{"id":32916,"date":"2024-10-08T22:00:38","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T05:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1-samuel-6_1-21-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-09-24T15:00:34","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T22:00:34","slug":"1-samuel-7_1-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/1-samuel-7_1-17\/","title":{"rendered":"There Is No Breakthrough Without Repentance"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 Samuel 7:1-17 \u00a0 \u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 1 Samuel 7:1-17.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

1 Samuel 7:1-4 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the\u00a0LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the\u00a0LORD.
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the\u00a0LORD.
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the\u00a0LORD\u00a0only.<\/p>\n

On verses 1-4: \u00a0Verse 2 says that the Israelites “mourned and sought after the Lord”. But\u00a0Samuel\u00a0still had to say to them in verse 3, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then get rid of your foreign gods, and He will deliver you from the Philistines.”<\/p>\n

From this we can learn a hugely important lesson:\u00a0You can try to seek God while still maintaining idols in your life, but there will be no major breakthrough until the day you get rid of those idols.<\/strong>\u00a0 What is an idol?\u00a0 An idol is anything you put in place of God. It could be a secret sin like pride or unforgiveness, or a person or thing that you hold onto more tightly than God.\u00a0 Until that thing ceases to be an idol in your life, there will be no major breakthrough.<\/p>\n

There’s a word for getting rid of idols; it’s called repentance. \u00a0 Without repentance, there can be no breakthrough.\u00a0 Earlier in\u00a01\u00a0Samuel\u00a0we saw from both the Israelites and the Philistines that just having the ark of God in their possession didn’t bring them any breakthroughs.\u00a0 In the same way, just because you get into God’s presence, that doesn’t guarantee a breakthrough. \u00a0You need more than God’s presence; you need repentance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can go to a prayer meeting or read your Bible or go to church, but if you’re still hanging onto your idols, there will be very little, if any, breakthrough in your life.<\/p>\n

Question: \u00a0What idols in your life do you need to get rid of in order to experience a breakthrough with God?<\/p>\n

1 Samuel 7:5-14 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the\u00a0LORD\u00a0for you.”
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the\u00a0LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the\u00a0LORD.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the\u00a0LORD. He cried out to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0on Israel’s behalf, and the\u00a0LORD\u00a0answered him.
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the\u00a0LORD\u00a0thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the\u00a0LORD\u00a0helped us.”
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0was against the Philistines.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to her, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.<\/p>\n

On verses 5-14:\u00a0\u00a0Notice what happened after the Israelites repented: they experienced breakthroughs!\u00a0 Here are\u00a07\u00a0breakthroughs that the Israelites experienced after they repented:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0There was unity\u00a0<\/strong>among the Israelites for the first time in decades as they assembled in front of\u00a0Samuel\u00a0(v5-7).<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0There were answered prayers. \u00a0<\/strong>Verse 9 says that\u00a0Samuel\u00a0offered sacrifices and “cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him” (v9).<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0There was warfare and opposition<\/strong>\u00a0(v7).\u00a0 Verse\u00a07\u00a0says that as the Israelites assembled, worshiped, fasted and prayed, the Philistines came to attack.\u00a0 Don’t be surprised and don’t be discouraged if you experience attacks from the enemy while you repent and seek God’s face.\u00a0 Remember why you are experiencing those attacks.\u00a0 It’s because the enemy feels threatened now that you are encroaching on territory that he has been occupying.\u00a0 Don’t be afraid, because as Jesus says, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0There was victory over the enemy.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Verses 10-11 tell us that with God’s intervention (v10 – “loud thunder”) and the people’s courage (v11 – “The Israelites rushed out and pursued”) the Israelites routed the Philistines.\u00a0 As a result the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory anymore (v13).<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0There was public acknowledgment of God’s help\u00a0<\/strong>(v12).\u00a0 Samuel sets up a stone to commemorate the Israelites\u2019 victory over the Philistines.\u00a0 He calls the stone \u201cEbenezer\u201d, which means \u201cstone of help\u201d.\u00a0 Whenever people saw the stone they were reminded of the work that God had done in them.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0There was restoration\u00a0<\/strong>(v14).\u00a0 The towns which the Philistines had previously taken from Israel were restored to Israel.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0There was peace<\/strong>\u00a0(v14).\u00a0 Verse 14 says that after the Israelites repented, there was peace with their enemies (v14).<\/p>\n

Praise God!\u00a0 These are\u00a07\u00a0results of repentance.\u00a0 It goes to show that repentance is one of the most powerful things you can do.\u00a0 So let the Holy Spirit scan your heart.\u00a0 As God reveals to you sins that you still struggle with and idols that you need to destroy, confess them to God, renounce them and take practical steps to get rid of them.\u00a0 Breakthroughs will come after you repent.<\/p>\n

1\u00a0Samuel\u00a07:15-17 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>Samuel\u00a0continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.<\/p>\n

On verses 15-17: \u00a0So much depends on leadership.\u00a0\u00a0 God used the leadership of\u00a0Samuel\u00a0to bring the Israelites to a much better place with Him.\u00a0 Here we see\u00a0Samuel\u00a0at the height of his leadership influence.\u00a0 In the same way, may you never take for granted the people God has used in your life to help you get to a much better place with Him.\u00a0 May you too be someone who leads others for the better as well.<\/p>\n

Holy Spirit, thank You for teaching me today that without repentance there is no breakthrough.\u00a0 Please scan my heart and identify for me the struggles I need to confess, the sins I need to renounce, and the idols I need to destroy.\u00a0 I believe in faith that breakthroughs will take place in my life when I walk in repentance.\u00a0 In Jesus’ name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 1 Samuel 7:1-17.\u00a0 As usual,\u00a0I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!\u00a0<\/p>\n

1 Samuel 7:1-4 (NIV)
\n1\u00a0\u00a0So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the\u00a0LORD. They took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the\u00a0LORD.
\n2\u00a0\u00a0It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the\u00a0LORD.
\n3\u00a0\u00a0And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the\u00a0LORD\u00a0and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
\n4\u00a0\u00a0So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the\u00a0LORD\u00a0only.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nOn verses 1-4: \u00a0Verse 2 says that the Israelites “mourned and sought after the Lord”. But\u00a0Samuel\u00a0still had to say to them in verse 3, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then get rid of your foreign gods, and He will deliver you from the Philistines.”\u00a0
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32918,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32916"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32919,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32916\/revisions\/32919"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}