The Way to Heavenly Blessings

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” (1 Samuel 1:27).

This small verse summarizes the story of Hanna and Samuel - the Prophet - her son, many years ago. This story carries many important ideas and precious keys that I believe the Lord to be drawing our attention to. It is mentioned in the first chapter of the first book of Samuel, 

This small verse is a summary of Hanna’s greatest life experience with the Lord, a briefing of God’s hand in her life.

Hanna had been steaming with anger and pain for so many years because of her inability to bring children; she had waited and waited so long for a child but with no avail.

Here, though, in this verse she sounds victorious and proud; she seems to have a smile that reflects her joy in a faithful God who acts marvels. The dream has come true; she is holding a real child in her hand after carrying it in her feeble womb for many months. The child has come forth to life challenging reality. His silence declares that a dream and promise have come true.

Hanna is explaining how a miracle came to pass, and how she got Samuel after years of barrenness. She is proclaiming that he is not an ordinary son; he is a gift from God that she has taken from the Lord. She prayed and God granted her what she had asked for. “She named him Samuel, saying, because I asked the Lord for him.” (1Samuel 1:20).

Hanna has discovered access to heavenly treasure, a place where her requests can be fulfilled. She knocked the gates of heaven, raised her voice up to the mighty God and trusted that He shall never put her to shame. In response, God’s hand moved powerfully and the miracle happened. The barren womb was healed and sprang up with life and fertility; an embryo began to move inside her as a testimony that He who promised is faithful. 

My friend, I pray that God may use this article to transform your prayer life and that the Lord may use the events of this story to touch your heart by His Spirit of faith; that your heart and lips may overflow with thankful words. I pray that powerful prayers may sprout out from your heart to God’s throne and that you may see His answers to those prayers in unusual ways.

I do not only want you to adopt prayer but to also believe that these prayers are heard and registered in heaven. As you wait for the Lord, you will see promises accomplished and you will be given what you have been asking for. Let us now meditate on some of this story’s events:

A Teary Need (1 Samuel1: 1-8)

The years went by, year after year, and the son for whom Hanna waited did not come. Although, her husband loved her excessively and gave her a double portion, yet his love did not satisfy her or compensate her inability to have a child. Her rival, on the other hand, ridiculed her for her barrenness. Hanna passed through the valley of weeping, she felt lonely, and no one understood the shame, inferiority and humiliation that surged inside her. It was a shame for a woman to be barren and unfruitful among the people of Israel at that time. 

(1 Samuel1: 10, Luke1: 25).

She became down-hearted, depressed, and kept on crying year after year. She even gave up food and probably preferred solidarity in these struggles. She may have kept asking God “why me Lord?”

Friend, did you go through the valley of weeping? Did you experience bitter feelings similar to those of Hanna? Do you wonder why God is lingering? Why are the voices of mockers raised up against you as you remain unable to answer? Do your tears flow; is your heart poured out? … Fear not for the Sovereign Lord has escape ways from death; He is able to turn death to life, and night to morning. “From the depth of the earth, He will again bring you up. He will increase your honor and comfort you once again”

(Psalm 71: 20-21).

Has the furnace been heated seven times? Do not be disturbed neither let your heart be troubled for salvation is near. Fire will not harm you; it will have no effect on you. Believe that He will be close by to unbind you that you may walk boldly in the fire.

In the middle of Hanna’s sufferings, the Bible did not mention till this moment that Hanna had lifted up a prayer or asked for God’s solution. Her need was not turned to prayer, neither her pain to a scream to the Lord. Many people, when going through pain and scream, writhe and complain instead of seeking God in a decisive prayer of faith.

Doors will not be opened when we are depressed. Self-pity does not shake heaven, but screams of faith do. Having a need only is not enough to get a miracle, only prayers of faith flowing from a hungry needy heart are able to move God’s hand.

A different year (1 Samuel 1: 9-16)

No one knows what happened that year, or what pushed Hannah to rise up and pray to her God and Father instead of surrendering to feelings of depression as usual. She did not run away from her pains and needs, but she poured them out together with her soul before the Lord. Her soul was bitter, yet she diligently prayed to the only source of healing who understands everything she goes through.

What an effective prayer!! It was not a routine or monotonous prayer for pleasing people, or done as a ritual or regulation; it was rather a sincere heartfelt prayer, so how was her prayer ?

1. A prayer from the depths of the heart:

The book of Samuel describes Hannah while praying, saying, “Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk” (1 Samuel 1:13)

She did not just speak mere words while her heart wandered away in other issues. Her prayer was not superficial but deep from the chore of her soul. Hannah’s prayer teaches and reproves us. When Hannah prayed, her entire being prayed, her whole heart was poured. She was totally captivated in her prayer, completely overtaken. That is why, Eli, the priest thought she was drunk, and asked her to get rid of her wine.

