word of God 93<br />
Chapter 6: Embrace the Creative Spirit ........95<br />
Chapter 7: Make the Sacrifice ......................121<br />
Chapter 8: Answer The Call .........................129<br />
Chapter 9: Who, Me? .....................................141<br />
Chapter 10: Living the Deborah Principles .149<br />
About the Author 161<br />
References 163<br />
v
vi
Acknowledgments<br />
I am very grateful to the many friends whose<br />
efforts went into making this book possible<br />
even if your name is not mentioned below.<br />
Thanks to Yolanda Snell for reading the first<br />
draft of the manuscript. Thanks to my editors<br />
Bridgette King and Marsha Williams at<br />
Williams & King Publishers for your patience,<br />
dedication, and keen eye for seeing this<br />
project come to life.<br />
To my mother, Isolyn, without whose<br />
unconditional love and support I would not<br />
have been able to undertake the journey to<br />
write this book. Thank you for showing me<br />
what quiet grace and enduring strength looks<br />
like, and for holding a special place in the<br />
spirit for me. And to my father, I bow to your<br />
memory because it was you who instilled in<br />
me a love for books of all kinds and the<br />
curiosity that blossomed from indulging in<br />
books at an early age. I can’t imagine what<br />
my life would be like without them.<br />
To my then morning prayer group with<br />
whom my fascination with the person of<br />
vii
Deborah was ignited to a stronger level,<br />
eventually leading to this full blown essay<br />
that I am now sharing with others who may<br />
pick up this book. To my Pastors at Words<br />
of Life Church in Miami, Florida, whose<br />
teaching has led me on the path of how to<br />
think right, believe right and speak right and<br />
who remind us constantly that people are<br />
defeated daily due to wrong thinking, wrong<br />
believing, and wrong speaking.<br />
To all my mentors and supporters who<br />
continue to help shape my understanding of<br />
this journey called life, my heartfelt thanks<br />
and gratitude to one and all.<br />
And yes, to modern day Deborah’s everywhere<br />
far and wide who dare to seize the<br />
moment and live your lives out bigger and<br />
bolder, to you I say, go forth because:<br />
“Hath not the Lord God<br />
commanded, (it)…?” (Judges<br />
4:6).<br />
viii
Introduction<br />
You may never have heard of the<br />
famous “Deborah,” whose life has<br />
inspired me to write this book. So<br />
let me summarize her heroic story from the<br />
King James Version of the Holy Bible (KJV),<br />
in Judges 4-5.<br />
Deborah was a homemaker and wife who<br />
was called by God to be a prophetess and<br />
leader of her people, Israel. She judged Israel<br />
during a period of great oppression and was<br />
led by God to send a rather small number<br />
of troops to destroy a much larger, more<br />
powerful army of oppressors. This oppression<br />
had been going on for many years.<br />
Deborah, with a servant’s heart, rose to<br />
the occasion with boldness and passion and<br />
motivated her people to ultimately defeat<br />
1
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
their enemies. She would later be referred to<br />
as “a mother of Israel” and was a respected<br />
leader and a war hero. With a never say die<br />
attitude and a purposeful, winning mindset,<br />
she spoiled the enemies’ plans and led her<br />
people to victory.<br />
Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda, in<br />
their book, Women of the Bible, 1 wrote that<br />
throughout history, Deborah has been a<br />
source of encouragement to women. They<br />
explained that when women feel confined or<br />
mistreated, when they feel unsure of what is<br />
right, and what is the right way to proceed<br />
when they are entering unknown territory,<br />
when they feel overlooked or ignored, they<br />
(have often) gained stability and help by<br />
remembering Deborah. I am one of those<br />
women.<br />
It was during our 5:30 AM prayer group<br />
meeting in the fourth watch of the night as<br />
we worshiped, sought God’s presence and<br />
listened in silence for the Holy Spirit’s revelations<br />
that the Lord directed my focus to this<br />
great woman of God—judge, prophetess, and<br />
pioneer, Deborah. As I read from Judges<br />
4-5, I reminded myself to approach each line<br />
of scripture with a fresh and curious heart,<br />
not taking anything for granted, lest I miss<br />
2
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
some nuance or insight the Lord wanted me<br />
to see.<br />
I was curious to discover how different<br />
layers or secrets within the passages would<br />
be revealed to me. From the start, I knew<br />
that I was searching for more than an<br />
abstract relationship with the heroine of this<br />
story. I wanted to get to know how she<br />
leaped into the fire of the great unknown.<br />
How as a woman, she found the courage to<br />
go against the grain of her culture to assert<br />
herself in such a male-dominated role. What<br />
shaped this brave, no-nonsense woman of<br />
God whose boldness seemed so unlike other<br />
women of her time? Yet, the challenge she<br />
faced then was no different from many which<br />
we face today.<br />
Roused by the striking attributes and<br />
characteristics that I discovered, I was<br />
inspired to write this book. My objective<br />
is to open your eyes to a new, powerful<br />
mindset that will initiate change and improve<br />
the quality of your life, rather than merely<br />
waiting for God to act. You, too, can begin to<br />
connect with Deborah to fuel your progress<br />
or reconnect with her spirit of courage and<br />
fearless thinking when you feel you’ve lost<br />
your footing. The key to your success is to<br />
3
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
think like the Deborah of the Old Testament<br />
and to act like the Deborah of today.<br />
The contents of this book, <strong>Think</strong> Like<br />
Deborah are not intended in any way to<br />
be a theological assessment or retelling of<br />
her story. Nor is this meant to be a type<br />
of religious doctrine. Rather, this narrative<br />
is meant to show you how to apply the<br />
principles of this great woman to your own<br />
lives while allowing the supernatural behind<br />
all things to do its work.<br />
To begin, here are my questions for you:<br />
Would you like to learn how to clear your<br />
mind of indecision, uncertainty, confusion,<br />
and fear? Would you like to know why you<br />
are here, and where you are going? If your<br />
answer is “yes,” then you are ready to come<br />
with me on a journey with Deborah, a woman<br />
on a mission to change the story of her life<br />
and her people. Indeed, a woman committed<br />
to writing a new story for herself and her<br />
people.<br />
As you read these pages, may you be<br />
abundantly blessed by the messages and<br />
receive new insights into Deborah’s wisdom<br />
and courage as I have. I pray that the<br />
“Deborah” qualities you crave will leap off<br />
these pages into your very spirit. I trust that<br />
after reading this book, you will no longer<br />
4
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
see her as just an abstract Bible figure,<br />
but you will see Deborah within yourself. In<br />
doing so, you too may leap in and begin<br />
to write a bigger and better life story for<br />
yourself, instead of waiting for your lucky<br />
day to show up.<br />
5
6
SECTION ONE<br />
God is Waiting on You!<br />
7
8
Chapter 1<br />
Exploring the<br />
Deborah Mindset<br />
We can learn a lot from Deborah, a<br />
woman who was able to transcend<br />
her ordinary role and accomplish a<br />
supernatural victory. As we explore her life,<br />
it makes us stand in awe and wonder if,<br />
given our circumstances, weaknesses, and<br />
lack of faith, we could achieve such exploits.<br />
Chances are, we may ponder, count the cost,<br />
then throw our hands in the air and give up<br />
without trying because the odds seem to be<br />
against us.<br />
Furthermore, with all the conflicts and<br />
pressures we are bombarded with each day,<br />
how can we ever achieve such feats of<br />
boldness and victory? The demands placed<br />
9
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
upon us seem to grow bigger and get heavier<br />
each and every day.<br />
Our responsibilities at home are ever<br />
increasing, not to mention the pressures of<br />
our careers, social outreach, and even our<br />
churches. Our needs are real and while our<br />
hearts long to do more, how can we juggle<br />
it all, yet, remain sane and at peace? Can<br />
you relate?<br />
Deborah seemed to have figured it out.<br />
Admittedly, an equally compelling reason why<br />
I wanted to dig deeper into her life was to try<br />
to find the answers like she did. I wanted to<br />
apply her principles to my own relationship<br />
with the Lord. She roused something new<br />
in me that refused to let go and made me<br />
ponder what a modern day Deborah would<br />
really look like.<br />
What made her so audacious, so sure of<br />
herself and sure of her mission? I wanted to<br />
be guided to a fuller expression of my true<br />
potential. Did I possess even a tiny bit of<br />
her capacity for braveness and fearlessness?<br />
And what of her incredible instincts to know<br />
when to strike and what to do?<br />
I discovered that hers was more than<br />
just an interesting story. It was far deeper<br />
than I could imagine. There were fundamental<br />
precepts about her life, mindset, and<br />
10
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
relationship with God that if unraveled, could<br />
have a tremendous impact on my life.<br />
It wasn’t just by chance that Deborah<br />
weighed so heavily on me because at the<br />
time, I felt as if I had entered into the dark<br />
night of the soul. I remember the feeling of<br />
being “stuck” that came over me, immediately<br />
followed by the question, “Why can’t<br />
you be more like the Deborah?” A few lines<br />
from Dr. Seuss’ famous poem, “The Waiting<br />
Place,” began to stir my spirit and ring in<br />
my ears:<br />
Everywhere you find people waiting<br />
For fish to bite…for wind to fly a kite<br />
Waiting for Friday night<br />
(Waiting) for a better break<br />
(Waiting) for a string of pearls,<br />
A pair of pants or another chance<br />
(Everywhere) Everyone is waiting. 2<br />
Yes, the person in that verse surely<br />
resembled me, and my waiting place felt<br />
parched and barren! How on earth did I get<br />
here, and how or when would I ever get<br />
11
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
out? I knew I needed help beyond my own<br />
natural abilities.<br />
My mind flashed again to the kind of<br />
supernatural help given to Deborah in her<br />
time of dire need, and a glimmer of hope<br />
came back to me. But, then I reasoned,<br />
this was Deborah—God’s prophetess, judge,<br />
keeper of Moses’ law—a woman pre-coded<br />
for greatness. Surely, God would show up for<br />
a prophetess of such deep faith. But would<br />
He turn up for me? Who was I kidding?<br />
Deborah reminded me of other great<br />
women of the Bible—Ruth, Abigail, and Esther.<br />
Like them, she had a deep and relentless<br />
conviction that the Lord would answer her<br />
call. She knew that He is no respecter of<br />
persons (Acts 10:34), and what He did for<br />
them, He would do for her. Using Deborah’s<br />
bold example, we can also say that what He<br />
did for her, He will do for you and me.<br />
We have this assurance because we<br />
know God is a Spirit and His operating<br />
principles are shown to us through His Word.<br />
Because God is not a flesh-and-blood man,<br />
His principles are constant and do not vary<br />
over time, person or space. But what would<br />
it take for Him to do the same for us, me<br />
specifically (selfishly at the moment)?<br />
This much I knew: I was no Deborah, but<br />
12
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
if I could internalize some of her principles<br />
that moved the hand of God on her behalf<br />
and that of her people, it would support the<br />
most fulfilling life I dreamed of living.<br />
So I began my quest to get into<br />
Deborah’s head, to learn to think like her,<br />
and furthermore, to act like her. This would,<br />
of course, mean adopting a new mindset,<br />
taking on a new perspective—the “Deborah<br />
Mindset.” The mentality of a woman very<br />
much in tune with her innate capacities and<br />
fully ready to unleash them for something<br />
she believed in—freedom to live a better life.<br />
My second step was to learn how to walk<br />
out the divine purpose God had established<br />
for me. Deborah had become more than an<br />
abstract story to me; she had become a<br />
friend. It’s the only way I know to describe<br />
how she accompanied me during the days<br />
that followed.<br />
Destiny Markers<br />
I believe the events in the Bible are<br />
placed there on purpose. However, it does<br />
take dedicated meditation on the words<br />
to peel back the layers of the particular<br />
events to activate them in our lives. Bible<br />
13
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
events serve as markers, lighting the way,<br />
showing us things we need to know and<br />
do to live our best lives. Deborah’s story, I<br />
would discover, had many of these important<br />
markers, waiting to be uncovered.<br />
As I shared the story with a close friend,<br />
we discussed situations in which we felt we<br />
had held ourselves back for no good reason.<br />
How many times has the Spirit nudged<br />
you and me to reach out and minister to<br />
someone, or to step out and do something<br />
creative? Yet, we held back thinking: “No,<br />
that’s too much to take on.” “I don’t see how<br />
it could work.” “Now is not the right time.”<br />
“I’m just not equipped to do this or that<br />
work.” I am sure you can relate to your own<br />
set of delay tactics. But isn’t that just what<br />
author Marianne Williamson is talking about<br />
when she says,<br />
Our deepest fear is not that we<br />
are inadequate. Our deepest fear<br />
is that we are powerful beyond<br />
measure. It is our light, not our<br />
darkness that most frightens us.<br />
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to<br />
be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,<br />
fabulous?’ Actually, who are you<br />
not to be? You are a child of<br />
14
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
God. Your playing small does<br />
not serve the world. 3<br />
As my friend and I chatted, I couldn’t<br />
help thinking how often we prepare, and<br />
prepare, and prepare some more, waiting<br />
for supposedly the “right moment.” To use<br />
a baseball analogy, many times, we keep<br />
“winding up to bat” without ever swinging the<br />
bat. Oh, the missed opportunities!<br />
I once heard a preacher say, “The<br />
opportune time only lasts for the time of the<br />
opportunity.” Wow, how I know that to be true<br />
because time and again, it has happened to<br />
me.<br />
One such timely opportunity came to me<br />
and slipped away as swiftly as it came. It<br />
would have taken me to Malaysia, a place<br />
I’d long wanted to visit. To this day, I can<br />
still remember my feeling of regret for not<br />
going.<br />
I have always enjoyed traveling and<br />
among the places on my countries to visit<br />
wish list were those in Asia. The opportunity<br />
came when a very good friend of<br />
mine moved there with her husband on a<br />
job assignment that was to last two years.<br />
While there, she kept inviting me to come<br />
for a visit. Her husband worked during the<br />
15
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
week, and often for long hours, so she had<br />
lots of free time. We could both have had a<br />
good time together as we explored her new<br />
home with a sense of adventure.<br />
All I needed to do was make the necessary<br />
flight arrangements, and off to Asia, I’d go<br />
with the exotic island of Malaysia being my<br />
first stop. Now, for some crazy, inexplicable<br />
reason, I kept hesitating. All the while, my<br />
friend kept encouraging me to come.<br />
Many times, I came close to pulling<br />
it off, but I let my own doubts rule my<br />
better judgment. I kept telling myself, maybe<br />
tomorrow I would feel better about going, but<br />
for the moment, there were so many other<br />
things that needed my attention.<br />
At least, that was my excuse for never<br />
being quite ready. Well, months went by, and<br />
the “better feeling” never came. Furthermore,<br />
the “better time” never came until it was<br />
too late. When she was ready to return to<br />
the States, that’s about the time I made the<br />
decision to visit her. Sad to say, I missed an<br />
important opportunity because I kept winding<br />
up and procrastinating, but never actually<br />
stepped out to swing that bat.<br />
Contrarily, prophetess Deborah did not<br />
seem to suffer from such a malady. She<br />
understood the dangers of procrastination<br />
16
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
and not seizing opportunities when they<br />
present themselves. She recognized that<br />
lingering and dragging her feet added no<br />
value to the situation. A few minutes delay<br />
or hesitation would have cost her the victory<br />
and freedom for her people. History would<br />
never have recorded her as a heroine.<br />
I have had my share of ups and downs.<br />
Thankfully, more ups than downs. As I<br />
examine my family life and career, I realize<br />
if I’ve enjoyed any success, it’s been due<br />
largely to my willingness to take chances<br />
even when the outcome was far from certain.<br />
The times when I faltered were usually when<br />
I second-guessed myself, adding up my own<br />
strength and in my self-censorship coming<br />
up short for the task at hand.<br />
No doubt, an otherwise closed door could<br />
be opened by moving out in faith. Faith<br />
moves the hand of God on our behalf and<br />
makes possible what may seem impossible.<br />
Yes, of course, there will be ups and downs<br />
for you and me along this journey. However,<br />
through Deborah’s story, we can use God’s<br />
principles to put us over the top when we<br />
approach what is being shown to us as life’s<br />
”impossibilities.”<br />
The Apostle Paul told the Philippian<br />
church to forget those things which lay<br />
17
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
behind and press forward toward the mark of<br />
the high calling (Philippians 3:14). Likewise,<br />
I encourage you as you take your Deborah<br />
journey not to spend much time digging into<br />
your past trying to dissect all the missteps<br />
you made, looking back at all the roads not<br />
taken and dwelling on the unlucky breaks<br />
that came your way. Rather, use this journey<br />
to go forward and create a better life for<br />
yourself.<br />
In seeking to change her circumstances,<br />
we see how Deborah, rather than standing<br />
by waiting for God to act to change her<br />
situation, took up the mantle to create a safer<br />
and more prosperous destiny for herself and<br />
her people.<br />
Could it be that in the times when we<br />
hold back, we are more focused on our<br />
natural talents than on God’s ability? Our<br />
eyes are turned inwardly to ourselves, rather<br />
than trained on God. Could it be that we<br />
are waiting for the right moment, the right<br />
person, and the right set of circumstances<br />
to present themselves, rather than grabbing<br />
hold of God’s promises, and moving forward<br />
in His strength?<br />
After all, God is not an “absentee-creator”<br />
of your destiny capriciously moving in and<br />
out when He pleases. Rather, as Deborah<br />
18
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
demonstrates, He is a co-creator of our<br />
destiny based on our willingness to put<br />
action to our faith. In fact, not only do we<br />
have to co-create our destiny, we also have<br />
to curate our destiny as we go. In other<br />
words, we have to intentionally gather up<br />
and put together pieces of our strengths and<br />
experiences we have gained along the way<br />
to help us knit together the kind of life we<br />
desire. Even experiences that seem hard,<br />
unfair, and disappointing can hold valuable<br />
lessons for our future if we take the time to<br />
look for them.<br />
As I looked at my life, I was facing<br />
my own crossroads. My long career in<br />
the corporate world was uncertain, as the<br />
company I worked for was merging and my<br />
job as I knew it would disappear. It was the<br />
heyday of the computer software taking over<br />
just about every level of job in a company.<br />
I knew that in order to survive, I would<br />
have to retool my career, but what exactly<br />
I should do, and the how to do it weren’t<br />
coming into focus for me. My daughter was<br />
grown, had moved to New York, and she<br />
was starting her own life. Yet, I felt no clear<br />
direction as to what to do next. I felt as if<br />
I’d somehow lost my footing. In trying to<br />
deal with my own dilemma by making use of<br />
19
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Deborah’s thinking, the answer came to my<br />
spirit, “What God wants from you is action,<br />
not debate.” But where to begin remained far<br />
outside my grasp.<br />
It was like spinning a Rubik’s Cube with<br />
Deborah’s face on every other cube and<br />
seeing mine next to hers. It was then that I<br />
literally heard the words, “<strong>Think</strong> like Deborah”<br />
bubble up in my spirit. I knew it was the title<br />
of a book I must write. Right then, I realized<br />
that my journey would not be merely about<br />
writing her story, it would be about thinking<br />
the Deborah way. It was becoming a script<br />
from which to learn and gain strength when<br />
the road seems uncertain, or when life feels<br />
like it’s closing in on us. We can pick up the<br />
mantle the way Deborah did, and charge on<br />
in faith.<br />
I took comfort in the promise that said,<br />
“When you seek Me diligently with all your<br />
heart you will find Me” (Jeremiah 29:13 &<br />
Proverbs 8:17). I couldn’t wait to unfold the<br />
secrets of the journey I was about to take.<br />
I pray that you will come to know and etch<br />
Deborah’s boldness upon your own heart,<br />
as we journey together. All I ask is that you<br />
remove your self-imposed limitations from<br />
your mind, and remember that God is a<br />
Spirit and He is no respecter of persons.<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
According to author Dennis Waitley,<br />
“There are two primary choices in life: to<br />
accept life’s conditions as they are, or to<br />
accept responsibility for changing them.”<br />
If you chose the latter, as I believe you<br />
will, then you’ll need a map or a model,<br />
a paradigm to help you across the bridge.<br />
I believe we can draw strength by replicating<br />
the journey that others before us have<br />
forged. Using their journey as a roadmap,<br />
we can place ourselves in their mindsets<br />
and from there, thrust forward into the place<br />
we desire to reach.<br />
My prayer for you is that whenever<br />
you come to a twist in the road, or during<br />
moments of reflection, you will pick up this<br />
book and flip to a page where you’ll draw<br />
inspiration for your own journey. The point is,<br />
at one time or another, we all find ourselves<br />
in bondage to something, and we need a<br />
way out. Have you identified what’s keeping<br />
you stuck, preventing you from closing the<br />
gap between where you are and where you<br />
desire to be?<br />
The principles shown in Deborah’s actions<br />
are exactly the ones available for us today.<br />
With our minds filled with the promises of<br />
God, we can begin to think as God thinks,<br />
