HANNAH: AN EXAMPLE OF PRAYER AND FASTING
(I Samuel 1:1-11)
By
Jerry Falwell
Today I want to communicate principles on prayer from a woman who prayed. The Bible says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (woman) availeth much” (James 5:16). Hannah prayed, and God gave her a son. What can we learn from Hannah?
A. Hannah knew how to fast.
Fasting is going without food so you can give yourself to prayer; to touch God by prayer and fasting.
1. You must have a purpose.
Hannah wanted a son. “Give unto thine handmaid a man child” (I Sam. 1:11).
2. You must intercede.
Hannah prayed. “Hannah prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore” I Sam. 1:10).
3. You must fast.
“She wept and didn’t eat” (I Sam. 1:7).
On April 25, 1985 (12 years ago) over 5,000 students on Liberty Mountain fasted for one day and prayed for the healing of Vernon Brewer, the Dean of Students. He was loved by the students so they fasted and prayed. Vernon had cancer and was given 6 months to live. He’s alive and well 12 years later because of prayer and fasting.
B. Hannah knew the basis of prayer.
Hannah sacrificed and prayed to the Lord, using His powerful name, “Lord of Hosts” (I Sam. 1:3). When she recognized that God was a powerful God, she could expect a powerful answer to prayer. When you call God “The Lord of Hosts” you are really calling Him the “God of the Fighting Angel.” Remember the basic premise in prayer:
The size of your God,
Determines the size of your prayer request.
The size of your prayer request,
Determines the size of your answers.
The name, “Lord of Hosts” is a powerful and effective name by which to pray.
C. Hannah knew the place of prayer.
Notice that when she came up to the Tabernacle, that is the same as God’s place. It was there she prayed. Hannah came into the Tabernacle to pray because that was where the presence of the Lord was located. Israel recognized the “Lord dwelleth in the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3). Again, “The Lord dwelleth between the cherubim (I Samuel 4:4) which means that God dwelled in the Tabernacle. Obviously, God dwells in the heart of every believer and God is everywhere present, which we call His omnipresence. But in the Old Testament the presence of God was the Tabernacle. Today, the church is the Body of Christ. I believe God is here today. He is present.
I don’t believe that praying in church is the only place to pray. Every once in awhile you see a movie where someone stumbles into a cathedral to pray and the movie producers will tell you that they got their answer because they were in a church. God can answer prayers anywhere!
Moses prayed in the wilderness.
Elijah prayed on the mountain top.
Daniel prayed in his house.
Nehemiah prayed in the king’s presence.
Jesus prayed in the garden.
The disciples prayed in the upper room.
Paul prayed in prison.
Peter prayed on the roof top.
But Hannah prayed in the Tabernacle.
D. Hannah knew the work of prayer.
Every time you pray, it costs you something. Effective prayer cost Hannah something. Hannah was intense, childless, and completely committed.
Notice how the Bible describes her prayers: “She was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept” (v. 10).
“It came to pass as she continued praying” (v. 12).
“I have poured out my soul before the Lord” (v. 15).
There are some enemies to prayer. Watch for these enemies:
1. Stress
2. Concern for the world
3. Anxiety
4. Physical weariness
5. Busyness
We must form habits when we pray. Apparently, Hannah had a time, a place, and a commitment to prayer. I would challenge you to form a habit concerning:
1. A specific time each day.
2. A specific place each day.
3. A prayer list to follow each day.
4. A regular Bible reading pattern.
E. Hannah knew the openness of prayer.
When you pray, expose yourself to God. Notice that Hannah “poured out her heart before the Lord” (I Samuel 1:15), Hannah was completely open toward God. When you want to be an effective prayer warrior, you must:
1. Confess your sins.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
2. Repent of those sins.
“If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way” (II Chron. 7:14).
3. Forgive your debtors as you ask God to forgive you.
The Lord’s Prayer tells us to ask God to forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.
4. Be open to God for answers.
Six Word Promise - “Call unto me, I will answer” (Jer. 33:3).
F. Hannah knew the inner position of prayer.
Many people pray in many different positions. Some stand, some walk, some kneel, and some lie prostrate on the floor. Some sit on a chair. Some kneel by a chair, some kneel by a bed, or some like to come to a church altar.
The best position to pray is an inner position. In that position, your heart kneels, even when the body cannot kneel. God saw Hannah’s inner position, and it has been said on numerous occasions, “God saw . . . God heard . . . God answered.”
G. Hannah knew the motives in prayer.
You will remember that Hannah wanted a child because of two reasons. First, she wanted to please her husband, yet she was barren. Second, her husband had another wife, Peninnah, who taunted her and made fun of her daily. It drove Hannah to tears. Because of these two reasons, she agonized with God.
Sometimes there are outward reasons that make us pray more fervently than ever before. I don’t care whatever the reason; the answer is are you a fervent prayer warrior?
Remember when you come to prayer, it is not how much time you spend praying, it is how effective you are in attitude and desire. When you really want God to answer your prayer, and you’re willing to do anything; then God can answer.
H. Hannah knew how to continue praying.
Even though the Bible says she poured out her heart before the Lord, and even after Eli the Priest assured her that her prayers were answered, she continued to pray. “She continued praying before the Lord” (v. 12). Notice how she continued her faith walk after her prayer:
1. She went back home in full confidence.
2. Hannah worshipped the Lord which was her way of thanking the Lord for an answer before she got it. “So the woman (Hannah) went her way . . . and worshipped before the Lord” (v. 18, 19).
It is noted in the text that Hannah praised God. She said, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord. . . I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord, there is none beside thee” (I Sam. 2:1, 2). Note the absence of praises from the father, Elhanah. He was not burdened. He did not pray, so he did not have a basis for worship. On the other hand, Hannah was burdened, Hannah prayed and Hannah had a basis for praising God for the answer.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online (Falwell.com). It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