2. A persistent prayer:

Hannah did not offer a quick hurried prayer, like many of us today. The scripture says, “as she kept on praying to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:12). Jesus teaches us saying, “They should always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1).

Apostle Paul says “And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying …” (Ephesians 6:18).

Apostle Paul describes Epaphras from Colossians saying “… a servant of Christ Jesus.. He is always wrestling in prayer for you … I vouch for him that he is working hard for you...” (Colossians 4: 12-13).

Real prayers have to be fervent and zealous. These are the kind of prayers that the Holy Spirit gives: persistent, consistent and fiery. You need to constantly pray; you may feel sometimes like you are in a battle, but because of your spiritual desires and the zeal which the Holy Spirit puts in you, you’ll find yourself sacrificing, praying more and  feeling a deeper urge of pushing you toward your request. Moreover if you are praying for others, you will be filled with an extra-ordinary love towards them. 

3. A prayer of faith:

Hannah’s prayer was persistent and from the heart because it was full of faith. She had faith that she will not be put into shame. She poured out her soul and passions before the Lord and trusted that He will never forsake her.

She prayed a lot in a firm belief that she was not wasting time or effort as she very well knew the person she was speaking to and lifting up her supplication. She knocked the gates of heaven, and they were opened to her because “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind” (numbers 23:19).

He says “Ask and it will be given to you; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Like11:9).

 Another sign that shows that her prayer was one of faith is that she began her prayer by magnifying the Lord and declaring that He is the Lord of hosts (1 Samuel 1:11).

She used words that express her trust in her omnipotent God, the Lord of hosts who goes out to fight for His people, who stands with us in the line of battle to protect us and fight on our behalf. It is the same name David used when facing Goliath who is killed by David.

4. Prayer leaning on the word of God:

It is obvious that Hannah had good knowledge of God’s word; she knew that the person dedicated to the Lord was not allowed to use a razor on his head (1 Samuel 1:11 & Num 6:5). She was also aware of God’s promise to His people “None will miscarry or be barren in your land” (Exodus 23:26).

Our prayers will be strong and firm if we truly know the word of God, which is the lamp that enlightens both heart and mind and enables us to understand God’s promises. It is the source of faith.

When you read God’s word in the Spirit, it will create inside you true unshaken faith.

When God speaks (1 Samuel 1: 17-18)

God heard her cry and the almighty answered her prayer. He showed her His everlasting mercy and the faithfulness of His promises. He spoke to her through Eli, the Priest and assured her with divine revelation that her prayers have been heard. “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him”. (1Samuel1:17)

My friend, when you speak with God, seeking His face in prayer; when you come with all your requests in an atmosphere of faith and praise, He will surely speak to you. He will send you encouraging words or provide an inner peace that your prayers have been heard, so fear not.

On various occasions, men of God waited for promises to be fulfilled, and the moment always came when the Lord used to declare that it was time. Then, grief turned to praise and thankfulness, tears of mourning into by tears of joy.

When Hannah heard these precious words, she went on her way and ate; her face was no longer downcast or depressed because God spoke, therefore God will act.

Nothing had yet changed in reality; nothing strange inside her, the embryo was not formed yet, only she had heard the comforting voice of God which gave her peace. She went on her way trusting the Lord and acting as if the promise had become real and the child already in front of her.

She will not grief again, neither will she surrender to the reproaches of the enemies, and she will pay no attention to maltreatment. She was transformed to a woman who lives by faith not by what is seen.

My beloved, have you deeply prayed to obtain your miracle? Do you persist in prayer trusting your mighty God? Has God filled your heart with hot relentless prayers that do not cease until they open the gates of heaven? Do not fear, the time will surely come for fulfilling the promise.

Have you learnt to live by faith? Do you trust God even when there is nothing in the seen? Have you learnt to proclaim your faith even before the walls fall or do you still live according to what you see and feel? Did the Lord speak to you with his comforting words, and despite this, you are still in struggles?

Faith is being sure and certain of what we do not see, of things that the Lord spoke to us. Faith is not related to facts, or to what is heard or seen in the world around you. It is linked to what you hear in your heart and feel in your spirit; it sees things that have been settled in heaven before being settled on earth.

He who promises is faithful (1 Samuel 1: 19-20)

My beloved in Christ, our God whom we adore is faithful and true. He keeps His mercy and covenant. Rejoice and be glad because His promises to you will never fall.

