Thursday 27 September 2012

Judges 5:12 « Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song!  Arise, Barak!  Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam. »

Deborah is without a doubt one of the greatest heroines mentioned in Holy Scripture. She is the only woman mentioned among the judges in that long period between the death of Joshua and the birth of Samuel the prophet which ultimately brought about the ages of the kings of Israel.  If you look closely at all that Deborah did and said, she operated actually in the prophetic anointing.  Barak was her companion in arms and actually the leader of the armed forces of Israel.

Twice it says, “Wake up.”  No, four times it is said!  “Break out in song!”  Literally that means to compose, declare or rehearse a song. And to Barak it is said, “Arise; take captive your captives.”  Or literally, “Stand up!  And lead away your captives.”

Deborah here represents the prophetic anointing that God desires to pour out on His people.  We must note how the prophetic annointing is tied to intimate worship.  From the early days of the Charismatic renewal and the Latter Rain movment the wind of the Spirit has carried intimate worship into just about every denomination within the Church.

Now, I love the hymns of old; and the revelation of God they communicate.  However, the passionate, emotive and intimate worship that God has released in modern times, draws on the presence of God and releases the prophetic annointing in a way that singing out of a hymnal cannot do.

So we say today to that prophetic anointing in you, “Wake up! Stir yourself! Arouse yourself!  The Lord calls to you; and His people need you today.”

Barak speaks of the apostolic leadership the church so desperately needs in this hour.  There have been various efforts in the past to recognize and release the apostle; and though these were sincere, and usually based on genuine Biblical revelation, it was not yet the season of God.

We believe so strongly that we have entered the greatest season for the Church since its birth.  And in this season the apostle will be restored as have the other gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:11.

And so we declare to the apostolic anointing, “Awaken the heart; arouse yourself from your sleep.  Your hour has come; your day is now!”

We believe so strongly that in this time God is restoring the five-fold team mentioned in Ephesians 4:11.  And much of this work of restoration depends on the revelation and restoration of the apostle and prophet to the church.  So, in this time of prayer and fasting we call forth the restoration of all the gifts of God’s Spirit to the church.

And, dear friend, we speak to you today, and to your heart, saying, “Awaken to the gifts of God in you; awake to His graces and to His abilities.”  This is the hour; now is the time; God is on the move.  You will move with Him.