Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-20
– Prayer with Hope
Many of us feel as though the heaven is shut up towards us. We pray continuously but see no fruit. Often times, we think that the devil is working against us. However, it may be God working within us. God shut the womb of Hannah. He then opened it in the kairos moment. At times, we become hopeless but we must contend for breakthrough within our lives. Breakthrough will not always come easily. We must contend and war in prayer and fasting
– Prayer in Season
We must be able to discern the time and season that we are in. When we know the season, we are then able to align our prayers according to what God is doing. Daniel interceded on behalf of his people, Israel (Daniel 9). He understood the time of his nation and therefore, he partnered with God in bringing restoration to Israel. To everything, there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3). God works in seasons and we must understand them. Time can be divided into three different meanings. The Greek “chronos” refers to the general process of time. The Greek word “kairos” is an opportune time. The Greek word “Pleroo” refers to the fullness of time, to make complete.
In pregnancy, a woman goes through a period of development and creation. She then has a time of Pleroo, the fullness of time where the child comes. The woman endures a period of waiting and just like her, we must not be passive but active in the season. Waiting is not a time of passivity but a time of intercession. In the waiting, we remind God of His promises. Hannah went through a chronos time where she continuously interceded for a child. She then had a kairos moment where she believed God and spoke it into being (verse 11). Eli confirmed the rhema word that Hannah was praying (verse 17). Hannah was divinely connected to the will of God. She prayed His will into the earth. Many of us are crowning in our spiritual pregnancy and we want to push. This is the time to push and not give up.
– Pray His Will
Many of us pray to God for our desires to be fulfilled. Our desires only come when we align with the desires of God. When we delight in Him, our desire becomes the will of God. Hannah prayed His will.
– Pray with the Right Posture
When we pray, we should not have an entitlement attitude. We should not pray because we want something. Our posture needs to be corrected. When we pray with entitlement, our focus is on fulfilling our needs and not pleasing God. Hannah was focused on her prayer. She never prayed to God concerning Penninah. She was never offended. She never had a spirit of bitterness. Hannah never complained about situation. A spirit of complaining and grumbling can hinder our breakthrough.
– Pray expecting opposition.
In the kairos moment, we must not assume that everything will go well. Some people may not be happy for us. Some may oppose us. However, we must not throw a pity party. We must remain focused on the word of God and what He is doing in this season. We must be focused on praying in the heavenlies and not on our flesh. Daniel was not focused on what was happening in the natural but in the spiritual. Hannah was not interested in how she was perceived. She was not focused on her opposition or how she was misjudged.
The thing that we are carrying is so much greater than us. It is to bring change to persons around us. It is to bring change to the nations. There is a bigger picture. There is a bigger purpose. God is ready to release. We have to keep our focus. Do not give up. Continue to intercede and press in. God is bringing a supernatural breakthrough. The heavens are being opened. The rain is coming. The delivery is coming. The season of barrenness is coming to an end (Isaiah 54:1). We must not be like Michal who criticized David and did not recognize the season. She despised the season and was cursed with barrenness for the rest of her life.