speak as God speaks, and re-create our<br />
21
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
personal lives on the highest level we desire.<br />
In fact, it is written in Psalm 82:6, as repeated<br />
by King David (what had been declared to<br />
Moses), “I have told you, ‘You are “gods,”<br />
you are all sons of the Most High?’” God<br />
had told Moses to think like a god as he<br />
approached the dreaded Pharaoh to seek<br />
the deliverance of His people. Clearly, God<br />
wanted Moses to open his eyes to the power<br />
he possessed on the inside.<br />
So Moses must have wondered, what<br />
must it be like to act as a god? Would he<br />
cower in front of Pharaoh? Or, would he<br />
boldly declare: “Let my people go!” Later,<br />
Jesus echoed the same fact in John 10:34,<br />
when He said, “Is it not written in your Law,<br />
‘I have said you are “gods”?’” Given that<br />
we are “encoded” with the God-seed, the<br />
creative power of the One who made us<br />
in His image, why shouldn’t we be able to<br />
express and manifest our highest desires in<br />
our lives?<br />
Turning to our personal lives, there’s so<br />
much that needs to be done. As we look<br />
closer to home, we see our families beckon<br />
for our help, we look around our communities,<br />
and the cry is the same: “Help, someone<br />
help me please!” Deep inside, we feel the<br />
urge, yes, the responsibility to be the one<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
who steps up and delivers that help. But,<br />
where do we begin, and what can individuals<br />
such as you and I do?”<br />
Thankfully, there’s a place for us to start.<br />
There have been others who have walked<br />
that path before and left a trail showing us the<br />
way. We can cast our imaginations into their<br />
paradigm, into their way of thinking and doing<br />
and overcome our challenges. Remembering<br />
that Deborah overcame twenty long years<br />
of oppression, and eventually defeated a<br />
superior army in less than twenty-four hours<br />
should give us great courage to take on the<br />
tasks we may face.<br />
So often, we’ve prayed for God to give<br />
us courage, strength, an open door of opportunity,<br />
or even a witty idea in order that<br />
we may fulfill our fondest dreams and help<br />
others. Yet, so often, when He does give us<br />
ideas, we begin the debate of whether it’s<br />
really God. In fact, the witty ideas we keep<br />
asking for may indeed come as we step out<br />
on the road of obedience, doing whatsoever<br />
He’s called us to do, no matter how odd<br />
it might seem, how large or how small. Of<br />
course, it will take a mindset of complete<br />
surrender to follow such a hunch and see<br />
where it might lead—a mind fully determined<br />
23
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
to go all out without regard to the natural<br />
odds.<br />
The challenge is, we will never know<br />
unless we are willing to put our hands to the<br />
task. I must tell you that along the “Deborah<br />
road,” I’ve been learning more and more to<br />
detach from the “what if” fear and connect<br />
more to the slogan, “just do it.” How can<br />
you learn, let alone course-correct if you are<br />
too scared to risk something? Or too scared<br />
to trust God for the favorable outcome? As<br />
I see it, “risk” (thoughtfully done), is another<br />
word for faith! I had my answer and thus,<br />
began the quest to plumb the depths of what<br />
Deborah wanted to share with me.<br />
As long as you are in a physical body<br />
striving for more of what you desire, there<br />
will be times when you will stumble. The<br />
only questions are when? Over what will<br />
you stumble? and even more so, what will<br />
it cost you? Most important, though, will you<br />
have the courage to keep moving? These<br />
are all questions I grappled with as I re-examined<br />
my life in light of the courage I saw<br />
unfolding through Deborah’s journey.<br />
The crisis could be a sudden personal<br />
setback, a costly mistake or what you<br />
thought was a well-planned action that took<br />
a wrong turn. You may be called to sacrifice<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
your personal time to care for a loved one.<br />
Or to leave your comfort zone to live with<br />
and learn a new culture. You might even<br />
be called like the prophet Moses to follow a<br />
burning bush, (Exodus 3:2-3), your burning<br />
passion that is, and follow where it leads.<br />
The prophet Elisha did a similar thing<br />
when he decided to burn his chariot, kill his<br />
cattle (his livelihood), and follow his leader<br />
Elijah (1 King 1:21). I know how scary it can<br />
be to go all out with nary a safety net in<br />
sight. But, if there’s one thing these lessons<br />
teach us, it is that staying stuck is not the<br />
answer.<br />
The life lessons that follow are more<br />
than mere survival strategies. They’re about<br />
learning how to live in a place deep within,<br />
from which you have fully decided to take<br />
on whatever life throws at you, even without<br />
knowing all the how-to’s and what nots.<br />
In the real world, life never lays out<br />
answers ahead of time; it merely gives us<br />
a choice to take on the journey. Unpleasant<br />
surprises all have the same faces; they scare<br />
us and throw us for a loop. It’s about how to<br />
snatch victory from the face of despair!<br />
That’s exactly what Deborah did. She<br />
looked beyond the desperate circumstances<br />
that were before her and saw God. With a new<br />
25
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
mindset, she conquered the fierce opposition,<br />
constant challenges, and seemingly impossible<br />
situation that threatened her very<br />
existence.<br />
Her success demonstrates that God was<br />
indeed waiting for someone to act. Deborah<br />
turned out to be the one. And once she<br />
did, God’s power was released to meet her<br />
halfway.<br />
As our Old Testament example, Deborah<br />
provides us with a powerful lesson in leading<br />
our best lives. The lesson for us is: make<br />
the first move and expect providence to meet<br />
you on the way!<br />
26
Chapter 2<br />
Activate Your Faith<br />
The women of Deborah’s day did not<br />
command armies, let alone become<br />
political leaders. So what could Deborah<br />
have been thinking as the Word of the Lord<br />
came to her, saying. “Today is the day”?<br />
This woman was special. She was cut from<br />
a different cloth. She was the only woman<br />
to have held the position of Judge in Israel.<br />
She would not allow the past to define<br />
her, nor would she allow herself to be<br />
pigeon-holed into some predefined role. Her<br />
mind was set on a better, a higher course<br />
to follow. And what’s more, Deborah was<br />
not responding to a purely personal crisis.<br />
Rather, she was taking on something much<br />
bigger than her private life. For most of us,<br />
27
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
the types of whirlwinds that we face are<br />
usually on a more personal level having to<br />
do with family, work or perhaps relationships.<br />
Wrestling with such personal frustrations<br />
can make you feel that your world is<br />
spinning out of control. But for every time<br />
you’ve gotten past such times and come out<br />
ahead, can you not look back and see that<br />
it required you to tap into a level of boldness<br />
you didn’t think you had, but somehow<br />
managed to awaken?<br />
As I followed Deborah’s story, it became<br />
clearer to me that we all have this capacity<br />
for bravery, an in-born God-seed that we<br />
can cultivate and awaken in times of need,<br />
whether for ourselves or the well-being of<br />
our loved ones.<br />
Deborah Had a Mind for Others<br />
Deborah, the prophetess, held court<br />
under the palm tree several miles northwest<br />
of Jericho. As one of Israel’s leaders, she<br />
was no doubt distressed by the tremendous<br />
suffering her people were living under at the<br />
hands of the Canaanites.<br />
To make matters worse, her people had<br />
taken up the idol worship practices of the<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
natives. As a judge of Israel, however, I<br />
have no doubt that lodged within her DNA<br />
were the God-seeds of a fighter and a deep<br />
love for her people, qualities that she would<br />
have to awaken to take on the task ahead.<br />
The book of Judges does not record<br />
whether she had children of her own, but<br />
we are told that Deborah regarded herself as<br />
the “Mother of all of Israel.” We are not told<br />
much of her pedigree or her heritage. What<br />
we do know is that she was well grounded in<br />
what it meant to be a daughter of Abraham,<br />
and most importantly, the authority that was<br />
attached to such a lineage.<br />
Deborah knew that God’s promises to her<br />
forefathers were still in full effect, despite<br />
the fact that her brethren had turned to<br />
worshiping idols. She, however, was focused<br />
on her identity as a child of Abraham. She<br />
knew that as an heir of Abraham, she and<br />
her brethren were fully entitled to those<br />
promises that spanned generations, and she<br />
intended to claim them.<br />
She must have also known that her<br />
forefathers received their physical evidence<br />
through faith, which leads to the realization<br />
of things hoped for and is the evidence<br />
of things not seen. And that because of<br />
having faith, the ancients were well attested<br />
29
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
(Hebrews 11: 1-3). In time, they received<br />
what they hoped for.<br />
Up to this point in time, the Israelites lived<br />
in constant fear of the Canaanites, having<br />
to endure continued oppression under their<br />
hands. The Canaanite armies ravaged their<br />
lands, captured their women and stole their<br />
possessions. At any moment, they could be<br />
ambushed, robbed, and forced to flee for<br />
their lives.<br />
The situation had become desperate. It<br />
demanded action. But who was there to step<br />
up to the fight? If something wasn’t done, it<br />
would only be a matter of time before the<br />
enemy would strike again. Truth be told, the<br />
trouble did not come without warning. The<br />
people had turned to serving false gods, the<br />
reward for which was trouble and affliction<br />
by foreign armies. “Again the Israelites did<br />
evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud<br />
was dead. So the Lord sold them into the<br />
hands of Jabin, King of Canaan” (Judges<br />
4:1-2).<br />
During Moses’ time when the Israelites<br />
were freed from Egyptian slavery, God<br />
gave the law that said, “Thou shalt have no<br />
other God before me” (Exodus 20:3). If they<br />
disobeyed, they would pay a heavy price.<br />
They had disobeyed by taking part in idol<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
worship, and now, oppression and devastation<br />
were the results.<br />
Stand on the Promise<br />
At this crucial moment, the future of Israel<br />
rested on one simple question that prophetess<br />
Deborah would put to her people, particularly<br />
her Army Captain Barak: “Hath not<br />
the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying,<br />
go…?” (Judges 4:6). In Deborah’s mind, this<br />
was neither a mere question nor was it an<br />
invitation to go or not. Rather, it was a direct<br />
command to rise up and defend her people<br />
against the invaders.<br />
In Deborah’s day, the word of the prophet<br />
was synonymous with the mouth of God. In<br />
other words, it was as though God Himself<br />
was present and speaking. Deborah was<br />
convinced that this was the appointed day<br />
that the Lord had prepared for Israel’s deliverance.<br />
She was convinced that on this<br />
particular day if they acted, the angels would<br />
favor them in the fight ahead. So Deborah<br />
said unto Barak, “Arise! For this is the day<br />
in which the LORD has given Sisera into<br />
your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out<br />
31
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
before you” (Judges 4:14). And so the battle<br />
lines were drawn.<br />
Barak and his troops gathered alongside<br />
the Tabor Mountain. Before that, Sisera,<br />
Captain of the Canaan army had gathered<br />
his troops and chariots in the Kishon Valley<br />
(called Wadi), a dry riverbed. But it wouldn’t<br />
be dry for very long.<br />
Faith Can Move Mountains<br />
We see that Deborah moved into action<br />
based upon her faith, trusting in the Word<br />
she had heard from the LORD. However,<br />
given the crisis at hand, and the mighty<br />
army that was against them, was this really<br />
a job for a woman?<br />
What gave her the boldness to forcefully<br />
COMMAND her captain to act, and act now?<br />
And how did she think it was prudent for her<br />
captain to take with him a scrappy bunch of<br />
untrained fighters from the tribe of Naphtali<br />
and Nebulin? From where did this prophetess<br />
learn this great faith? Before we delve<br />
further into Deborah’s fierce bravery, let’s get<br />
a grasp of what we mean by faith, what it is,<br />
and how to create a lattice work around it.<br />
Based on Deborah’s example, we can<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
see that having faith means taking action<br />
and moving towards what you desire in<br />
life. It’s a two-sided coin; without one, the<br />
other does not exist. Action is proof, tangible<br />
evidence of your faith at work. Evangelist<br />
John, R. Gelderen says it this way, “Your<br />
view of faith affects—everything. Faith is the<br />
God-ordained link between your need and<br />
God’s provision… faith is ‘total dependence<br />
on the Word of God, His grace and His<br />
mercy.’” 4 Your actions transport you to the<br />
promised provision.<br />
In other words, the basis of one’s faith<br />
is the Word of God. This Word is delivered<br />
through promises, backed up by principles.<br />
Many of these principles are shown to us<br />
through the hand of God operating in the<br />
unseen reality, on behalf of Deborah’s act<br />
of faith. Author John Gelderen explains<br />
that faith deals with “unseen realities,”<br />
even though belief in the unseen may be<br />
something contrary to our human nature.<br />
Most of us tend to only believe in what we<br />
can actually see and understand with our<br />
natural minds. As for Deborah, she accepted<br />
that the unseen would work things out on<br />
her behalf, and set out to just do her part.<br />
The common expression “taking a leap<br />
of faith,” or, taking a risk so to speak, helps<br />
33
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
us deal with stuff we can’t figure out with<br />
our natural minds. But we must remember,<br />
having faith is only the beginning. To demonstrate<br />
faith is to take the leap into the great<br />
unknown. Without the leap, there is no faith!<br />
Faith is the ability to believe that what is<br />
not seen is possible, and then to act in order<br />
to achieve a given outcome.<br />
Many of us struggle with how to have<br />
sufficient faith to take action. When you think<br />
a little deeper, however, what good is merely<br />
“having faith,” if you don’t actually use it?<br />
We often overthink, second guess ourselves,<br />
and give up because we aren’t really sure<br />
that this faith thing will work. I’ve been there<br />
more often than I care to remember. We<br />
want to feel certain that we’re not just acting<br />
on blind impulse. We want to feel that there<br />
is something definite behind what we’re<br />
believing God for.<br />
Act on the Impulse From God<br />
Faith, however, is not merely acting on<br />
blind emotion, risking it all and hoping for<br />
the best. In my experience, faith is acting on<br />
an impulse from God, after spending time in<br />
contemplation of His Word or a specific Bible<br />
34
Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
promise, and then resting in the assurance<br />
that God’s promises are “yay” and “amen.”<br />
Seek God’s guidance as to whether<br />
your plans are truly lined up with the will<br />
of God (your success), the promise of God<br />
(supernatural help) and the nature of God<br />
(you have been encoded with the power to<br />
co-create your desires).<br />
Prophetess Deborah achieved success<br />
because she accepted in her spirit that she<br />
had heard from God and was convinced in<br />
her mind that the time had come to enforce<br />
and act on the promise!<br />
After prayer and seeking answers, you<br />
may still struggle to get to a place where<br />
your faith feels strong enough. At this point,<br />
you must remember that it is your continuing<br />
actions that will eventually move the hand of<br />
God, even if the results are not yet what you<br />
expect. Set your doubts and fears aside and<br />
keep your hands at the wheel. I promise,<br />
there will be more on this later, so just stick<br />
with me. Ann Spangler says it best when<br />
she writes, “All that Deborah offered to Israel<br />
she offers to you and me as an example of<br />
a woman willing to be used by God.”<br />
Deborah-like courage is available to us<br />
today. It’s part of our DNA. Her trust in<br />
her innate, intuitive powers led her to rise<br />
35
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
up and face down a much more powerful<br />
enemy. Her inner strength to call Captain<br />
Barak into action shows she was willing to<br />
put her faith on the line.<br />
She took serious her responsibility as a<br />
mother of Israel. As such, it was her duty to<br />
provide for the well-being of her people. All<br />
of this is based on the notion that faith isn’t<br />
faith until one acts. Having acted, expect the<br />
universe to rise up and meet you in the form<br />
of synchronicities and surprising help. In my<br />
view, miracles don’t just happen; they have<br />
to be courted.<br />
What about you? What assignment are<br />
you being called to do? And what is your<br />
hesitation? Deborah’s willingness to act was<br />
greater than the ambivalence that might<br />
have been swirling around in her mind. And<br />
yes, she made use of everything that was<br />
available to her. We all have similar resources<br />
available to us, in the form of intuition,<br />
hunches, friends, colleagues, acquaintances,<br />
and personal and public knowledge. Some<br />
are hidden in plain view whether at home, in<br />
the community or at work. The question is,<br />
“Do we see them as opportunities to make<br />
a difference or do we simply take them for<br />
granted.?” Do we sit back and passively say,<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
“I don’t see how I can do this; it is too much<br />
for me to take on.”<br />
Yes, I know life offers no guarantees, but<br />
it’s much better to give yourself a chance<br />
to succeed than to disqualify yourself before<br />
you even begin. Let me give you an example.<br />
Before Mother Teresa changed the lives of<br />
millions of sick and forgotten slum dwellers in<br />
Calcutta, she simply acted as if she believed<br />
her actions were necessary, and that God<br />
would get the glory from her humble acts of<br />
faith in her ability to change a person’s life.<br />
In my own life, when I wanted to advance in<br />
my career, I realized I needed to go back to<br />
school, and I began attending classes in the<br />
evenings. Between family and work, it took<br />
me six years to earn my degree, but it was<br />
a satisfying experience on both a career and<br />
a personal level.<br />
Before freedom fighter and political<br />
prisoner, Nelson Mandela became president<br />
of South Africa, and later gained freedom for<br />
his fellow South Africans, he simply acted as<br />
if he believed that it was possible for blacks<br />
and whites to live in harmony together. By<br />
doing so, he relieved millions of people from<br />
the tyranny of apartheid. Granted, there is<br />
still much work to be done, but the point is,<br />
because of one man’s faith, his country is<br />
37
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
further ahead, and the foundation has been<br />
set for even more progress to begin.<br />
“Great faith is the ability to believe long<br />
and far into the misty future,” says author<br />
Joni E. Tada. It requires taking God at His<br />
Word, accepting what’s promised in the<br />
Word, followed by you taking the next step.<br />
Each of these brave warriors took steps<br />
that resulted from their core beliefs, even<br />
though neither had the assurance beforehand<br />
of how things would eventually turn out.<br />
Whether at home, in our village, tribe, or at<br />
work, we can inspire those around us to have<br />
courage in big battles or small ones. When<br />
life seems to close in, and we just can’t see<br />
our way, we can look to Deborah’s example,<br />
activate our faith and forge ahead, rather<br />
than be paralyzed by fear and indecision, or<br />
sit hoping and waiting for the big opportunity<br />
to come to us, instead of going out to meet<br />
it.<br />
I have no idea of the challenges you are<br />
facing right now. However, you may just be<br />
one prayer away from your answer, a miracle,<br />
a promise fulfilled. As Mark Batterson lays<br />
out in his book, The Circle Maker, “There<br />
is nothing God loves more than keeping<br />
promises, answering prayers, performing<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is who<br />
He is. That is what He does.” 5<br />
Claim the Promise<br />
No doubt, great weariness was upon<br />
Deborah’s camp. Her people seemed too<br />
downcast to fight. To them, God’s promise to<br />
Joshua back in the desert, “Know therefore<br />
that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful<br />
God, which keepeth covenant and mercy...”<br />
(Deuteronomy 7:9) must have seemed<br />
nothing more than a distant memory. This<br />
was certainly no peaceable land of milk and<br />
honey. Conditions around them were no<br />
picnic, to say the least. The promise though<br />
was still very much in effect, waiting to be<br />
claimed.<br />
Deborah, however, didn’t focus on the<br />
weakness of her people, their small weaponry<br />
or physical strength. Her focus was on the<br />
promise. Deborah trusted in the voice of<br />
God speaking to her in her spirit. She then<br />
repeated to Barak what she had heard the<br />
Lord say to her. She held fast to God’s<br />
covenant promise to her forefathers, and to<br />
her generation.<br />
Even though we are not of Deborah’s<br />
39
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
generation, we are of her same lineage, and<br />
by faith, this promise still belongs to us.<br />
It’s a promise in its original full force and<br />
effect. We can put our trust in it in any hard<br />
place we find ourselves. “When thou are in<br />
tribulation, and all these things are come<br />
upon thee… if thou turn to the Lord thy God<br />
and shall be obedient to His voice, He will<br />
not forsake thee nor forget the covenant<br />
of thy fathers which He swore unto them”<br />
(Deuteronomy 4:30). This to me is a clear<br />
invitation to claim what’s been promised to<br />
us, by being obedient to His voice, whether<br />
in a whisper or in a jolt of revelation, as was<br />
the case with Deborah.<br />
The key to Deborah’s thought process is<br />
that she followed through on what she heard<br />
in her spirit, then lined it up with what she<br />
knew was a covenant promise. How often<br />
have we heard that voice calling us higher<br />
and have dismissed it for one reason or the<br />
other?<br />
Throughout our lives, we often find<br />
ourselves in many different places of “comfort”<br />
(which are actually places of discomfort) when<br />
we receive the call to action. A marriage<br />
goes bad. A job becomes unbearable. The<br />
place we’ve called home for years, possibly<br />
all our lives, suffocates us. The religion we<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
