Judges 5:1-3, "Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:
2 “When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the LORD!
3 “Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel."

When Israel entered the promised land with Joshua, God gave them the victory wherever they went. But we read something very sad. After Joshua had passed away and the leaders of Joshua's time, a new generation arose. This generation did not know the Lord neither the mighty works He had done for their fathers. And they became corrupt and did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Neither did they obey the Lord's voice to utterly destroy the nations in the land of Canaan. As the years went on some of those nations became strong and they started to oppress Israel. But Israel cried to the Lord in their distress and God heard them and rose up this woman Deborah to lead them. And she spoke to Barak that God commands him to take 10000 men from Zebulon and Naphtali and face Sisera and his army which oppress Israel. Barak, realising that God was with her replied, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, then I will not go."

May God help us as a congregation so that each one of us, young and old, might be rooted in Christ Jesus, experience and hold on to the Gospel which those who have gone before us have passed on to us. May the fire of God continue to burn in our lives so that it won't be said that we used to be on fire for God, but we are no longer and have become like the world.

As God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the nations of Canaan, so He commands you to utterly destroy all sins in your life. If you don't the time will come when God will no longer drive out those sins from your life. And those sins will grow up, become strong and be a snare to you, entangle and oppress you.

As children of God we are in a battle. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities in spiritual places. The devil was expelled from heaven. He knew sweet fellowship with God, but was rejected because of pride. When he sees that you have sweet communion with God he is furious and wants to destroy your fellowship with God. He wants to bring separation between you and God. He did that with Adam and Eve and wants to do the same with you.

That is why we must put on the full armour of God as we read in Eph 6. When you are at war you are under discipline. You cannot do as you like, read what you like and go where you like.

As you have received Christ Jesus, you are in Him and He is in you. You must continue in Him. Unless you as the branch remain in the Vine you cannot bear fruit.

If any man is in Christ he is a new creation. The old have passed away and everything has become new. Take off the old and be clothed with the new. But it is heartsore when one sees an old Christian where the old life is still very much alive!

We must be rooted in Christ Jesus.

A tree on a hill faces the elements of nature very strongly. Unless its roots go deep it will be uprooted. But a tree in a forest is protected by the other trees around it and its roots needn't go deep. But we must be like the tree on the hill where we are deeply rooted in Jesus.

As Deborah and Barak sang, "When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the LORD!"; we have leaders on fire for God and taking the lead. But we as God's people must willingly offer ourselves. Then we will be a victorious congregation.

Note also in verse three that he said, "I, even I, will sing to the Lord!". Each one of us must overcome personally and thank God for personal victories.

May the young men and young ladies and the older men and women be rooted in Christ, overcome and sing the victor's song of thanks to the Lord.