The Surprising Reward of Barak- Part 2

In this powerful word, Pastor Kim uncovers a reward many people overlook and how obedience can lead to outcomes you never expected.

🔥 What if what looks delayed is actually being prepared?

This message will challenge how you see faith, timing, and the value of saying yes to God.

This isn’t just a sermon it’s a revelation that obedience carries reward.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Thank you for tuning in to Pursue Him Podcast. We are committed to serve you with the now word of God that will inspire and encourage you to be a God chaser. Help us reach out to many by subscribing, sharing, and leaving a review for us on your favorite listening app. This is Sam, your host, and this is an excerpt from our recent word ministered by Pastor Kim. Let's dive in.

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So, did you learn how using different principles and by following instruction you can get into God's timeline? You can cause. Instead of waiting for time to come, there are some people who are waiting. There are some who are causing, you know, they are not waiting for time to come, they are rushing themselves and getting into that God encounter prone area. How? Simply by following instruction. Now this person, his name is Barak. So last time we heard about David. So we picked up from David's story, Aruna. Last time you heard about Deborah, right? Deborah and Jael and how God used these mighty women to cause victory to come to Israel. There's one character mentioned there, which Dad briefly touched last time. Okay, so we are going to go back to that character. His name is Barak. So now we're going to talk about Barak, okay? And just to give you a background, this was a time where the Israelites were under oppression. This is before they reached a promise. This is another story, okay? So forget David Aruna. We are jumping into another story. And the Israelites were in oppression, and Canaanites were the ones who were torturing them. There was no king at that time. And the oppression was so bad that there were no people walking on the roads. See, this is talked about by Deborah and Barak in the form of a song. After they won the victory, there's a song that they sing that is recorded in the book of Judges, chapter 5, verse 6 onwards. This was the situation there.

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Judges 5, verse 6. In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, and travelers walked along the byways.

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Okay. Did you read that? This is the situation in Israel. How many of you have seen Sholeh? Shamgar, Ramgar, Pura Sanata. People are laughing. So people were in fear, right? Shamgar. People, or Ramgar, I don't know. People were in fear. There was nobody walking on the road. And this is what the situation was. In the days of Shamgar. The highways were deserted. The travelers walked along the byways. Shortcut lake jare. Because the Canaanites were very oppressive. They would just come and attack the people of God. And what happened in verse 7?

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Villages ceased. Village life ceased. It ceased in Israel until I, Deborah, arose. Arose a mother in Israel.

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People were as good as dead. You couldn't even breathe freely because such severe was the oppression upon them. And in that season, God raised a prophetess by the name Deborah. She was the first military leader mentioned in the Bible. There was a prophetess before her, that was Miriam, Moses' sister. But this woman was the first judge. She's the first military leader and judge that God chose. So this was the situation there. And uh now read Judges 4 verse 6.

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Judges 4 verse 6. Then she sent and called for Barak, the son of Abinoam from Kut Kadesh in Neftali, and said to him, Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor, take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Nephtali and the sons of Zebulun, and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitudes, multitude at the river Kishon, and I will deliver him into your hand.

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Amen. We read about this last time, right? At this time, she Deborah was the one God raised, and she calls on Barak, and she the first time Barak is mentioned in the Bible, it's in the form of a reprimand. This prophetess is upset, and she's telling Barak, has not the Lord God of Israel commanded Tiko Bola na yea parmeshone ja or jake laraikar, the son of Abiyom from Kadesh in Naphtali. Naphtali means wrestling. Okay, wrestling. So imagine this scenario now. It is such a dangerous situation. Nobody is willing to fight because they are terrorized by the enemy. People are not even walking on the roads. Forget fighting. And if you read another verse, verse number eight in that Judges 5 chapter.

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Judges 5 verse 8. They chose new gods, then there was war in the gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel.