grew up with no longer has meaning for<br />
us. Our material success leaves us feeling<br />
empty. The call to action won’t let us be. We<br />
are certain of one small thing—the need to<br />
get moving, to make a change. Deborah had<br />
indeed arrived at such a crossroad in life.<br />
As the Israelites looked with fear at the<br />
might of king Jabin’s army with its nine<br />
hundred chariots of iron, they had no choice<br />
but to turn to prayer. Prayer raises your<br />
expectations away from your natural strength<br />
to what is beyond your local imagination.<br />
They rise into the realm of the supernatural.<br />
Part of prayer is indeed having a two-way<br />
conversation. But equally important are the<br />
silent spaces within our prayers where we<br />
somehow hear the still small voice of our<br />
Creator. It is the voice of guidance nudging<br />
us with new ideas to come up higher, and<br />
to be obedient to the call.<br />
In Judges 4 verse 3, we see the Israelites<br />
coming to the end of their selfish, wicked<br />
living and turning themselves over to the<br />
Father: “The children of Israel cried unto the<br />
Lord.” Judging by the depth of oppression<br />
the Israelites had endured for twenty years,<br />
this was no doubt a bold, desperate prayer.<br />
Bold prayers honor God because they<br />
show our complete dependence on Him.<br />
41
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
In response, we are shown a God who is<br />
faithful and forgiving of our missteps along<br />
the way. Having done our part in the natural,<br />
our role is to leave room for the work of<br />
the heavens to collide with our actions, even<br />
when we can’t see how it will all turn out.<br />
But then again, sometimes, seeing the end<br />
from the beginning is not our part of the job.<br />
Seize the Opportunity<br />
For Deborah and her people, something<br />
was different about this day. A portal to<br />
supernatural help had been opened up and<br />
Deborah didn’t miss it by hesitating. Never<br />
before in all of Israel’s history had God used<br />
a strategy like this one.<br />
Never before had a woman directed the<br />
captain of the Israelite army. Deborah arose<br />
with great urgency, and alerted Barak to<br />
what the Lord had told her: “Hath not the<br />
God of Israel commanded, saying ‘Go, and<br />
draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with<br />
thee 10,000 men of the children of Naphtali<br />
and of the children of Zebulun’” (Judges 4:6).<br />
God instructed Deborah only that He would<br />
draw the enemy into a trap for the purpose<br />
of delivering them into Barak’s hands. This<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
meant that the rest of the strategy would be<br />
up to Barak and his men to figure out just<br />
how to carry out the job. “And I will draw<br />
unto thee to the river Kishon, Sisera, the<br />
captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots<br />
and his multitude; and I will deliver him into<br />
thine hand” (Judges 4:7). What a promise!<br />
Once delivered into Barak’s hands, the rest<br />
was up to him to finish the job. And even<br />
before that, Barak had to place himself in a<br />
position to meet the Creator halfway, to have<br />
the enemy placed in his hands.<br />
Notice that God showed Deborah what<br />
He would do, however sketchy, but not how<br />
He would do it. That was all the strategy<br />
provided. Sometimes, that latter part is up to<br />
us to use our own imaginations and efforts.<br />
Even so, we are reminded that we need not<br />
enter into a perilous situation alone. In times<br />
such as these, it’s important to remember<br />
the promise(s) that apply to your situation<br />
and invoke them out loud. Continually, if<br />
necessary!<br />
According to the NIV translation of the Bible,<br />
the name Barak means “God’s thunderbolt.”<br />
In commanding Barak, Deborah was,<br />
therefore, invoking God’s mighty thunderbolt<br />
against the oppressors. “I lift my hand to<br />
heaven and solemnly swear…when I sharpen<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
my flashing sword and my hand grasps it<br />
in judgment, I will take vengeance on my<br />
adversaries and repay those who hate me”<br />
(Deuteronomy. 32:40-41).<br />
Yes, prayer does put us in a position to<br />
hear from God. But as important as prayer<br />
is, by itself, it is not sufficient. We must also<br />
place ourselves in positions to access what<br />
we need in life by the way we spend our<br />
time, energy, and resources. The outcome<br />
of such focused activity might surprise us<br />
beyond our wildest expectations.<br />
The Power of Agreement<br />
Sometimes, after we’ve heard the call<br />
and feel ready to fire up our energies, doubt<br />
enters in subtle ways. A friend throws cold<br />
water on your plans with a slight comment<br />
such as, “You had better think this over, are<br />
you really sure?” Even Captain Barak did<br />
not embrace Deborah’s plan right way. By<br />
making it clear that he did not intend to go,<br />
unless she went with him, Deborah could<br />
have given in to her own fears. Your personal<br />
strength and discernment will also be tested.<br />
Just remember, more often than not, theirs<br />
is strength in numbers. I’m reminded of an<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
African proverb that says, “If you want to<br />
go fast, go alone; if you want to go far go<br />
together.” In other words, gather up your<br />
team to help you roll out your plans. Going<br />
it alone is not a wise option.<br />
Judges 4 verse 8 gives Barak’s response<br />
to Deborah’s command. His condition for<br />
obeying the orders of this bold prophetess<br />
was: “…If you will go with me, then I will go;<br />
but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”<br />
Again, such a relationship had never before<br />
existed in the history of Israel. However,<br />
once Deborah and Barak agreed, the fate of<br />
the Canaanites was sealed, as they would<br />
now certainly be defeated. Furthermore,<br />
they each needed one another in order to<br />
succeed.<br />
While some authors and scholars see<br />
Barak’s hesitation as an act of timidity, the<br />
outcome could have been different had<br />
Barak chosen to go it alone. I believe that<br />
Barak depended on Deborah’s wisdom to<br />
guide him in the battle. Such a mission was<br />
bigger than Barak’s personal ego and his<br />
need to play the hero. After all, with so little<br />
information to go on, who knew whether he’d<br />
make it out alive?<br />
I also believe Barak’s plea that Deborah<br />
accompanied him was part of doing what<br />
45
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
any prudent army captain would do before<br />
agreeing to go to war, that is, securing the<br />
support of the one who gave the command.<br />
After all, this was no ordinary enemy. A<br />
great deal was at stake for everyone.<br />
Given his scrappy army and the sketchy<br />
details, Barak had to take a great “leap” of faith<br />
to take on such a mission. Deborah herself<br />
told Barak that because of his hesitancy,<br />
he would not get the credit for taking down<br />
the enemy. However, even though Barak did<br />
not receive credit then, in the end, he did<br />
receive some acknowledgment for his faith<br />
in leading the charge against the enemy. In<br />
fact, we later see in the Eleventh Chapter of<br />
Hebrews, Barak is honored among the great<br />
men of faith for turning his weakness into<br />
strength:<br />
And what shall I more say? for<br />
the time would fail me to tell<br />
of Gedeon, and of Barak, and<br />
of Samson…of David also, and<br />
Samuel, and of the prophets who<br />
through faith subdued kingdoms,<br />
wrought righteousness, obtained<br />
promises, stopped the mouths<br />
of lions, quenched the violence<br />
of fire, escaped the edge of the<br />
sword, out of weakness were<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
made strong, waxed valiant in<br />
fight, turned to flight the armies<br />
of the aliens (Hebrews 11:34).<br />
In contrast, Deborah’s name was not<br />
mentioned in the passage, even though<br />
she was the catalyst for the success of the<br />
battle. Barak did not get a direct message<br />
as did Deborah. Nevertheless, he persevered<br />
and overcame whatever doubts or<br />
weaknesses he may have had. A reminder<br />
that sometimes, our next move may come<br />
from another source, perhaps, a friend or<br />
colleague.<br />
It is up to us to use our best judgment<br />
to determine whether we are making the<br />
right move at the right time or if we should<br />
pull back and wait for better circumstances.<br />
Sometimes, our own fears can hold us<br />
back—the thinking that, “I’m just not good<br />
enough to do this” so let’s just do nothing.<br />
Barak seemed to have had all of these<br />
thoughts swirling around in his head. Yet, it<br />
did not stop him from taking the leap. Nor<br />
did Deborah allow his subtle doubting (even<br />
if warranted) to sabotage her plans to move<br />
ahead.<br />
In spite of our swirling fears and timidity,<br />
if we choose to think like Deborah, we can<br />
47
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
overcome the temptation to run away and<br />
hide when we face turmoil and despair in<br />
our lives. Her bravery shows us that when<br />
we activate our faith and take action with the<br />
conviction, God will give us the victory. As<br />
we act on the impulse from God, focus on<br />
His promises to us, have a mind for others<br />
and understand the power of agreement, we<br />
can turn our situations around and win life’s<br />
battles.<br />
Prayer to Activate Faith<br />
Lord in times of need, help me to<br />
remember your name. You are my, El<br />
Shaddai, my provider. When my heart is<br />
weak, and my hope is fading help me to<br />
remember You are Yahweh Tsuri, The<br />
Lord My Rock. When I don’t see a way,<br />
and my path seems unclear Help me to<br />
remember You are Yahweh Roi, the Lord,<br />
my Shepherd.<br />
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Chapter 3<br />
<strong>Think</strong> Victory<br />
To King Jehoshaphat, the LORD said:<br />
Thus saith the LORD unto you, “Be<br />
not afraid, nor dismayed by reason of<br />
this great multitude; For the battle is<br />
not yours, but GOD’S. “Ye shall not<br />
need to fight this battle. Set yourself,<br />
standstill, and see the salvation of<br />
The LORD with you, O Judah and<br />
Jerusalem: Fear not, nor be dismayed;<br />
tomorrow go out against them: for the<br />
LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles<br />
20:17).<br />
The stage was set for the epic battle to<br />
begin. There’s an odd thing I’ve noticed<br />
about a battle. It’s a menace that lies<br />
49
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
in wait. It never directly engages you, but<br />
it’s a threat that you have to decide to take<br />
on. In our everyday lives, the set stage is<br />
often not of our choosing, much less to our<br />
liking. Nevertheless, the choice is the same.<br />
To step in and give it our best, or to shrink<br />
back and bury our heads in the sand.<br />
We find prophetess Deborah holding<br />
court under the Palm of Deborah, a place<br />
located approximately halfway between the<br />
cities Bethel and Ramah. It is the place from<br />
which Deborah would give the instructions<br />
to Barak. Deborah herself received three<br />
specific instructions: Today is the day, take<br />
10,000 men, and go to Mount Tabor.<br />
Barak’s designated location was Mount<br />
Tabor, over 1,300 feet high, perched atop<br />
the Kishon River on the northeast side of<br />
the battle site. It was an abundant place,<br />
with evergreens, oaks and one of the most<br />
beautiful hills of Palestine. Such a spot<br />
would give Barak and his men the strategic<br />
advantage over the enemy below.<br />
Sisera’s chosen battlefield, the Jezreel<br />
Valley, was located along the river, the foot<br />
of the mountain. This region typically experienced<br />
great flooding during the rainy season.<br />
At that moment, however, the riverbed was<br />
bone dry allowing the men to gather there.<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
This was clearly symbolic of a fixed fight! “I<br />
will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s<br />
army with his chariots and his multitudes<br />
to the Kishon River and give him into your<br />
hands” (Judges 4:7).<br />
When Barak and his men approached the<br />
well-equipped Canaanites, they must have<br />
watched in awe as the rain soon flooded the<br />
valley, making it impossible for the horses<br />
to gallop through the sludge. From the<br />
heavens, the Lord sent storms and a great<br />
flood against the enemy, drowning some.<br />
Trapped in the muddy flood waters, the men<br />
in the Canaanite army became sitting ducks<br />
for Barak’s men, who were positioned high<br />
on the Tabor mountainside.<br />
The Canaanites had no choice but to throw<br />
down their swords and flee. The Israelites<br />
then picked them up and defeated them<br />
with their own swords. Except for Sisera,<br />
not one enemy soldier would escape. When<br />
Sisera saw his army’s utter defeat, he turned<br />
and ran for cover, ending up in a place he<br />
believed to be safer ground—the tent of a yet<br />
unnamed, but friendly Kenite woman. Or, so<br />
he thought.<br />
As for Israel, their deliverance had come<br />
in a new, most unusual way! Deborah would<br />
later sing of how the heavens came to their<br />
51
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
rescue on that day. “The earth shook, the<br />
heavens poured down water, the mountains<br />
quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai,<br />
before the Lord God of Israel” (Judges 5:5).<br />
Push Pass Your Fears<br />
Again another first. A new type of war<br />
had been fought on behalf of the Israelites.<br />
It was one in which Barak and 10,000<br />
untrained Israelites defeated a well-equipped,<br />
trained army of 900 chariots of iron, plus a<br />
multitude of other fighters. The enemy had<br />
been subverted and subdued. Barak had<br />
faced his great test. Through all of history,<br />
he would no longer be called timid. He would<br />
forever be remembered as the faithful one<br />
who persevered.<br />
It was indeed a great miracle, all made<br />
possible by the bravery of the prophetess,<br />
and Barak’s willingness to push pass his<br />
fears, to stand up and to face the crisis.<br />
Divine destiny would, of course, have to do<br />
the rest.<br />
We are often saddled by a strong dose<br />
of fear, and the anguish of how to keep it<br />
from getting in the way of what we want<br />
in life. Fear is that thing we can lump into<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
a big bucket called “fear of the unknown.”<br />
From our earliest childhood, we are told to<br />
fear the dark. Next, we are taught to fear<br />
danger such as a lion that may attack and<br />
kill us. Next, we are taught to fear risk as<br />
it may result in shame of some type, loss<br />
of status, loss of friends, loss of money or<br />
setbacks of one kind or another. If we let it,<br />
the pain can go on until it forms shackles<br />
around our ankles and a veil over our eyes.<br />
Fear is nothing more than bondage of the<br />
worst kind. Yet, it is an emotion, we can do<br />
something about.<br />
As adults, the types of fears we most<br />
often face are those we think might cause<br />
us loss of some kind or trauma to some<br />
degree. More often than not, these types of<br />
losses are not catastrophic. Hurtful, though<br />
they can be, we can and do tend to recover<br />
from them. And if we are mindful, such<br />
losses often have within them lessons that<br />
can help us grow and become better at who<br />
we are.<br />
It seems, the most useful way to deal<br />
with fear is to be okay with the idea that<br />
we can never get rid of it. What we can do<br />
is to engage help from trusted sources and<br />
patiently pay special attention to our own<br />
inner guidance.<br />
53
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
It is worth noting that Barak was not<br />
simply an ordinary man going up against a<br />
mighty army; he was a trained fighter. Yet,<br />
he still had his doubts. It seems then that<br />
the most we can do is to lay fear aside as<br />
did Barak and get on with the task at hand.<br />
In the words of author Susan Jeffers,<br />
“Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.” In my<br />
own words, feel the fear and put your plan<br />
in motion. Expect the divine to meet you<br />
halfway. Keep an open mind, and remember<br />
that the divine is not predictable. Your hoped<br />
for a solution may come in ways that you<br />
could never have expected.<br />
Before this day, Barak had failed to<br />
conquer the Canaanites. Little wonder then<br />
that on the day of battle, some of his brethren<br />
were afraid and did not join the fight. But<br />
truth be told, being in a state of constant<br />
fear is no way to live. What an amazing<br />
turnaround for Barak and his soldiers!<br />
On that day, there were many firsts.<br />
Several most unusual things happened,<br />
revealing how the supernatural, unseen<br />
hands of God work when a person’s faith is<br />
activated and put in motion:<br />
• He gave warfare instructions through<br />
a woman.<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
• He had a woman accompany Captain<br />
Barak into battle.<br />
• He delivered the host of a mighty<br />
army into the hands of 10,000 poorly<br />
armed men.<br />
• He allowed a woman to subdue Sisera,<br />
Captain of the mighty Canaanite army.<br />
• He used the heavens—the rain and the<br />
flood—to war on Israel’s behalf.<br />
Seems to me that all the old rules were<br />
broken and new avenues of support opened<br />
up. The lesson being, start expecting, without<br />
regard to how it’s been done before!<br />
The Lord gave help to Deborah and Barak<br />
by sending great thunder, lightning, and rain<br />
that caused flooding in the riverbed. The<br />
flooding swept multitudes of enemy soldiers<br />
downstream to the Mediterranean. Who could<br />
have imagined such a thing?<br />
If we have learned anything from Deborah’s<br />
story, it is that synchronicities do happen as<br />
we see with the rain and the flooding, but<br />
we have to be in the position to benefit from<br />
such happenings. There’s no telling how or<br />
when we might just catch a lucky break. Or,<br />
call it preparation if you prefer!<br />
Deliverance can happen in many different<br />
55
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
ways we can’t imagine when we are in the<br />
midst of a struggle. That’s because the<br />
unseen hand of creation goes to work for<br />
us the moment we stop waiting for a force<br />
outside of ourselves to make the first move.<br />
Creation has unlimited ways to choose<br />
from, and innumerable resources to back up<br />
our efforts if we believe the impossible is<br />
possible.<br />
<strong>Think</strong> Deliverance!<br />
You and I are promised deliverance, not<br />
defeat! This was certainly Deborah’s bedrock<br />
thinking. We can draw on that promise,<br />
making it our deepest held belief, no matter<br />
the circumstance that we face. We can use<br />
those same inspired promises given by inspiration<br />
to men and women generations ago,<br />
as our way through whatever difficulties we<br />
might face.<br />
No matter how long ago the Word was<br />
spoken, it carries the same life force as the<br />
first moment it was voiced. In other words,<br />
it has the original power at the moment you<br />
happen to be reading and meditating on it.<br />
Help may not come to us in a familiar way<br />
or from an expected source, but it’s enough<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
to expect that help will indeed meet us on<br />
the journey. Grim though the situation may<br />
appear, in the end, we usually find that our<br />
faith was worth standing on.<br />
The situation Deborah faced is similar<br />
to what David encountered when trying to<br />
escape from king Saul. The story is told in<br />
1 Samuel chapter 30.<br />
The Amalekites had invaded Ziklag,<br />
a land belonging to Judah. They ravaged<br />
the town, burned it with fire, and captured<br />
the women and children. At this point,<br />
although David had been anointed king by<br />
the prophet Samuel, he had not yet been<br />
crowned king. David was greatly distressed,<br />
but pulled himself together and sought the<br />
Lord for direction. God answered him with<br />
this assurance: “Pursue: for thou shalt surely<br />
overtake them, and without fail recover all”<br />
(1 Samuel 30: 8).<br />
The similarities between Deborah and<br />
David’s victories do not end there. In the<br />
same way that Jael, a non-Israelite, played a<br />
crucial role in the slaying Deborah’s enemy,<br />
a non-Israelite boy played a similar role for<br />
David in his battle. The story is told in 1<br />
Samuel 30.<br />
Deborah’s ally in battle, Jael, was a<br />
member of the enemy tribe. David’s help<br />
57
<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
also came straight from the enemy’s camp—<br />
from a sickly Egyptian slave the Amalekites<br />
had discarded and left behind. “My master<br />
abandoned me when I became ill three days<br />
ago” (1 Samuel 30:13). After David’s men<br />
fed him, he revealed to David where the<br />
Amalekite enemies were hiding. With the<br />
enemy’s hiding place uncovered, David was<br />
able to smite them, leaving none to escape.<br />
David’s help did not come from the usual<br />
or the expected source. But it was sufficient<br />
for what he needed to defeat his enemy.<br />
The Egyptian slave’s help would be critical<br />
to David winning one of his biggest battles,<br />
the battle at Ziklag.<br />
This victory helped pave the way for<br />
David to be later anointed king over Judah.<br />
As much as God had a purpose for David’s<br />
life, God also had a special purpose for<br />
this slave boy’s life. He became David’s<br />
informant, his secret weapon, at a critical<br />
time in Israel’s history. Unexpected good<br />
fortunes such as these teach us to lay aside<br />
our doubts about how things could all turn<br />
out, and simply expect that they will, even<br />
as we go about doing our part.<br />
This wounded slave had gone three<br />
days without food or drink. Stuck in the<br />
wilderness on this day, warrior David needed<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
the slave boy just as much as the slave boy<br />
needed him. The information he provided<br />
gave David’s army the strategic advantage<br />
over his enemies, a most unlikely alliance,<br />
yet, a pivotal one. Wounded slave though<br />
he was, he could still fulfill his destiny. This<br />
slave did not ask for fame or for money.<br />
He simply wanted a second chance at life.<br />
Before giving vital information to David, he<br />
insisted that the future king: “Swear to me<br />
before God that you will not kill me or hand<br />
me over to my master and I will take you<br />
down to them” (I Samuel 30:15).<br />
One can’t help but notice the contrast<br />
in situations between this young slave and<br />
that of Sisera, the captain who also sought<br />
help. When food was given to the wounded<br />
slave, it restored him. But when the milk<br />
(food) was given to Sisera, it rendered him<br />
helpless, leading to his ultimate death. God<br />
restored the health of the slave who was<br />
later aligned with David, a man chosen to<br />
be king. Sisera was not so lucky, however,<br />
because his motives were to destroy the<br />
children of Israel.<br />
When you find yourself at a low point,<br />
either because of wrong turns or betrayal at<br />
the hands of an enemy, just remember to<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
