Title: Five secrets of victory in life
The 5 secrets of victory in life (1 Samuel 7:1-12)
1. Longing for and serving only the Lord
After the ark of the covenant entered Kiriath-jearim, the people of Israel longed for God even more with gratitude for finding the stolen ark (verses 1-2). Then Samuel proclaimed repentance (verse 3). Based on that repentance movement, we won the battle against the Philistines. Longing for God is the basis of all victories. God is not a ‘dead God’ but a ‘living God’. If we dig too much into the truth without longing for God, theologians can make them, but believers cannot. When we are pure and longing for God, God will allow us the best way.
2. Gathering in a place of grace
At that time, Samuel told the whole house of Israel to gather at Mizpah (verse 5). It is important to long for God alone, but it is also important to pray together in a place that receives grace. Where is the most favored place today? It is a church where believers gather. Even if the church sometimes appears wrong, the church, a gathering of saints, is a place where the passion of pure and beautiful hearts emits fragrance like a flower. Always strive to gather in faith. Only then will the work of God's grace come more powerfully.
3. Praying earnestly to God
At that time, Samuel prayed earnestly for the people, and all the people gathered at Mizpah also fasted and prayed together (verses 5-6). That prayer sparked a repentance movement and won the battle against the Philistines. Prayer is a great channel to draw out the power of God. In prayer, there is a formal prayer that only ripples the air, and there is an earnest prayer that causes a ripple in the heart of God. When we pray, we must pray earnestly for the work of change to appear. When earnest and fervent prayer is raised, an emergency bell rings in the sky and the urgent work of God appears.
4. Whole burnt offerings
Before he prayed, Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered a whole burnt offering to the Lord God (verse 9). The burnt offering symbolizes devotion. Devotion is the natural course of a child of God. We say we are devoted to God, but that is nothing compared to God's grace. Even the greatest devotion to God is the least you can do. God wants a whole burnt offering. A whole burnt offering means the highest devotion. The difference between best and next best is a huge difference indeed. The greatest victory will come when you give your best devotion, not your suboptimal devotion.
5. Building a monument of gratitude
After a dramatic victory over the Philistines, Samuel erected a stone between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer. It means, “The Lord has helped us up to this point” (verse 12). Victory became a real victory because of such ‘thanks to Ebenezer’. Two principles are necessary for a happy life. These are the ‘principle of faith’ and the ‘principle of gratitude’. Don't forget to be grateful when you succeed and never lose gratitude when you fail. Ebenezer's faith in gratitude, armed with 'unforgettable gratitude' and 'non-lost gratitude', becomes the best building material for life.