Lord, Push Us to Pray

In 1 Sam 1:1-20 there were two women who were married to one man, Hannah & Peninnah.

Each of these women married with the expectation of fulfillment, joy and completion, each one came into the marriage with a promise but in verses 4-7 it tells us that Hannah was loved dearly by her husband and he showed it in the way he treated her, this cause jealousy. Year after year, he favored her over Penninah and her children and year after year Penninah provoked Hannah.

We have to stop thinking it strange when fiery trails come into our lives, when testing and tribulation come, when someone with the Penninah spirit comes into our lives, they are sent for a season and a reason…to provoke us to prayer!

Look at the word provoke, it means: To trouble, make angry, make indignant, to bring sorrow and to grieve.

What Hannah did not realize was she was bring pushed, propelled and provoked to get into the proper position,  the position that changes things we cannot change, the position that moves mountains, calms raging seas, releases healing, stop death and defeats the every enemy…She was getting set up to get in the position of prayer.

When we get to verse 10 we see she went to the temple, she was wounded, broken and angry so she went to talk to the only one who was able to change her condition….God!

It wasn’t in the words she used nor the loudness of her words, but it was the condition of her heart… Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite (crushed) spirit.”

Notice the prayer she prayed was not selfish, she did ask for a child to get back at her Penninah. But she asked for a child who she promised to give back to the Lord for His use.

If our prayers always focus on ourselves, just me, mine and none of yours who will be helped? It is the prayers that are selfless which change things! Selfless prayers change, places, cities, schools, governments and nations.

God has called us to bring change by the power and empowerment of His Spirit, there is no other place we can start but in prayer.

Hannah’s was provoked to prayer, this gave birth to God’s purpose for that season and his name was Samuel. In the history of Israel, Samuel was one of the mightiest prophets God ever raised up.God chose to use him to restore the honor of His great name!

Are you being irritated, bothered or provoked? If so, how do you know that what is bothering you has not been placed in your life to provoke you to purpose, to position you for such a time as this, to propel you to birth change on your job, in the school system, in our government, in the church or our nation through prayer!

Remember, when we are provoked to prayer we are giving birth to purpose…not ours but Gods!