Brethren, if anyone tells you that the road to jubilation is a smooth and easy one, he deceives you.

The path to jubilation in most cases requires that you put in something to get something substantial.

At other times, you may suffer humiliation but you must remain focused.

Even as Christians, to get answers to prayers isn’t that easy except where the Lord chooses to show mercy.

Often times we have to pray and pray again.   This is usually a test of our faith.  During this period, many give up and never become testifiers.

This period of waiting is also the time to test our patience and confidence in the LORD.

Let’s ask ourselves, besides, praises and worship, why do we pray?

Many of us pray because we have requests to present to our Creator.   Such requests are usually those that are beyond our capacity as human beings.   Therefore, we seek divine intervention through prayers.

We find a good example in Hannah.

Ist Samuel chapter 1 introduced Elkanah and his wives to us and gives us a detailed account of why she cried to the Lord that she believes is able to meet her demands.

Ist Samuel 1 vs. 2 ( NIV): “ He had two wives; one was  Hannah and the other Peninnah.

Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none”.

You are familiar with the story of the annual visit of Elkanah and his wives to Shiloh.

Verses 5 &6 states: “ But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.

And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her”.

As a result of the provocation, Hannah usually wept.    She was sad.

The Holy Bible states in verse 7 ….” Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat”.

  She  felt  the pain of being mocked. Her husband’s love could not wipe her tears.  

Her  tears also  didn’t make her to have a child.

Hannah’s decision to go on hunger strike also did not give her what she wanted.

In the same way, whatever it is you are passing through, weeping isn’t the solution.

When Hannah got tired of weeping, she  took her case to God.

Verses 10 states: “ In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD.

The time of waiting  is also a test of our patience.   Are you patient with God?

Brethren, to  present  your case to God, you not only need faith, you also need perseverance and patience. These are some of the keys to  jubilation. Are you ready?

When Hannah had Samuel, her celebration began.

Ist Samuel 2 vs. 1&2 confirms this. “ Then Hannah prayed and said: “ My heart rejoices  in the LORD;  in the LORD my horn is lifted high.   My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

“ There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God”.

We don’t  need to be told that Hannah danced her hearts out and several people  rejoiced with her.

Another example of the demonstration of faith and perseverance is found in the story of the fall of the wall of Jericho.

For every wall of Jericho to be broken, the Christian needs  not just  have faith but patience and perseverance.

Whatever is a challenge in one’s life, is a wall of Jericho and if the wall is not subdued, there can be no jubilation.  

Let’s look at the steps taken by the children of Israel before the walls of Jericho fell.

Joshua 6 vs. 3-5: “ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with  the priests blowing the trumpets.

When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in”.

This was the instruction of the Lord and they obeyed to the latter.  

They gave up many things that could have given them pleasure to carry out this divine assignment.

The  result is found in verse 20 of the same chapter. : “ When the trumpets sounded, the  people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave aloud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city”.

Note that they went round the city seven times.  This is one of the reasons, July, the seventh month is called the month of perfection or the month of Jubilee.

Brethren you are  now in the seventh month of the year.  How much are you prepared to sacrifice  in order to celebrate?.

The children of Israel demonstrated their faith in God by patiently carrying out the instruction of the Lord.

 They didn’t  get tired of going round the city.   So, it means that you too shouldn’t get tired of praying.

Brethren, they suffered some discomfort to  achieve their aim of bringing down the wall of Jericho.

They sacrificed every other  issue and remained focused

As Christians, we are to confront challenges  in faith with patience and perseverance as the road to our celebration.When challenges give way, we jubilate.We must also realize that it wasn’t the movement of the armed men that brought down the walls but the power of God.  They obeyed and God  took action on their behalf.

Beloved, are you prepared to take steps in line with the word of God?   .

Remember, Hannah prayed because she knew that only the power of God could make her conceive.

Brethren, to overcome  any challenge at all we need the  help of God.

We would be deceiving one another if we say that challenges are not worrisome.  They are but when we take the challenge to God, we begin to enjoy the peace of the Lord.

Let’s imagine how Hannah felt after she poured her heart out to the Lord in prayer.  She must have felt a great relief.  This must have calmed her nerves and drawn Elkanah to her .  The result was that God remembered her, she conceived and Samuel was born.

Many of us need to act in similar ways to have our break through.

Apostle Paul told us in Philippians 4 vs. 6& 7: “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.

When we begin to enjoy the peace of the Lord, it is an indication that the  end of the challenge is  nearer.

If the Israelites didn’t exercise faith, how would the walls of Jericho  have fallen without  them firing a shot.

Brethren we are still considering the significance of the seventh month.  

The Holy Bible also mentioned seven in Deuteronomy 28 vs. 7: “ The LORD will grant  that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated  before you.  They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven”.

In other words, when God steps into your situation, enemies  and challenges must give way and when they give way, you that have been the subject of mockery would be celebrated.

This is  the seventh month.  Make up your mind to sacrifice the pleasures of life so that you can testify to the goodness of the LORD.

Shalom!