hold on for your second chance. Deliverance<br />
may be just around the corner.<br />
Your story is never hopeless unless you<br />
decide to quit. Can you relate to a time in<br />
your life when you felt life had dealt you<br />
a bad hand and hope was all you had to<br />
cling to? Were you thankful for the kindness<br />
of a good friend or a stranger? Or was<br />
there a time when your reached out to help<br />
someone just based on a nudging in your<br />
spirit? It doesn’t matter whether we know<br />
the details of someone’s pain; deep down,<br />
I believe we know it pays to be kinder than<br />
we have to be. Sometimes, all we have to<br />
cling to for a given moment is hope, and<br />
if we hold on, deliverance will come. Both<br />
Deborah and David had found themselves at<br />
a place where great hope was needed.<br />
When we think about the number of unlikely<br />
events that led to Israel’s victory, we can’t<br />
help but be in awe of our Creator’s providence<br />
and mercy. The series of uncommon<br />
events should encourage us to expect the<br />
unexpected from God. His ways are simply<br />
too deep, too numerous to fathom. This<br />
means anything is possible even though they<br />
don’t seem logical to what the eye can see<br />
or what the mind can grasp. He can deliver<br />
us, bless us, favor us, heal us, guide, and<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
protect us in ways our minds can’t begin to<br />
comprehend. Praise God!<br />
Begin where you are to act upon the<br />
dreams and goals you’ve been incubating. If<br />
you find yourself waiting for God to show up<br />
in your circumstances, don’t despair. Do not<br />
dwell on your personal weaknesses or lack<br />
of resources. <strong>Think</strong> like Deborah! Despite<br />
the odds that were stacked against her,<br />
and her very limited resources, she bought<br />
into God’s plan for her life. Have faith in<br />
God’s good plans for your life—you will live<br />
in victory, not defeat.<br />
Act upon what you have before you to<br />
do. You may be surprised what unusual<br />
doors might open for you as you put your<br />
hands and mind to the task. When you open<br />
your mind to such possibilities, as Bruce<br />
Wilkinson reminds us in Secrets of the<br />
Vine, resources may come from unexpected<br />
sources, mobilized by God:<br />
When you thrust yourself into the<br />
mainstream of God’s plan… which is beyond<br />
your abilities to accomplish, you release<br />
miracles. At that moment heaven sends<br />
angels, resources, strength and the people<br />
you need. 6<br />
61
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Chapter 4<br />
Overcome Your<br />
Limitations<br />
Jael, the “Mountain Goat”<br />
As I reflected on the story of Jael and<br />
the part she played in helping to free<br />
Israel from the hands of the enemy,<br />
the words of one of my mentors kept coming<br />
to my mind, “Your past does not define you.”<br />
It couldn’t be truer than in Jael’s story. She<br />
was a woman who went from being a lowly<br />
no-name, tent dwelling mountain goat to a<br />
hero and a giant-killer.<br />
Just as Deborah’s story would be incomplete<br />
without Barak, her story could not<br />
be told without mention of Jael. Much like<br />
Deborah, this “wild mountain goat,” as her<br />
name suggests, was fearless. She was<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
decisive. She had the heart to fight for those<br />
who had been beaten down and oppressed.<br />
Like Deborah, not much is known of her<br />
heritage or pedigree, except that she and<br />
her husband Heber were Kenites, members<br />
of a nomadic tribe. She sealed Sisera’s fate<br />
and played a crucial role in assuring that the<br />
head of the Canaanite army would not be<br />
able to regroup and fight Israel.<br />
The book of Judges does not tell us<br />
why Jael was eager to take Sisera’s life on<br />
behalf of Israel. Nonetheless, we can infer<br />
that by doing away with the oppressor, she<br />
acted on the right side of justice and mercy<br />
for her neighbors. In a moment of crisis,<br />
Jael transcended her natural pedigree and<br />
rose to a level of boldness beyond what<br />
was normal. In a moment of destiny, she<br />
escaped the confinement of her tent and<br />
became a hero, and woman of valor.<br />
Break Free of Your Boundaries<br />
We, too, can learn to stretch ourselves<br />
beyond our present boundaries to come<br />
to the aid of others. We may be pleasantly<br />
surprised to find out just how much<br />
more we’re capable of doing and becoming<br />
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when we’re tested. This is especially true<br />
when our actions are taken on behalf of<br />
others, whether they are close to us or not.<br />
Sometimes, we’re not to simply watch from<br />
the sidelines, but we must step up and be<br />
someone else’s deliverer.<br />
Deborah had to leave the comfort of the<br />
Palm Tree and her role as a judge to claim<br />
what was promised to her. So too Jael. She<br />
too had to leave the confines of the tent and<br />
break out of her role as keeper of the tent.<br />
Of course, it is important to prayerfully<br />
seek wisdom and discernment as to the right<br />
part to play in such situations. Judging from<br />
her strategy to cause Sisera to fall asleep<br />
and her subsequent attack against him, it<br />
seems obvious that Jael must have given<br />
thought to her plan long before Sisera came<br />
into her tent.<br />
Fleeing from Barak and his men, Sisera<br />
took refuge in the tent he thought had a<br />
friendly household. One can hardly blame<br />
him for fleeing there. After all, it belonged to<br />
Heber, the man who had alerted the king of<br />
Canaan that Israel was gathering its troop<br />
for war. Sisera figured that he’d be safe in a<br />
woman’s tent, but it is just like God to turn<br />
the situation against him. As it turned out,<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
he hadn’t considered the big heart of the<br />
woman inside the tent.<br />
Ancient Hebrew custom forbade a man,<br />
other than the woman’s husband, to enter<br />
her tent unless being invited by her husband.<br />
Thirsty and tired, Sisera needed a little<br />
refreshing, so he asked Jael for some water.<br />
But clever Jael gave him curdled milk instead<br />
of water, which might have actually refreshed<br />
him. Drinking the stale milk, however, only<br />
made Sisera wearier and sleepier. He was<br />
fast asleep within a short period of time and<br />
was helpless to defend himself. It was now<br />
time for Jael to act. So she took a peg from<br />
her tent and drove it through Sisera’s head.<br />
His fate was sealed once and for all.<br />
The tent woman Jael had likely lived her<br />
life in the shadows of her husband before<br />
that day, but now, she was ready to break<br />
out of her old, limited role of being the wild<br />
mountain goat. From that day forward, not<br />
only Deborah, but all Israel would remember<br />
Jael’s name and what she did on their behalf.<br />
Dangerous but noble, her act of bravery was<br />
nothing short of a miracle. Notice that this<br />
“mountain goat” acted right where she was,<br />
with the tools she had available: old milk, a<br />
wooden peg and a mighty dose of bravery!<br />
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Principle Trumps Plunder<br />
Set aside, if you will, the gruesome act<br />
we just saw from Jael. There’s a deeper<br />
lesson here that I believe is worth noting.<br />
The children of Israel were fighting for their<br />
very lives, to live and prosper in the land<br />
God had promised them. The Canaanites,<br />
on the other hand, were fighting for booty.<br />
Dakes Annotated Reference Bible sheds light<br />
on the different motives of the two tribes this<br />
way: “Israel fought for liberty and their lives,<br />
not for plunder…this makes the difference<br />
many times between armies in battle.”<br />
When we have to fight for our own survival,<br />
or for that of others, we can take courage in<br />
knowing that the forces of the universe—the<br />
angels—are all on our side conspiring to help<br />
us. Knowing this will give you the courage<br />
to keep going when you would rather give<br />
up and quit.<br />
This story is a reminder also that we<br />
all have a unique purpose to fulfill, but we<br />
cannot do so from a place of timidity. Start<br />
with expecting a favorable outcome for your<br />
efforts. Jael did not waste precious time<br />
wondering whether to act or not. She looked<br />
around and quickly used what she had, some<br />
stale milk that would put Sisera to sleep, a<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
tent post, and a hammer to complete the<br />
job. For her bravery in helping take out the<br />
enemy, both Barak and Deborah praised her:<br />
Most blessed of women be Jael,<br />
the wife of Heber, the Kenite<br />
Most blessed of tent-dwelling<br />
women…She struck Sisera, she<br />
crushed his head, she shattered<br />
and pierced his temple. At her<br />
feet he sank, he fell; there he<br />
lay. At her feet he sank, he fell;<br />
where he sank, there he fell –<br />
dead (Judges 5:24-27).<br />
Release Old Limitations<br />
I had often looked at life as somewhat<br />
of a puzzle to be figured out, with predetermined<br />
pieces that must be fitted in a<br />
certain order for the puzzle to fit. Limitations<br />
on what piece goes where are the order of<br />
any puzzle. At the same time, there was<br />
a sort of echo that would come up in the<br />
back of my mind from time to time saying,<br />
life is more of an adventure, and less like<br />
a puzzle.<br />
In my early days of coming to the Christian<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
faith, I feared that the Christian life meant<br />
there were limits to how good God would<br />
be to me, based on how “good” I was able<br />
to behave. The word behavior was like a<br />
confining tent that kept me in check. My<br />
concept of God’s goodness was limited to<br />
being on good behavior, and expecting him<br />
to spare me from unforeseen disasters that<br />
could wreck my life.<br />
Trying to stay on His good side mostly<br />
consumed my thoughts, and sad to say, I<br />
was rarely able to live up to even my own<br />
expectations. Perhaps, you can identify. I<br />
have since come to the understanding that<br />
my old concept of the Creator was way off<br />
from the real truth. I have come to realize<br />
that my concept of the part I had to play<br />
in experiencing that goodness was blocked<br />
by my own limited understanding. God, the<br />
Creator, is as big as your imagination can<br />
behold. And just as generous. He is willing<br />
to give you the desires of your heart if you<br />
believe and not doubt.<br />
Prior to the trapdoor of my understanding<br />
being pushed open, I saw limitations to<br />
prosperity everywhere—limitations to the<br />
enjoyment of life; the kinds of family life<br />
we can enjoy; the amount of peace we can<br />
have, and the kinds of victories God would<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
make available to us. Around every corner<br />
as far as I could see were limits, whether<br />
close to home as in my personal life, or<br />
on a larger scale as to what was possible<br />
for the masses to enjoy. I couldn’t help but<br />
wonder why there were so many limits, even<br />
when I thought I was my most “spiritual.”<br />
For me, being spiritual meant being on my<br />
best behavior as much as humanly possible.<br />
I wanted to know how to break loose from<br />
them, and get over to the reward side, the<br />
side that came with more fulfillment and<br />
more enjoyment out of life.<br />
I hadn’t yet realized how natural acts<br />
work to engage supernatural actions. I had<br />
not yet learned how to engage the God-self<br />
within me as Deborah had done.<br />
Gradually, as I began to study the Word<br />
and gained a deeper understanding, I came<br />
to realize that it was my own boxed up<br />
thinking that led to limited living, which then<br />
led to self-created boundaries. I had been<br />
operating based on the limits of my own<br />
un-renewed mind. When we snap out of that<br />
wrong thinking, we will see that God wants<br />
us to have as much as we desire to have<br />
in any and every area of our lives. It all<br />
begins with our thinking. Mark Batterson, in<br />
his book, The Circle Maker, puts it this way:<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
With God, there is no big or<br />
small, easy or difficult, possible<br />
or impossible. This is difficult to<br />
comprehend because all we’ve<br />
ever known are the four dimensions<br />
we were born into, but<br />
God is not limited to the natural<br />
laws…Even our hardest prayers<br />
are easy for the Omnipotent<br />
One to answer because there is<br />
no degree of difficulty. 7<br />
Your thoughts will eventually deliver to<br />
you that which you continually think about<br />
and speak about. Right thinking brings about<br />
right believing. Everything that will ever be<br />
manifested in the natural begins in the mind.<br />
We live our lives by whatsoever thoughts we<br />
think. If you think you are defeated, you are.<br />
If you think your best days are behind you,<br />
they are. If you think you are a winner, you<br />
win. If you think you can’t lose, you won’t<br />
lose.<br />
Living in victory of any kind, whether for<br />
one’s family, career, health or relationships<br />
begins with the mind being in tune with God’s<br />
promises. Before we can begin to think right,<br />
we must first fill our minds with His words<br />
and promises. The more filled we are with<br />
the Word of God, the easier it will be to get<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
to the place where we approach life as if<br />
nothing is impossible. Equally important to<br />
accessing God’s promises is our intentional<br />
commitment to break free of the limitations<br />
of our minds that hinder our movements<br />
forward. We can learn from Deborah and Jael<br />
that our abilities to achieve and succeed are<br />
not defined by who we are, what resources<br />
we have or the status we hold but on how<br />
we think. Approach life as though all things<br />
are possible. In other words, enlarge your<br />
tent.<br />
Invoking God-strength<br />
Heavenly Father, Creator of<br />
Heaven and Earth, I know that<br />
You are Most Powerful, You<br />
are overflowing with grace. I<br />
know that when I call on Your<br />
name, I invoke your Presence<br />
and Power. And so I look to<br />
You and I rely on Your strength<br />
and mercy. I know that there is<br />
nothing too hard for you. With<br />
you, I know I can do whatsoever<br />
is set before me to do. So I act<br />
in faith, knowing that you have<br />
vowed to give me whatsoever is<br />
needed to succeed.<br />
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Chapter 5<br />
Be Fully Persuaded<br />
“Let me not pray to be sheltered<br />
from dangers but to be fearless<br />
in facing them. Let me not beg<br />
for the stilling of my pain, but<br />
for the heart to conquer it.”<br />
– Rabindranath Tagore<br />
What does it mean to have a mind<br />
that is fully persuaded? It is one<br />
similar to Deborah’s: single-minded,<br />
focused, not merely tossing and turning. Her<br />
boldness tells us that she had already gone<br />
past the details of the actual fight and could<br />
see victory in sight.<br />
Many of us have been taught that the<br />
way to achieve anything is to first work out<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
the details and then to arduously work our<br />
fingers to the bones until we get there. But<br />
we see from Deborah’s example, this isn’t<br />
quite so. There’s more to this than meets<br />
the eye. The ever so important piece is how<br />
to win the battle in the mind even before<br />
taking the first step. As theology Professor J.<br />
Packer puts it in his essay on Knowing God,<br />
“Those who know God show great boldness<br />
for God.” 8<br />
It is easy to get caught up in working<br />
hard, trying harder and harder to prove our<br />
worth. Most of us have been taught that this<br />
is the way to achieve anything worthwhile<br />
in life. This tendency of working hard to<br />
prove ourselves is then added to waiting for<br />
what we consider to be the “right time” to<br />
launch out into what we really want to do to<br />
live the kind of life, we secretly yearn. We<br />
keep winding up and waiting for the grand<br />
opportunity to present itself, or to send us<br />
a “writing on the wall.” Or, a word from a<br />
prophet!<br />
In our minds, we set up an imaginary<br />
bridge, and we fear hopping on—too timid to<br />
face the unknown. Even the trained captain<br />
Barak did not see how he could possibly<br />
take on such a mission without the help of<br />
someone bolder, more plugged into the spirit<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
than him. At least, we can see though that<br />
he had the good sense to take Deborah, his<br />
lucky charm with him.<br />
Sometimes, the hardest part of the journey<br />
is just mustering the courage to begin, to<br />
take the first step. It might pertain to a<br />
new career, a job interview, a stance for<br />
something you believe in, reaching out to a<br />
stranger, or forgiving someone who has hurt<br />
you.<br />
Had Mother Teresa waited to figure out<br />
all the details of her mission to help the<br />
poor (and a big mission it was), she would<br />
never have left the “comfort” of the convent<br />
to enter the slums of Calcutta to work with<br />
the sick and dying. Had the Wright Brothers<br />
not tried and failed dozens of times to fly an<br />
airplane, they would never have seen their<br />
dream to do so come true. Great athletes<br />
practice for countless hours and overcome<br />
difficult odds before they become stars.<br />
They unhook or separate themselves from<br />
thoughts that come up as limitations. In their<br />
minds, I believe they can see the end from<br />
the beginning. Win or lose, they dedicate<br />
their lives to going for it. First, they make<br />
the decision to go all the way. Then comes<br />
the dedication to do whatever it takes to get<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
there, however long it takes. If nothing else,<br />
the journey will be all worth it.<br />
What if we could approach those things<br />
that are keeping us stuck by making the<br />
decision to step outside our comfort zones,<br />
begin the task and keep it all until fully<br />
satisfied? Make up your mind to take the<br />
long view, however long it takes.<br />
Trust that the odds are in your favor. And<br />
with each step you take, count it a victory,<br />
the rest, just unfinished business? At the<br />
very least, you gain new strength, learn new<br />
lessons, gain broader insights and have a<br />
better understanding of what to do.<br />
Develop a “Do It Now!” Mindset<br />
While hard work and patience play an<br />
important role, you can see that in Deborah’s<br />
case, wait time was neither a factor nor was<br />
hard work the issue. Boldness once begun<br />
will pave its own way. What mattered most<br />
was Deborah’s act of courage.<br />
Give up the idea that you need to wait<br />
till you have all the pieces together before<br />
you can take action. Believing is not a trick<br />
you engage in to build up yourself mentally.<br />
Believing is simply the act that shows you’re<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
willing to dare to step into the unseen to go<br />
after that vision that’s been calling you.<br />
More than anything, it’s a mindset that<br />
asks, “Why not?” instead of, “But how?” It’s<br />
the mindset that Jesus had when He fed<br />
the five thousand with five loaves and two<br />
fishes, in spite of the naysayers around Him<br />
who wanted to send the crowd away.<br />
They could not see how five loaves could<br />
be multiplied a thousand times over to do<br />
the job. Your faith might not yet be at Jesus’<br />
level, but you can begin the work where<br />
you are with what you do have. Too much<br />
waiting kills inspiration!<br />
As I thought about Deborah’s “now”<br />
mindset, I was reminded of a question that I<br />
wrestled with during one of my early morning<br />
personal devotions. The revelation had been<br />
given to her, but the outcome was not<br />
automatic. She had to trek up the mountain<br />
along with her feeble troops and face the<br />
battle.<br />
Believe that All Things Are Possible<br />
In my time of devotion, I wanted to know,<br />
“How can I really KNOW the mind of Christ,<br />
let alone HAVE the mind of Christ?” Over<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
time, in my quiet space, the Spirit reminded<br />
me that it’s all very simple. The mind of<br />
Christ is a mind that believes anything is<br />
possible and then ACTS on that thought.<br />
Belief isn’t real unless and until acted upon!<br />
Having “the mind of Christ,” is simply having<br />
a mind that believes the Word of God. No<br />
matter how impossible it may seem, it is<br />
important to believe, accept that your inward<br />
vision is possible, and not sit around waiting<br />
for evidence to show up. As Bill Johnson<br />
says in Hosting His Presence:<br />
Often we are unclear as to<br />
the specific will of God in a<br />
situation...In these situations, it<br />
is possible to find the will of<br />
God through our own faith as<br />
we respond to the revealed will<br />
of God in His Word…it rests<br />
upon us to activate faith and<br />
pursue it. 9<br />
The actions you take as a result of what<br />
you profess to believe are the real test of<br />
whether you truly believe. The actions you<br />
take reveal to you and indeed, your entire<br />
world what’s actually in your heart. Having<br />
dedicated your actions to achieving your<br />
vision, you can rest and let divine providence<br />
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do its part. Remember, however, it is our<br />
actions that engage the hand of providence.<br />
How often is an opportune moment wasted<br />
by fearful and foolish hesitation?<br />
When Deborah looked out over the people<br />
of Israel’s lives, she saw little more than<br />
shambles. But who was there to take action?<br />
Even though neither Deborah, Barak nor<br />
Jael seemed gifted with extraordinary talents,<br />
together, the trio pulled off a very successful<br />
mission by taking quick action. Deborah and<br />
Barak both acted on a word from God. Jael,<br />
however, acted on her instincts but was able<br />
to subdue Sisera, the army captain of hosts.<br />
Jael showed a kind of courage that would<br />
tear away the confines of her tent and write<br />
her name in Jewish history forever! No longer<br />
a lowly “mountain goat,” Jael had become<br />
a fierce “mountain lion.” Both women mirror<br />
the kind of God-courage that we have on<br />
the inside of us, if we are willing to really<br />
lean into it.<br />
I remember during my daughter’s last year<br />
in high school, at a time when she, along<br />
with her friends were applying to various<br />
colleges. Some of her peers were joyous<br />
with excitement, some with glee, some no<br />
doubt mixed with a healthy dose of fear.<br />
As I was pondering what school she<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
might apply to and how we’d be able to<br />
afford the expenses, I kept probing her to<br />
find out to which schools she had applied.<br />
In the back of my mind was the thought of<br />
how would we possibly be able to afford all<br />
the expenses involved.<br />
Imagine my surprise when my daughter<br />
informed me she’d only applied to one<br />
university. Where, pray tell, was Plan B?<br />
Not wanting to trample her hopes, I kept my<br />
cool (tried to anyway) and limited most of<br />
my further probing to, “Have you heard yet?”<br />
Underneath my outward cool, an enormous<br />
amount of fear was brewing. Did my fearless<br />
