THE BATTLE FOR THE HOME

1 Samuel 1:1-9

There is an aspect of Christianity that is largely ignored, especially in our Fundamental Baptist circles, and that is that aspect involving the unseen world of principalities and powers.

Because we cannot seen this spiritual realm, we tend to either 

• Ignore it, not understanding it, or 
• Forget about it, not recognizing its reality

Ephesians 6:12 says

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)

Please consider a couple of things;

First, the verse does say we wrestle.

It is a great disservice to both ourselves and to those we tell about Christ, to imply that Christians don’t wrestle.

We wrestle

We struggle

Secondly we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood

Though it may look like it and feel like it sometimes, our struggle is not with people.

Our match is against “…spiritual wickedness…”

• Some of it manifests itself in our own doubts and depressions
• Some it manifests itself in attacks from others
• Some of it appears in the form of the fight just to keep above water financially

But we who are believers will find our lives completely changed if we can get hold of the Bible truth that the struggle is not with flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness.

Tonight’s message, Spiritual Warfare for THE HOME

1 Samuel 1:6 (KJV)

And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

There was an adversary in the home.

Who 

• Provoked Hannah sore and 
• Made her fret

No doubt, there was a war going on in that home.

And it wasn’t going away anytime soon.

In fact, I would hazard to guess this problem Peninnah never did completely go away.

The war kept Hannah

• Troubled
• Grieved and
• Agitated

Peninnah, no doubt taunted Hannah.

She could see that, while she was the one who could bear the children, Elkanah loved Hannah.

• Peninnah would have a spirit of jealousy against Hannah
• Hannah would have a spirit of envy against Peninnah

Elkanah has children that he is responsible to love and provide for

But his heart also yearns to be a blessing to his beloved Hannah

And everyone wakes up every morning thinking – “Here we go again.”

Let me tell you, 

• The spirit that drives a marriage apart
• The spirit that breaks up a home

Is not the spirit of God.

Satan is out to tear 

• Husbands apart from their wives 
• Wives apart from the husbands and
• Children apart from the parents

And somebody needs to take a stand and say, we won’t let it happen any more!

I see six lessons in 1 Samuel that are meant as weapons in the spiritual battle for the home.

I. HANNAH’S HUSBAND LOVED HER

1 Samuel 1:5 (KJV)

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

We need to accept that love and cherish it.

Hannah’s problem right here is twofold

A. She was constantly provoked

Every morning she had to wake up to the reality that Peninnah was still there and so were those kids.

Every morning she had to face the fact that, while Peninnah was being heartless and cruel to provoke her about being childless, Peninnah was right.

She was childless.

• Elkhanah could not change that
• Hannah could not change that
• Only God could change that and

So far God had not done it.

The truth of the matter is, there are some things in this world that 

• Provoke us and 
• Confront us and 
• Bug us big time

And there is nothing we can do about them and there is nothing anybody else can do about them.

B. She wasn’t content with her husband’s love

1 Samuel 1:8 (KJV)

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

No one but the Lord could help Hannah with her first problem.

But Hannah had all kinds of choice concerning the second one.

I cannot pretend to understand the emotions of a woman who cannot bear children.

Illustration

Anita lost our first two babies in about the second month of pregnancy, both of them in 1982. After she lost the second one a doctor found a tumor that was causing her body to reject the pregnancy.

The tumor was removed and the doctor said to us, “Now, go out and make babies.”

Anita took that as an order!

Bohannan was born in 1984, and I would have thought that would have fixed the problem.

But in 1988 a preacher friend and his wife delivered a baby stillborn.

They buried that baby just outside of Astoria and Mrs Hunsberger asked Anita is she would look after her grave sometimes.

Anita said it was like she finally had a place to grieve her two babies. 

And all along I had thought it was fixed when Bohannan and Caleb were born.

I don’t understand the emotions of a woman concerning bearing children.

But I don’t find anyplace where the Bible tells a mom to be ravished in her children’s love.

I do find that the Bible teaches a husband and wife to be ravished in each other’s love.

Hey; kids can’t come before the relationship between man and wife.

Love each other

Be ravished in that love and

It will be the best thing that could ever happen to your kids.

I saw secondly that

II. THE LORD WAS THE ONE WHO HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB

1 Samuel 1:5-6 (KJV)

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Once again, I know I do not understand what Hannah must have been going through.

But I do understand the Bible.

And I do know that God only has our good in view.

You and I have the advantage of knowing the end of this story.

God finally did give Hannah a baby, Samuel

And that child grew up to be one of the most influential preachers in all of man’s history.

Plus, chapter 2 says that God gave Hannah three more sons and two daughters.

Let me show you a passage that we like to read but hate to obey; 

Prov 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)

We aren’t just talking about babies here.

