Hannah's Prayer

1 Samuel 2:1-10 And Hannah prayed, and said, my heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Thy Salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside Thee: neither is there any Rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren woman hath born seven and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. He raiseth up the poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low and lifteth up, He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.

Who is the enemy of the Lord and His people?

Whatever rises up against His people to persecute, oppress, or destroy – those are the enemies of God and His people.

The enemies can come in different forms: affliction or infirmity, or as in Hannah's situation, a woman who constantly mocked and ridiculed her because of her inability to conceive and bear children. For this, Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord; she made her cry known to God and the Lord heard her. The Lord responded and gave her the potential (strength in her body) to conceive and bear a son, Samuel. The scripture mentions she had 5 more children after him (three sons and two daughters).

Praise God!!!

What is your enemy today? What is it that afflicts your soul? Is your enemy trying to make your blessing a burden instead? Trust in the Lord - He is your help and your shield. Hope in His Word

Joshua 17:14-18 - And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto? And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: but the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

God is not mistaken when He gives a blessing to us, He will give us the understanding of what to do with it, and how we can fully enjoy His blessing. Though the children of Joseph did not realize the fullness of what they had, it did not mean it was not theirs. The Lord blessed them with land they were capable of possessing. The children of Joseph had to be made aware of their capability. Even though the enemy had chariots of iron and were strong, the children / tribe of Joseph was fully able to go in and overcome their enemies through God who would give them strength.

Psalm 18:2 - The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

The Lord would not give them something that would be a burden instead of a blessing. It would take effort on their part to establish the land, but it would be a joy knowing that this blessing was theirs from the Lord God who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.

Proverbs 10:22 - The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.

Are there those who are against you to destroy your soul, who delight to do evil and are trying to get you to walk in the way of darkness? Read Psalm 1 to see what God tells us about this.

The Lord says by His wisdom: whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil (Proverbs 1:33).

Is your enemy abuse or oppression?

Psalm 9:9-10 - The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.

Psalm 103:6 - The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

Is your enemy an affliction?

Remember what God has done for His people in the past and that His promises are true for all who put their trust in Him.

Deuteronomy 26:7-8 - and when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders

Psalm 77:10-14 - And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people.

Psalm 34:18-19 - The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

Psalm 119:49-50 - Remember the word unto Thy servant, upon which Thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for Thy word hath quickened me [made me alive].

1 Corinthians 4:17-18 - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Call on the Lord, the Mighty God of Jacob, He will hear you and will deliver you out of His holy hill of Zion. Remember His Word is true, He will never fail to answer those who call on Him with sincerity.

Psalm 145:18-19 - The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Praised be the Lord!!

Psalm 121:1-2 - I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is therein.

Psalm 94:17-19 - Unless the Lord had been my Help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul.

May these words be a comfort to you and strengthen you as well.

May the Lord bless as you as you seek Him.

Amen.