Women have potential to pray the prayer which gives birth to a new history like Hannah (I Samuel 1:1-28). Hannah prayed for a child, and Samuel was born. Samuel was a new history in Christianity.
Previously, a prophet could not function as a king and a king could not function as a priest. In Samuel, the titles of priest, king, and prophet were in him all at once. Previously, it was believed only the descendant of prophet who could become a prophet, as well as priest and king.
Samuel was not coming from a descendant of a prophet, but he could function as a prophet. He was not from any priest descendant, but could function as a priest, and was not a descendant of king but could function as a king.
How our prayer we can give birth to a new history? These are the keys:
1. Pray from the deepest pain of the heart.
“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” (verse 7).
Hannah prayed from the deepest pain of her heart. Year by year, every time she went to the temple she wept and would not eat.
That’s what happens these days, every week the house of the Lord becomes the best place to weep for women. But it is time for women to know, that crying and hunger strike are not the ways out for the pain they experience.
Year by year, that sad story continues to happen until one time Hannah made the decision to pray at the house of the Lord,
“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. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore” (verses 9-10).
New history began to be made in the house of the Lord …
2. Pray until God’s interests become a top priority above your interests.
Hannah continued to pray, until one time she was opened that God also had an interest.
At that time, God could no longer speak to His people, because Eli, the priest, a spokesman for God’s at that time, could no longer hear and speak the voice of God. He only spoke of his personal interests in the name of God,
“And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see” (I Samuel 3:1-2). That’s why he has been rejected by God,
“And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever” (I Samuel 3:14).
Hannah began to understand that God also needed a man who would be open to hear and declare His voice, which can be used to replace Priest Eli.
Hannah began to see and realize that the interests of God were more important than her interests then, and that was the important point: she could give what the Lord needed if her needs of a child were met. That’s why she negotiated with God,
“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” (I Samuel 1:11).
In other words Hannah said, “Lord, give me what I need and long for, namely a son; then I will teach and raise the child so that I can fulfill what You need and long, which is a person who can hear and speak Your voice.” Now Hannah’s prayer is no longer centered on her personal interest, but focused on God’s interests.
God saw, Hannah’s negotiation was reasonable and God received it and granted it.
3. Pray until what you pray control your life fully.
Hannah was so excited by her prayers, because she had found God’s interest in her prayer.
As long as our prayers only focus on personal interests, prayers will be filled with cries and tears, but when the prayer changes focus from self-interest to God’s interests, prayer will be filled with enthusiasm.
Hannah was so enthusiastic, until her prayer filled and controlled her whole life. Wherever she was, wherever she went, she always remembered that prayer. She was so absorbed in her prayer, to the extent that Eli thought she was drunk,
“… as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. … therefore Eli thought she had been drunken” (I Samuel. 1:12-13).
The cause why all this time our prayer is less productive because often we only pray modestly and within the shortest time possible, and after that we forget what we pray for. What we pray does not control our lives.
4. Pray until receiving assurance of the answer.
The more Hannah prayed, the more Hannah knew that God had heard and granted her negotiations. There was a guarantee of certainty of the answer in the Hannah’s heart. And Eli gave the confirmation,
“Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him” (I Samuel 1:17).
Do not stop praying until you receive assurance of the answer in your heart! Be a history maker through your prayers by praying the prayer which gives birth to a new history!
Read also: The Rise of Women of God.
