Rewind — the teaching platform built on your church’s own preaching

The big idea

The posture of your heart will determine the position that you play, so God is looking for faithfulness, not a title.

Deborah shows that God isn't impressed by titles or resumes — He's looking for a heart that stays faithful to Him no matter what everyone else is doing. When that kind of faithfulness is present, God can trust a person with instructions that lead to real victory, whether that person is a man or a woman.

the posture of your heart will determine the position that you play

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

God could care less about Deborah's titles. God could care less about your titles. What God really cares about is what is the posture of your heart? Can I trust you so I can use you

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

A story from life

Preacher Brent shares a story about a dream God used to address his struggle with comparison, interpreted by his wife Shannon

Point 1 of 5

Deborah held rare titles, but Israel had drifted into disobedience before she ever appears on the scene.

Pastor Brent walks through Judges 4:1-3, where Israel does evil again after Ehud's death and is handed over to King Jabin and his commander Sisera for twenty years of oppression. He notes that even God's chosen people can lose their way, and that living in disobedience eventually leads to experiencing God's wrath, not just His mercy.

Point 2 of 5

Deborah is introduced as prophet and judge, uniquely trusted to speak God's truth and weigh community disputes.

From Judges 4:4-7, Pastor Brent highlights that Deborah sat under a palm tree hearing cases and relaying the Lord's commands, and that God chose a woman for this role even though, historically, men have been called and built to lead. He frames this as evidence that God has also anointed some women to lead.

Point 3 of 5

Deborah's twenty years of quiet, unnoticed faithfulness is why God could trust her with instructions that led to victory.

Pastor Brent imagines Deborah's heart posture during Israel's unfaithful years as one that said 'God, my desire is to be faithful to You' regardless of the culture around her. He argues this hidden faithfulness, seen only by God at first and later recognized by the community, is the real qualification behind her titles.

for twenty years before anybody knew her name, she was being faithful

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

Point 4 of 5

Barak's request for Deborah to go into battle with him shows men should not push women into roles God never built them for.

Working through Judges 4:8-10, Pastor Brent points out that Barak asks Deborah, a prophet and judge, to also function as a soldier — something she could do but wasn't ordained to do. He challenges the men in the room to step up as spiritual leaders, mediators, and men of prayer and the Word instead of leaving those roles to the women in their lives.

you and I have to learn how to stop putting women in positions that they can do, but aren't necessarily built or ordained to do

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

Point 5 of 5

God gave Israel victory through Barak's army and then let a woman, Jael, finish the job by killing Sisera.

Pastor Brent narrates Judges 4:11-16 and the account of Jael in verse 21, showing that Barak's 10,000 warriors routed Sisera's forces, but the crowning moment of honor went to another woman. He concludes that whether a man or a woman is used, God still gets the glory when the heart posture is faithfulness.

God's always got a woman in the bullpen that's ready to step up to the plate and hit a home run for the kingdom

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

don't worry about your title. Don't worry about your position. God doesn't care about your resume. He doesn't care about your qualifications

— Pastor Brent Hatchett

Take it into your week

Pastor Brent's charge centers on one question: can God trust the posture of your heart enough to use you, whatever your title?

Application

Examine your heart posture toward God
Ask whether you have decided to be faithful to God no matter what is happening around you or what everyone else is doing, the way Deborah was faithful for twenty unnoticed years.
Live so people can trust your judgment
Pastor Brent asks listeners to live in such a way that others can say 'that man, that woman can be trusted' and has good judgment, as Deborah was trusted by her community.
Men, step into spiritual leadership at home
Fellas are challenged to become the spiritual leader in their homes — initiating prayer with spouse and children and spending more time in God's Word — rather than leaving that role to the women in their lives.
Women, embrace your calling regardless of title
Women are encouraged to recognize they are anointed, appointed, and chosen by God as more than a mom or wife, to be led by the Spirit, and to remember there are people — family, coworkers, community — who need them to walk in that calling.

Keep going

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