Uncommon Faith: Hannah
1 Samuel 1:1-20
This series is called Uncommon, we are going to be looking at some Biblical people who lived live in an uncommon way. In hopes that we will learn how to live our lives uncommon in this world.
Jesus prayed for us like this: John 17:15-18 NIV
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
This week we are going to be looking at what Uncommon Faith looks like.
I feel as though we use the word Faith in a common way.
I have faith that the seahawks will win the superbowl.
BUT our faith should be uncommon.
Let’s talk about what faith is:
The best definition of faith is found in the Bible in Hebrews 11:1- Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Faith is confidence – Trust firm
Faith is assurance - certainty and promise
In today’s passage we see a woman with Uncommon Fatih:
1. Uncommon Faith knows that hardships still come
a. One of the biggest lies that we hear is that if we just have enough faith, everything will work our great.
b. Well that is just not the case.
i. We can hear story after story of followers of Christ, who suffered great tragedy in their lives
ii. Hannah was living a hardship.
1. She was without child and therefor without honor.
2. And she was being mistreated in her own home.
3. She was desperate for a child,
iii. Her faith led her to know that she could turn to God when the hardship came
1. Instead, many of us run from God when hardships come.
2. Uncommon Faith is not deterred by others
a. People will try to undermine your faith
i. Our faith should look uncommon to the world
1. The world will pick at you and tell you that your faith does not matter.
2. People will think you are crazy when you choose not to worry and instead trust God
ii. For many of us it will look uncommon to believers!
1. Look at Eli the priest
a. He thought she was drunk!
2. Story about our first van… and being debt free
a. Someone in our lives at the time who had the reputation for being a person of faith said” that dream is unrealistic! “
b. For real uncommon faith, we have to live beyond what other people say to and about us.
i. Their opinions do not count!
3. Uncommon Faith recognizes that sometimes God give us what we want.
i. Hannah Got what she wanted!
ii. And this can happen to us also
1. We have seen answered prayers, healings, and all kinds of other miracles.
2. We see God blessing us all the time.
a. But for some reason, we are fixated on what we don’t get instead of what we get.
b. But God always gives us what we need
i. And an uncommon faith will recognize that God is still there and still loves us even when he answers no to our request.
ii. A person of uncommon faith is careful about what they ask for.
1. Look at James 4:3- When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
2. A person of uncommon faith prayers unselfish prayers
a. Prayers that are not selfish
i. Prayers that come from a heart that is loyal to God.
1. (2 Chron 16:9 - For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.)
ii. Prayers that are devoted and watchful
1. Col 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
iii. Prayers that are focused on the will of God
1. 1 john 5:14 - This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
4. Uncommon faith is also about being faithful
a. This is one place that I think we miss the mark in our faith.
b. Often our faith is only about what God can do for us.
i. Like he is some kind of ATM machine
c. But our uncommon faith has to be lived out.
i. Look at Hannah: She prayed, and she lived out her faith.
ii. Remember that faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit.
1. Ecclesiastes 5:4 says: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
2. If you make a promise to God, you better keep it.
5. Uncommon faith expects the unexpected
a. And when we see the impossible, it should move us to worship!
b. We take God for granted when he is working.
c. In the next chapter, we see the worship of Hannah.
d. What is your worship like?
e. Are you allowing your Uncommon faith to inform the way you worship?
Today, let us live with an uncommon faith.
