TOPIC: HANNAH (PRAYERS)
TEXT : 1 Samuel 1:5
But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
Memory Verse: 1 Samuel 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
FOCUS
Praise the Lord, we are in our series of, every Royal vessel must fight a royal battle. It is so important that we know that, life is not fair to anyone. Hannah was loved by her husband Elkanah but the Lord shut her womb. What a tragedy! Her husband loved her so much but life wasn’t fair to her. The Bible told us that to Hannah he gave a double portion but the Lord had shut her womb. So, the battle is from God!
Does God do wickedness? No. Until you fight your battle, you cannot win your battles. It is time to arise and fight your royal battles but fight strategically. What are the moral lessons from the life of Hannah. Hannah went to her husband not with fight, not with quarrel, bitterness or anger to ask the husband to give her a child. And the husband told her, is he not more than ten sons to her? That is, ten sons and him making them eleven. But the Bible says, Hannah was not comfortable with these words.
So what did she do? She went forth to do something that was strange. She refused to be consoled by the statement of her husband. After she had spoken to Elkanah, she went straight to the temple to prayed Hannah fought her battle with prayers, she went to meet God, the creator of heaven and earth. This is why we must not get angry with God, don’t ever let the devil give you an assignment where you become bitter against your maker. God is good, let’s see how the life of Hannah ended; our God is indeed a faithful God. Royal battles must be fought strategically.
LESSON
1 Samuel 1 : 10 -27 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD…
We are still on the lesson of Hannah how she was barren because the Lord shut her womb. There’s something I love about Hannah, immediately Elkanah said to her; why weepest thou and thou eateth not, am I not more than ten sons to you? The Bible said she rose up and went to Shiloh, straight to the presence of God.
Hannah a woman that the Lord shut her womb, it wasn’t a medical case but directly from Jehovah. I love her strategy, she first of all went to God. You have to do what you know before you go to what you don’t know. Many people are barren today, but will never go to hospital for medical check up that is doing what you know. The second step, she moved ahead, spoke with her husband, she didn’t settle for Penninah’s threat, she didn’t have time. Royal women don’t have time to answer opposition, she moved straight to God.
Even when Eli said why is she drunk at that time of the day, she said she said she is a woman of a sorrowful heart, she’s not drunk. She was still Polite in affliction. There was something she did that I love, she prayed, she backed up her prayer with a vow. When last did you take a vow? Royal battles must be fought with strategies. When last did you back up your prayers with a vow and say oh Lord, if you will give me this ,I will do this and that for you . For Hannah it was a male child. In verse 27, she came back with a male child. Did God have respect? Did he answer her? Yes. Anytime you go to God ,kindly note that, you need to fight your battles strategically. She vowed and she prayed and God bless her with her desire. Its my prayer today and always that may God answer all our heart desires .
PERSONAL CONFESSION
I receive grace to pray like Hannah and strategies to win the battles of my life .
PRAYER FOCUS
Father deliver me from prayerlessness.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Those who don’t pray the enemy preys on them.
Nothing triggers fruitfulness like prayers.
