Survivor:how To Overcome Your Peninnah? Series

A lot of times in our lives we are faced with trials an obstacle that threaten to end our very existence, so we think. We are so beaten down that we don’t how we are going to survive. you have tried to do things your way and the more you put your hands in it the more you fail. What obstacles are you facing that has you so brow beaten? What tribulations are you facing that keeps you up in the mid night hour? What trials are you facing that keeps you pacing the floor at night? What has happened in your life to cause you to question God’s very existence and if he is real or not? What is it? Is it family problems? Is it yourself? broken relationships ? Bills? sickness in the body? a Job? What is it ? Is it your past life? What has caused you to feel like giving up? What is your Peninnah? What is your Obstacle?

Today we are Going to be focused on how to overcome the Peninnah’s In our Lives.

Lets look at 1 Samuel 1-18

1 Samuel 1

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,

the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had

children, but Hannah had no children.

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.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

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.

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart

grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post

of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and

remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the

LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had

been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

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.

Hannah was a woman of prayer. She had what many of us would call " a raw deal in life". She did not settle for it. She went after God. She poured her heart out to Him and He filled her and met her desire.

Hannah’s name is a "grace". Grace is defined as undeserved love and favor of God towards man as a sinner. Surely as we look at her story, we will see that her experience was characterized by grace, both in terms of the favor she found with God, as well as the way in which she dealt with her situation.