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The Israelites they didn't have any weapons. So already they are filled with fear against an enemy that is very oppressive, very merciless, and at that time they don't have any weapons with them. Yet there was a woman of God that is correcting Barak and telling, did not God tell you? Hallelujah. What is Deborah trying to do? Deborah is trying to cause Barak to be pushed into God's timeline. So even in the correction that comes from your man or woman of God, what is happening? It's not because they don't love you, they are pushing you into God's timeline. Because God will always raise up men and women of God who will come to you and tell you, hey, this is what you're called to do. Pick it up. Pick it up. This is what you are called to do. Barak. This is what you are called to do. Don't look at the resources that are not available to you. Don't look at the fears of others, or don't even look at the fears that you have been carrying from your past. But pick it up. That's instruction in the form of a correction that comes to push you into God's timeline. And I believe God was already speaking to Barak. Remember Barak from Naphtali wrestling? She's not telling Barak, Barak, this is what God is telling you to do. She calls him and said, has not God told you? So God was already speaking to Barak. God was already speaking to Barak. And that's how it should be for you. As much as your man or woman of God are placed to be your timeline, your dependence should not be on them. It should never be on any man. Your dependence has to be your hearing the voice of God. And God doesn't speak to your ears, God will always speak to your spirit. It will not be something audible, it will be a conviction that you will carry in your heart. And that's when real faith begins to leap. When you come carrying a conviction in your heart because of your encounters with God, and then your man or woman of God says, Has not God told you? Boom. That's hearing and hearing, you hearing from God and hearing. And what comes? Faith. That is exactly how it should always be. In your initial stages of your work with God, maybe you are leaning on your man or woman of God or some brother or sister, but it should not continue for long. Otherwise, you will be very offended. Otherwise, you'll hear your man or woman of God say something, you will just pick it up and say, I did it, and I don't see the result, and you'll be filled with offense and confusion. But the cycle of faith has to begin with you hearing, you receiving from God. Barak has not God told you, has not God told you, and then you are summoned, and then somebody is speaking that over your life. Always strive to go via this route. Then the enemy can never take advantage of you. So don't seek for answers from your man of God. That's that's good, okay? God speaks. God speaks through the word. But you need to confirm, you need to come to church carrying a word already in your heart. Don't come to church empty. Come carrying something in your heart. And what does Barak say? How did Barak respond?

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Verse 8. And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go with, and I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.

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Oops. So Barak is saying to Deborah, if you go, only then I will go. You need to understand. Did you understand the situation? What was there? First of all, they don't have any weapons. And if you read certain scriptures, okay, in the entire Israeli group, there were certain tribes who refused to go with Barak and Deborah. This is written afterwards. Okay. This is uh read from verse 14, Judges 5. These were some tribes who agreed to go. This is verse number 14.

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From from Ephraim were those were who were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin with your people, from Makir, rulers came down, and from Zebulin, those who bear the recruiter's staff.

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This is so beautiful. There's a word of faith that has come. There are certain people who are aligning themselves to that word. They are coming from different backgrounds who bear recruiter's staff. Some rulers came down from Benjamin, some people came. Then verse 15.

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And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As Issachar, so was Barak, sent into the valley under his command.

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So these people they came and they joined. But there were some tribes who didn't come. So the Bible talks about them.

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Among the divisions of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart.

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Great resolves of heart means great tussling happened in the heart. To go not to go.

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Yeah, verse 16. Why did you sit among the sheep folds to hear the pipings of the flock?

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So some chose to sit with the sheep. They're saying, We are not coming, boss, you go.

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Then the divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, and why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at seashore and stayed by his inlets.

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So do you see what is happening? There are some people who are saying, We are very busy. We are on the ships, we are busy, we have jobs, we have this work to do, this project to do, we cannot make it. And verse 18. Yet there were some tribes who didn't even care about their lives. From this tribe was Barak, Naftali. On the heights of the battlefield, they they they although everything was against them, they didn't have any weapons. And remember last time we heard Cisera and his army, they had 900 chariots of iron. So you are going against this army. But there were some people who stood by Deborah. They are this is the first time they are hearing a woman speak. And they could have easily overlooked her. We have never heard some woman, you know, come and give us a military assignment. These guys were from military. And Zebulun and Naphtali, they they didn't care about their lives, they didn't care about their personal agenda. They said, We are going to fight under Barak and Deborah. And you know what happened in the fight? Later on, you know what happens. Like Cisera goes and Jael is the one who kills. But this is what happened when they took this step of faith. Deborah, Barak, and these tribes, when they took this step of faith, what happened?

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Verse 19. The kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought in Tanakh by the waters of Megido. They took no spoils of silver, they fought from the heavens.

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They fought from the heavens. So when they took this step of faith, God began to fight. Amen. God fought from the heavens.

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Then the stars from their courses fought against stars fought against Cesera. The torrent of Kishon swept them away.

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So there was water there. Suddenly God caused a torrent to come and the enemy was flooded away.

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That ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon, oh my soul, march on its strength.

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Oh my soul, march in strength. Hallelujah. This is what happened when somebody took that step of faith. And that's why Judges Phi, which is the song of Deborah and Barak, starts with this verse, verse 1 and 2, Judges 5.

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Then Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, sang on that day, saying, When leaders led in Israel, when people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord.

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Bless the Lord. Why we are blessing the Lord for certain men and women of faith who are leading in Israel and for some people who volunteered. Nobody pushed them. Nobody said that if you don't fight for God's army, it's gonna be not good for you. But these people, some royals, some you know, they didn't even care about their lives, and they joined with this voice. And for them, this is how the song starts. Bless the Lord. But we know how the story ends, right? Did Barak get the glory? Where is that verse where Deborah responds, her response to Barak, when Barak says, I will not go?

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And uh verse 8. And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, then I will go. But if if you will not go with me, I will not go.

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You know this verse, right? Who got the glory? Jael. Jael was the one who killed. And when Barak says to Deborah, I will not go if you don't go with me. Or I'll go only when you go with me. Then what does Deborah say? This is what Deborah declared over him.

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Yes, so she said, I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Ciserah into the hand of a woman. Ouch!

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Did this not happen? Because Barak said, God called Barak to fight, but because Barak said, I want you with me, Deborah said, You will not get the glory. And Jael got the glory, right? Yeah, yeah. How many of you uh go to Hebrews 11? How many of you know the faith chapter? Hebrews 11. This is one of my favorite chapters, okay. Hebrews 11, I want you to read from verse 30 onwards.

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Hebrews 11, verse 30. Loudly by faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith, the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe. And when she had received the spies with peace, and what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barakman, Eichmin, Eichmann.

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Who has come here? Barak is it Jael? Is it Deborah? How did Barak come here? So if he is mentioned in the faith chapter, you need to understand that Barak's response to Deborah was not out of fear. It was not, nay, mommy, if you don't come, I will not go. That was not what he was saying. He was saying that you carry a word. It's okay, you are a woman, it's okay. I am I got more strength, but I'm okay to submit myself to you. Because you carry the word, it's okay you walk in front. His response was not out of fear, his response was out of submission to a voice, otherwise, he would not be in the faith chapter. Can you imagine? Deborah straight told him on his face, if you do this, I will, you know, I want to sit back here. I know the Lord has given victory. But if I come with you, you will get zero glory. Zero glory. And what did Barak say? It's okay if I don't get the stage. It's okay if people don't shout my name. I still want to be submitted to somebody. It's okay, man of God, you know, you may not have so many people under you. It's okay. I have a greater talent, I have a greater anointing, but I choose to submit to that voice. It's okay for me even to hide under a woman. Hide, not hiding behind a woman, hide under the shadow of somebody who may not look so flamboyant, who may not hold maybe a prophet's office. But it's okay. It's okay. As long as you carried the voice, because you were the one who came to me. This is how I identify that this voice was sent to me when nobody saw in me what I have. You God used you to reprimand me. God used you to speak a word and correct me. God use you to squeeze my ears. And I choose to hide behind your shadow. And that's and but Deborah Siya, zero glory. You you have a career before you, boss. You can do so many things. Barak, wake up. You have why do you have to do so many things in in the church? Why do you have to put your hands in into my vision? You'll get nothing out of it. And yet, Barak has an understanding saying, This voice was sent to me. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay if I put my agenda on a back seat, but I want to run with your vision. Barak, you will get nothing out of it. What are you doing? What are you doing, Barak? But this man, because of his obedience to an instruction, do you saw how he got pushed? Imagine he's mentioned in the book of faith with stall words, and there's no mention of Jael. Jael played her part, okay? God used her. She's a mighty woman, no denying to the fact. But when the book of faith was to be written, God said, No, don't put Jael, not even Daborah, put Barak. Put Barak. Hallelujah. Has God spoken to you? Did you learn something new from the life of Arona and from the life of Barak? Can we all stand?

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Hey people of God, we hope this podcast blessed you. If you like what you heard, you can find more of this great content on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and many other apps. Also, we would love to connect with you. Check out our complete basket of resources on pursuehim.net. Remember, keep pursuing Jesus for what you pursue is what you become. Have a blessed day.