Focus: Winning Heart

Text: Judg.5:21

"O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength."

Deborah was in high spirits as she praised the Lord for the victory over their enemy. In her song of praise she reveals a secret that we all need for life's battles and pursuits. She says, "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength." This Scripture has been differently translated, but they make the same sense. 

Here are a few: 

"My soul shall tread upon power!"

"My mighty soul will trample him down." "I will march on and be brave." "Tread down, my soul, upon the strong ones." "You tread down strength, O my soul!" "Step on the necks of the strong!"

"Thou dost tread down strength, O my soul!"

These translations reveal one fact, and that is, that success or victory is first achieved in the heart. We win from the heart. 

It is with strength of heart that we can prevail over the enemy. It takes courage of heart and determination of mind to surmount all external forces, to succeed, and even to excel in any ventures.

This life is not for the fainthearted. Israel took over Jericho because the men of Jericho lost their courage. Rehab said to the spies, "And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did MELT, neither did there remain any more COURAGE in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath" (Josh.2:11).

The children of Israel did not believe that they could defeat the people of Canaan and possess the promise land, because the ten spies took their heart away. The people said to Moses, "Whither shall we go up? our brethren have DISCOURAGED our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there" (Dt.1:28).

To win battles, Moses said to the children of Israel, "And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is FEARFUL and FAINTHEARTED let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart FAINT as well as his HEART" (Dt.20:8).

Every time God chooses someone to accomplish something out of the ordinary, He always tells him or her to be strong and courageous. One of the words in Hebrew for courage is lêbâb, and it basically means 'heart.' Strong or courageous heart is required to be winners and successes in this life.

Moses tells us about the reactions of the faithless and fainthearted. He says, "In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see" (Dt.28:67). 

Disobedience to God's laws puts a person in the state of fear, doubt and despair. It attracts curses instead of blessings.

Deborah was not a person of fear and doubt. She had a great heart and stood up to be counted in a time of war. She fought and won for Israel with the help of God. With a strength of heart she plundered the powers that be and triumphed over the enemy. She trampled on power and devastated the camp of the enemy.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says to the seventy disciples, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk.10:19). The same way Deborah trampled on the strength of the enemy, the believer in Christ is required to tread on Satan and thwart his evil plots. The power of Satan must bow to the authority of God's word in your spirit.

In your soul and spirit you will be able to tread on serpents and scorpions, and exercise power over all the power of the enemy. We have the Lord's assurance that absolutely nothing shall by any means hurt our lives, and indeed nothing shall be able 'to sting our spirit, poison it, or paralyze it.'

We have the authority of Christ to trample upon the ability of Satan and his cohorts.

God has given you a winning heart; win with it! Conquer with your heart and from there! Take out fear and bury discouragement! You are a winner! You have the Lord's assurance and assistance. By God, Deborah prevailed, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will also overcome. Leave no room for heart failure!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter