Rejuvenation
Hannah And Her Defiant Prayer

"There is no Rock like our God"

Sunday May 14, 2023 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui

1 Samuel 1-2

The Message

In this message, I aim to encourage you to pray with confidence, knowing that your enemies hold no authority over the answers to your prayers. It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit does not support or endorse the words spoken by the enemy. Additionally, I will provide guidance on how to pray with a focus on the desired outcome, keeping the end goal in mind.

Prayer With An End Goal: Give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life. Desired Outcome: The child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.

I. Introduction (I Samuel 1)

• A. Elkanah's family background and situation (vv. 1-7)

And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat. -1 Samuel 1:6-7

"There was a certain man": At this crucial moment and location, God initiated His plan as He typically does - by selecting an individual He intends to utilize. God always finds a certain man and works through him.

II. Hannah's Prayer And Vow

• A. Hannah's distress and prayer in anguish (vv. 8-16)
• B. Eli's Response and Blessing (v. 17)
• C. Hannah's changed demeanor and renewed hope (v. 18)

  And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. -1 Samuel 1:18

  1. Hannah embraced this faith when receiving the promise. Faith is an essential component for inheriting the promises of God. (Hebrews 6:12)
  2. Hannah's example illustrates the path to restoring joy in the house of the LORD: pouring out one's heart before Him and embracing His word with unwavering faith.

III. Samuel's Birth and Dedication

• A. Hannah's conception and the birth of Samuel (vv. 19-20)
• B. Hannah's decision to delay Samuel's dedication (vv. 21-23)
• C. Samuel presented to Eli at the house of the Lord (vv. 24-28)

  So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the Lord." -1 Samuel 1:20

  1. Hannah's prayers were not answered right away.
  2. Hannah's genuine worship of the LORD in faith, even before the promise was fulfilled, serves as a glorious example of unwavering faith.
  3. God remembers.
  4. Worship is a recurring trait within this family (1 Samuel 1:3,19,28); they continued to worship the LORD even in challenging circumstances. Offering praise to God, even when facing difficult situations such as giving away their own child, is a pleasing sacrifice of praise, as instructed in Hebrews 13:15-16.

IV. Hannah's Prayer of Praise (I Samuel 2)

• A. Hannah's joyful and defiant prayer (vv. 1-10)

  "My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God...For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces..." -1 Samuel 2:1-2,9b-10a

God's power is employed to bring about justice. Merely acknowledging God's power is insufficient; we must also trust that He will utilize it for His glory and righteousness.

V. End Goal

• A. Samuel's Ministry and Service to the Lord (v. 11)

  "Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest." -2 Samuel 2:11

  1. Children have the capacity to serve and minister to God in meaningful ways.
  2. Engaging in worship can be a transformative experience for young people, leading to breakthroughs in their relationship with the Lord.
  3. By praising and pleasing God, children can actively participate in their spiritual journey and cultivate a deeper connection with Him.

Takeaway

Start with the end goal in mind. When you pray, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your ultimate goals. By keeping the end result in focus, you can align your prayers with your desired outcomes and bring them to the Lord.

• I. Define Your Goals: Clearly define your goal. What is it that you want to achieve?
• II. Evaluate Your Motive: Evaluate the motive of your prayer and its alignment with God's will.
• III. Build Strategic Partnerships: Identify potential strategic partners who can pray with you to achieve your end goal.
• IV. Believe: Integrate your faith into your strategic prayer.
• V. Celebrate Success: Once you achieve your end goal, celebrate your success and GIVE Glory to God. Take time to reflect on the journey and lessons learned.