09(1Sam 07,3-17) SS Lesson

I.       How to Return (1 Sam. 7:3)

A.     If you return to the Lord…

§  The only response acceptable to God is to forsake sin and return to Him without delay.

B.     …with all your hearts…

§  God only accepts total surrender.

§  Not just a part of our lives. (Deut 6:4-9)

C.     …then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you…

§  How much do we turn to the world for finances, counsel, marketing, music, entertainment, success, etc.

D.     …and prepare your hearts for the Lord…

§  our hearts must be cleansed (Rom 12:1-2)

§  Ps 24:3-5

E.      …and serve Him only…

§  no divided heart. (Matthew 12:30)

§  Luke 16:13

II.    Prayer for God’s People (7:8-9)

A.     They looked for someone who knew God and whom God knew. Asked him to pray for them.

B.     Samuel knew his role before God and the people.

C.     Many of us want to cry out to God for revival, but we don’t want to offer sin offerings.

§  You must have a cleansed heart and cleansed life.

§  James 5:16. effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man…

III. God answered his prayer, confused the enemy. (7:10)

A.     The people could have said, “look what we did”

B.     Samuel took a stone and left a permanent reminder of what God did, God’s victory.

§  What physical markers have yu set up in your home for your children to know about he victories God has brought you?

§  Psalm 111:2,4.

C.     It is not enough for the pastor or a few staff members or deacons to repent, all need to repent.

D.     When a whole church cries out to God, under the guidance of the Word of God, God will respond.