“But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them” (Judges 3:15). The Lord raised up deliverers then, and He is doing it now.

There is a repeated cycle in the book of Judges: sin, bondage, crying out to God, and then a judge raised up who brought deliverance and peace. There were 12 judges mentioned in Judges: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. They were the deliverers God supernaturally enabled. Deborah, Gideon, and Samson are the most famous of these. 

One of the most extraordinary prayer verses in the Bible is 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” When God heals a land, He does not do so apart from us. He raises up “deliverers” to transform the spiritual atmosphere of individuals, families, cities, and nations. 

Imagine yourself in a prayer meeting with a group of people, including Jesus. Now envision Jesus raising His hand and saying He had a prayer request. Would we be keenly interested in what He was asking? Of course. Well in essence Jesus has already done this in the following passage.

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-39). God’s answer to human need is a person He sends and empowers. He needs laborers to accomplish His will. He says our prayers will cause them to be raised up. 

And what will these laborers and deliverers do? Here is one example: “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4). Repairing and rebuilding ruined cities is not just about roads, buildings, and infrastructure, but it is more importantly about strengthening lives, families, and the quality of leadership in a city.

Who are the types of people God sends into His harvest to rebuild and deliver? The first few verses in Isaiah 61 gives us insight. The following types of people were touched by His anointing and became the rebuilders mentioned in verse four:

• Those who were poor 
• Those who were brokenhearted
• Those who were captive
• Those who were bound
• Those who were mourning
• Those who were experiencing a spirit of heaviness

Before God started raising them up, these might have believed they would never come out of difficulties, bondage, and lack. If you are experiencing any of these now (or have experienced these), then you are positioned for a massive increase in influence in this hour. 

“But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them.”

As we close, make these declarations:

• God is raising up a multitude of deliverers in my nation
• I am a key person being raised up now to heal my nation
• Our prayers for our nation are powerful and effective