Interceding Faith

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Interceding Faith

Text: Hebrews 11 32.

Introduction:

A. Faith is trusting God to do all He has promised to do.

1. The Bible tells about many who had such faith.

2. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews lists only a few of the ore outstanding men and women of faith.

B. To int ede is to plead in behalf, in favor, of anothe

1. AB attorney pleads for his client.

2. ABa priest pleads for a sinner before God.

C. Today'~ hero of faith is Samuel. His name means, "Asked pf the Lord."

1. He 'f"as an intercessor for Israel.

2. Read: I Samuel 7:3-12.

I. A BACKSLIDDENPEOPLE.

A. The moral fiber of the nation was in a terrible state of deea .

B. It hit a all-time low during the priesthood of Eli.

1. Eli as very old and made no serious attempt to disc pline his children. If a man cannot rule his own hou ehold, he certainly cannot rule (Eli was judge as well as priest) a na-tion, (cf I Timothy 3:4,5,12).

2. Eli' sons were reprobates; they had no respect for Go nor the people, I Samuel 2: 12-17, 22-25.

C. A day f tragedies in Israel.

1. Eli' two sons were slain in war.

2. The "ark of God" was captured by the Philistines, I S ueI4:11.

3. At t e shocking news, Eli fell from his seat and broke his eck, I Samuel 4: 18.

4. His daughter-in-law died in childbirth, I Samuel 4:1 ,20.

5. She named her son ICHABOD, meaning ugly--"The glo is departed from Israel," I Samuel 4:21.

II. SAMUEL LED THE PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE, I Samuel 7:2-

A. The n twenty years without a spiritu

INTERCEDING FAITH

III.

B. Formul8Jfor revival:

1. The people must want a revival. The people of Israel did, s 2.

2. They must turn to the Lord with whole hearts.

3. They must put away all other gods. Jacob's family put away their "strange" gods before returning to Bethel, Gene is 35: 1-4.

4. They must prepare their hearts for the habitation of God.

a. good man will not d well in a dirty house; men rve divorced wives who would not keep clean ~ouses.

b. fUCh less will God dwell in a dirty house -- heart.

5. They must serve God only, (cf Exodus 20:3,4).

C. Only th n can people expect God to grant them showers of blessings in revival.

D. The peo Ie did as Samuel suggested, vs 6.

A PRAYER ~EETING, I Samuel 7:6.

A. Samuel prayed for the people--nation.

B. The people

1. "Dret water and poured it out before the Lord."

a. tn .ex~ression of penance, self-denial and self- 1isc1pline.

b. ~avid poured out the water from the well in

!petWehem, II Samuel 23: 15-17.

c. fater is emblematic of power and strength. When

oured on the ground the power is lost.

d. Israel thus pictured their spiritual weakness; their I ss of power with God.

2. The eople fasted.

3. They! confessed: "We have sinned against the Lord."

C. Samue~edged the people in Mizpah.

CHALLEN~D BY THE ENEMY, I Samuel 7:7-11.

A. When rrvival fires begin to burn among God's people, ~he devil can be expected to throw a wet blanket n the flames.

B. The Phi istines decided to break up this revival, vs 7.

C. Further evidence of revival: the people asked

Samuel to intercede, pray without ceasing, until God sho ld give them victory, vs 8.

IV.

D. Israel on an impressive victory.

1. S el prayed as requested, verses 9 and 10.

2. The people put their faith in God and faced up to the challenge of the enemy.

3. God honored their faith and fought for Israel.

a. he Philistines were destroyed by a hunderstorm.

b. srael pressed their advantage, and smote them .th the sword.

c. srael chased the Philis-tines all the way to their own borders, vs 11.

V. IT IS TIME TO GIVE THANKS,I Samuel 7:12.

A. The p pIe gave God the credit for victory.

B. They w uld not enjoy the fruits of victory and faith withou acknowledging the power of God.

C. This re ival was twenty years coming, but it lasted a long . e, verses 13 and 14.

D. Samuel continued to intercede for the people, verses 5-17.

Conclusion:

A. Haven' we been too long without revival?

B. The fo ula for revival is the same for today as then, II Chronicles 7:14.

C. We m t do some house-cleaning.

1. In 0 own hearts, lives and homes.

2. It is a personal matter. Revival begins with you and me.

3. We ust put God first and worship Him only.

D. Reviv requires sacrifice, denial and self-discipline.

1. At etes must discipline them-selves if they would exc 1.

2. Eve more must Christians discipline themselves if the would have God shower them with revival bless- ings

3. OnI then can we enjoy the fruits of victory and sing of thanksgiving.

Index