Let's continue now with Part II of our message on "Hannah A Woman Of Prayer And Faith". Our main scripture text is found in I Samuel 1:4-10.
Verse 4: When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters portions (of the sacrificial meat).
Verse 5: But to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had given her no children.
Verse 6: This embarrassed and grieved Hannah and her rival provoked her greatly to vex her, because the Lord had left her childless.
Verse 7: And it happened year after year as often as she went upon to the House of the Lord, she (Peninnah) would provoke her, so she wept and would not eat.
When a person intentionally sets out to "provoke" someone; what are they trying to do?
If we look up the word "provoke" this is what it means: To make somebody angry or indignant, to stir them up intentionally to the point so they incite an emotional response.
And when you "vex" someone what you are doing is: purposely annoying them to the point of them getting upset and become anxious and distressed.
So how did Hannah respond to all of the provoking and vexation from Penninnah?
1. Hannah may have been embarrassed, grieved and felt like her heart was going to break because of Peninnah's words, but Hannah didn't let the negative words change her mind nor stop her from trusting in the Lord.
2. She could have let all of the rejection, hurt, suffering and humiliation harden her heart towards God and her husband, but she didn't.
3. Hannah's faith in her God did not waver because of her circumstances.
4. Hannah had to make a decision and that was that she could choose to stay in despair and hopelessness or she could press into God with all of her heart, soul and faith.
Now let's go to verse 9 and find out what Hannah decision was:
2. She could have let all of the rejection, hurt, suffering and humiliation harden her heart towards God and her husband, but she didn't.
3. Hannah's faith in her God did not waver because of her circumstances.
4. Hannah had to make a decision and that was that she could choose to stay in despair and hopelessness or she could press into God with all of her heart, soul and faith.
Now let's go to verse 9 and find out what Hannah decision was:
Verse 9: So Hannah rose after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside a post of the temple (tent) of the Lord.
At that moment in time, Hannah had reached her end and had suffered enough. She knew it was up to her to do something about her situation. This decision would be a decision that would affect destiny and purpose for her and the son that God had predestined to be born into this world.
And verse 10 goes on to say:
Verse 10: And (Hannah) was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.
And even though Hannah was desperate for a child, she stood as a woman of faith and a woman who trusted her God, a God that would hear and answer her prayer.
This was the beginning of the breakthrough she so desperately needed and so she rose above her circumstances and sought God with tears of desperation.
How many of us have prayed a passionate prayer like Hannah prayed that day? When you are passionate about something or someone you express intense and overpowering emotion and desire. This kind of prayer becomes a prayer of desperation and this kind of prayer touches God's heart.
When we become desperate in our circumstances or in a situation we can feel frantic, hopeless, despondent, inconsolable, depressed, and oppressed. So when we are in desperate times they call for desperate actions and desperate prayers. By this time in Hannah's life she was desperate and this time man could not give her what her heart so desired and she knew that her answer could only come from God.
Let me ask you a question: Are you desperate for an answer from God? Do you have a Peninnah in your life that tries to discourage you, put you down, oppress you and make you feel worthless? Believe me the enemy will use anyone and everything to try and stop your destiny and purpose from coming into focus. But it's up to you to step out of complacency and feeling sorry for yourself and step into action. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and transparent before the Lord and rent your heart and not your garment. Pour out your soul to the God who answers prayer....Yes, He is the only one who can work in the realm of the impossible......Yes, He is the only one that can create something out of nothing.......Yes, He is the only one who can bring life back in that that was once dead......Yes, He is the only one that can restore what was lost and bless you with double.
A word from the Lord
My children, my desperate ones. I am getting ready to bring back those that have been lost. Lost in their sin, lost in their despair, lost in their addiction and hopelessness. I am the good shepherd and I know my own, and My own know Me. Didn't I say that If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? I have been searching for those that have gone stray and have found them and will bring them back. For this is My time and My season for the prodigal sons and daughters to come back. I will bring them in from the highways and the by ways of this world and transform them just like I transformed Paul and they will have life changing, earth shaking experiences with Me because they have been called and destinies time is now. For the darkness that has followed them and the blindness that has covered them shall be dispelled. Deliverance, salvation and transformation are the keys that will unlock and open up the doors to life for I am taking them out of the grave and speaking life into them....they shall live and not die so they can proclaim the glory of the Lord and My kingdom shall be established in their hearts. Be encouraged and begin to decree and declare their liberty, and their freedom, for when you do, your faith rises and it touches My heart..because without faith it is impossible to please Me; for he that comes to Me must believe that I Am, and the I Am a rewarder of then who diligently seek Me says the Spirit of the Lord.
Next week Part III - Hannah's prayer
Blessings,
Elma Garlock
At that moment in time, Hannah had reached her end and had suffered enough. She knew it was up to her to do something about her situation. This decision would be a decision that would affect destiny and purpose for her and the son that God had predestined to be born into this world.
And verse 10 goes on to say:
Verse 10: And (Hannah) was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.
And even though Hannah was desperate for a child, she stood as a woman of faith and a woman who trusted her God, a God that would hear and answer her prayer.
This was the beginning of the breakthrough she so desperately needed and so she rose above her circumstances and sought God with tears of desperation.
How many of us have prayed a passionate prayer like Hannah prayed that day? When you are passionate about something or someone you express intense and overpowering emotion and desire. This kind of prayer becomes a prayer of desperation and this kind of prayer touches God's heart.
When we become desperate in our circumstances or in a situation we can feel frantic, hopeless, despondent, inconsolable, depressed, and oppressed. So when we are in desperate times they call for desperate actions and desperate prayers. By this time in Hannah's life she was desperate and this time man could not give her what her heart so desired and she knew that her answer could only come from God.
Let me ask you a question: Are you desperate for an answer from God? Do you have a Peninnah in your life that tries to discourage you, put you down, oppress you and make you feel worthless? Believe me the enemy will use anyone and everything to try and stop your destiny and purpose from coming into focus. But it's up to you to step out of complacency and feeling sorry for yourself and step into action. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and transparent before the Lord and rent your heart and not your garment. Pour out your soul to the God who answers prayer....Yes, He is the only one who can work in the realm of the impossible......Yes, He is the only one that can create something out of nothing.......Yes, He is the only one who can bring life back in that that was once dead......Yes, He is the only one that can restore what was lost and bless you with double.
A word from the Lord
My children, my desperate ones. I am getting ready to bring back those that have been lost. Lost in their sin, lost in their despair, lost in their addiction and hopelessness. I am the good shepherd and I know my own, and My own know Me. Didn't I say that If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? I have been searching for those that have gone stray and have found them and will bring them back. For this is My time and My season for the prodigal sons and daughters to come back. I will bring them in from the highways and the by ways of this world and transform them just like I transformed Paul and they will have life changing, earth shaking experiences with Me because they have been called and destinies time is now. For the darkness that has followed them and the blindness that has covered them shall be dispelled. Deliverance, salvation and transformation are the keys that will unlock and open up the doors to life for I am taking them out of the grave and speaking life into them....they shall live and not die so they can proclaim the glory of the Lord and My kingdom shall be established in their hearts. Be encouraged and begin to decree and declare their liberty, and their freedom, for when you do, your faith rises and it touches My heart..because without faith it is impossible to please Me; for he that comes to Me must believe that I Am, and the I Am a rewarder of then who diligently seek Me says the Spirit of the Lord.
Next week Part III - Hannah's prayer
Blessings,
Elma Garlock
No comments:
Post a Comment