You Have to Change Your Mind before He Changes Your Position
1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
Introduction
Often times Israel would use God as a good luck charm and tune him out when we feel it necessary, we too do the same thing we lose sight of God when we feel favor is on our side or we don't need him to change any of our circumstances.
Samuel is in distress because the cry of the people and needs to strike while the iron is hot. It is revealed that he had one thing in mind to do for Israel and that was to attempt to separate them from their Idols, that their reformation could begin, that he could get them to turn back to God.
Three Things found Prelevant:
1) The Presence of God was not with them
2) Whn you have been with him you will yearn for him
3) Your change is the preparation for your deliverence
Israel is in bondage in two ways:
1) By the rule of the Philistines
2) Idol Worship - (Strange Gods) Baalim: Idols; Masters; False Gods & Ashtoroth - The well beloved Idol that Israel was most wedded to
Now Israel needs to repent Inwardly and Outwardly:
1) The inward repentance is the secret thing that no one can see 2) It's a hidden thing
the inward repentance proves the outward to be genuine
Closing
