1
Samuel chapter 7 demonstrates the life-changing effect of humbly
submitting to God as Lord of your life. As the chapter begins, “The
Philistines had returned the ark of the Lord… they took it to
Kiriath Jerim… to Abinadab’s house… and consecrated Eleazar his
son to guard it“.
But then we read, “It
was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained…and all
the people mourned and sought after the Lord“.
I have known people that grew up in godly homes surrounded by the
things of God, hearing about God, reading about God, knowing about
God, even believing in God; yet never taken the step of personally
accepting Jesus as Lord of their life until sometime later in life.
It is a frustrating thing to be so close, but not experience the
incomparable joy of salvation. There is no way to receive
forgiveness except by humbling ourselves before God and by faith,
asking Him. Samuel spoke to the people, “If
you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourself
of your foreign gods… and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve
Him only and He will deliver you“.
We never have to ague our worthiness; God is willing. 2 Peter 3:9
explains that the Lord “is
patient with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance“.
And Samuel does one more important thing for them, “I
will intercede with the Lord for you“.
I don’t know of anyone that ever received God’s Holy Spirit
without someone else praying with them, interceding on their behalf.
The
conversion process of Israel continued, “They
drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they
fasted and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord’.
And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah“.
When we pour out our heart in true repentance, our tears will also
flow out before the Lord. While the nation is embracing God, “The
Philistines came up against them“.
Satan hates when anyone opens their heart to God, and very often
this is when he mounts an attack. But listen to Israel’s response
to Samuel, “Do
not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He may rescue us
from the hand of the Philistines“.
“Samuel
took… a lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the
Lord… he cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord
answered“.
It is the sacrifice of the Lamb of God that completes the process.
“But
he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with
his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah
53:5)
“The
Lord thundered… against the Philistines and threw them into such a
panic that they were routed before the Israelites“.
Note, it is the Lord that did the routing! “The
men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and
slaughtered them along the way“.
“So
the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory
again“.
We even read that the towns the Philistines had captured from Israel
“were
restored to her“.
The power of God can restore many of the things we thought were lost
forever. Furthermore, “Israel
delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the
Philistines“.
The power of God is inviting to those around us too! Notice the
ultimate result: “And
there was peace between Israel and the Amorites“.
The power of God always brings supernatural peace. If you need to
move to the next step of faith, trust in the promise in Philippians
1:6, “being
confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in
you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ“.