DAY 1 FASTING AND PRAYER | KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | ENFORCE YOUR CHANGE IN 4 STEPS (HANNAH'S STUDY CASE) - | 3rd JULY 2023

 KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | 5 DAYS FAST AND PRAYER | DAY 1

ENFORCE YOUR CHANGE IN 4 STEPS (HANNAH'S STUDY CASE) - DAY 1 FASTING AND PRAYER

INTRODUCTION

 

Praise be the Living God Word of Life. I welcome you this beautiful day in Jesus name.

 

Pray as we start the session of this day.

 

Father, thank you for your hand Upon Our Lives. Blessed Be Your Name o God. We need you more than ever. Minister to us today and at the end of it all, we will be careful to give you the glory and the honor and the Adoration. Blessed be your name in Jesus name amen and amen.

 

Well. We are in the season of fasting and prayer where we say that something must change.

 

 CHAPTER 1 | WHAT IS IT SOMETHING MUST CHANGE ABOUT?

 

May I remind you today that it is not a slogan. If we want it to be a slogan it will remain a slogan. Far it be from us to consider it as a mere slogan.

 

Something must change is a verdict.

something must change is a prophetic verdict

Something must change is the will of God.

 

• And I believe that in this season, it will become a reality in your life and  in my life In The Name Of The Lord.

 

• We saw some cases from the Word of God this week and today I want you and I to look at another case and to see how it can be applied in your life.

 

• We want to look at somebody who came to that realization and said, “No something must change in my life”.

 

• And that individual is called Hannah.

 

• You all know Hannah and we know her story. We know how year after year Anna was crying.

 

• But the question is what did Jesus do? The question is what do I do for me to enforce change in my life? What to do? 

 

• The Bible says in 1 Samuel 1:7, “Year after year, it was the same”. 

 

• You need to ask yourself a question, What in my life happens repeatedly? What in my life has happened before and continue to happen until today? The same quarrel? The same sickness? This same disease? The same suffering? 

 

What is the pattern that you can identify in your life and go before the Lord and stop it? 

 

• I declare and I decree that this time around this season it must change.

 

STEP 1 | IDENTIFY THE PATTERN

 

• For the case of Hannah, we want to identify that pattern.

 

• Let us go to verse 3 of First Samuel Chapter. The Bible says, “This man went up out yearly to worship and to sacrifice”.

 

• According to this verse, there was the pattern of going up to the house of the Lord. So, year after year, Hannah used to go to Shiloh for the yearly celebration.

 

• I know you are there. You are faithful to the house of God. Yes. I know. I don't have a doubt that you are faithful to the house of God.

 

• But the question is, “Pastor, sasa, I go to the house of God. I am faithful to Everything I Do. What is my problem? Why things are not changing in my life?”

 

• So, I say … Number One … Identify the pattern… Write it down if you can

 

STEP 2 | WHY ARE THINGS THE SAME?

 

• You need to come to a place where now you ask yourself some deep questions like, “Why things are the same? What is the problem? what is wrong with me?

 

• You need to analyze in your heart so that you you will know where indeed the problem is coming from.

 

• Year after year, we are going to the temple but this year, a certain year in the life of Hannah there was a change.

CHAPTER 2 | HANNAH STUDY CASE : WHAT DID HANNAH DO SO THAT HER LIFE WILL CHANGE?

 

STEP ONE | She arose (1 Samuel 1:9)

 

• In other words, she stopped being passive. In other words, she stopped living as a victim of Penina because the reason why things were the same it was because she was living as a victim.

 

• She was crying year after year. She was just crying. 

 

• Now, I pray for you today that you will come to a place where you stop being a victim, where you will stop living as a victim.

 

• Peninah makes me cry. I cry because of Peninah. It is Peninah who is causing me tears. My God help you to be free from living as a victim.

 

• Hannah arose. To arise means to take charge, to take responsibility.

