Spirit with Pastor Pushie
How to get a “yes” from God, when God says “no”
The Bible says Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah (1 Samuel 1). Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. One of the most difficult things is to watch other people have something you so desperately want. Seeing it so close becomes a constant reminder that you don’t have it, making it harder to forget and live without it. Oh, the pain of living in a state of barrenness – a barren womb, a barren job, a barren marriage, a barren bank account. The Bible says, “You shall be fruitful, increase and multiply. Out of your belly will flow rivers of living waters.” We were not created to live an empty life.
An extreme problem can make you lose your appetite. I’m talking about trauma so deep, you can’t eat or sleep, you cry so hard your heart hurts. As women, we are so masterful at hiding our pain that our breakthrough always seems sudden to everyone else but us. People often have no idea how long you’ve been dealing with your situation.
At the Lord’s sacrifice, Elkanah would give meat to Peninnah and her children but to Hannah he’d give a double portion. But Hanna had no appetite. People can watch you having excess and get jealous, but excess doesn’t always mean blessed. Having a surplus of something you don’t need doesn’t make you happy. But the enemy doesn’t mind that you have a surplus, and will offer you a double portion of a compromise in exchange for your blessing.
Elkanah loved Hannah and couldn’t understand why she wasn’t content with just him. But we’re not all the same. We don’t all want the same thing. Just being married might be enough for someone else, but it was not enough for Hannah. She knew God had more for her. And the Bible says that it was the Lord who had shut her womb! If it was your enemy, you could beg for mercy. But when God closes the door, what He closes no one can open. He is the God of ‘Yes’, but He’s also the God of ‘No’.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN GOD SAYS NO?
Your enemies have done far more for your destiny than any of your friends. They forced you to grow, they forced you to fight, they forced you to pray. The attack on your faith is an attempt to frustrate you to turn away from God. But always remember that the point of your attack, is often the place of your assignment. No thief robs an empty vault. God turns around for your good everything that the enemy meant for evil.
The Bible says Hannah wept. She cried her heart out. The ugly cry. The cry that doesn’t care who’s looking. But this time, it says she prayed. The difference this time was not the crying, nor the starving, but the praying. In order to have something you’ve never had, in order to achieve something you’ve never achieved, you need to learn to pray. You must be willing to PUSH – Pray Until Something Happens! Pain is an indication that you are close to birthing your miracle, and it’s only going to come out if you PUSH.
When you get to the place where you waited so long and you’ve tried everything, you recognise that only God can do it. When you give God what’s in your hand, He’ll give you what’s in His hand. And so Hannah opened her mouth and prayed and said, ‘Lord, ‘If you give me a son, I’ll give him back to you’. When she said this everything changed! God is a jealous God. He doesn’t want us to desire anything more than Him. God will give anything to you if He can get it through you. And so Hannah gave birth to Samuel who anointed Saul as king, and then anointed David as king. And from David comes the King of kings. So make a decision to give Him that problem you’ve been holding onto for years. Give Him your dreams, give Him your hopes, give Him your marriage, give Him your business, give Him your finances. And watch and see if He will not open up the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing that you won’t have room enough to contain. Love ya, P
In order to have something you’ve never had, you need to learn to pray. You must be willing to PUSH – Pray Until Something Happens!