Transcription
We are sharing on making a vow to God in order to attract a timely divine intervention. Making a vow to God in order to attract a timely divine intervention. Why bother to make a vow? Why bother to make a vow?
Great achievers, we have found out, are very determined people. And one thing you observe about them is that they always go the extra mile to achieve their goal. They go the extra mile to achieve their goal. A determined attitude drives people to make very aggressive effort towards achieving a goal, towards achieving a goal.
It's like something you have never achieved in life. It has never happened for you in life, and times have passed, or so many attempts have been made. A point may come where you really want that thing to happen because there is no guarantee that it will ever happen. A point will come where it will be clear that there is no guarantee that this thing will actually ever happen. But one of the effective things you can do is to make a more aggressive effort. And this is what you observe about many great achievers. They will go the extra mile to get over that hurdle, to get that thing achieved. And you will also observe that they will use their personal initiative to find timely solutions to urgent issues.
Most times, whatever is the subject of people's vows has to do with something that, to them, is urgent, to them is urgent, and they want a timely solution. You'd also observe that desperation drives the desperate to pursue their goal with a sense of urgency. And most times, people who make vows, like Hannah, there was a time that they were just making the attempt without getting to the point of desperation. Hannah was praying every year. She was praying every year for a child. She was praying every year. She wasn't complacent. She was praying every year. But this year, in 1 Samuel chapter 1, verse 1, she became desperate because there was no guarantee that what had been happening the previous years would not also happen again that year. And it could have been so. The result could have been so.
So the turning point was this desperate move she made, which fortunately was a good one. Because making a vow, in the context of what we are talking about today, is a good move to make. It's a step of faith, and it has a lot of influence and power in the spiritual realm, and more importantly, with God. So we see that desperation drives the desperate to put serious pressure on whoever is in a position to make their goal a reality, serious pressure. When people are very determined or desperate, they are ready to make a big sacrifice to achieve their goal.
As we close this up, you are going to observe that it is not also just about making a vow. Two things: What about the first part of your vow? What are you asking God to do? Is it in God's will? Is it in God's will? For Hannah, it was in God's will. It was in God's will that she will have a child. Number two, of what value is your promise? Of what value is your intention? And so you could see that for Hannah to ask that the Lord will give her just one child, and she will give that child back to God after waiting for several years, that amounted to what we call sacrificial offering, sacrificial giving. And when people are desperate, one of the things you observe is that they are ready to give out everything to achieve that goal. They are ready to give up everything to achieve that goal. In some cases, they are ready to sell everything in order to achieve that goal. Desperation moves people to make vows of high value to God.
So one key aspect of Hannah's vow was that she made a vow of high value to God. A vow of high value to God. A vow of high value to God. Vows are powerful sacrifices in the sight of God. People make vows when they are in danger or when they face impossible situations. And when they make vows to God in such distress, helpless conditions, or life-threatening situations, He will listen. And I don't know why my spirit keeps on going to a woman, a woman listening to this message, and the spirit of the Lord is saying I should tell that woman that God is listening to you at this hour, in the name of Jesus. And the trust and central of your prayer, the Lord will turn it into answered prayer. What are you offering to do in your vow? The value of Hannah's promise in her vow once again confirmed the power of sacrificial giving.
Sacrificial giving is the act of giving out something of value, something of high quality or high quantity that most people will never give, that most people will never give. For instance, to give out all that you have, to give out the only one you have. That is where Hannah came in here, to give out the only one you have. Do you know that there was a time, for a while, there was a time that Hannah was at home without a child in the home, in the house with her? That was after she had handed over Samuel at the temple. She went back home without Samuel, and she was ready to live that way for the rest of her life, unknown to her that God was going to bless her with five more children. She was already satisfied with God giving her Samuel, and she was faithful to redeem her vow on time. And so, after handing over Samuel at the temple, she went back home, and she was back home without Samuel. But God, God highly favored her.
So when you operate in the realm of sacrificial giving, they could see you giving out all that you have, giving out the only one you have, or giving out your very best. So I want you to have an understanding of the kind of vows that will also command a lot of influence in the spirit realm. When you give out all, you give out the only one you have, or you give out your very best, then that vow is a vow of high value. Sacrificial giving also involves to let go of something very precious, important, or valuable, something very precious, important, or valuable. Genesis 22, verse 1, and then verse 18, when God tested Abraham and asked him to take the child of promise that he had waited for 25 years for, 25 years, and the Lord told him to go and offer Isaac unto Him as a sacrifice on the mountain. And Abraham promptly obeyed God. And when God was speaking to him, He said, "Take your son, your only son, the special son, the child of promise." So to let go of something very precious, something very important, something very valuable.
Now, the purpose of sacrificial giving. Sacrificial seeds are usually offered in three major dimensions in terms of purpose. One, sacrificial seeds are usually offered out of love. Out of love. John 3:16, "God so loved, so loved the world, He so loved us all that He gave His only." That was a sacrifice. That was sacrificial giving. Whenever you give out the only one you have, the very best you have. Number two, sacrificial seeds are also offered in obedience to a request or instruction by God, in obedience to a request or instruction by God. And sometimes that can also come from a vessel of God or from the church of God. For example, Genesis chapter 22, verse 1, and 1 Kings chapter 17, 12-4, Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. Then thirdly, sacrificial seeds are also offered as a step of faith, as a step of faith, towards provoking a divine intervention. They are also offered as a step of faith towards provoking a divine intervention for a particular purpose. And there is an example, a case we are looking at today, 1st Samuel chapter 1, verse 11, the case of Hannah.
