Hannah serves as a model of faith for women. Women of faith endure real problems, extend vibrant prayers to God, experience God's provisions, and excel at keeping promises. They express their praise for the blessings received from God, just as Hannah did in her prayer of thanksgiving after God gave her a son as she requested. Her example calls all people to come to God in prayerful obedience through faith in Christ.

1. The main points of this outline were adapted
from a sermon by Brian Hill.

2. The Old Testament contains many role
models for us today...
Great men like:
Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua,
David, Daniel
Great women like:
Sarah, Ruth, Esther

3. A wonderful role model for women of faith
today is that of Hannah...
The mother of Samuel, one of the greatest
prophets of Israel.
Hannah’s story is told in the first two
chapters of 1 Samuel

4. WOMEN OF FAITH ENDURE REAL
PROBLEMS

5. Womb closed by the Lord
1 Samuel 1:1 NET There was a man from
Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of
Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He
was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu,
the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an
Ephraimite.

6. 2 He had two wives; the name of the first
was Hannah and the name of the second
was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children,
but Hannah was childless. 3 Year after year
this man would go up from his city to
worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of
hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as
the LORD's priests.

7. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to
sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to
his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and
daughters. 5 But he would give a double
portion to Hannah, because he especially
loved her. Now the LORD had not enabled
her to have children.

8. Provoked by her rival
1 Samuel 1:6 NET Her rival wife used to
upset her and make her worry, for the
LORD had not enabled her to have
children. 7 Peninnah would behave this way
year after year. Whenever Hannah went up
to the LORD's house, Peninnah would
upset her so that she would weep and
refuse to eat.

9. 8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her,
"Hannah, why do you weep and not eat?
Why are you so sad? Am I not better to you
than ten sons?"

10. Women of faith are not without problems in
this life.
The righteous often suffer.
(remember Job)
Sarah likewise suffered ridicule from her
handmaiden Hagar

11. Genesis 16:3 NET So after Abram had lived
in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram's
wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to
her husband to be his wife. 4 He had sexual
relations with Hagar, and she became
pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was
pregnant, she despised Sarai. 5 Then Sarai
said to Abram, “You have brought this
wrong on me!

12. I allowed my servant to have sexual
relations with you, but when she realized
that she was pregnant, she despised me.
May the LORD judge between you and me!”
We should not let others deter our trust in
the Lord.
Hannah could have used her misfortune
and mistreatment as an excuse. Yet year
after year Hannah continued to worship the
Lord

13. 1 Samuel 1:7 NET Peninnah would behave
this way year after year. Whenever Hannah
went up to the LORD's house, Peninnah
would upset her so that she would weep
and refuse to eat.
Women of faith have problems just like
other women. What distinguishes them as
women of faith is what they do when faced
with their problems.

15. With the bitterness of soul.
With weeping in anguish.
1 Samuel 1:10 NET She was very upset as
she prayed to the LORD, and she was
weeping uncontrollably.

16. With offers of a solemn vow
1 Samuel 1:11 NET She made a vow
saying, "O LORD of hosts, if you will look
with compassion on the suffering of your
female servant, remembering me and not
forgetting your servant, and give a male
child to your servant, then I will dedicate
him to the LORD all the days of his life. His
hair will never be cut."

17. With persistence
1 Samuel 1:12 NET As she continued
praying to the LORD, Eli was watching her
mouth.
With her heart
1 Samuel 1:13 NET Now Hannah was
speaking from her heart. Although her lips
were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli
therefore thought she was drunk.

18. With all her soul
1 Samuel 1:15 NET But Hannah replied,
"That's not the way it is, my lord! I am under
a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither
wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my
soul to the LORD. 16 Don’t consider your
servant a wicked woman, for until now I
have spoken from my deep pain and
anguish."

19. With faith in God's promise
1 Samuel 1:18 NET She said, "May I, your
servant, find favor in your sight." So the
woman went her way and got something to
eat. