In Judges 4, we see Deborah, who was governing the people of Israel at the time, sitting under the palm tree at Bethel (the house of the Lord).

‘Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.” Judges 5:4-10

The story continues and Barak, the army of Israel and Deborah go to war. As Sisera and his army are driven back, another woman, Jael, is used by the Lord to kill the commander Sisera. The evil king Jabin and his army is driven out until they are destroyed by the Israelites. That day Israel is delivered. 

In the next chapter, Chapter 5, Deborah sings a song of victory and thanks to the Lord. She makes this statement in verse 7, ‘Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.’

I believe, like Deborah, the Lord is calling forth the mothers to get up and sing over their nation — to lift their voices in prayer and roar over the plans of the enemy that would seek to rob and destroy the destinies of individuals and, in doing so, nations.

Before every move of God, there has always been a move of prayer. This can be traced historically. However, the Jesus People Movement cannot be traced back to a particular prayer movement. When this was investigated, the Lord revealed that the movement of prayer that ushered in the Jesus People movement, was the mothers and grandmothers praying in their homes. They refused to see their children lost to an anti-God cultural revolution of the time that was sweeping the nation.

I believe we’re in the same season of time where the enemy is trying to come and rob this generation of their identity through an anti-God ideology. God is raising up mothers and grandmothers again, in their homes, to roar over the sons and daughters in prayer. These are the ones who refuse to see a generation lost to a spirit of perversion and confusion while we are on the precipice of the greatest move of God the world has seen. It is, it has to be, and it will be established in prayer.

The Lord says to you, ‘Deborah, it is time to sing your song. It is time to raise your voice and refuse to bow down to fear. Refuse to bow down to the opinions of man or popular culture. Who will fight for, in prayer, the destiny of my children and in turn, the destiny of nations?! Have I not called you! You were born for this!’

Just like in verse 7 of chapter 5, as you lift your voice in prayer, as you rise up, others will do the same. The army will be mobilised to go into battle. The enemy is so afraid of this generation because He knows they are called to usher in the greatest harvest the world has ever known!

Be encouraged — it’s out of the glory! As we ascend the hill of the Lord, with clean hands and a pure heart, as one body, in unity, as mothers throughout the nations, He is going to come through us, the ancient gateways of glory for the mighty harvest and to see the answers to our prayers (Ps. 24).

The tide can still turn. It’s not too late. Don’t be discouraged by what you see, or tempted to expect that this is just the way things are. No, prayer changes things! Only believe and refuse to move!

‘Deborah, sing your song!’ says the Lord.

P.S. I also sense that the Lord is re-establishing the family altar in our homes. Where in the past, we’ve abdicated our role as teachers and trainers in the things of God, the Holy Spirit is bringing us back to the simplicity of the family loving God together. Teaching our children from the Word and being intentional to disciple them into all truth. I sense that we cannot be careless in this.