• Nothing will change in your life if you continue to sleep. Nothing will change in your life if you continue to expect mercy from people. Nothing will change in your life if you do nothing about it.

 

Something must be done for something to change. Something must be done for something to change 

 

• And Hannah did something about it.

 

• Friend, after you have identified the pattern, do something about it. After you have identified arise. After you arise or after you are you you arise do something about it do something about it.

 

STEP 2 | She prayed (1 Samuel 1:10)

 

• For the case of Hannah, she prayed. She went to the house of God. She prayed.

 

• My friend, we have this week. That is given to us by the Lord. 

 

• This week is an invitation for you to identify what needs your attention, what needs change and to arise to change the attitude and the approach and then engage prayer.

 

• Do something about it. Do something about it. Do nothing get nothing. 

 

STEP 3 | She continued in prayer (1 Samuel 1:12)

 

• My Bible says that she continued in prayer. Which simply means that nothing will change if you are not consistent. That is the problem of people. They start well with all excitement but they don't continue. 

 

• Now if you start and you don't continue, it will continue.

 

• Let me repeat for you. If you start and you don't continue, that thing that has always been there will continue.

 

• You need to come to a place where you are persistent, determined, until minded. 

 

• Nothing will change if you are not persistent. Nothing will change if you are not determined. Nothing will change if you are not until minded. Nothing will change if you are not aggressive. Nothing will change if you are not perseverant. Nothing will change…

 

• Those who arose to change something in their life. Those who arose to change something in their community. Those who are rose to change something in the life of others they always somehow somewhere encounter obstacles, opposition. 

 

Let me give you some examples.

 

EXAMPLE 1 | ISRAEL VERSUS PHARAOH

 

• Israel left Egypt and they were going to where God wanted them to go. it was indeed a deliverance of 430 years. They were leaving and going to the place ordained for them by God.

 

I will tell you the truth.

 

• After they left, Pharaoh pursued them to bring them back. Meaning … Don't think that things will be smooth. There will be opposition.

 

• So, when you engage in it, you need to know you will encounter resistance, opposition. 

 

• But they cried to God in the process and God delivered them and all the pursuers where they drowned in the sea.

 

• May your pursuers be judged and drowned in the sea in Jesus name !
• That is why we have some experiences of people who have left something and then they relapse.

 

Why? Because the evil spirit who leaves a house always looks for a way to return.

 

• When you leave something, there are some those attachments that will always try to pull you and bring you back to where you are coming from.

 

- I pray in this season in the name of Jesus you will not return where you have come from.

- I say you will not return where you have come from.

- I say you will not return where you have come from.

- I say you will not return where you have come from.

in Jesus name.

 

Can you say good Amen to that.

 

EXAMPLE 2 | THE YOUNG PROPHET VERSUS THE OLD PROPHET

 

• There is a prophet in first king chapter 13. 

 

This man was a man of God. He was powerful. He confronted King Jeroboam. Through him the altar was shattered. The hand of the king withered. Through him he prayed for the king and the hand was restored.

 

• God gave him an instruction, “Don't eat there”. He left the place and went. The Bible says that there was an old Prophet who pursued him.

 

• I pray that your will be thundered in Jesus name.

 

• You should know that when you are in the process of working to change something in your life, there will be that spirit that will pursue you to bring you back.

 

• Don't ever think that it will be smooth. This old prophet pursued the man of God as we can find it in

 

• 1Ki 13:14  And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

 

•  Now, the problem is this … When you read that Scripture, the old prophet found the young Prophet sitting under the oak tree, which means in another word that you should not stop if you want something to change.

 

• That's your problem. God had delivered you and you know what God has delivered you from. 

 

• You were praying hardly asking the Lord to do something for you. You were devoted. You were dedicated and then God changed something in your life, God opened a door for you and then you say to yourself, “Ah, let me now sit and enjoy my life”.

 

My friend you are in trouble!

 

The evil spirit who leaves a house always looks for a way to return.

 

• Don't ever stop.

• And the old prophet found him found him there sitting.

