God's Call to Overcome

In a recent sermon, we explored the fascinating account from Judges 4-5, a narrative centered around God's people and their battles. But the core message wasn't so much about the physical war, as it was about the spiritual battles we face in life and God's call to conquer them.

The story isn't about Deborah as you might think. It's actually about Barak, whom God invites to step up as a warrior. Here’s the shocker: God doesn’t need us to fight His battles! Yet, He graciously invites us into His grand narrative to teach us strength, courage, and faith. He sees the warrior potential in us and calls us to step into it.

In this narrative, Barak, unfortunately, refused God's invitation. He missed his chance to become the warrior God intended him to be. But as we know, God’s plans are never thwarted by human hesitance. So, He chose another - Jael - to be the unlikely hero.

Here’s the takeaway: Daunting obstacles are divine opportunities to create daring overcomers.

You see, God uses obstacles to shape us into overcomers. No obstacle, no overcoming. It’s that simple. And while we might see these obstacles as nuisances or roadblocks, God views them as stepping stones for us to rise above our circumstances and grow stronger in faith.

You may feel God is calling you to something daunting, something that feels beyond your current capabilities, connections, or cash flow. But, understand this: God doesn't call us based on our capacity, but His. If He calls you to it, He will carry you through it.

God's purpose is not to stress you out, but to stretch you, pulling you out of your comfort zone into a realm where His intervention is necessary for your success. It's not that He needs us. He wants to build us up, and with each level He takes us to, there will be new struggles to navigate. But with those struggles come divine triumphs.

God's gracious call also comes with a warning. If you shy away from His calling, He can and will use someone else in your stead. However, never forget that God is a merciful deity, abounding in lovingkindness. Even when we falter, His grace is available for us to continue in our pursuit of His promise.

Remember Jael, who seized the divine opportunity, and God honored her. Or consider Barak, who, despite his initial hesitation, pursued God's promise to the end. His faith, though small, did not go unnoticed.

If you haven’t fully acted on God's last directive to you, be like Jael. See that challenge or command as an opportunity for God to manifest Himself. Be like Deborah, boldly displaying your faith for all to see. And if you've faltered, be like Barak. Pursue God’s promise relentlessly, for as long as you have breath, you have a divine purpose to fulfill.

So, embrace your divine opportunities. Confront your daunting obstacles. They are stepping stones to becoming daring overcomers. No matter what, keep your faith strong and vibrant. Show it, share it, live it. Today is always a good day to believe God and walk in purpose!

- Adapted from the sermon preached at WLCC on 7/16/23.