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Day 70 1 Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel, saying, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said,” Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.” 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar. 12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it, Ebenezer, saying, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” Have you asked someone to pray for you? Do you value their prayers and expect God will hear their prayers on your behalf? The Philistines came against Israel and defeated them in the battle so that Israel asked for the Ark of the Covenant to come into the battle with them. However, because of Eli’s sin, God was not with Israel. The Philistines won the battle. Eli’s sons died, and the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and put it in the temple of their god, Dagon. When the Philistines looked into the temple in the morning, Dagon had fallen before the Ark of the Covenant. The Philistines grew fearful and didn’t know what to do with the Ark of the Covenant and sent it throughout the land, and God brought a plague on them, so that the Philistines had no choice but to send it back to Israel with a trespass offering on a cart with two oxen pulling it. When the Ark of the Covenant arrived in Bethshemesh, the people broke the cart, and sacrificed the oxen, and offered the trespass offering to God. However, God struck the people for looking into the Ark of the Covenant, so that the people feared God, and sent for the Levites to come and take the Ark from their midst. They arrived to take the Ark of the Covenant to Kirjathjearim, where it stayed in the house of Abinadab. The Philistines again came against Israel and expected to defeat them, however, Israel came to Samuel and asked him to pray to God on their behalf and not stop praying. Samuel told them to put away their strange gods and serve God alone, and they did. God then came to their defense and destroyed the Philistines. As Christians, your enemy is Satan. He comes to you in many ways to try to destroy you and your faith. When he does, you need to gather prayer warriors to pray with you to defeat Satan’s plans against you, and He will. You will see God’s hand change the course of your life for the better as He defeats Satan’s plans. Do you need someone to pray for your situation? Let your request be heard among other believers and God will hear the prayers of His saints on your behalf. Let’s pray: Father, You know my heart, my needs, and the trouble facing me. Spoil Satan’s plans against me, and show Yourself mighty in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 22 August 2021 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.