God indeed blessed us immensely this month. God’s word was brought to us by Past. Isaac Olori, the International Director. The sermon was titled “God remembered Hannah”.  Introducing the sermon, he said that God remembering someone does not imply the person was forgotten but means God wants to intervene in that person’s situation.  He also said that the topic meant that the time of favor had come. Highlights of his sermon include:

The Challenges Of Hannah Before God Intervened

1. God closed her womb (verse 5). This implies that Hannah’s barrenness was not natural or medical hence no doctor could solve the problem. Humans are limited but God is bigger. It does not matter what the problem is, we should look beyond the issue and see a big God. It is God that enables. When God enables you, nothing can be impossible with you.   He stressed that sometimes we may not understand God’s purpose until He has finished his plan.  For every child of God, God has a plan/purpose. Some doors are closed because there is something specially reserved and it could be God is giving you time to prepare to receive that package. Romans 8:28 makes us understand that if God can close the womb, He can also open it.  When God comes into any situation, he changes the situation.

1. Her mate became her rival and taunted her cruelly (Verse 6).
2. Hannah was misjudged by the priest. Hannah, even in that atmosphere knew how to handle the situation. Some would have flared up at the priest.
3. She found herself in a time of spiritual darkness. 1 Samuel 3:1 sheds light on the prevalent spiritual atmosphere during the time of Hannah. It was period when the Word of God was scarce, this implies that men were sleeping. Yet in such a time, Hannah was distinct and God remembered her.

Some Things That Provoke Divine Visitation (Hannah As A Case Study)

1. Hannah remained committed in her dedication to the Lord (Habakkuk 3:17 & 18). When the salvation of the Lord touches any area of your life things must change.
2. Hannah was a woman of prayer (Verse 10). She took her bitterness and anguish to God in prayer. In fact, God listened to her heart as no sound could be heard while she prayed. The power of prayer is not in the sound but in the heart.  When your heart is poured out to God, answers will come.  Some prayers are dry prayers, lacking passion, hence there is no result.  Your prayer affords you the opportunity to pour out the bitterness and anguish in your soul rather than store it up.
3. Hannah was carrying Samuel in her loins and it seemed God had closed her womb but the agency of prayer opened it up. The comfort of man is empty. Even when her husband tried to comfort her, it was not enough as her desire had not come to fulfilment.
4. Hannah knew how to fight a good fight. One of her problems was the insults from her mate but she never responded. She did not fight with her husband or mate. God remembers those who are strong in spirit.
5. She left the place where she was reminded of her torture to the place where she would receive her reward – the House of God. She focused on God’s intervention.
6. She keyed into a higher goal that is, a goal of service. Hannah knew what she wanted from God. Many of us have been looking for a blessing but this has been tied down because we are looking for it to satisfy our lust. It is necessary to point that God was looking for a man to replace Eli and Hannah willing gave up Samuel to God.

Finally, you cannot loan to God and suffer loss. Hannah had other children but Samuel who opened the womb was God’s servant.  Heaven knew Samuel because he was God’s agenda. Hannah paid the price of godly living, commitment and dedication.  With her prayer, she got a priestly blessing.  She was operating by faith. Faith makes everything possible.