Shift from a place of pain into Victory through PRAYER

Emotional Pain is a grim reality of how many people within and outside the body of Christ live on a daily basis; slowly going into a deep and dark hole that they themselves don’t know how to get out of. I am reminded so much of the story of my favorite person in the bible HANNAH. There is no denying based on Scripture that Hannah was a woman who was not only longing for God to give her that one thing, but she was also a woman stricken by grief and depression. Though her husband Elkanah, loved her dearly and even went out of his way to give her double the portion of what he gave to his other wife Peninnah, that gave no comfort to the grieving Hannah. As people we at times get to place where we are so broken that even as we seek God year in year out, fast after fast and sacrifice after sacrifice we still don’t see the move of God the way we expect to see it.

I have personally been there; the last 4 years have been particularly tough on me emotionally leaving me in a place of crying bitterly before the lord from a place of Pain, as l lost one family member after the other. But something hit me in December of last year, as l cried before the lord and his response to me was “as you are crying and hurting there are others that are crying and hurting as you are and l am calling you to help them.” I had to make a decision, whether I was going to allow my pain to keep me focused on hell which felt like my current situation or was l going to shift my pain to HEAVEN.

See the word of God says that Hannah and her family went up to the temple year after year to make their offering; in a time where these people were no longer reverencing God or going to the temple. But Hannah went up to the temple in Bitterness of soul, so l am guessing her prayer sounded a little like this, “ God, Peninnah laughs at me all year, my husband took on another wife because I could not give him children, Why me oh God? Why have you allowed me to endure this pain?” and she walked away only to come back the next year with the same cry. So what do we do as people when we are so stricken with pain, and all we can think is why has God not come through for me. Well, l believe that Hannah’s breakthrough came when she SHIFTED her focus to heaven and not on her current situation in a place of PRAYER. So HOW DO WE DO THAT?

1.
Though she went to the Lord still in bitterness of Soul; she made a conscience decision to SUBMIT her mind, will and emotions to God; through the vow that she made that her son would serve Him all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 1 vs 10-12). That means her posture in prayer had to change; it doesn’t mean we fake it in front of God as if we are not hurting, but we change our posture into a heavenly perspective of the circumstance.
TIP ~ during your time of submission some people may even think you have absolutely lost it because they do not see that battle that may be happening within you.

2.
OBTAIN and BELIEVE: Hannah obtained her promise/ she did not leave until she received it (1 Samuel 1 vs 17).
TIP~  begin to live again, and hold on to your promise with everything within you! 

3.
SUSTAIN: The promise had not yet manifested but Hannah choose to arise in the morning and worship before the Lord (1 Samuel 1 vs 19). So we must sustain our belief for the promise in a place of Worship.
TIP~ there is nothing that aggravates the devil more than when we worship especially when it is difficult.

4.
RECEIVE: It was then after Hannah worshiped that the Lord remembered her (1 Samuel 1 vs 19).
TIP~ God has not forgotten you no matter the situation!

There is no such thing as a 3 step process of how to rid yourself of pain and position yourself for Victory but we know that our God gives us answers and comfort to all of our problems through His Word; and there are some choices and decisions we have to make to SHIFT and partner with Him for VICTORY or stay in a place of pain and bitterness of soul.