David says about Him “I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all Gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Psalm 135: 5-6).

In spite of Sarah’s laughter and Abraham’s wonder, “The Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son..” (Genesis 21: 1-2). The same with Hanna, the Lord remembered her, and she conceived and gave birth to a son.

Friend, nothing is impossible for the Lord, “..who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Are you waiting for an impossible miracle? Are you expecting dreams beyond fathoming? If God promised, do not doubt. Trust Him, even if the challenges are too strong, and the walls too high, “do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded”. (Hebrews 1:35).  “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Has God put a great dream on your heart? Are you a faithful minister waiting to witness God’s glory and seasons of healing? Do you raise your voice like Gideon saying if the Lord is with us, where are all His wonders, or are you still waiting with Elisha for Elijah’s God to anoint you with a double portion in a sincere desire to be used for God’s glory!!?.

Fear not, it will certainly come and not delay. Just trust Him, pray with faith until He declares to you the answer to your prayer, and then rejoice because the rains of blessings are on their way carrying your expectations.

From glory to glory

A believer does not stop at just one experience, but he moves on by God’s grace from glory to glory. The apostle Paul says “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16). Thus, Sarah walked in the way of blessings; she was not content with God’s gift, but she moved on in God’s knowledge till maturity in her fellowship with the Lord. She did not sop when the water reached her ankle, she surrendered to the Holy Spirit who led her to new depths of experiencing successive glories.

Many believers have experienced God’s Mighty Hand at one stage in their lives years ago, to become a mere memory that has no more existence either in their present or in their future. They are satisfied with what they have, not knowing that God has bigger and greater things for them.

Hanna was given Samuel, but God had even more in store for her. “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you” (Psalm 31:19).

As Hanna continued to walk with the Lord, He flooded her with many blessings. She was given three sons and two daughters save Samuel. What happened? Barrenness was turned to fertility and poverty to richness.

Let me refer to two keys in Hanna’s life, which caused her to take steps forward. May God use these keys to lead you to new depths.

1-      Hanna presents Samuel to God:

Although Samuel was a gift from God to Hanna, she vowed to devote him to the Lord!! She did not break her commitment. She loved the Master who loved and provided for her needs. Everything she owned was His…she never bargained or escaped from giving Him the most precious thing she has.

What is more wonderful is that she raised her son for years, and then presented him holy to the Lord. After he grew up, after becoming the most precious thing in Hanna’s life, she brought him to the house of the lord, where he was to live. She said, “For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:28). She did not temporarily but permanently give him to the Lord.

My beloved, a devoted life in true obedience is deeply appreciated by the heavenly Father who never forgets the labor of love. He never neglects the sacrifices of devotion or the pains of the way. He registers them to immortality. Then, He does not withhold anything from you but gives you every thing in abundance.

Friend, if you want to take steps forward, come and offer Him all your life, submit to His will. Put your hand on the plough, and do not look back. Do not hesitate to offer Him your life. Tell Him: “I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

2-      She bowed and praised:

Hanna did not cry, nor did she have feelings of self-pity when she left her son in the house of the Lord. She was having no second thoughts at the temple. She did not allow Satan’s thoughts to penetrate her mind, soul and heart by saying: “I guess I am back to my loneliness again! What will I do in the days to come? Was that a rash decision?!”.

On the contrary, she bowed down to the Lord, worshiped Him in Spirit and joyfully offered praises to him.

She praised the Lord on her way back home alone, and glorified the one who had fulfilled His promise.

Hanna did not lay conditions to the Lord for presenting Samuel to Him; she only praised the Lord whom she loves.

While praising the Lord, she prophesied and declared, “…She who was barren has borne seven children…” (1 Samuel 2:5).

The Bible mentioned Hanna - in the middle of narrating Samuel’s life, his growing up, and wholeheartedness before the Lord – how that the Lord remembered her and gave her five more children; three sons and two daughters.

I pray that you be filled by the Holy Spirit in order to take steps to the front, so that you see not only Samuel in your life, but also multiple blessings and heavenly compensations, that you may witness God’s mercifulness and faithfulness all the days of your life.

Let’s jump, get out of the boat and follow the Lord. Stop complaining and start praising; be joyful and thankful even in the hard seasons. Go on praising with all your strength even after offering the most precious thing you have to the Master like Hanna, because you will witness abundance of blessings. You’ll experience precious things; you’ll find the Lord so close to you and will taste His faithfulness. You will be acquainted with His ways and thoughts. You’ll feel His presence closely and you’ll doubt Him no more.

Turn a new page right now. As you walk with Him daily, you’ll not only have Samuel, but much more.