Prayer Changes Things In The Pursuit Of A Breakthrough

(these are the notes that I prepared but I also went into many different illustrations and explanation as The Holy Spirit gave me utterance---)

Sermon Title:

Prayer Changes Things In The Pursuit of A Breakthrough

Jennifer Mears 5/9/2007

Text: I Samuel, Chapter 1 (all 28 verses)

Amplified version

(my notes on revelation and reasearch are within the biblical scriptures below - i color code these in my notes when i do this but this site does not enable this option)

Introduction:

Have you been praying and praying and praying for a specific something or for something to happen in your life?

Today I want to talk with you about principles on prayer from a woman who prayed…from a woman who knew how to get serious and knew how to fast pray…Hannah – one of Biblical Histories GREAT MOTHERS! A woman who knew how to fast and pray...

The Bible says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (woman) availeth much” (in James 5:16).

Hannah prayed for a son.

Hannah cried out---she was desperate! She cried out to God and He answered… Hannah prayed, and God gave her a son. What can we learn from Hannah?

Are you to the point of desperation?

God responds to your faith…not your need…

But, does your need increase your faith level? Sure it can…

Where is your faith right now for that thing?

Could it be that this is just the thing to begin increasing your faith? Is this what it is going to take to break through>?!!!!

Are you really crying out to Jesus? Are you sincere? Are you fully expressing sincerity and faith and passion just as Hannah did?

Let’s dig in deep and learn more about Hannah and see if we can apply her story to our own lives now ---could our breakthrough be within the body of this story?...can we learn from Hannah today?

Let’s look and see…

BODY – TEXT:

I Samuel 1 (reading the entire chapter)

1 THERE WAS a certain man of Ramathaim (ray-muh-THAY-um) (present tense; something that can be used or applied now, today – this WORD is for now just as it was a story of old) -zophim (zo-feem) (the two watch-towers ---to continue the work until The One who assigned you to be there and to do their there returns), of the hill country of Ephraim (ee-FREY-eem) (fruitful; increasing – looks like Hannah was living in the right place to ask for a child – increase – fruitful, a child is fruit of her womb GOD HAS A WAY TO PLACE US AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME), named Elkanah (el-kay-nuh) (God the zealous; the zeal (enthusiasm – eagerness, ability and passion) of God – God was eager and able to do this thing ) son of Jeroham (jer-ROW-hem) (high; merciful; beloved), the son of Elihu (ee-LIE-hue) (he is my God himself), the son of Tohu (toe-hue) (that lives; that declares), the son of Zuph (zuff) (that beholds), an Ephraimite (ee-fray-eem-ite) (fruitful; increasing).

2 He had two (used to indicate a group of two – also indicates that both people involved in an awkward or unpleasant situation are responsible for their actions – example: takes two to tango)wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah (pen-nine-uh) (pearl; precious stone; of the face). Peninnah had children, but Hannah (gracious; stone of mercy; act of being and is merciful – compassionate and fortunate; face to face; trusts he that gives) had none (to not have any; also can mean to refuse to tolerate something – to have none of something – to come expecting).

3 This man (Elkanah) went from his city year by year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh (sent), where Hophni (hoff-nigh) (to hope; blessing) and Phinehas (fin-ee-uss) (bold aspect; face of trust or protection), the two sons of Eli (the offering or lifting up), were the Lord’s priests.

4 When the day came that Elkanah (zeal of God) sacrificed (symbolic offering to God), he would give to Peninnah (pearl; precious stone; of the face) his wife and all her sons and daughters portions (fate; fraction; inheritance) [of the sacrificial meat].

5 But to Hannah (gracious; living stone of mercy; act of being and is merciful – compassionate and fortunate; face to face;trusts he that gives) he gave a double (being twice as much or many; twice the normal amount; having two like parts; double – two layered; sudden directional change; stand in for the original source; call increasing) portion (fate; a helping; fraction; inheritance), for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had given her no children (a child is an offspring; product or result of doing something)

6 [This embarrassed and grieved Hannah] and her rival (her equal (Penninah) provoked (to make someone angry; to stir somebody to emotion; to act in a way intended to bring something about; to be the cause of a positive or negative activity – isn’t that just like our brothers and sisters in Christ; pos. or neg.? – our choice) her greatly to vex (to annoy; to agitate; to confound – confuse or puzzle – God is not a God of confusion – we know where that is coming from) her, because the Lord had left her childless (no offspring; without result of having been doing something) .