Nana, Nana, Nana
I Samuel 1:1-8
The Bible says there was a certain man of Mount Ephraim whose man was Elkanah (El-kaw-nah).
Elkanah was unfortunate enough to have two wives, one named Hannah, and the other named Peninnah (Pen-in-nah),
It was not uncommon for a man to have more than one wife in those days, especially if his first wife could not bear children. It was not lawful, but was permitted under these circumstances.
Well, the story goes that Hannah could not have children. And it is very probable that El-kaw-nah took Pen-in-nah to be his second wife so he could have children born unto him.
But it appears that El-kaw-nah had a special love toward Hannah.
As a matter of fact, verse five says El-kaw-nah loved Hannah, but nothing is said about any love toward Pen-in-nah.
I think there is positive proof in verse 5 that he loved Hannah much more than Pen-in-nah.
Let’s read verses 3, 4, and 5.
3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
El-kaw-nah would go as required by the law to make sacrifices unto God.
Although El-kaw-nah was a Levite, He was not allowed to make his own sacrifice, the reference is made here that the priest were there, to make his sacrifice for him.
Verse 4. He gave-portions] The sacrifices which were made were probably peace-offerings, of which the blood was poured out at the foot of the altar; the fat was burnt on the fire;
the breast and right shoulder was the portion of the priest, and the rest belonged to him who made the offering; on it he and his family feasted, each receiving his portion.
Now, verse 4 says he gave Pen-in-nah and her children their portions, but verse 5 says he gave Hannah a worthy portion!
Or, he gave her a bigger portion, because he loved her!
So needless to say, this made Pen-in-nah jealous.
Hey, she was able to bear El-kaw-nah children, yet he loved Hannah more than her.
So Pen-in-nah’s jealousy began to rage within her.
She began to provoke Hannah every chance she got.
She became Hannah’s thorn in her side.
Everywhere Hannah would go, Ole Pen-in-nah would show up with her snide remarks.
I would think she would catch Hannah off by herself and she would walk up to her and say, “Nana, Nana, Nana, you can’t have children………But I can!”
“Nana, Nana, Nana, you’re not a real woman, but I am, Nana, Nana, Nana!”
“You couldn’t give El-kaw-nah any children, so he took me and look at all these kids I have given him, Nana, Nana, Nana!”
Notice verse 7,
And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
This stuff went on for years! Year by year El-kaw-nah would take his family on the trip to the temple to make their sacrifices, and Pen-in-naw would drag those kids with her for everybody to see, especially Hannah!
This would bring poor ole Hannah to tears. On this trip to Shiloh El-kaw-nah noticed that Hannah was weeping, and knowing what she was weeping about, says,
Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
Or, don’t worry about not having children, am I not better to you than even ten sons would be to you?
But Hannah knew that children were a heritage from the Lord, and she knew that to have children was a blessing from God, and she was being robbed of that blessing!
Not only did she want children as a blessing but she wanted to be a blessing to her husband by giving him children, and not being able to bear children was grievous to her.
So now we find poor little Hannah in the temple weeping as if her heart was broken in pieces.
She was so brokenhearted that when she would try to pray, her lips would move but no sound would come out!
Eli the priest was sitting on a seat next to a post in the temple and saw her weeping, with her mouth moving, but hearing no sound, he thought she had too much to drink.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
She was no longer sad because she knew God had heard her prayer.
She knew what God had promised, He would do!
So with confidence and assurance she began to believe God for her blessing.
Well the story goes on. The Bible says God remembered Hannah. A very short time later Hannah conceived.
And I can imagine what she did as soon as she found out she was with child.
I would like to think she said, “Where’s Pen-in-nah?”
“I’ve got something I want to say to her.”
I would like to think when she found her, she stuck out her stomach as far as she could and said, “Nana, Nana, Nana!”
“You’re not going to be a thorn in my side any longer!”
You’re not going to harass me anymore!
You’re not going to strut around me with all your kids anymore.
For now God has promised me a blessing!
But I’m going a little bit further Pen-in-nah, I’m going to give him back to God.
There’s some of you who have been robbed of your blessing long enough.
It seems everybody else is getting blessed except you.
Ole Satan whispers in your ear telling you you’re not good enough, you’re not holy enough, you’re not religious enough, you’re not worthy enough.
You’ve been waiting on your blessing for a long time, but listen, when you get down to business with God like Hannah did, He will hear your prayer and your blessing will be on the way.
Listen ole Satan has been badgering you. He been bugging you. He’s been teasing you.
He gotten you so discouraged and upset, and while you are miserable and unhappy he’s standing off somewhere “laughing his head off” cause he’s got you on the run.
He’s made life hard for you. He has the upper-hand on you.
He has taken advantage of some unfortunate situations and circumstances in your life.
He’s telling you, you will never have victory, you will never be happy, you will never have peace.