 

I declare over your life … Your pursuers will not catch up with you in Jesus name! 

 

• I say … Your pursuers will not catch up with you in Jesus name! 

• Your pursuers will not catch up with you in Jesus name!
• They will not catch up with you in Jesus name !

 

But one thing is … DON'T EVER STOP…

 

• When the old prophet found him, he engaged a conversation with him

 

n Old prophet : oh oh how are you?

n Young prophet : I'm okay

n Old prophet : I am a prophet

n Young prophet : oh yeah oh I am a prophet too

n Old prophet : wow uh where are you from?

n Young prophet : oh I am from Judah

n Old prophet : oh amazing I am from Bethel. That's amazing. oh you are my colleague. How are you? You are okay? Please join me so we can go home and eat something

n Young prophet : oh no uh I received an instruction that I should not eat something there. In fact I was there and I said no I will not go there. I will not eat there.

n Old prophet : oh come on! come on! I too I am a prophet. I am a prophet and uh I have come to tell you let us go and eat something because an angel of God appeared to me and told me to bring you back (and the Bible says he lied to him)

 

Can you see that my friend?

 

That young prophet saw that the old prophet was a prophet and was talking like a man of God. Then, he started following him and went back.

 

I curse any old prophet in your life. I curse the old habit. I curse the old Prophet who pursues you to bring you back to immorality, to alcohol etc. I curse this voice of the evil one. I declare it cursed today from the root. You will not go back.

 

Say with me … I will not go back…

 

Say with me … I not go back to poverty …

 

Say with me … I will not go back to alcoholism … 

 

Say with me … I will not go back to immorality …

 

Say with me … I will not go back to masturbation …

Say with me … I will not go back to pornography …

 

Say with me … I will not go back to chilling with people who are doing …

 

Say with me … I will not go back to borrowing …

 

Say with me … I will not go back to begging …

 

Say with me … I will not go back… The devil is a liar

 

This man was lying…

 

Now what happened and caused this young prophet to be lied to?

 

He was there doing nothing. He was walking and he stopped.

 

if I can ask you a question …

 

Why have you stopped? 

Why have you stopped praying?

why have you stopped reading the Bible?

Why have you stopped going to Church?

Why have you stopped going uh to pray?

Why have you stopped giving? 

Why have you stopped tithing ?

Why have you stopped meditating?

Why have you stopped sharing the Word of God? 

Why have you stopped doing what you were doing? 

Why ???

 

This man returned and he was killed.

 

I pray that you will identify anyone who will come in your life in the name of the Lord but who is not sent by the Lord.

 

May you receive the grace to locate on time such individuals and I pray you will not be a victim in the name of Jesus Christ !

 

Continue !

 

Continuity is the key to enforce change in your life

 

EXAMPLE 3 | THE KING VERSUS PROPHET ELISHA

 

• The Bible says in 2 Kings 13 : 18 that there was a king who went to see the man of God Elisha. As he went there, the man of God told him to hit the arrow on the floor.

 

• Unfortunately, the king hit the arrow on the floor only three times and then stopped. 

 

• The man of God was angry at him and asked him, “Why

did you stop?” 

 

And I'm asking you, “Why did you stop?” 

Maybe because you believe that you have arrived. Right? 

 

• Remember … The demons who leave a house will always look for a way to return.

• You better be careful ! You better be careful !

 

Comfort zone is the enemy of change. 

 

• Elisha told the king, “I told you. You could have won 5 times or more. But because you hit only 3 times, you will win only 3 times”. And indeed, he did not last because he stopped.

 

• Are you tired ? I pray that God will give you strength. Are you discouraged? I pray that God will renew your courage.

 

• This thing we do will never stop. No matter who follow or not, we will never stop. Serving God is a vow I made.