We are speaking about spiritual warfare

• For the home
• For our own grace
• For a life that please the Lord

And if we are going to defeat our enemies we will have to come to the place 

• Where we stop excusing our own sin
• Where we lean not unto our own understanding and
• Where we trust in the Lord with all our heart

• He knows what we really want
• He knows what people say about us when we don’t produce how the world expects us to produce
• He knows our heart

And He is always and only good.

I those times when things just seemed twisted and wrong – but you know you have been doing what you believe to be the will of the Lord

• Lean not unto thine own understanding
• Trust in the Lord with all thine heart

I noticed thirdly

III. SHE FOLLOWED HER HUSBAND’S COUNSEL

1 Samuel 1:8-9 (KJV)

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

Verse 10 indicates she was still hurting.

After all, the battle wasn’t over.

But she did do what her husband counseled her to do.

He questioned, “why eatest thou not?”

And she ate and drank

This goes back to trusting in the Lord….

But ladies, God gave you your husband on purpose.

Follow him!

A. But my husband makes some dumb decisions

And Elkanah marrying two women wasn’t dumb?

B. But my husband doesn’t provide for me how I want.

Elkanah has another wife and all her children to provide for.

C. But my husband isn’t the spiritual leader he should be

It was Hannah who was in the Temple begging God for a child.

• It might be that you have to be the one who is praying for your marriage.
• It might be that you have to be the one who is faithful at church
• It might be when it comes to spiritual things that you have to obey the Lord instead of your husband

But you can still follow you husband’s counsel in everything else.

Fourth would you notice

IV. SHE GOT TO THE HOUSE OF GOD

Vs 7-10

When you are in a spiritual battle for the home, the last place you should avoid is the house of God.

• I know when there has been stress at home
• I know when there has been a battle in the home
• I know when you are provoked sore
• When you are discouraged by the things at home
• When you are depressed because of the problems
• When you and your spouse have just gotten into it

You feel like a hypocrite 

• Coming to church and 
• Shaking people’s hands and
• Smiling and saying you are all right

You feel like a hypocrite and a liar acting like you are all right when inside you are not.

Just remember, there are two parts of you

• The spiritual part and
• The flesh part

And the Bible says they war with one another.

• The flesh is the part that is not happy but 
• The spirit is alive and saved and going to heaven

It is not wrong to let your spirit win for a while and put on a smile that the flesh hates.

In fact, if you come to church and let the spirit win enough times at church, the spirit will begin to win more when you are not at church.

• The flesh will still not be happy
• Inside there will still be things you wished were not there

But the spirit is in control and does not let that thing pop up its ugly head.

In the spiritual battle for the home

• Accept your spouse’s love and be content with it
• Trust the Lord and lean not to your own understanding
• Follow (ladies) your husband
• Be faithful to the house of God

Fifth,

V. PRACTICE IMPORTUNATE PRAYER

1 Samuel 1:10-13 (KJV)

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

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

I chose to use the word importunate because it is a Biblical word concerning prayer

Luke 11:5-10

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (KJV)

The word means “shamelessness.”

He wasn’t ashamed to just keep asking.

People who are far better at the languages than me say that the verse “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Means 

• Ask and keep on asking
• Seek and keep on seeking
• Knock and keep on knocking

You are in a battle

Satan is after 

• Your home, 
• Your family 
• Your marriage

• You need weapons
• You need ammunition
• You need intelligence
• You need support

And you are in no position do battle without these things…..

• Shamelessly 
• Continuously
• Earnestly
• Persistently

Pray until you get what you need.

I did not say what you want

I said what you need

It goes back to trusting in the Lord with all thine heart.

He promises He will give us what we need 

Ask and keep on asking

And trust and keep on trusting – that He has answered your prayer.

In the spiritual battle for the home

• Accept your spouse’s love and be content with it
• Trust the Lord and lean not to your own understanding
• Follow (ladies) your husband
• Be faithful to the house of God
• Practice importunate prayer

Lastly

VI. FORGET ABOUT PENINNAH

I checked to make sure.

Did you know that her name is never mentioned in the Bible again after 1 Samuel 1:4?

I don’t think that means that Elkanah ran her off.

Just means she wasn’t the focus any more.

Listen to me

You will never get rid of all your pressures.

There will always be something about your husband or your wife that isn’t quite like you dreamed it would be.

Forget about that.

There are plenty of things that are good and right and worthwhile to focus your attention on.

Hannah had Samuel

No, she did not raise him, she gave him to the Lord

It appears she only saw him just once a year.

But during that year she was making him a coat; 

God also gave her 5 other kids to care for.

And I figure she also got some things right with her husband so she just loved being around him.

And Peninnah wasn’t the issue anymore.

• She was probably still there
• She just wasn’t a bother to Hannah

You focus on the right things and the rest of the things just won’t be that much bother anymore

Conclusion:

In the spiritual battle for the home

• Accept your spouse’s love and be content with it
• Trust the Lord and lean not to your own understanding
• Follow (ladies) your husband
• Be faithful to the house of God
• Practice importunate prayer
• Forget about the negative