The name 'Hannah' here is 'Channah' (pronounced 'khan-naw') in Hebrew, which means 'favored', from the word 'chanan', meaning 'to favor, to grant graciously'. Indeed, in Christ, you too are the 'favored' of God. Ephesians 1:6 says, '...to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved'. The word 'accepted' here is 'charitoo' in Greek, which literally means 'be highly favored'.
Now, here's the background leading to Hannah's breakthrough. 1 Samuel 1:1-2 says, 'Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah... And he had two wives, the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children'.
Elkanah was a good husband to Hannah, and he loved Hannah even though she was barren (1 Samuel 1:5). Interestingly, the name 'Elkanah' is 'El' (meaning 'God') and 'qanah' (meaning 'to obtain, to redeem, to possess, to recover, to procure') in Hebrew. Today, the Lord is also saying to you that He loves you, and He too has 'obtained, redeemed, possessed, recovered, and procured' you from all the provocation and works of the enemy. 'Peninnah' speaks of 'the worldly way of seeing things, the worldly mindset, the outward way, or the flaunting way of this world'.
People of God, if you have been persecuted, mocked or ridiculed by the 'Peninnahs' around you recently (1 Samuel 1:6-7), take heart, because God is about to cause you to birth forth, just as He did for Hannah in those days! Your breakthrough is at hand!
As Hannah cried out and poured out to God, God (through the priest, Eli) answered and said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." Today, whatever your situation may be, and no matter how 'dark' your situation may be, God is still the same to you as He was to Hannah. He has never changed His ways towards His beloved (Hebrews 13:8).
Hannah then said, "Let your maidservant find favor ('grace' in KJV) in your sight." She then went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad (1 Samuel 1:18). And herein lies a very important key to your breakthrough. Now watch Hannah at this point of time! Has Hannah seen her breakthrough (of asking for a male child) physically yet at this point of time? No! Yet the Bible says, 'she went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad', as if the breakthrough had already happened!
Many believers make this mistake of remaining bitter and sad (i.e. negative), and some even took Hannah's weeping and crying as the reasons for them to remain in their own 'pity party'. But you see, that really wasn't the case with Hannah herself! The moment she received a prophetic word from the Lord (through Eli), she began to take God at His words, and walked free (from sorrows) as if she already had the breakthrough!
You see, as long as you remain bitter and sad (i.e. negative), God cannot bring you out of your 'barrenness', whatever your 'barrenness' in life may be!
Therefore, people of God, this is a time to rise up from your 'melancholy' (state of being sad or depressed) and eat! Eat of the Word! Drink of His Spirit! Rejoice and be glad! And never allow 'negative' people around you to pull you down any further! Remember you are the 'Hannahs' of today! Hannah rose above, ate, and rejoiced, even before the child Samuel was actually born! This speaks volume of her trust in God’s words (prophetic words), and as 1 Thessalonians 5:20 says, 'never to despise prophecies'. By the way, 'Samuel' here speaks of 'the breakthrough that you've been yearning for'.
See now what happened when Hannah began to rejoice and eat! 1 Samuel 1:19-20 then says, 'They (Elkanah and Hannah) rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the Lord."'
And just as God remembered Hannah, He remembers you as well.
'Samuel' in Hebrew is 'Shemuw-El', from two words, 'El' (the name of 'God'), and 'Shama' meaning 'to hear attentively, to give attention carefully, to be obedient'. 'Samuel' speaks of the 'apostolic and prophetic move of God in our days'. God used him for the unprecedented in his days, breaking new grounds by anointing the first kings, and opening the way for God’s people to enter into the new things. 'Samuel' also speaks of ‘the fountain of revelation from heaven being opened’ at a time when the word of the Lord was rare and there was no widespread revelation (1 Samuel 3:1).
People of God, as you cross into the next one year, you'll also see many people in this world not knowing what to do, or how to go about anymore, but take heart, ‘you will know’. God is going to show you many things that ‘eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him' (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
Recently, I heard these words from the Lord during a time of worship and prayer:
"The fountain of revelation is being opened! I am raising up a people who hears! I am raising up a people who hears from heaven, revelation upon revelation from My throne! And I am going to thrust those who are ready into greater things! Greater things than they could ever have imagined!"
And I heard further:
"This is a time to return to Me in worship! There is a call for My people to worship! Yes, like they have never done before! Yes, even entering into new dimensions of worship! This is also a time to bring your 'rod' into My Holy of Holies! Like Aaron's rod! Surrender every 'deadwood' of yours in My presence! For I will use you if you are willing, and I will cause your 'deadwood' to sprout, to put forth buds, to produce blossoms, and to yield ripe almonds."
And I heard further:
"This is a time to return to Me in worship! There is a call for My people to worship! Yes, like they have never done before! Yes, even entering into new dimensions of worship! This is also a time to bring your 'rod' into My Holy of Holies! Like Aaron's rod! Surrender every 'deadwood' of yours in My presence! For I will use you if you are willing, and I will cause your 'deadwood' to sprout, to put forth buds, to produce blossoms, and to yield ripe almonds."
'Rod' speaks of 'your calling in life', and your calling brings with it 'authority'.
Let the Lord visit (and transform you) as you cross into a new year.
1 Samuel 2:21 says, 'And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord'. You see, Hannah was meant to be fruitful. That was her destiny in her life, even though she did not start well. In Christ, you too are meant to be fruitful (in every area of your life), no matter how your past has been. Expect the Lord to visit you too right now, as He did to Hannah in those days. You are indeed highly favored in the Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen!
Let the Lord visit (and transform you) as you cross into a new year.
1 Samuel 2:21 says, 'And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord'. You see, Hannah was meant to be fruitful. That was her destiny in her life, even though she did not start well. In Christ, you too are meant to be fruitful (in every area of your life), no matter how your past has been. Expect the Lord to visit you too right now, as He did to Hannah in those days. You are indeed highly favored in the Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen!