daughter not realize that she was placing all<br />
her eggs in one basket? I don’t remember<br />
thinking that she’d worked hard to place<br />
herself in a position to be accepted into<br />
her school of choice and so the odds were<br />
stacked in her favor. So much for staying<br />
positive on this one.<br />
Well, imagine my relief when her acceptance<br />
letter arrived, and her wish was fulfilled.<br />
Her faith, backed up by God’s grace had<br />
indeed triumphed over my fear. Each time I<br />
recall the incident, I praise the Lord all over<br />
again as I reflect on her almost childlike faith.<br />
I sometimes can’t resist asking her, “Why<br />
apply to only one college knowing there was<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
no guarantee that you’d be accepted?” Her<br />
response is always the same: “Mom, I only<br />
wanted to go to the University of Miami,<br />
and so I didn’t apply anywhere else.” Upon<br />
hearing this kind of faith, how could I have<br />
raised another doubt-filled question on the<br />
subject?<br />
My daughter had activated her faith,<br />
believing she would be accepted to the<br />
college of her first and only choice. The Lord<br />
certainly did the rest for us—another sign that<br />
faith works! And as for Plans B and C, well<br />
thankfully, there was no need for them. Very<br />
handy for me! Yes, some risks (calculated)<br />
are worth taking indeed.<br />
We’ve so far seen that when we move<br />
with the understanding and the belief that<br />
all things are possible, there’s practically no<br />
limit to what we can accomplish. However,<br />
there’s another equally important lesson<br />
deep within the fight that was taking place<br />
in Deborah’s life.<br />
Speak the Promise into Being<br />
As I see it, belief and expectations are<br />
two sides of the same coin. It would be<br />
quite difficult to achieve something that you<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
did not believe or expect on some level to<br />
happen for you. However, once you believe<br />
for a certain outcome, you naturally begin to<br />
line up your speaking and actions according<br />
to that particular thing. One way I’ve learned<br />
to do this is by imitating what Deborah did<br />
in her moment of crisis. That is, to speak the<br />
promises of God. Right speaking, according<br />
to your highest desires, will line things up in<br />
the supernatural in ways that we might never<br />
fully understand. Even so, we can still enjoy<br />
the favorable outcomes from such mysteries.<br />
Whether by divine revelation or as written<br />
in His Word, we can order our speaking<br />
according to what we expect to see in life.<br />
When faced with a crisis, how many times<br />
have you and I allowed fear and confusion<br />
to take over our minds, instead of declaring<br />
His promises over the situation? In Psalm 33<br />
verse 9, we are reminded, “For he spoke,<br />
and it came to be; he commanded, and it<br />
stood firm” (Psalm 33:9). And in the face of<br />
any obstacles that may threaten us, we are<br />
assured of His promise, “You shall not fear<br />
them: for the Lord thy God He shall fight for<br />
you” (Deuteronomy 3:22).<br />
Sure, there might have been others<br />
besides Deborah who could have stepped<br />
up and taken on the fight. But only one<br />
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woman was willing to speak what she heard<br />
in her spirit, obey the voice of the spirit, and<br />
trust divine providence to do the rest. In her<br />
words, “I Deborah arose a mother of Israel,”<br />
(Judges 5:7) showing that she was willing<br />
to put it all on the line to do what seemed<br />
almost impossible, considering the odds.<br />
In the book of Exodus, a few generations<br />
before Deborah’s, God had demonstrated<br />
His power to call things into existence,<br />
regardless of the void or chaos that was<br />
apparent. Deborah knew God spoke light,<br />
the planets, and the galaxies into existence.<br />
His spoken words were sufficient to<br />
manifest all things. David Herzog points out<br />
in his book, Mysteries of the Glory Unveiled,<br />
that the phrase: “The worlds were framed by<br />
the Word of God,” (in) Hebrews 11 verse 13,<br />
is referring to the spoken Word of God. And<br />
also in Psalm 33:9, we read, “For He spoke,<br />
and it came to be; he commanded, and it<br />
stood firm.” 10 Your spoken words bring into<br />
your visible reality what you sincerely desire<br />
in your heart.<br />
Since we have been created in God’s<br />
image, we have the same attributes God<br />
Himself possesses. This means we are<br />
speaking spirits, with the ability to create<br />
destiny or calm chaos through the power<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
of the spoken Word. As beings created in<br />
God’s image and likeness, we also have<br />
the same ability to create whatever we may<br />
want or need in life. With this comes the<br />
awesome responsibility to create good and<br />
spread it to all who are within our reach.<br />
Deborah did not believe that the chaos<br />
of the moment had to remain a permanent<br />
reality. She made a decision to live in fear,<br />
slowly diminishing the power to change her<br />
circumstances. Rather, she used the power<br />
of her declared words and took dominion<br />
over the situation. Lesson to us – our present<br />
reality is always subject to change based on<br />
the depth of our desire.<br />
You might well ask the question: Could<br />
creating our personal worlds rest simply on<br />
what we say? Could solving our most vexing<br />
problems be as close to us as being even<br />
in our own mouths? And if such is the case,<br />
how are we to know exactly what to say?<br />
Rest assured that it can be done.<br />
Minister and Evangelist Eddie Russell<br />
emphasizes in his essay, “It’s Faith, But Not<br />
as We Know It: “Our speech is integral to<br />
faith and the outcome of prayer.” However,<br />
it will take practice to accept the promise as<br />
a sure and present thing, not yet visible to<br />
the natural eye or experience.<br />
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Our greatest teacher, Jesus, spoke what<br />
He expected to come to pass in the presence<br />
of His disciples. This is how He demonstrated<br />
control over circumstances and performed<br />
the miraculous: “I only speak what I hear<br />
my Father speak. I only do what I see my<br />
Father do… the Father that dwelleth in me.”<br />
(John 14:10). If Jesus placed such faith in<br />
speaking, how much more important it is for<br />
us to do likewise. When facing misfortunes<br />
or obstacles, it is a great comfort to know<br />
that you and I have the same access to<br />
the power of spoken words. Your thoughts<br />
need to be line up with your true desires,<br />
so that when you speak, you are speaking<br />
according to your highest desires. This has<br />
to be our way of life, not just in moments<br />
of crisis.<br />
There was a time when I prayed only<br />
when I found myself in a desperate situation<br />
where I couldn’t figure out what to do next.<br />
With the whirlwind swirling around me, stuff<br />
would come up but would quickly slip outside<br />
my figuring out how to put the pieces back<br />
together. Did I need to reshuffle the deck<br />
I’d played with all this time, or did I need<br />
a whole new deck of cards to begin with? I<br />
did not know what was really going on and<br />
what move to make to fix it if there would<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
be such a thing as fix my life. I am sure you<br />
can relate.<br />
Your whirlwinds may come in a variety of<br />
ways—your marriage, your job, your children,<br />
your health, addiction to your favorite<br />
distraction, your finances, your search for<br />
meaning, or any combination of these.<br />
Well, I’ve come to realize that what calms<br />
whirlwinds is spelled, the Word of God, and<br />
it is there for the taking. No! Not in some<br />
abstract sense as in, “God is good, and<br />
He’s going to do what He’s going to do.” It<br />
is done by activating the God-spark within<br />
you that pushes you to start your trek up the<br />
mountain, this day!<br />
In my search for answers, I had come<br />
to the realization that I, as a human be-ing,<br />
possess within me the god-essence to create<br />
my own destiny. And the words written in<br />
the Bible, as inspired by the Holy Spirit are<br />
a lamp lighting the path to how I may live<br />
the life I’ve desired to live. Having arrived at<br />
this realization for myself, I was now free to<br />
get on with the business of crafting the life<br />
I desired. I was finding a way to blend my<br />
understanding of the sacred with the spiritual<br />
in creating ordinary, everyday life.<br />
It was a time when I felt I was climbing<br />
the ladder of my career and my prospects for<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
getting ahead in the corporate world looked<br />
bright indeed. I had certainly put together<br />
quite a resume—so I thought, anyway. I was<br />
ready to make my move up the next rung of<br />
my career ladder, or so I thought. Suddenly,<br />
I was thrust out the door with nary a backup<br />
plan in sight. Of course, I should have, could<br />
have seen it coming, but I didn’t. It seemed<br />
as if it was game over; I had lost.<br />
For days, I prayed and read the Word<br />
about what to do next, how to pick up the<br />
pieces and how to start over. The truth is,<br />
after months of praying, I was no closer to<br />
an answer that seemed like a fit than when<br />
I first began to pray and read the Word.<br />
If nothing else, though, reading the Bible<br />
calmed the whirlwind that was raging inside<br />
my mind as I looked back over my career<br />
and tried to piece together what shifts had<br />
taken place and what new direction these<br />
cracks were pointing me to. I could see that<br />
an adjustment needed to be made in what I<br />
believed and what I was allowing myself to<br />
speak. I needed to give myself permission<br />
to believe I could indeed get to the place<br />
where I had envisioned myself.<br />
As time went on, I fumbled my way<br />
through different employment positions, but<br />
even they no longer seemed to fit. The clock<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
was ticking away, and so were my finances<br />
reminding me that if I didn’t change my story<br />
soon, things could end very badly. And so,<br />
I decided to venture out on my own and<br />
launch a company that operated like the<br />
type of company I would have wanted to<br />
work for all these years. About the same<br />
time, I was also offered a similar opportunity<br />
at another company.<br />
Coincidence or lucky break, whichever,<br />
these two things happening together changed<br />
the entire trajectory of my life from then on.<br />
I now had a better understanding of what<br />
my needs were as it pertained to work and<br />
how to keep those needs front and center<br />
as I moved forward into the next phase of<br />
my career.<br />
For us to speak the Word with the<br />
same bold assurance as Deborah, we<br />
must dedicate ourselves to learning and<br />
meditating on the Word. I am referring here<br />
to a specific promise or principle on which<br />
to base our hoped for outcome. It will then<br />
become rooted in our psyches. At times,<br />
we may even get a “rhema” word, that is, a<br />
specific revelation that God speaks to us in<br />
a given moment.<br />
Sometimes, though, that rhema word we<br />
so desperately seek may not come, at least,<br />
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not as quickly or as clearly as we’d like.<br />
Other times, no matter how much we crave<br />
that word, we’re left feeling disappointed, dry,<br />
and alone with our carnal thoughts. In much<br />
the same way that Deborah’s people felt<br />
alone and defenseless. In such moments,<br />
we are open to the attacks of the enemy (fill<br />
in yours). However, this is not the time to<br />
doubt or give up, but to remain persistent in<br />
full faith that at any moment, an enlightened<br />
word may come.<br />
There’s a difference between waiting in<br />
the void and meditating on the Word until<br />
revelation for the next few steps comes.<br />
Expect the heavens to meet you halfway.<br />
Do leave room always for synchronicity to<br />
surprise you.<br />
Meditate on the Promise<br />
By meditating on the Word, you open<br />
yourself to new revelations. It was Einstein<br />
who said, “I want to know God’s thoughts.<br />
The rest are details.” I think it’s fair to say<br />
that deeper than etching the Word of God<br />
in his mind, this genius, Einstein, spent his<br />
whole life wanting and learning how to think<br />
like God.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
It seems as if he understood something<br />
hidden deep in the Word—the fact that the<br />
Word shows us how to think to get results;<br />
it doesn’t get the results for us. Judging<br />
from Einstein’s life, he certainly got a lot of<br />
results. And very big ones to boot.<br />
The problem is that if we haven’t planted<br />
the Word of God in our hearts, then we can’t<br />
think like God let alone speak in a way that<br />
will bring results. The more WORD you plant<br />
into your mind, the more you are able to<br />
speak the Word, whether in times of silent<br />
worship or in times of need.<br />
Remember that this is the example that<br />
Jesus left for us to practice. Jesus was<br />
planted in the Word, listening to what the<br />
Father spoke to Him. In fact, He said, “I only<br />
speak what I hear my father say, and I only<br />
do what I see my Father do” (John 14:10).<br />
Jesus was listening so that He would hear<br />
the word. This is another clue that has been<br />
given to us showing how Jesus manifested<br />
power over all manner of sicknesses, lack of<br />
food, a need for tax money and even over<br />
a raging storm. This is how He manifested<br />
miracles! Wouldn’t it be awesome to not<br />
only hear from God but to also be given a<br />
glimpse of what to do?<br />
When God spoke to Deborah about going<br />
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to battle, she must have wrestled with the<br />
negative voices in her head that pointed<br />
to everything she had going against her.<br />
Perhaps, she wondered if she was really<br />
hearing the voice of God or if it was just her<br />
own imagination.<br />
However, Deborah’s mind was programmed<br />
to rise above her doubts and fears. Her<br />
thinking allowed her to be victorious mentally<br />
before she overcame her physical enemies.<br />
She knew the Word of God, planted it in<br />
her mind and spoke it into being. Her faith<br />
pushed her to act immediately on God’s<br />
words believing that He could make the<br />
impossible possible. Deborah gained what<br />
was promised her, and so can we.<br />
Prayer to Hear God’s Voice<br />
Lord God, Father of Abraham,<br />
Isaac, and Jacob. Help me hear<br />
Your voice, and to hear You<br />
clearly. I lay aside the distractions<br />
of life, And I place my<br />
attention upon You. I know<br />
You’re always speaking. I now<br />
silence the voices in my mind.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
And with my heart and soul,<br />
I now wait for You. Father, I<br />
thank You for what You’re about<br />
to say to me.<br />
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SECTION TWO<br />
The Creative Word of God<br />
Dabar - (Hebrew root, as a verb)<br />
To speak, declare, warn, threaten,<br />
command<br />
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Chapter 6<br />
Embrace the<br />
Creative Spirit<br />
“I shall arise and go in the strength<br />
of the Lord” (Psalm 71:16).<br />
“Then I heard the voice of the<br />
Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I<br />
send? And who will go for us?’<br />
And I said, ‘Here am I. Send<br />
me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).<br />
As I meditated on Barak’s insistence<br />
that Deborah should go with him, I<br />
am reminded that the key to how<br />
far we progress in life depends to a great<br />
extent on the quality of people we surround<br />
ourselves with. Yes, we can have agape<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
love for a wide circle of friends, but we need<br />
to be very selective about those who belong<br />
in our inner circle. A woman of Deborah’s<br />
spirit, as a prophet and a judge, belonged at<br />
the center of Barak’s innermost circle. Look<br />
closer, and you will see clear similarities<br />
between what Barak now asked of Deborah<br />
and what the old Patriarch Moses earlier<br />
asked, when he said to the Lord:<br />
You have been telling me, ‘Lead<br />
these people,’ but you have not<br />
let me know whom you will send<br />
with me. You have said, ‘I know<br />
You by name and you have<br />
found favor with Me.’ If You are<br />
pleased with me, teach me Your<br />
ways so I may know You and<br />
continue to find favor with You.<br />
Remember that this Nation is<br />
Your people. The Lord replied,<br />
“My Presence will go with you,<br />
and I will give you rest.” Then<br />
Moses said to Him, “If Your<br />
Presence does not go with us,<br />
do not send us up from here.<br />
How will anyone know that you<br />
are pleased with me and with<br />
Your people unless You go<br />
with us?” And the Lord said to<br />
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Moses, “I will do the very thing<br />
you have asked, because I am<br />
pleased with you and I know you<br />
by name’ (Exodus 33:12-17).<br />
Even Moses needed the right presence in<br />
his inner circle.<br />
So as Moses insisted on God’s presence,<br />
Barak insisted on Deborah going with him<br />
in battle. He needed Deborah in his inner<br />
circle. There must have been some unique<br />
qualities about this woman that made him so<br />
confident she would make a difference in the<br />
outcome of the fight.<br />
What little we know of Deborah’s natural<br />
lineage can be gleaned by way of the person<br />
she married. We can also know a great<br />
deal about the prophetess Deborah by the<br />
meaning of her name, and the company<br />
she kept. Her passion, authority, and sharp<br />
instincts all seem to be wrapped up in her<br />
name.<br />
The Honeybee<br />
The name Deborah means “honey bee,”<br />
from the Hebrew root word dbr, meaning<br />
“bee.” I believe that this name was carefully<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
chosen as it would have great significance for<br />
her as a foreteller and carrier of God’s word.<br />
Back then, a child’s name was selected with<br />
care to denote the destiny and character of<br />
the child.<br />
Looking into Deborah’s character, we can<br />
see that, like the bee, she was very focused<br />
on her actions. Most importantly, her name<br />
implies that she was a carrier of the creative<br />
word of God, presently able to manifest a<br />
given outcome when declared.<br />
The Psalmist David declared in Psalm<br />
119:103, “How sweet are Your words to<br />
my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my<br />
mouth!” The sound of Deborah’s prophecy<br />
must have been sweet indeed when she<br />
declared that “this day” would mark the end<br />
of their struggles with being oppressed.<br />
Bees are a highly organized species.<br />
The main objective of the queen bee is to<br />
ensure the survival of the colony. However,<br />
each bee’s distinct role contributes to the<br />
wellbeing of the hive. Bees are also very<br />
diligent creatures. They pollinate plants,<br />
they help nourish our food supply, and their<br />
extracts are used in many medicines and<br />
cosmetics.<br />
The queen bee, while she doesn’t rule the<br />
hive in the sense of autocratic leadership,<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
she does regulate the hive. Like the queen<br />
bee who is devoted to the survival of her<br />
colony, mother Deborah was dedicated to<br />
the survival of her nation. She was also<br />
highly organized and very focused on the<br />
task at hand. Deborah’s moment had arrived<br />
for her transformation from honey bee to<br />
butterfly. One with captain wings and all.<br />
This juggling act may be a challenge for<br />
most of us unless we ask God for more grace<br />
to handle all the tasks we’re faced with on<br />
a daily basis. While our individual tasks may<br />
not be as monumental as Deborah’s, we<br />
are each called to do our part in ensuring<br />
the survival of the community and to help<br />
raise the quality of life for one and all. And<br />
especially to reach out to others in less<br />
fortunate circumstances, or simply as an act<br />
of kindness.<br />
A Woman of Authority and Passion<br />
Deborah was married to Lapidoth. His<br />
name means “enlightened, or carrier of<br />
light.” The Bible does not tell us much about<br />
Lapidoth’s role, but I would venture that as<br />
her husband, he brought much light and<br />
encouragement into Deborah’s life. I believe<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
he not only protected her emotionally but he<br />
likely also supported her in her role as judge<br />
and chief problem solver of her tribe. As a<br />
mother figure, how could she stand by and<br />
watch the suffering of her children?<br />
As Israel’s leader, she understood that<br />
if the crisis continued, her people could be<br />
wiped out. In her mind, that was unfathomable.<br />
So Deborah arose and went with<br />
Barak to Kadesh, the ground where the battle<br />
was to unfold. Leaving her role of judge,<br />
she was stepping into a new and different<br />
position. She would become deliverer and<br />
co-captain alongside Barak. This was a role<br />
unheard of for a woman in those days. But<br />
in reality, whose battle was it, anyway?<br />
Court Your Own Lucky Timing<br />
In the kingdom of God, timing is everything,<br />
and in Deborah’s case, the opportune<br />
time had arrived to attack. If we are to win<br />
battles big or small, we must act according<br />
to God’s timing. How often have we acted<br />
outside of His divine time and spent twice<br />
that amount of hours correcting our ill-timed<br />
mistakes? There are many occasions as well<br />
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when we hesitate to act and miss what God<br />
has in store for us.<br />
The spirit had awakened in Deborah the<br />
opportune time to attack, and so she confidently<br />
declared, “This day…” Part of a prophet’s<br />
role is to know the times and seasons and<br />
to declare the Word. Had she hesitated, she<br />
would have missed the miraculous victory<br />
assured for them at the appointed time and<br />
place.<br />
Deborah was sensitive to the prompting<br />
of the Lord, and so received supernatural<br />
insight into the opportune time to go into<br />
battle. Notice she did not go up to fight<br />
“against” her enemies; she went to defend<br />
her people. Earlier in the scriptures there was<br />
the story of how Moses’ brethren questioned<br />
his choice of Aaron the Levite as the priest?<br />
The prophet Moses did not need to fight<br />
that battle to keep the mutiny from brewing.<br />
The Lord confirmed Moses’ leadership choice<br />
to everyone in plain view by opening the<br />
earth and swallowing up the troublemakers<br />
alive (Numbers 16: 31-33). In each case,<br />
the hand of the Lord was moved to act on<br />
behalf of these two prophets.<br />
In our regular lives, in the marketplace in<br />
which most of us operate daily, we may not<br />
have a prophet’s anointing to know the right<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
timing to move. However, each one of us<br />
if we listen, has access to the guidance of<br />
the Holy Spirit. Our task is to stay prepared<br />
and willing to act on instructions given to us,<br />
sometimes, in the form of intuition, hunches<br />
or audible voices.<br />
