Intercession that Kept an Entire Generation

Do you sometimes feel like you are standing alone? Do you sometimes feel like you are the lone voice interceding for your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers? Do you ever feel like that little Dutch boy who discovered a leak and is holding his finger in the dike? The prophet Samuel could probably relate to your feelings.

The seventh chapter of the First Book of Samuel describes the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Israel. The Ark had been captured by the Philistines and they were under God’s judgement the entire time the Ark was in their possession.

They could not wait to return it and when Israel received the Ark back from their enemies, the entire nation embraced God’s presence and returned to Him. They forsook the false gods they had been worshipping. They put away their Ashtoreth idols and their Baals and served the Living God alone.

At this time, all of Israel gathered at Mizpah to fast, pray and repent of their idolatry and Samuel prayed for them.

When the proud, stubborn and apparently not too bright Philistines heard that all of Israel was gathered in one place, they thought they had gained a strategic advantage and planned to attack.

They apparently forgot about the 7 months the Ark resided in Ashdod. They must have forgotten finding the statue of their top “god” Dagon flat on its face before the Ark, hands and head broken off! They must have forgotten the tumors that afflicted the people of Ashdod those 7 months.

The nation of Israel must have forgotten this too because when they heard what the Philistines had planned, they were filled with fear and asked Samuel to intercede for them. “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines” was their plea.

I sometimes wonder if Samuel thought to himself "Gee Lord, the only time I hear from these people is when they need prayer!" But Samuel sacrificed and prayed on their behalf and the Lord saw, heard and answered. “The Lord thundered with a loud thunder” ( I Sam 7:10) upon the Philistines, confused them and they were overcome by Israel. The Philistines were subdued and did not come again into the territory of Israel all the days of Samuel. Lord, I pray my victories would look the same because it seems like I am fighting the same battles over and over!

As long as Samuel was alive and interceding for the nation, God’s Hand was against the Philistines. Even the cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to their ownership.

In addition to subduing the Philistines, Israel also found peace with their other arch enemy, the Amorites.

Samuel’s intercession kept an entire generation.

Can our prayers do the same? Can we continue to hold back the tide of evil that is desperate to overtake our families and our nation?

Like Samuel, will the Lord also drive back our enemies as a result of our sacrifice and intercession? I say yes, He will !

We have many spiritual enemies and maybe even some natural ones too. They target us specifically. They target our families. They target our nation. Like the Lord saw and heard Samuel, the Lord sees your sacrifice and hears your intercession.

Keep on going! Don’t give up! Press in and wait for His Voice to thunder and His Hand to move on your behalf. Be like the "little Dutch boy" in your sphere of influence - finger in the dike, holding back the floodwaters. Be a Samuel!

I am praying with you and for you. As you consider 1 Samuel Chapter 7, be encouraged to know that even if it’s only one person standing in the gap, that is enough!

And, what if we all determined to be that one person? What exponential power would come forth?

“Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight.” Leviticus 26:8

“Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.” Psalm 68:1

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap” Ezekiel 22:30

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

“Help me, O Lord my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand—That You, Lord, have done it!” Psalm 109:26,27

We praise You Adonai, our beautiful Savior and King. Your power and authority are absolute. Have Your way in us and work through us. Even if we have to stand alone Lord, help us to continue to stand!

Amen.