Guidance From Samuel - Part 2

Let’s continue today with our focus on the instructions that the prophet Samuel delivered to the rebellious nation of Israel in a season of ungodliness. Yesterday, we saw that the first step toward restoring a people and a nation is recognizing and abolishing anything in our hearts which seeks to diminish the Father’s sovereignty over our devotion, our attention, our relationships, our time, our activities, and our possessions. Now what?

“So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.  Then Samuel told them, ‘Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.’  So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also WENT WITHOUT FOOD ALL DAY and CONFESSED that they had sinned against the Lord.” 

– 1 Samuel 7:4-6 (NLT)

The people of God humbled themselves before Him.

They fasted for just one day.

They prayed and confessed their nation’s sinful disobedience.

They made a burnt offering to their God.

God immediately delivered the victory The chapter concludes with the enemy forces coming against Israel even as the people were still praying and worshiping in one accord. The great Philistine army which had tormented them for many years was cast into a supernatural confusion and routed by the Israelites. Their blueprint for overcoming enemies then is exactly the same as ours today, with one magnificent, immeasurable improvement. We have JESUS!!

Here in the season before Pentecost, the Global Days of Prayer exist as an opportunity for us to humble ourselves, to fast, to pray, to confess, and to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. In Romans 12:1, the Apostle Paul called this our “reasonable service.” I am praying that Holy Spirit gives you a hunger today to follow the victory plan He has provided. Beloved, it has never failed! God bless you and keep you.