We can cultivate a listening ear for instructions<br />
God may want to give us in terms of<br />
how to handle our daily lives, make the best<br />
decisions or recover from bad ones.<br />
Deborah was not held back by what her<br />
natural eyes saw. Rather, she was convinced<br />
that being a daughter of Abraham, she was<br />
entitled to the promise given him, that “He<br />
who had promised was faithful” Romans<br />
4:21. Deborah was about to show us how<br />
to transcend what might seem like a natural<br />
limitation, by acting in faith based on a<br />
covenant promise.<br />
According to the scripture, in Romans<br />
16:26, the promise comes by faith, so that it<br />
may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—<br />
to those who have the faith of Abraham.<br />
Prophetess Deborah looked back in time,<br />
took the promises given to her forefathers by<br />
faith, and reaped the benefits of peace and<br />
prosperity. I believe that by her example we<br />
can dedicate ourselves to doing the same.<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
Carrier of God’s Presence<br />
Aren’t we all then, Deborahs? Aren’t we<br />
carriers of God’s presence—the spirit that<br />
guides, never leaves us, shines the light<br />
to show us the way and keeps us alive,<br />
breath upon breath? That being the case,<br />
imagine the peace of mind we can have<br />
when we remember that His presence (His<br />
strength and power) is with us to put us over<br />
wherever we go, whatever we may face!<br />
According to author David Herzog in, The<br />
Mystery of the Glory Unveiled, “There is no<br />
distance in the glory and when we enter<br />
in, we are as near to heaven as we are to<br />
anything here on earth.” We enter into this<br />
realm through meditating on the Word and<br />
speaking the Word. Deborah serves as an<br />
example for us. She reminds us that God’s<br />
spoken WORDS go far deeper than just<br />
mere information: “They are spirit and they<br />
are life” (John 6:63)—spiritual seeds, capable<br />
of germinating, sprouting, and taking on fully<br />
grown lives of their own. When believed in<br />
and declared by us, they can manifest good<br />
(or evil) in our lives. When declared, they<br />
can calm the storm and even deliver us from<br />
dangers of all types.<br />
As we listen to prophetess Deborah<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
speak, we can readily discern that she was<br />
not speaking from her natural mind. It was<br />
certainly beyond Israel’s natural mind and<br />
ordinary thoughts to take on the armies of<br />
the enemy camp. She had stepped into<br />
the glory realm, into the mind of God, and<br />
she spoke from her position there. In the<br />
glory realm of authority, everything is done<br />
by revelation and wisdom. Once you get a<br />
revelation of your seat in heavenly places<br />
and you walk in that glory, it is no longer<br />
you speaking, but “Christ in you the hope of<br />
glory” (Colossians 1:27).<br />
From that place, at that moment, you only<br />
speak and do what you hear your heavenly<br />
Father saying and doing, as did Christ: “…<br />
Do not worry about how or what you should<br />
speak. For it will be given to you in that<br />
hour what you should speak; for it is not you<br />
who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who<br />
speaks in you” (Matthew 10:19-20).<br />
You and I can access the place of power<br />
(the glory) right here on earth, and we can<br />
partake of revelations to help us live more<br />
victorious lives. I believe that Barak recognized<br />
that this prophetess was speaking<br />
from a position of “authority” in the spirit as<br />
described by David Herzog, In the Glory:<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
When we are in the glory and we<br />
speak to people, we are speaking<br />
from the position that Christ has<br />
seated us, in heavenly places.<br />
Therefore, people will recognize<br />
our authority. If we only speak<br />
from our position here on earth,<br />
(without the glory), our words<br />
cannot carry the same weight.<br />
The glory represents the weight<br />
of God’s authority, and kings<br />
and others in authority recognize<br />
authority when they see it. 11<br />
Knowing that we have an even better<br />
covenant than Deborah had in her days,<br />
what should stop us from accomplishing<br />
the highest and best for ourselves and by<br />
extension, achieving the kingdom in our<br />
lifetime? The only limitations that can hold<br />
us back are those we allow to take root in<br />
our minds.<br />
As we learn from Deborah’s story, every<br />
great achievement, whether in the kingdom,<br />
the secular world, the marketplace or our<br />
homes, comes with a boldness to step out<br />
beyond our comfort zones. While Deborah<br />
prepared her people for battle, God changed<br />
the nature of the battle so the enemy’s<br />
defeat would not come by usual means. The<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
enemy’s armies were “discomfited” by God<br />
Himself, through Deborah, who activated His<br />
response by her actions.<br />
Given that we are coded with DNA linking<br />
us to God’s supernatural power, it must mean<br />
that His spirit, creative power, and presence<br />
are a part of us. We are not separate from<br />
His source, and in fact, His ability is an<br />
ever-present force that can be cultivated and<br />
activated in all areas of our lives.<br />
Secondly, Deborah did not have to search<br />
for the enemy. She leaned on the three<br />
specific instructions given to her by God,<br />
then watched as He delivered the enemy into<br />
her hands. Recall how the giant Goliath was<br />
delivered in a similar fashion into David’s<br />
hands, when David was just a teenager who<br />
had never been to war.<br />
Living God’s Word<br />
By using the gifts of Deborah, Jael, and a<br />
somewhat reluctant captain, God proved that<br />
He honors His promises above any labels<br />
we have taken from society. Many of which<br />
can keep us stuck. Never mind how we may<br />
see ourselves with our natural eyes. Whether<br />
male or female, weak or strong, possessing<br />
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a title or having no title, all He requires of<br />
us is our willingness to be available. We<br />
are indeed coded with the DNA stuff to be<br />
successful in whatever we wholeheartedly<br />
dedicate ourselves to. Deborah was not an<br />
officer in the army, even though she was<br />
now leading the charge with Barak.<br />
As for Sisera, who was there to take him<br />
out? Jael was not directly engaged in the<br />
war, but her role was most crucial to the<br />
outcome of this battle. “God is not a man,<br />
that he should lie, or a son of man that He<br />
should change His mind. Has He said, and<br />
will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and<br />
will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).<br />
And so, according to the preceding verse,<br />
we know that whatever obstacles we face,<br />
the battle is not ours. Rather, battles belong<br />
to and are subject to the Word of God.<br />
Battles of all shapes and sizes that we face<br />
in everyday life are all won by applying<br />
the Word (the power) of God. What God<br />
has decreed is certain for, “He is without<br />
variableness or shadow of turning” (James<br />
1:17).<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Are You Available?<br />
Prior to coming face to face with the<br />
enemy called Sisera, Jael was a woman<br />
of no particular pedigree. In fact, as said<br />
earlier, her name means “mountain goat.”<br />
Aside from being a wife and homemaker,<br />
she seemed to be living a rather ordinary<br />
life. Little did she know that she was about<br />
to be used to bring down the fierce captain<br />
of a powerful army. Was she available to be<br />
used in an unfamiliar situation?<br />
Her stand for justice and what’s right<br />
was about to be tested. In prior days, the<br />
Kenites had been known to be friendly to<br />
the Israelites as they crossed the desert. In<br />
fact, it was Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, a<br />
Kenite and Midianite priest who, many moons<br />
before, had led Moses through the desert to<br />
the edge of the Promised Land. That friendliness<br />
towards the Israelites seemed to have<br />
remained with Heber’s wife to the present<br />
day. How far Jael would take this sympathy<br />
towards her fellow neighbors was about to<br />
be tested now that the battle was in full<br />
swing.<br />
Jael was the wife of Heber, a man of<br />
the Kenite tribe. They were not even of the<br />
same lineage as Deborah and her village.<br />
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The opportunity to act with courage, and<br />
quick thinking had suddenly presented itself<br />
to Jael. But was she prepared? Would she<br />
let her moment pass her by? It would be<br />
easy to just look the other way and ignore<br />
the suffering of her fellow villagers. She<br />
could have chosen to keep Sisera hidden in<br />
her tent.<br />
However, I believe that it is in moments<br />
of crisis that our deepest character reveals<br />
itself. These tests prove whether we are truly<br />
available to step up. Without fanfare and<br />
without having an “important” position, Jael<br />
craftily pierced the skull of her much superior<br />
fighter, ultimately destroying him. With this<br />
one act, this ordinary woman became a<br />
woman of courage and strength. She had<br />
outgrown the confines of her tent. In fact,<br />
you could say, she had “flown the coup.”<br />
I believe that many times, Jael must have<br />
long thought about how she could be of help<br />
to her neighbors. So when the opportunity<br />
presented itself in the person of Sisera, there<br />
was no question as to what she would do.<br />
Even though this kind of help may not have<br />
entered her mind before, it was what was<br />
needed at the time. Another first, in a story<br />
filled with many firsts.<br />
We may be surprised that God chose Jael<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
to defeat Sisera since she was a woman<br />
with no particular qualifications or important<br />
lineage. But as Mark Batterson points out,<br />
“God does not call the qualified; He qualifies<br />
the called.” The question is, will you be ready<br />
and willing when the opportunity arises.<br />
Remember Moses, who felt he wasn’t<br />
qualified to lead his brethren out of Pharaoh’s<br />
hands? What about David, a mere teenager<br />
when he was anointed King? And who could<br />
forget Gideon, who felt he was the least of<br />
his father’s tribe and definitely not qualified<br />
to go to war!<br />
There’s no telling how far you can go or<br />
what you can accomplish when you make<br />
yourself available to the call without worries<br />
about how far you can go.<br />
What gifts and talents has God<br />
given you?<br />
So what are your present day obstacles?<br />
What tools have God placed in your hands<br />
to tackle them? Jael used what she had,<br />
a simple nail, a peg, and some stale milk.<br />
Look at the tools you have available, make<br />
a list of them from the least to the best and<br />
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see how you can use them to defeat your<br />
difficult situations.<br />
There’s still a missing piece that I feel<br />
is not talked about enough, at least through<br />
the sermons I’ve been exposed to. It isn’t<br />
enough to just pray without ceasing, expecting<br />
God to move. After all is said and prayed<br />
over, faith without works is dead. Along with<br />
praying, you must also dedicate yourself<br />
to improving the talents God has blessed<br />
you with. If you believe that you’re already<br />
working the hardest you know how, then, it<br />
may be time to reach out for help from a<br />
qualified coach to take you to the next level<br />
in your ambition.<br />
Have you ever felt as though you’re toiling<br />
away with no special recognition for your<br />
efforts? You have an uneasy feeling that you<br />
must do something, but you are not sure<br />
exactly what to do. There are some battles<br />
that though they roar and even frighten you,<br />
you don’t have to fight them. Pause and be<br />
patient. Take the long view and watch for<br />
the fog to clear.<br />
And yes, finding the gift in such situations<br />
will take seeking and plumbing the depths of<br />
your inner strength. You can certainly take a<br />
few lessons from the way Jael handled her<br />
life up to the time of her encounter with the<br />
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enemy. Her one act of bravery showed she<br />
was willing to risk her life to preserve the<br />
lives of others.<br />
I am becoming more and more aware<br />
that one of our greatest purposes in life is<br />
to help others. And by so doing, we help<br />
ourselves. Obviously, we can’t reach out to<br />
everyone on every occasion, but we should<br />
strive to make helping others a high priority<br />
in our lives.<br />
Pursue the “You” that’s deep inside.<br />
In some of my seminars, I’m asked the<br />
question, “How do I know what my purpose,<br />
my passion is?” It’s a question of such great<br />
magnitude that I wouldn’t presume to have<br />
discovered the answer. Bear in mind that<br />
there is an important difference between<br />
passion and purpose, even if sometimes,<br />
the two may overlap.<br />
However, what I can point to is how I<br />
discovered (make that unearthed), my own<br />
passion in life so far. Furthermore, finding<br />
your passion may not be the same thing as<br />
finding a career that sustains your lifestyle.<br />
Sometimes, the two intersect in a beautiful<br />
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marriage, while at other times, one remains<br />
purely a labor of love. So here it goes:<br />
I am the oldest of seven children, and<br />
from an early age, I began teaching, all be<br />
it at the local library, reading storybooks to<br />
kids. I read as many books as I could get my<br />
hands on, a trait I inherited from my father,<br />
who was a voracious reader. I also enjoyed<br />
putting my thoughts on paper, call it early<br />
journaling. Studying many different thought<br />
leaders took me deep into areas I was<br />
curious about. Naturally, the more I learned,<br />
the more I felt the need to share what I had<br />
learned, all of which continued throughout<br />
my family life and corporate career.<br />
At this stage of my growth, I can truthfully<br />
say that the more I teach, write books, and<br />
give seminars, the more passion I feel for<br />
what I am doing. So back to the question<br />
of, “How do I find my passion?” I offer two<br />
suggestions out of what may be dozens of<br />
other ways. In moments of serious reflection,<br />
ask yourself these two questions. Moreover,<br />
seek honest answers to them, and journal<br />
what revelations come to you:<br />
• What are you most passionately<br />
curious about?<br />
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• What leaves you with the deepest<br />
sense of wonderment?<br />
• What are you most excited to dive into<br />
and keep diving into, so much so that<br />
you very easily lose track of time and<br />
space?<br />
You can give yourself a head start by<br />
thumbing through the pages of your life so<br />
far, to see if there are patterns in what<br />
you’ve done that can shed light on these<br />
questions. If so, you know what you have to<br />
do, that is, to continue even deeper doing<br />
such.<br />
If no patterns emerge or weak patterns<br />
show up in answer to these questions, it<br />
may be time to make some serious course<br />
corrections. Just a word of caution before<br />
you run off and start sizing up whether<br />
your current job is or isn’t your passion:<br />
Pause and take a hard look before taking<br />
a decision. In the heat of the moment, it<br />
can be easy to overlook the important clues<br />
pointing to areas of your current work that<br />
you are indeed passionate about. Deborah’s<br />
passion was clearly the safety and security<br />
of her people.<br />
As you go through life, many things<br />
will catch your eyes, but few will be worth<br />
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dedicating your life to, full-on, with no looking<br />
back. Of the ones worth pursuing, some<br />
will be crafted into a truly unique gift while<br />
others will be a struggle and may fall by the<br />
wayside. Some of the things you’ve been<br />
tinkering with may be worth curating, making<br />
your life’s work out of it. Others, may not be<br />
worth investing heavily into. Give your work<br />
a hard look before you dive in or change<br />
lanes. Either way, remember to take the long<br />
view.<br />
Each of us has unique gifts and talents.<br />
Yes, to some of us, it’s fairly apparent what<br />
our gifts are. However, others of us may<br />
have to decide to spend our time honing a<br />
certain skill in order to walk confidently in<br />
that gift.<br />
Sometimes, the thing that burns deep<br />
within your heart may not be the thing that<br />
earns you a living, at least not right away.<br />
Someday, the two might meet in a happy<br />
intersection, and you’ll be so much the better<br />
for not having let it go.<br />
Cherish the skills and talents God has<br />
vested in you. Jael had quick instincts. In<br />
due time, the opportunity for promotion to a<br />
new level will present itself. In fact, it will<br />
seem that opportunity comes looking for you,<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
as the captain Sisera came looking for Jael,<br />
if only to his demise.<br />
We each carry a gift for the people around<br />
us, inasmuch as they, too, carry a gift for us.<br />
Mindfulness will help you discern what your<br />
particular gift is, and how you can best use<br />
it to serve others.<br />
Jael could have looked for so many<br />
reasons not to put her gift of quickness to<br />
test. However, in spite of our self-doubts,<br />
Rachel Hickson in Little Keys that Open Big<br />
Doors reminds us that “God can use us<br />
when we entangle our lives from all our<br />
excuses. He is looking for willing volunteers<br />
…people who will allow Him to activate their<br />
call, take risks and do the work of God.” 12<br />
Jael not only served Deborah and Barak<br />
individually, but also, she served the entire<br />
village by preventing them from being wiped<br />
out. Jael blossomed where she was at<br />
the time. Moreover, her service did not go<br />
unnoticed. Deborah gave her double praise<br />
saying, “Most blessed of women Jael, wife<br />
of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent<br />
dwelling women” (Judges 5: 23-24).<br />
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Right Where You Are<br />
Sometimes, the opportunity to use our<br />
gifts is hiding in plain sight, right where you<br />
are. In a world where selfish behavior seems<br />
the norm, Jael reminds us that unselfishness<br />
can be its own reward. Rather than looking<br />
to see what others bring to you, look instead<br />
to see how you can bring honor to others.<br />
With this attitude, it may just make the job of<br />
loving the ones you find hard to love a little<br />
bit easier. Even though the book of Judges<br />
does not record Jael’s after story, we can<br />
rest assured that she was well cared for the<br />
rest of her life. With her help, after the war,<br />
the land and its people had rest for forty<br />
years.<br />
I can already see heads churning with<br />
the questions: “What if I don’t like my job,<br />
my boss, my situation, my family, certain<br />
people around me. Must I still look out for<br />
them?” I submit to you that if all you focus<br />
on is what you don’t like, the universe will<br />
find a way to remove it from your life or give<br />
you more of it. And here’s the kicker—don’t<br />
be surprised if the universe fills the empty<br />
space with an even worse situation.<br />
The simple reason is that by obsessing<br />
on what irks you, the universe often gives<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
you more of the same. Unless, of course,<br />
you let that dislike propel you into taking<br />
positive action. Remember that whatever you<br />
magnify in thought and spirit, good or bad, is<br />
what will be amplified in your own daily life.<br />
Focus on how to add value to your<br />
situation and those around you. Focus on<br />
prospering where you are planted even<br />
though your ambitions may be aimed higher.<br />
Author and successful entrepreneur, Dani<br />
Johnson proposes this way of thinking about<br />
your life: “Being diligent in whatever your<br />
hands find to do, going about your business,<br />
fortune will find you.”<br />
I believe that in the quiet moments of<br />
time, Jael was building herself up. Though<br />
she was not militarily prepared, she was<br />
spiritually ready, so that at the opportune<br />
time, her value could be put to use.<br />
I am personally grateful for godly “Deborah<br />
women” (and yes, the godly men as well)<br />
from whom I’ve learned so much and continue<br />
to learn. God has given me some awesome<br />
teachers, from my own mother to my pastors<br />
and spiritual mentors.<br />
I am grateful that across the world, women<br />
are rising up as pioneers helping to secure<br />
a safer, more compassionate world for all<br />
to enjoy. These are women armed with the<br />
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spirit of courage, spreading the good news,<br />
and breaking forth into new arenas of the<br />
marketplace, whether in the sciences or the<br />
arts. And yes, taking us to new places on a<br />
spiritual level.<br />
Women such as authors Sister Joan<br />
Chittister, A Life of Passion, Purpose, and<br />
Joy, Sue Monk Kidd, When the Heart Waits<br />
and Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart.<br />
And who can forget young Malala Yousafzai,<br />
who at age seventeen became the youngest<br />
person to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Not to<br />
mention the scores of women all over the<br />
globe who are helping to bring enlightenment<br />
to our world each and every day in ways big<br />
and small.<br />
We need more women like these because<br />
we have such a long way to go. Indeed,<br />
we need more women with the creative<br />
and bold spirit like Deborah. Contemporary<br />
women who are not afraid to stand up and<br />
be counted. Those who are willing to take<br />
on non-traditional roles, despite criticism that<br />
may come from many corners.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Prayer For Guidance<br />
Lord, show me where I’ve not<br />
valued my gifts, my work, my<br />
family, my community. Teach<br />
me to be of value within the<br />
circle in which You have placed<br />
me. Teach me to value the<br />
assignments You have called<br />
me to do. Lord teach me how to<br />
be the best steward of the time<br />
and talents you have placed<br />
within me.<br />
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Chapter 7<br />
Make the Sacrifice<br />
“And the land had peace for forty years.”<br />
(Judges 5:31)<br />
Having answered the call to go forth,<br />
there awaits the sacrifice. It can be<br />
said, “no sacrifice, no prize.” Victory<br />
always comes with a price.<br />
Each one of us must walk this walk one<br />
day. Someday, the dark night may happen<br />
to you, and you’ll have to find a way to walk<br />
through it, somehow. Perhaps, it’s already<br />
happened to you, and you’ve come out on<br />
the bright side. Hallelujah, more victory to<br />
you! If that’s you, then it’s your turn to help<br />
someone walk through it. Be prepared and<br />
be sensitive; the need to help the hurting is<br />
everywhere around us.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
As I go deeper into Deborah’s story, I am<br />