 

=QUICK REMINDER OF THE 3 STEPS=

 

Which simply means in another word, for something to change,

 

n You must look at the situation and identify your situation : what has ever been there all the time all the time

n Do something about it : act to enforce the change that is needed

n Consistently continue without getting tired

 

EXAMPLE 4| The widow versus the judge

 

• There was a woman who was a widow. She went to the judge and every day and continuously. 

 

• Friend, change will not just be smooth.

 

• By going to the judge continuously, her life turned and the evil Man released what was hers.

 

• Did you get something today? and then finally what did Hannah do?

 

STEP 4 | She engaged her heart not her feelings or her emotions

 

• 1 Samuel 1:13, “Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken”.

 

• True change happens when it starts from the heart. True change happens when the heart is engaged not the lips.

 

• This time, this week, change will happen as a response to your heart.

 

• Your heart is what will make the difference in your marriage, in your life, in the prayer. 

 

• Your heart will make the difference in this fasting.

 

• Your heart will make the difference in whatever you do. 

 

• Hannah prayed and nothing happened. She prayed again and nothing happened. She was going to the temple,  nothing happened. 

 

Then, the Bible says that she engaged her heart…

 

• If nothing is changing in your life, check your heart. Maybe or probably or surely your heart is not engaged. 

 

• And from the heart, she vowed to God and said, “If you give to me, I will give to you”.

 

• When the heart was engaged, immediately Eli noticed her. But when she was just there praying, praying and praying anyone, there was nothing, but when the heart was engaged Eli noticed her.

 

God needs your heart, not your lips !!!!!

 

• Mar 7:6  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 

 

• Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

 

The heart is what will make a difference.

 

• If you pray without the heart, it is a waste of time. 

• If you fast without the heart, it is a waste of time.

• If you come to Church without your heart, you better not come to Church and stay home.
• If you are giving without your heart, it is just the waste of time. You are a comedian. 

 

That is what the Bible calls “HYPOCRITE” 

• Many attend Church but their heart is far from God.
• Many  read the Bible but their heart is far from God. 
• Many pray eloquently your heart is far from God.
• Many contribute money but their heart is far from God. Many do ministry but the heart is far from God.

 

You will notice change in your life until your heart is engaged in it.

So, this week engage your heart. Don't do things for the the people to see or for outward appearance

 

According to Matthew 23:25, that is hypocrisy.

 

Don't do it the activity of the body it. It is the connectivity of the heart that matters (Matthew 23 23) 

 

Remember this woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years. What did she do?

 

She came from the heart. In her heart, she was saying, “if I touch the Garment of Christ, I will be healed”.

 

Others were thronging Jesus around and nothing happened to them.

 

Nothing will change if your heart is not in it.

 

• Remember the harlots. They went all to the king. They wanted the king to do something for them. Who got the answer? Who got the blessing? It was the woman whose heart was engaged.

 

• God is concerned with your heart.

 

• If your heart is not engaged, there will be no reward. if your heart is not engaged, there will be no blessing.

 

• something must change if your heart is in it and the change must start from your heart.

 

CHAPTER 3 | CLOSING PRAYERS

 

• Lift your voice and start praying today and say …

 

n Lord thank you for this amazing message that you have given unto me

n Identify the pattern that you know that has ever been there in your life. Identify them tell the Lord, Year after year, that is what happens in my life …

n As I'm engaging on fasting this week, oh God, these things should not continue in my life. These things should not continue in my life. These things must not continue in my heart in the name of Jesus Christ

n Father as I'm engaging the fast this, season, O God, I pray for my heart. Lord, I give you my heart. I Give You My Heart

n Lord, I pray. I want this thing. I want this situation to change and I pray for my heart and my heart will be in it

n Father, help me not to stop. Help me not to stop.

n Help me to continue in the name of Jesus Christ the son of the Living God we have prayed and we say amen and amen

 

FINAL WORDS

 

n May God sustain you! May you not fall into the temptation of the old prophet and may you be strong enough because indeed something must change in your life.

n In the Evening we are meeting to close the fast. Be consistent. Do it from the heart and God will bless you openly in Jesus name !