Cause that’s your lot in life and you can’t do anything about it.
He tells you, you are born to be a loser, and it not in you stars to be victorious over your problems.
But let me tell you something. When you quit your crying and worrying and get down to business with God, and as Hannah did, pour your soul out to God, He will come on the scene.
You don’t have to look to the stars to determine your destiny, all you have to do is look to the Morning Star, which is Jesus Christ.
Satan wants to keep you discouraged.
He wants to keep you defeated.
He wants to keep you upset.
He wants to keep you from having peace.
He wants to keep you from having joy.
He wants to keep you from getting your blessings.
So he sends a Pen-in-nah your way to bring discouragement.
I can imagine Ole Satan standing around laughing at you because you are discouraged and upset.
Cause he knows when you are discouraged and upset you won’t be a blessing to anybody.
He knows when you are discouraged and upset, you will doubt God, you will not trust in the Lord, you won’t read your Bible, you won’t pray, you won’t be faithful to the House of God, you won’t pay your tithes, and you will fail to be what God wants you to be.
And so while you are discouraged and upset and have lost your joy, lost your peace, lost your faith, lost your power, and lost your will to serve God, imagine Ole Satan standing over there saying, “Nana, Nana, Nana. I’ve stole your joy! I’ve stole your peace! I’ve stole your faith!”
And he will follow you around your whole day, he will go home with you, he’ll sit beside your bed keeping you awake all night, “Nana, Nana, Nana, I’ve stole your joy, I’ve stole your peace………”
But then is the time to do as the Word of God teaches,
James 4:7-8 “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
Yeah, that’s it! Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.”
Pour out your soul unto God. Resist the devil, or stand up to him, and he will tuck tail and run.
Get alone with God. Let Him fill you with His Spirit. Let Him touch you.
Worship Him and Praise Him when you don’t feel like it.
Come into His house with thanksgiving and unto His courts with praise.
Cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, lift up praises unto Him who is worthy.
Then He will give you the victory!
When the devil tries to discourage you, praise the Lord! Worship the Lord.
Get your eyes off of man and get your eyes on Jesus!
Get your eyes off what someone has that you don’t have and begin to thank God for what He is going to do in your life.
Dedicate yourself to God. Don’t worry about what somebody else has, or what someone else is blessed with.
Don’t worry about what other people says or does.
Don’t fret when Ole Satan comes knocking on your door.
Don’t get all upset when things go wrong.
And when you do God will begin to bless you in spite of the devil.
Then you can say to the devil, “Nana, Nana, Nana, you cannot defeat me.”
You cannot discourage me! You cannot steal my peace. You cannot steal my Joy.
Why? Because God has promised me a blessing! God has promised me the good things of life!
Satan you may try to discourage me, but I refuse to let you defeat me! I’m going have joy in the midst of your trials.
I’m going to have peace in the midst of your storms.
I’m going to have confidence and faith in the midst of your tribulations.
So Satan, take this, “Nana, Nana, Nana!”
Old Satan tried to drag ole Job through the pits of hell on earth.
He took everything Job had. He stole his possessions, He stole his children, He stole his cattle, He stole his health.
Standing back and saying “Nana, Nana, Nana.” “Job, now what do you think about your God.?
But in the end Ole Job was blessed with far more than he had before and lived a long and prosperous life.
Ole Job could say to the devil, “Nana, Nana, Nana.” You did not and could not defeat me. For I trusted in God and He came through.
Well, living in this world, we have our share of troubles.
Satan is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.
It’s tough sometime to stay true to God and be faithful to Him.
Sometimes the trials and temptations are almost more than we can bear.
Satan is trying to trip us, to make us stumble, to cause us to foul up, to make us discouraged and give up.
He is after you every single day, waiting for the opportunity to destroy your faith.
He wants to make you think there is no God, there is no heaven, there is no rapture, or there is no eternity, there is no streets of gold.
But some of these days…………….the trumpet is going to sound…………..Glory!................and the dead shall be raised, and we which are alive shall be raised with them, and we shall me our Savior and Lord in the clouds.
And we shall see Him as he is! And He will welcome us home.
And we shall walk the streets of gold. And we shall live forevermore.
And as we are leaving this ole world, victorious and triumphant, I would like to look back and say, “Nana, Nana, Nana!!!!!!!!!”
Satan you didn’t defeat me. Satan you didn’t cause me to quit. Satan you failed when you messed with me!
Cause I am going to inherit my blessing throughout eternity.
We’re going to say, “Goodbye world, Goodbye!”
To all you atheists who said there is no God, Nana, Nana, Nana!
To all you agnostics who tried to destroy our faith in our God, Nana, Nana, Nana!
To the college professors who taught we all came from monkeys, and that the world evolved through evolution, Nana, Nana, Nana!
You are victorious this morning! You are triumphant. You are more than a conqueror. Greater is He that is within you than he that is within the world.