amazed at how this otherwise “ordinary” trio<br />
was able to pull off such an extraordinary<br />
feat. We are not told that they went through<br />
lengthy periods of preparation, consecration,<br />
and testing. No such rites of passage were<br />
mentioned. Therein lies another basic lesson<br />
for those of us given to procrastinating. The<br />
lesson is in the old Chinese proverb, “A<br />
journey of a thousand miles begins with the<br />
first step.” Begin where you are.<br />
Deborah had to forge her way from the<br />
comfort of the Palm Tree to take on the<br />
battle on the mountain top. Jael had to leave<br />
the cozy comfort of her tent to court Sisera<br />
into her cabin. Barak took up the fight even<br />
though he was warned that the honor would<br />
not go to him—a hefty sacrifice indeed, for a<br />
man of his stature.<br />
As I reflect on “Deborah women,” I<br />
realize that I’ve been fortunate to know many<br />
Deborahs, both in the body of Christ and in<br />
the secular arena. I’m speaking of women<br />
such as my own mother who through sheer<br />
grit raised seven children by herself and<br />
watched us grow up to be what I consider<br />
fairly “normal” adults.<br />
In the rites of passage of women such<br />
as Deborah and Nobel Prize winner Malala,<br />
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there’s a much deeper lesson for those of<br />
us who desire to reach for more or to go<br />
higher. These women were willing to face<br />
and if necessary endure great sacrifices in<br />
order to obtain the prize.<br />
I’m reminded of a sermon I heard<br />
Reverend Kenneth Hagin, Jr. preach. In<br />
this sermon, brother Hagin said that God<br />
is indeed faithful, but we will never see the<br />
fulfillment of His promises if we simply “sit on<br />
the stoop, have our nose pressed up against<br />
the window pane waiting for something to<br />
happen.” Action must follow expectation.<br />
No one handed these mighty women a<br />
free ticket on a silver platter. In many cases,<br />
no one prepared them for the journey or<br />
the bumps that followed. In fact, if you dig<br />
deep enough, you will find that somewhere<br />
in their story, there are great struggles and<br />
many opportunities to overcome challenges.<br />
They developed the gumption to do things<br />
that almost seemed impossible. The fact that<br />
the women I’m referencing overcame their<br />
challenges is an encouragement to you to<br />
move forward, no matter the challenges you<br />
face.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Fortune Favors the Brave<br />
It seems to be one of life’s biggest fears—<br />
the struggle. “Why the high price, why so<br />
many struggles?” It’s the question we so<br />
desperately seek to have answered. In every<br />
aspect of life, as in the Bible, we see that<br />
fortune favors and rewards the brave. The<br />
brave ones are those who push past what<br />
seems to be their own natural ability. In the<br />
moment of struggle, some seize the opportunity<br />
to change their circumstances for the<br />
better. Others crumble under the pressure.<br />
Fortunately, we have a choice as to which<br />
road to take and my prayer is that should<br />
you experience that moment, God will give<br />
you the grace and boldness to face your<br />
struggles. It is in these times that you build<br />
the backbone of strength you need to carry<br />
you to victory.<br />
The Bible is filled with many men and<br />
women who did just that. We sometimes<br />
look back at their lives with deep admiration<br />
for their strength and courage, hardly noticing<br />
what it took to overcome their obstacles.<br />
However, if we peel back the layers of their<br />
lives, we soon discover that they often paid<br />
a huge price to come out on the other side.<br />
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As Aaron Fruh notes in his essay on The<br />
Decree of Esther:<br />
“Woven into the fabric of their<br />
struggles was a rite of passage.<br />
A time when they faced impossible<br />
odds and could have easily<br />
retreated and let the moment<br />
pass by.” 13<br />
Remember that moment when you felt<br />
the walls closing in, and you had nowhere to<br />
turn? You might have felt trapped in a world<br />
of poor choices and uncertain outcomes.<br />
The great people of the Bible who changed<br />
the world in their time had rite of passage<br />
moments.<br />
Abraham’s rite of passage was the<br />
moment of leaving his homeland. Moses’<br />
moment was yielding to the voice in the<br />
burning bush. Deborah’s moment was leading<br />
an army when no one else would. We can<br />
draw strength from these moments when we<br />
need that extra push, even if it is a first for<br />
you and me.<br />
Take a moment and look back at the<br />
times when you took a certain action, and it<br />
later turned out to be what saved the day.<br />
Moments like these make us realize that we<br />
are stronger than we think.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
My prayer is that when we are called to<br />
take bold actions, we may be brave enough<br />
to walk through the rising heat, even when<br />
we do not have all the pieces of the great<br />
adventure before us.<br />
As I look at my own adventure, I see<br />
so many occasions where I allowed doubt<br />
to steal my moment. I can also clearly see<br />
the price I paid for harboring such doubts.<br />
There were missed opportunities to move to<br />
a higher level. I missed vacations because I<br />
did not want to be away from work for long<br />
periods. I missed friendships, and opportunities<br />
to reach out when prompted by the<br />
Holy Spirit. Clearly, I missed opportunities<br />
to enjoy the moment. One thing is certain,<br />
missed opportunities rarely, if ever, return.<br />
Other opportunities may come, just not the<br />
same ones.<br />
In one case, the promotion to a senior<br />
level that I had prepared for and desired<br />
arrived. Yet, somehow, I did not feel worthy<br />
of the task at hand. I was uneasy about<br />
whether I was truly ready - “Oh, dear, have<br />
I gone too far, what if?” Luckily, I recovered<br />
from self-doubt quickly enough to go for it<br />
and grow into my new role. Some doubts lie<br />
dormant below the surface for years. Others<br />
force their way to the surface unexpectedly,<br />
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usually when you are on the verge of<br />
breaking through to your next level. If we<br />
give into our doubts, they will certainly steal<br />
our momentum, and halt our progress. Use<br />
these nudges as mere signals to go deeper<br />
for guidance and strength to push forward,<br />
rather than a red light to turn back. Let’s not<br />
forget that we are all works in progress and<br />
obstacles are meant to be crossed over, not<br />
to freeze us in our tracks.<br />
Prayer for Revelation<br />
Lord, Reveal to me Your<br />
Promises for me. Hold steady<br />
in my heart the promises You<br />
have set before me. Teach me<br />
to walk in Your supernatural<br />
strength, knowing that with You,<br />
I am well able to accomplish<br />
whatsoever I put my hands to.<br />
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Chapter 8<br />
Answer The Call<br />
“Ah Lord God! Behold thou hast made<br />
the heaven and<br />
the earth by thy great power and stretch<br />
out arm, and<br />
there is nothing too hard for Thee”<br />
(Jeremiah 32:17).<br />
I<br />
Believe that from birth we are all given a<br />
unique call. Some of us find it early and<br />
walk the call for a very long time. Others<br />
of us bump our way through life, trying to<br />
figure it out as we go along. For me, the<br />
latter was the case. Growing up, I cherished<br />
the romantic notion that I would come into<br />
the life of being a loving mother, a devoted<br />
wife with a doting husband by my side, and<br />
a woman with a satisfying career. I would be<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
able to juggle it all. As it turned out, I did<br />
get married, but five years into our marriage,<br />
my life was sadly jolted by the disruptions of<br />
divorce. Life looked very bleak at that point.<br />
Starting over from scratch seemed oh so<br />
daunting. A dark cloud began to settle over<br />
my life in much the same way that uncertainty<br />
was heavy over Deborah’s people. I<br />
had landed in unfamiliar territory. All I knew<br />
was that I somehow needed to gather certain<br />
pieces and put my life back together. As<br />
author Jean Houston is fond of saying, I<br />
needed to re-imagine my life.<br />
However, the thoughts of where to begin,<br />
and exactly what to do always left me in a<br />
quandary. Back then, I neither had much in<br />
the way of the tools of faith nor did I understand<br />
the importance of faith in moving me<br />
to the promise of deliverance and restoration.<br />
I have a good friend whose job is an<br />
art curator. I have watched her put together<br />
art displays that at first blush seemed too<br />
different, edgy, wacky to work into a show.<br />
Yet, time again, after working her magic, out<br />
of these pieces come eye-popping, inspiring<br />
shows.<br />
After thinking about how a new design can<br />
take shape out of the unfamiliar and wacky,<br />
it began to dawn on me that, perhaps, this<br />
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is what I needed to do— curate all that I had<br />
experienced into a new life, the good and<br />
the not-so-good. I had to use the pieces<br />
of my life that had worked so far as my<br />
foundation to move forward.<br />
I had a choice to use all the pieces of<br />
learning opportunities and let them empower<br />
me, or to let them swallow me whole. I<br />
chose to put my efforts into working on the<br />
former. After all, isn’t this what Deborah did<br />
when she found herself in a hard place?<br />
Furthermore, God is willing and able to<br />
get us through our trials and tribulations.<br />
It is here that I began to camp out on the<br />
promise: “I am God. Is there anything too<br />
hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:26).<br />
Identify Your Enemy<br />
Identify what enemy (your perceived<br />
obstacle) is keeping you from your desired<br />
end and apply God’s promises. Nothing is<br />
too hard, for God and He is not a respecter<br />
of persons. Remember Barak’s weakness?<br />
Barak had to lay aside his fear of the enemy,<br />
even if just for the moment. I believe that’s a<br />
place we can all start if we’re really serious<br />
about moving higher into our destiny.<br />
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Hebrews 11 verses 32-35, points out how<br />
to receive the promise of God:<br />
And what more shall I say? I<br />
do not have time to tell about<br />
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jeptha,<br />
David, Samuel and the prophets<br />
who, through faith, conquered<br />
kingdoms, administered justice,<br />
and gained what was promised;<br />
who shut the mouths of lions,<br />
quenched the fury of flames, and<br />
escaped the edge of the sword;<br />
whose weakness was turned to<br />
strength; and who battled and<br />
routed foreign armies. (Hebrews<br />
11: 32-35).<br />
Exactly by what means the enemies of<br />
Israel and of Deborah would be defeated,<br />
we were not told. It was not spelled out<br />
when Deborah first uttered God’s word, “Go.”<br />
Deborah was focused on the strength of the<br />
promise, rather than “how” God was going to<br />
cause this to happen.<br />
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Be Deliberate and Dedicated<br />
Deborah was deliberate and dedicated to<br />
her mission. There have been many times<br />
that I spent much effort vowing to do this<br />
project and that project. Truth is, I simply<br />
did not keep many of these commitments. I<br />
might have embraced them with good intentions,<br />
fully planning to move forward with<br />
them, but in the end, I did little to show my<br />
dedication to doing what I said I would.<br />
As I meditate on the fact that there’s<br />
nothing too hard for God, I feel He is telling<br />
us so clearly to focus on receiving what He<br />
has promised to deliver, and less on how<br />
and when He delivers. In my spirit, I can<br />
hear Him saying, “Trust Me, believe in Me,<br />
I am well able, based on what I’ve written<br />
in the Word.”<br />
In other words, ”<strong>Think</strong> like Deborah, and<br />
I will do exceedingly, abundantly above more<br />
than you can think or ask.” How I needed<br />
such revelation back then! Even though I did<br />
not feel defeated, I must admit, I struggled<br />
with getting my scattered pieces back<br />
together.<br />
My time would have been far better<br />
spent cultivating a mindset of, ”everything is<br />
possible,” and acting on it from that place.<br />
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As one of my favorite poets, Maya Angelou<br />
is fond of saying, “Honey, when you know<br />
better, you do better.” I am indeed grateful<br />
for the chance to do better this time around,<br />
having examples such as Deborah to show<br />
the way.<br />
Listen in Stillness<br />
Are you simply going around in circles?<br />
Or are you acting on God’s voice? This can<br />
happen to us even when we think we are<br />
making progress. However, when we stop to<br />
really look at the results, we see that not<br />
much has changed. My advice is to examine<br />
whether your actions are bearing fruit, even<br />
if they are the faintest of signs.<br />
If the signs are there, weak or strong,<br />
why not sit with them until you can gain<br />
some insight into what’s really going on? In<br />
some cases, it could be that the voice of the<br />
Lord has already spoken, but for your own<br />
reasons, you have chosen to ignore it? The<br />
Bible declares, “My sheep know My voice,<br />
and I know them, and they follow me” (John<br />
10:27). Our part is to listen for the prompting<br />
of the Spirit, and to follow.<br />
I remember very early in my search for<br />
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the Lord, I had found a church that taught<br />
principles that seemed to make sense to<br />
my natural mind. But, regardless of how<br />
much sense it made to me, I knew deep in<br />
my spirit that something important was still<br />
missing although I could not quite put my<br />
finger on what it was. I just did not seem<br />
to be able to put the teachings to work in<br />
my life.<br />
Over the course of the next two years,<br />
I kept attending the same church, never<br />
diligently searching for one that taught what<br />
my heart was hungry for. Nevertheless, the<br />
signs were evident. My spirit was being<br />
prompted to search deeper, but I had chosen<br />
to ignore the still small voice within me.<br />
Thankfully, it wasn’t long after that I found<br />
teachers who were preaching spiritually in a<br />
manner that I was able to grasp and make<br />
use of in my everyday life.<br />
I began to hear the scriptures in ways<br />
that made me hungry to go deeper and<br />
learn more. The principles being taught<br />
made sense to me, and I felt it was indeed<br />
possible for me to apply them to my life and<br />
situations. I was understanding how to use<br />
my spiritual life to order my everyday life. It<br />
was time for me to stop reading the Bible<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
as an interesting story and actually use it to<br />
improve my life.<br />
I was beginning to understand this faith<br />
thing and how prayer works. When we<br />
practice hearing the voice of God in the<br />
simple things, our faith grows. As our faith<br />
grows, we will hear Him in the “bigger” things<br />
and be able to rely more on His guidance<br />
and less on impulse.<br />
I’ve had times when it seemed that God<br />
answered my prayers in an instant. In those<br />
times I was so ecstatic, I couldn’t wait to tell<br />
all who would listen. Like the occasions I’ve<br />
been late for a flight, and it seemed like God<br />
stopped time for me so that I could make it<br />
before the plane doors closed.<br />
Then, there were other times when it<br />
seemed that God was nowhere in sight and<br />
neither was the answer. Can you relate? It<br />
was during these times that I questioned my<br />
faith, wondering if it was misplaced. Was<br />
it my own strong desire pushing me? Was<br />
I conjuring up some promise of my own<br />
that the Spirit did not give me? Again, I’m<br />
reminded that it is by patience and unwavering<br />
faith that you possess the promise.<br />
In this life, we may not be able to avoid<br />
tests and trials, but we are promised a way<br />
out. John Gelderen points in, The Faith<br />
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Response, that in such times, we ought to<br />
“Pray to the promise until the Holy Spirit<br />
convinces you that you may stand on a given<br />
promise for a given situation. Praying till you<br />
see the evidence through Spirit conviction of<br />
a specific truth…Real faith arises when you<br />
are convinced of God’s will.”<br />
We are to expect abundance without<br />
measure. We are to expect protection from<br />
evil sources. We are to expect deliverance<br />
when in danger. We are to expect provision<br />
from diverse sources. We are to expect His<br />
faithfulness, and we are to expect His signs<br />
and wonders. We are to expect what may<br />
seem impossible to the natural man. We are<br />
to expect the supernatural in all areas of life.<br />
We are to expect direction, strategies, witty<br />
ideas, peace, and prosperity as manifestations<br />
of God operating in our lives.<br />
God’s Word declares, “Delight thyself in<br />
the Lord and He will give you the desires<br />
of your heart” Psalm 37:4. My spirit was<br />
stirred when I meditated on the first part of<br />
this phrase, which is actually referring to our<br />
acknowledgment of His Lordship over us. Our<br />
delight in Him comes with a promise from<br />
Him. The Matthew Henry Bible Commentary<br />
sheds further light on this verse when it says,<br />
“We must make God our guide, and submit<br />
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everything to his guidance and disposal; and<br />
then all our affairs, even those that seem<br />
most intricate and perplexed, shall be made<br />
to issue well and to our satisfaction.”<br />
When the prophet Jeremiah was in prison<br />
and praying for the protection of the land<br />
against the Chaldeans, he stood in agreement<br />
with God, saying “There is nothing too hard<br />
for Thee” (Jeremiah 32:17). To confirm His<br />
word to His prophet, in verse 27 of the<br />
same chapter, God responded in person to<br />
Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God<br />
of all flesh: is there anything too hard for<br />
Me?” We know this promise must be of<br />
tremendous significance if God would go to<br />
such lengths to put it before our eyes on<br />
so many different occasions. His must be a<br />
promise worth pursuing.<br />
Our New and Better Covenant<br />
In the old covenant, God promised Israel:<br />
I will bring you into the land<br />
concerning which I lifted up my<br />
hand and swore that I would<br />
give it to Abraham, Isaac, and<br />
Jacob, and I will give it to you<br />
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for a heritage. I am the Lord.<br />
You have the pledge of my<br />
changeless omnipotence and<br />
faithfulness (Amplified Bible,<br />
Exodus 6 verse 8).<br />
Oftentimes, standing on the promises of<br />
God seems hard because as mere mortals,<br />
we tend to forget promises. Especially, if<br />
we’ve seldom ever seen manifestations<br />
of answered prayers. Even when given a<br />
playbook of past miracles, our faith can get<br />
weak. We need to be reminded time and<br />
again.<br />
In reality, God’s inheritance for us is<br />
far greater than we can ever imagine. His<br />
Word says in Ephesians 3:20 that He will<br />
do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can<br />
think or ask. He takes full responsibility for<br />
fulfilling His promises and only asks us to<br />
believe and move in faith.<br />
Deborah accepted the promise as given.<br />
The promise came in the form of a call to<br />
act. Your call may be subtle or it may be<br />
direct. But if you observe and listen with<br />
intent, it will no doubt find you and reveal to<br />
you what actions to take.<br />
In our age where fame seems to be<br />
the rage, let’s not forget that you can lead<br />
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in some fashion from right where you find<br />
yourself, even if no one knows your name.<br />
According to author Mark Sanborn, in his<br />
book, You Don’t Need a Title to be A Leader,<br />
“True greatness is based on what we give<br />
in life.”<br />
Prayer to Answer the Call<br />
Father, you are full of faithfulness<br />
and full of mercy. Let<br />
me never forget the promise of<br />
your Word. Let me hunger for<br />
your Word as “the deer pants<br />
for water.” Let your Word ever<br />
course through me as rivers of<br />
living water.<br />
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Chapter 9<br />
Who, Me?<br />
Henry David Thoreau said, “Most men<br />
lead lives of quiet desperation and go<br />
to the grave with the song still in<br />
them.” To this, I quickly remind myself of<br />
one of my favorite Helen Keller lines, “Life<br />
is either a daring adventure or nothing at<br />
all.” I think that most would agree that a<br />
life of quiet desperation is one of reaching<br />
and grasping but never really making the<br />
grade. But for a life of daring adventure—<br />
many, including me, would quickly say, “Sign<br />
me up!”<br />
For some of us a camping trip out in<br />
the wild alone, as I did many years ago is<br />
enough of an adventure, thank you. I think<br />
the kind of adventure Helen Keller had in<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
mind though is one that would require a<br />
person to face life with bravery at every<br />
turn—to meet life head on; to lead a life of<br />
passion and meaning for the betterment of<br />
ourselves and humanity at large and to live<br />
fearlessly, regardless of where we might find<br />
ourselves. And why not you? As a favorite<br />
author of mine, Jean Houston says, “These<br />
are the times, and we are the people.”<br />
Deborah was not content to lead a life of<br />
quiet desperation with her song still inside of<br />
her. It was her adventure from underneath<br />
the Palm Tree up to Mount Tabor that transformed<br />
her into becoming the leader that<br />
she was. An adventure, not in the sense of<br />
emotional excitement, but one that required<br />
her to face life head on. Perhaps, you do<br />
not consider yourself a leader now, and may<br />
not see yourself in that light anytime soon.<br />
For Barak, leading required him to take<br />
up the sword and fight. For Jael, the tent<br />
could no longer hold her, as she used the<br />
very peg that was holding it together to draw<br />
blood. However, I believe that in our own<br />
unique ways, we are all leaders and are<br />
called to be leaders. After all, life at its core<br />
is really about being of service! I believe<br />
that service is, in fact, the highest form of<br />
leadership. And aren’t we are all called to<br />
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make the world a better place? I also believe<br />
service is the highest gift we can give for the<br />
privilege of being in this life.<br />
On the day of victory, we see that<br />
Deborah’s bravery gave birth to hope, safety,<br />
and freedom. She had restored strength<br />
to a weak and downtrodden people. She<br />
reawakened her people to their true identity<br />
as victors over their own destiny. And the<br />
land had peace (prosperity and tranquility)<br />
for forty years!<br />
God has given each of us unique talents,<br />
and He expects us to use them. “To one<br />
he gave five talents, to another two, and to<br />
