Chapter Two

      God of Hannah

      Most people that exploit the potency of midnight prayer are those who desperately need the intervention of God in their situations. They have come to a stage where if God does nothing about their circumstances, then it will be over. I mean at crossroads. Before you will leave the comfort of your bed, depriving yourself of a sound sleep, to be crying and asking God to intervene in your situation, then you would have gotten to a place of despair in your life. Sometimes, God also allows us to come to that stage, so as to make us see our limits, and at the same time appreciate His ultimate ability to deliver and restore.

      Let’s see the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:6-20,

      “But Peninnah made fun of Hannah because the LORD had closed her womb. Year after year it was the same – Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah would finally be reduced to tears and would not even eat…

      “Once when they were at Shiloh, Hannah went over to the Tabernacle to pray to the LORD. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance. Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. And she made this vow: ‘O LORD Almighty, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut’.

      “As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ‘Must you come here drunk?’ he demanded. ‘Throw away your wine!’

      “Oh no, sir!’ She replied, ‘I’m not drunk! But I am very sad, and I was pouring out my heart to the LORD. Please don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow’.

      “In that case, Eli said, ‘cheer up! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.’

      “Oh, thank you Sir,’ she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

      “The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the LORD once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I asked the LORD for him.”

      This is a story you know very well. Hannah was married to a wealthy Levite – Elkanah from Mount Ephraim in Israel. The couple lived joyfully and in harmony, but could not produce children. After some years, Elkanah went and married a second wife – Peninnah. Peninnah came in and brought with her strive, jealousy, and acrimony.

      Elkanah’s home that was once peaceful suddenly turned into a theatre of war. The evil of polygamy. Hannah was at the receiving end. As if it was not enough that she has been sorrowing for not having a baby, Peninnah began to remind her of how unproductive, worthless and unwanted she has become in that home.

      Peninnah would make fun of her and even go to the extent of taunting her as they went to the church. After going through all these, the bible said that Hannah would cry and cry until she was reduced to tears, and would refuse to eat. I believe Hannah must have been a ghost of herself. Imagine a person that would cry, starve and sorrow always – for years.

      This was the condition of this woman. In verse seven, the bible made it clear that this was the case of Hannah every year, “year after year it was the same.” It was the same childlessness, the same mockery, the same disappointment, the same fruitless efforts and the same dashed-hopes. I pray that every perennial negative situation in your life would be broken as you read this message, in the name of Jesus!

      There are people who are going through Hannah-like situations today. They go into a new year hoping to get the best or at least get better. They hope for a better job, a better relationship, comfortable home, blissful marriage, higher spiritual level, etc. But that same year would end without them achieving any of these expectations. Some keep going in that circle of failure year after year. No promotion, no breakthrough. Something that looks like much motion and less movement.

      Hannah came into that marriage with very high expectations, hoped year after year to realize them, but received disappointment, mockery, taunting and tears instead. Thank God she decided to settle it once and for all, and she chose to do that in the midnight. She knew that midnight is the most appropriate battle arena for desperate people.

      After supper (in the night) one day at Shiloh, Hannah headed for the Tabernacle. She went there praying to God. She cried unto God to change her condition. God is always aware of what we go through, but most times, He waits to see our seriousness to change the situation. If you’re comfortable with your condition, God will also let you be. But if you will rise and face it squarely, holding unto God to do something about it, definitely, you will see His mighty hand bringing deliverance to you.

      Hannah was desperate (Verse 15, Good News Translation). And she decided that her condition must be changed that night. Yes, until you’re desperate, you may not get anything phenomenal from God. I mean godly desperation.

      Hannah went to the Tabernacle at night and prayed; She was serious and direct to the point. She was specific. “God all I need is a son and you will give it to me this night. Enough is enough!” I believe Hannah told God.

      I hope you got something from that prayer. She started by reaffirming the almightiness of God. Though she was passing through terrible situation, God was still Almighty. Though, in deep anguish, in pain and crying bitterly, God remained the Almighty. He remains omnipotent, omnipresent and supreme. Our problems should not becloud our view of God’s almightiness, care, love, grace and sovereignty.

      He remains God and will always be in control. No situation can change Him. Hannah said: “.” Then also, when going into midnight prayer, go with specific prayer points (unless you received some other prayer Rhema along the line). God wants us to be specific and organized.

      After that night’s encounter with God at the Tabernacle, and the prophetic word from the Priest Eli, Hannah cheered-up and began to eat well again. She needed nobody to tell her that