So sacrificial giving is a very powerful spiritual key, very powerful. It touches the heart of God favorably towards the giver. It moves God to respond quickly and honor the purpose for which the sacrificial seed has been given. Within 7 days, God will do it for someone listening to this message. Within 7 days. And that can be that can now become part of how you will phrase your vow. That, Lord, if You will solve this problem for me within seven days, this is what I will do in return. Can somebody say amen? Amen. So it moves God to respond quickly and honor the purpose for which the sacrificial seed has been given. It opens the door for a release of uncommon blessings. Genesis 22, verse 16 to 18. So if you are facing a big challenge or a dangerous situation, not knowing what to do, not knowing where to turn, it may be time for you to consider making a vow before God.
Closing, in closing, we look at the benefits of making a vow. There is tremendous power in making a vow to God in prayer. We looked at some. 1 Samuel 1, verse 10 to 12. Serious situations demand serious approach, serious solutions. Hannah vowed the vow, and she called on the Lord on the strength of her vow, on the strength of her vow, to look with mercy and compassion upon her affliction. And I join someone right now in prayer, and I pray that the Lord will look upon you and upon that case with mercy and compassion. The Lord will grant unto you at this hour a complete divine solution, in the name of Jesus. Can that man or woman say powerful amen? In the name of Jesus. So she promised that if God will remember her, on the strength of her vow, she will give back to God the long-awaited son. By the power of a vow, can somebody say by the power of a vow? Say it. Let your neighbors hear you. By the power of a vow. Hannah received. By the power of your vow, you will receive this season. By the power of your vow, you will receive it from the Lord. That which has remained impossible, that which has looked so difficult, you will receive it from the Lord. Can that man or woman say powerful amen? She receives Samuel from the Lord, and her womb was opened to have many children. You are going to catch up, and you will overtake. God will make up for over 20 years. God is about to make up for over 20 years. I say joyfully in the spirit that God is about to make up for over 20 years. For over 20 years, you will catch up, you will overtake. I see you rejoicing. I see you doing special thanksgiving. I see friends and family joining you to thank God. Our God is faithful. That is what they will say on the day of your thanksgiving. God is about to give you evidence of the power of vows.
So there is power in a vow because with a vow, you can commit God. Can commit Him. Psalm 66, verse 13 to 14. A vow is a powerful weapon of warfare. So when we tell God that if He grants us victory, we shall perform certain acts, it has been observed that God usually answers such desperate prayers, such desperate prayers. And there are benefits of honoring your vow on time, on time, on time, on time. Don't play games. In 1st Samuel chapter 2, verses 20 to 21, the man of God prayed for Elkanah and his wife Hannah, and that prayer was because of their faithfulness in redeeming her vow. It was a difficult one. It was a difficult one. And that is what happens when you make a vow of high value. When it is time to redeem it, it is then you realize that you have made a vow of high value because the same child that people have come to rejoice with the family over, now she's handing over that child unto the Lord and going back home without a child. And so when she had redeemed her vow, the man of God prayed that the Lord Almighty, verse 20 and 21, he says, "So blessed Elkanah and his wife and said, 'The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which she lent to the Lord.' And they went into their own home. And the Lord visited Hannah so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." So it was her vow that opened the heavens for her. Vows bring so many benefits, especially when we redeem them on time. As God demonstrates His faithfulness, it cured her barrenness and made her a mother of six children.
Now, there is a right way to make a vow, and there's also a wrong way to make a vow. And it's expedient to just put in a word on that before we rise to pray. In Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verses 4 to 6. Ecclesiastes chapter 5, 4 to 5, is telling us that we can make vows, but if we make one to God, we need to keep it. Deuteronomy 23:21. Take note of this. Be specific about what you want God to do. We are talking about the right ways to make a vow. Be specific about what you want God to do. For Hannah, "If You will give me a son, then..." Be specific about what you intend to do in return. Be specific also. Make vows you can easily keep. Make vows you can easily keep. In our journey in the school of wisdom, one of the things we have noted is that anything that is going to be that is going to involve you for a long time, you should be more cautious, and you should take more time to think through it before committing yourself. It applies to vows. If you are making a one-off promise, it's easier. Don't just tell God that for the rest of my life, this is what I will do. Those are weighty vows. Those are weighty vows. It will have repercussion in the spirit realm. But please, if you are not very sure that you can keep that vow, better don't mention it that way. So seriously contemplate what you are requesting and what you are promising. Make vows you can easily keep. And then, from what we observed about Hannah, she made a vow of high value. Of what value is your promise? Of what value? Can I fulfill what I have promised? Can I do it continuously? Can I do it for a lifetime? And sometimes you need to be spirit-led in making your own part of the promise.
And there are wrong ways of making vows. One example was in Judges chapter 11, verses 29 to 40. Judges 11, 29 to 40. In verse 30 to 31, in particular, we read that Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, "If You indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me..." What, what, what kind of statement is that? What kind of statement? Do you have only animals in your house? He didn't say whatever comes out of my ranch. So we know that the cows that are there. He said, "Whatever comes out of the doors of my house." There are people living inside your house. And God is not asking any of us to offer anybody as a burnt offering by killing such persons unto Him in a vow. He's not asking for that kind of vow. But irrationally and most unwisely, these were the contents of his vow. He said, "Whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering." So it was not wrong for him to make a vow, but he used very rash words and unwise words in wording his promise unto the Lord. So that's a lesson for every one of us. Let's be very specific, and let's be careful in our choice of words. God never forgets vows. So when you make a vow and don't fulfill it, it is a form of rebellion. I know this year many are saying, "Not going for anybody." But when you make a vow to God, you must pay. You must pay that vow. So it's spiritually wise to sometimes make a vow. Are you faced with a helpless condition? Are you faced with a life-threatening situation, or there is no way out? Are you faced with a desperate need? Making a vow to do something valuable in return for God's intervention may be the turning point to your victory.