another one, each according to his ability”<br />
(Matthew 25:15). I invite you to look back<br />
over your own life experiences and count<br />
the number of times He provided for you in<br />
your wilderness. Take out your journal and<br />
begin to write down as many as you can<br />
remember. This act of gratitude can go a<br />
long way in lifting your spirits and opening<br />
you up to new ideas and insights.<br />
Sometimes, obedience may require that<br />
we give up a cherished dream. Even David<br />
had to give up his dream of building a temple<br />
to honor God. In fact, in 1 Chronicles 28:6,<br />
David was told, “Not so, your son Solomon<br />
will build me the temple.”<br />
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God’s voice is always being beamed to<br />
us, albeit, we’re often too distracted to pay<br />
attention. Even though God chose to speak<br />
to a prophet in this instance, just remind<br />
yourself, He is no respecter of persons. You<br />
may be just that one in a million He is<br />
seeking to heed His voice.<br />
While working on this book, I was<br />
faced with a family issue, which seemed<br />
to consume huge blocks of my time and<br />
focus. My younger brother had, for a long<br />
time, been plagued with a medical condition,<br />
and he needed my help getting to and from<br />
therapy sessions. He seemed to need my<br />
help in an endless way.<br />
Though I felt sympathy for him, the<br />
demands were constant and the time helping<br />
with his appointments took me away from<br />
my own work. The situation was becoming<br />
emotionally draining. I was so focused on<br />
my own “to do list,” that I was beginning<br />
to lose sight of why I was placed here in<br />
the first place. I decided to go on a fast to<br />
get some clarity, or at least some peace of<br />
mind. On a Friday night during the fast, I<br />
decided to cry out to the Lord. At first, my<br />
cry went something like this: “Lord, why me?<br />
Why now? I am so busy. I’ve got so much<br />
on my plate.”<br />
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As I continued to sink into my self-pity,<br />
my cry turned into, “Lord, if this isn’t working,<br />
if I’m just wasting my time, I want to know.<br />
And Lord, if this is going to work, if You are<br />
going to get the victory, I need the person<br />
before me to be healed. If he’s going to<br />
get better, let someone call me tomorrow<br />
or Saturday—someone whom I’ve not heard<br />
from in a very long time.”<br />
That night, I went to sleep and forgot all<br />
about my plea. Saturday came and went,<br />
and I seemed to have forgotten all about it.<br />
Then, Sunday came, and I again remembered<br />
that I did not get my so-called “sign,”<br />
from the Lord. I consoled myself saying,<br />
“Lord, I put my trust in You anyway.”<br />
Monday morning rolled around, and I<br />
was again reminded that I did not receive<br />
my so-called victory sign. Again, I consoled<br />
myself with scripture, saying, “Lord, I trust<br />
You anyway.” As I finished my prayer and<br />
devotion and was about to get my day<br />
started, the Spirit reminded me that I had<br />
indeed received a long distance call the<br />
very Saturday I had asked for one. I quickly<br />
searched my memory.<br />
The long distance call was from my<br />
half-brother in Canada whom I had not<br />
heard from in over six months. Message<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
received. God is always speaking. We are<br />
the ones who are often too preoccupied to<br />
hear. Thankfully, I did respond in time to<br />
my brother’s condition, because as I later<br />
learned, his situation could have been very<br />
serious if not caught in time.<br />
My situation was, of course, far less<br />
dramatic than Deborah’s But the pattern of<br />
trusting and listening is, nevertheless, the<br />
same.<br />
In my distress at that moment, I cried<br />
out to the Lord, and He answered me. He<br />
not only eased my anxiety, but He also<br />
confirmed that He had called me to serve,<br />
through serving my brother. That was enough<br />
to bring peace to me and to give me the<br />
strength to serve my brother and Him with<br />
grace. After all, that’s really what life is<br />
about, serving our highest and best purpose<br />
through serving each other. God hears, God<br />
speaks. Are you listening?<br />
Now that the victory had been won, what<br />
could be left for Deborah’s village to do<br />
but to bask in the glory of God’s awesome<br />
wonders? It was time for them to sing<br />
poetic songs over the miracle that had just<br />
taken place on their behalf. It was time to<br />
praise the One who had made good on His<br />
promise. The prophetess had proven that<br />
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God’s promise to her forefathers was still<br />
in effect, and she could invoke it on her<br />
people’s behalf.<br />
Deborah’s song capped the Israelite’s<br />
victory over the enemy. The entire village<br />
heard her and Barak exhorting them to<br />
remember their heritage (inheritance), their<br />
covenant.<br />
Hear this you Kings! Listen you<br />
rulers! I will sing to the Lord; I<br />
will sing…I will make music to<br />
the Lord, the God of Israel…<br />
Village life in Israel ceased,<br />
Ceased, until I, Deborah, arose,<br />
a mother in Israel. (Judges 5:2,<br />
3,7)<br />
On that day, Deborah and Barak, son of<br />
Abinoam, sang this song:<br />
The earth shook, the heavens<br />
poured, the clouds poured down<br />
water, The mountains quaked<br />
before the LORD, the one of<br />
Sinai before the LORD. The<br />
God of Israel…the Kings came<br />
and they fought; the King of<br />
Canaan fought at Taanach by<br />
the waters of Megiddo, but they<br />
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carried off no silver, no plunder.<br />
From the heavens the stars<br />
fought, from their courses they<br />
fought against Sisera. The River<br />
Kishon swept them away, the<br />
age-old river, the river Kishon.<br />
March O my soul: be strong!<br />
(Judges 5: 19-21).<br />
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Chapter 10<br />
Living the<br />
Deborah Principles<br />
For ye have need of patience<br />
(enduring dependence, faith that<br />
perseveres in prayer and loyalty)<br />
that after ye have done the will<br />
of God, you might receive the<br />
promise (Hebrews 10:36).<br />
As I come to the closing scenes of<br />
my Deborah journey with you, I<br />
feel that I’ve found much of what I<br />
was searching for in this woman of faith. I<br />
believe that as believers, we are all a type<br />
of Deborah, blessed with the God-seed to<br />
accomplish great things both for ourselves<br />
and others. Deborah shows us how we can<br />
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each activate the God-seed within us. But<br />
what is equally important, we must be willing<br />
to steward the gifts and aspirations that have<br />
been placed in our hearts. “Desire accomplished<br />
is sweet to the soul” (Prov. 13:19).<br />
Deborah had accomplished her mission.<br />
Her trust in her ability to succeed, backed<br />
up by God’s supernatural assistance, shows<br />
us that her same faith is still available to<br />
us today. Her confidence is found in her<br />
relationship with God. Her bravery is found in<br />
her trust in Him. Her inner strength is found<br />
in her faith in Him. Her calm leadership is<br />
found in her confidence in Him, and none<br />
of her qualities are found in her own ability<br />
without God.<br />
My journey learning to <strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
has been an amazing and encouraging one.<br />
One in which I gave fresh insights into what<br />
it means to have faith in the Word. In this<br />
respect, Deborah has been a great example<br />
of what can happen for us when we fully<br />
believe and dedicate ourselves to going the<br />
distance. We have seen what it took to<br />
manifest such great victory in Deborah’s life.<br />
As I said earlier, Deborah’s story would not<br />
mean much to me if I couldn’t find a way<br />
to apply her teachings to my life practically.<br />
Many truths have been unfolded to me,<br />
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and I trust to you, too. What rings true to me<br />
is that we are never a finished work. We are<br />
indeed always a work in progress. Given the<br />
many issues facing our culture today, there<br />
has never been a more opportune time for<br />
the Deborahs of today to arise and take our<br />
places in our world.<br />
The more accepting we are of the Word<br />
of God, the more effective we can be living<br />
our lives. We can have godly influences<br />
in the marketplaces where we operate,<br />
in ministry, and in our families. The more<br />
blessed, healthy, and prosperous we are, the<br />
more we are able to bless others. It’s not an<br />
honor to God to be poor and not be able to<br />
help others. In fact, it honors God when we<br />
are in a position to help others. I don’t know<br />
about you, but I can always use more joy,<br />
peace, prosperity and all the goodness the<br />
Lord has in store for me.<br />
Like Deborah, we are meant to accomplish<br />
awesome and amazing things for<br />
ourselves and each other. What God did for<br />
Deborah and David, He will do for us, if we<br />
only believe. God’s principles, His promises,<br />
have not changed. We are told in the scriptures<br />
according to Jeremiah, to think like<br />
God thinks because: “My thoughts are not<br />
like your thoughts, saith the Lord, because<br />
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as high as the heavens are above the earth<br />
so are God’s thoughts above our thoughts”<br />
(Isaiah 55:8).<br />
Before Deborah went into battle, she was<br />
a judge, dispensing the law to her people.<br />
By the end of our journey with her, she<br />
emerged as a triumphant woman of strength<br />
and inspiration.<br />
I urge you to take seriously the invitation<br />
to boldly take charge of your life, rather than<br />
leave it up to random chance. Own each<br />
aspect of your life in an intentional, loving,<br />
and caring way. Just remember, though the<br />
first step is important, the steps which follow<br />
are just as important. I believe it is called<br />
“a walk of faith” because living by faith is a<br />
never-ending journey. It’s not an event; it is<br />
a long adventure.<br />
Grow Your ”God-seed”<br />
After being wowed by the character and<br />
courage of Deborah, you might be tempted<br />
to wonder, “How does this apply to me,<br />
given that I’m just a layperson, and God<br />
has not called me to do great exploits in<br />
the kingdom?” I beg to differ. God neither<br />
looks well on apathy nor does He reward<br />
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complacency. God has called each one of us<br />
to fulfill a specific task within His kingdom.<br />
God rewards the faith-walker and risk-taker.<br />
In Matthew 25: 14-30, three servants were<br />
left to steward a vineyard. Their master gave<br />
each talents (money, resources), according<br />
to his gifts. One received five talents,<br />
another, two, and the other, one talent. Upon<br />
the master’s return, he had them give an<br />
account of how they had managed (done<br />
business) with their talents. The servant with<br />
ten talents reported that he had doubled<br />
his talents; the servant with the five talents<br />
had done the same. The master was much<br />
pleased with these two and rewarded them<br />
generously, adding, “enter into the joy of<br />
your master.”<br />
The servant with one talent, however,<br />
buried his underground and reported no<br />
increase. In fact, he hadn’t even tried to<br />
invest his talents. He was too afraid to risk it,<br />
too afraid to fail, frozen in fear. He seemed<br />
unwilling to work to increase the master’s<br />
wealth, saying “Master, I knew you to be a<br />
hard man, reaping where you did not sow<br />
and gathering where you scattered no seed.<br />
And I was afraid, and went away and hid<br />
your talent in the ground. See, you have<br />
what is yours” (Matthew 25:24). In fact, he<br />
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might even have been jealous of his master’s<br />
potential increase. The master was very<br />
displeased with the last servant and gave<br />
him a severe rebuke: “You slothful servant,<br />
you should have hired out my money for<br />
usury” (Matthew 25: 27).<br />
Don’t Sit on Your Talents<br />
In other words, don’t just sit on your<br />
talents, use your imagination, work your<br />
talents, be of service and do whatever your<br />
hands find to do. Follow God’s command to:<br />
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”<br />
(Genesis 1 verse 28). Yes, Adam and Eve<br />
were given work to do in order to enjoy<br />
the Garden. I might add, even when you’re<br />
not sure what to do, you can still put your<br />
talents to the best use. Ask for wisdom as<br />
you go forward, and you will be given such<br />
generously.<br />
Jesus’ reaction to each servant tells us a<br />
great deal of how He expects us to handle<br />
our talents and gifts. He expects us to invest<br />
the talents He has given us and increase our<br />
gifts. I believe God wants us to also make<br />
investing in ourselves a priority. The more<br />
we invest in ourselves, the more valuable<br />
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we become to our work, our community, and<br />
by extension, His kingdom. Look around and<br />
see at which marketplace God has called<br />
you to minister.<br />
God calls some to minister from the<br />
pulpit, some He calls to minister outside the<br />
church, in neighborhoods, and others, He<br />
calls to the marketplaces, or on the streets.<br />
This is what Ed Silviso says in his book,<br />
Anointed for Business: “The call to serve<br />
in the marketplace and the call to serve in<br />
traditional religious setting are both valid and<br />
interdependent since they involve ministers<br />
who respond to the same divine calling.” 14<br />
It is sufficient to begin with your family<br />
and even the larger community. Whether<br />
we serve from the pulpit, the mission field<br />
or inside the boardroom, the principles to<br />
spread the gospel, multiply and replenish in<br />
our respective fields are the same. According<br />
to Silvoso, believers in the marketplace who<br />
hold strategic positions in business, education,<br />
and politics need to know they play a vital<br />
role in the establishment of God’s kingdom<br />
on earth.<br />
The Deborah principles, as demonstrated<br />
in this journey, are just as effective today<br />
as they were back then. I believe the most<br />
important messages in the Deborah story can<br />
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be boiled down to six important principles,<br />
which, if taken seriously can transform your<br />
life:<br />
• Speak God’s promises aloud. Victory<br />
is encased in the Word of God.<br />
• Declare God’s promise(s) that relate to<br />
your specific situation.<br />
• Fill your mind with the Word of God.<br />
Your thoughts eventually create your<br />
world.<br />
• Take it on faith: You were born with<br />
the necessary talents to fulfill your<br />
mission.<br />
• Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.<br />
Be ready to obey even by taking the<br />
smallest of steps.<br />
• Keep trusting. Once God has spoken,<br />
expect Him to honor His Word.<br />
And furthermore, “Let no corrupt<br />
communication proceed out of<br />
your mouth.” (Ephesians 4:29).<br />
“If any man speaks, let him<br />
speak the oracles of God.” (1<br />
Peter 4:11)<br />
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Remain Grateful<br />
In her closing scene, we see Deborah’s<br />
expression of her gratitude through the act<br />
of worship. She was very aware that even<br />
the heavens, the stars, and the rivers came<br />
to her rescue. Deborah rejoices for such<br />
a supernatural miracle: “They carried off<br />
no silver, carried off no plunder…from the<br />
heavens, the stars fought…fought against<br />
Sisera…The river Kishon swept them away…<br />
March on my soul, be strong” (Judges 5:<br />
19-21).<br />
It’s been nothing short of amazing how<br />
these teachings have changed my life for<br />
the better. It boiled down to learning what<br />
God says about me, and speaking what<br />
God speaks about me. Deborah spoke deliverance.<br />
Right away, we see that her thinking<br />
was in line with God’s promises. She spoke<br />
words of courage to her people. She prophesied<br />
victory.<br />
When I look back at all God has taught<br />
me throughout this Deborah journey, two<br />
things are especially strong in my spirit. The<br />
first is, “Do not overthink the Word of God.”<br />
In other words, take Him at His Word. The<br />
Word is His power source, His weapon of<br />
warfare, peace, health, and provision, both<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
in the spiritual and natural states of being.<br />
His Word is the way maker. It is that simple,<br />
once we put it to the task.<br />
The second revelation is closely related<br />
to the first, and that is, “Do not overcomplicate<br />
the Word of God.” Yes, I realize as<br />
we study and meditate on the Word, God<br />
will give us deeper and deeper insights. But<br />
as I heard one pastor say, the Word of God<br />
is written so that any layperson can understand<br />
and benefit from it.<br />
Most important of all, think that whatever<br />
God has placed in your spirit, it’s all possible.<br />
It all belongs to you, no matter how grand.<br />
<strong>Think</strong> like Deborah and go get it! <strong>Think</strong> of<br />
how many people you’ll be able to help<br />
along the way.<br />
Today, I invite you to decide to apply<br />
the Deborah approach to areas of your<br />
life that are challenging. Dedicate yourself<br />
to living the Deborah principles. Step up,<br />
start speaking as God speaks, declare and<br />
obey the Word of God and watch Him allow<br />
supernatural miracles to invade your life.<br />
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Keep Walking!<br />
The desire of the righteous shall be<br />
granted” (Prov. 10:24).<br />
As we said before, there’s a good reason<br />
believers use the phrase, “walk of faith”<br />
because, after the first step, there must be<br />
many, many more steps if you seriously<br />
intend to possess the promise. But keep<br />
heart, and take the long view. Deborah had<br />
to take every trek of faith with Barak and his<br />
weak army up to Mount Tabor. No doubt, it<br />
was a struggle with rough terrain, obstacles,<br />
and troublesome times, but she had made up<br />
her mind to keep walking until she reached<br />
her God-ordained destination.<br />
On your journey, ask God for a new<br />
mindset, a new perspective of the challenges<br />
before you. Ask Him for wisdom, ponder<br />
on His promises, take Him at His Word,<br />
and according to the prompting of the Holy<br />
Spirit, believe Him whole-heartedly. Then,<br />
ACT when prompted by His Spirit.<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
Prayer to Accept God’s Promises<br />
May we never take God’s<br />
Promises for granted. May<br />
they send roots deep in our<br />
souls. May Your words bear<br />
us fruit such as is uncommon<br />
To our natural understanding.<br />
May Your promises bring us<br />
fresh revelation, wisdom, and<br />
understanding daily; May Your<br />
Presence be with us always!<br />
The story of Deborah blesses us with a<br />
simple yet profound prayer. And as I take<br />
leave of this journey with you for now, may<br />
her invitation to rise to your greatest self be<br />
fulfilled in your life.<br />
“May those who love you Lord<br />
be like the rising of the sun<br />
when it rises in its power.”<br />
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About the Author<br />
After a successful career in corporate<br />
management, Nikki Chaplin has turned<br />
her insights and expertise into leadership<br />
and writing. She has a passion for helping<br />
women leap into bolder, braver versions of<br />
their innate selves and stand for a positive<br />
difference in their own unique sphere of<br />
influence.<br />
Nikki Chaplin is a certified coach, speaker,<br />
entrepreneur, and author of Dare to Live<br />
Your Dreams, foreword written by renowned<br />
motivational coach, Les Brown. She holds<br />
a B.A in Economics from the University of<br />
Western Ontario, Canada and an M.B.A.<br />
from Florida International University.<br />
Twitter: Nikki_Chaplin1<br />
Facebook: NikkiChaplin1<br />
Instagram: NikkiChaplin1<br />
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References<br />
1. Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda,<br />
“Women of the Bible,” (Zondervan<br />
Publishers, 2015).<br />
2. Dr. Seuss, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,”<br />
(Random House, 1990).<br />
3. Marianne Williamson, “A Return to<br />
Love: Reflections on the Principles<br />
of A Course in Miracles,” (New York:<br />
Harper Collins, 1992).<br />
4. John R. Van Gelderen, “The Faith<br />
Response,” (CLC Publications, 2011), 7.<br />
5. Mark Batterson, “The Circle Maker,”<br />
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan<br />
Publishers, 2011), 15.<br />
6. Bruce Wilkinson, “Secrets of the Vine,”<br />
(Multnomah Publishers, 2001)<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
7. Mark Batterson, “The Circle Maker,”<br />
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan<br />
Publishers), 74.<br />
8. J. Packer, “Knowing God,” (Downers<br />
Grove, IL: IV Press, 1993), 30<br />
9. Bill Johnson, “Hosting His Presence,”<br />
(Shippensburgh, PA: Destiny Image<br />
Publishers), 143<br />
10. David Herzog, David, “In the Glory,”<br />
(Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image<br />
Publishers), 118<br />
11. David Herzog, David, “In the Glory,”<br />
(Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image<br />
Publishers), 118<br />
12. Rachel Hickson, “Little Keys Open<br />
Big Doors,” (Grand Rapids, Michigan:<br />
Chosen Books, 2007), 76.<br />
13. Aaron Fruh, “The Decree of Esther,”<br />
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Chosen<br />
Books, 1958), 44.<br />
14. Ed Silvoso, “Anointed for Business,”<br />
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Chosen<br />
Books, 200), 19.<br />
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Exploring the Deborah Mindset<br />
Additional References<br />
Finis Jennings Dake, “Dakes Annotated<br />
Reference Bible,” (1991).<br />
Ashley English, “Keeping Bees,” (New York:<br />
Lark Crafts, 2011).<br />
Dani Johnson, “First Steps to Wealth,” (Call<br />
to Freedom Publishers, 2011).<br />
Dennis Waitley, Being the Best (New York:<br />
Pocket Books, 1982).<br />
Mark Sanborn Mark, “You Don’t Need a Title<br />
to be A Leader,” (New York: Doubleday,<br />
2006).<br />
James Strong, “Strong’s Concordance,” 2010.<br />
Sue Monk Kidd, “When the Heart Waits,”<br />
(New York: Harper San, 1999).<br />
Eddie Russell, Catholic Evangelist “It’s Faith,<br />
But Not as We Know It.” (Australia: FMI<br />
Books).<br />
http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/<br />
Dabar<br />
https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/<br />
peace/laureates/2014/yousafzai-bio<br />
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<strong>Think</strong> Like Deborah<br />
All scripture quotations unless otherwise<br />
indicated are taken from The King James<br />
Bible, The Amplified Bible and The New<br />
International Version (NIV). All emphasis<br />
within quoted scriptures are the author’s own.<br />
Certain pronouns and references to God, The<br />
Father, The Holy Spirit, The Son and The<br />
Word have been chosen to be capitalized<br />
and may differ from some publishers’ style.<br />
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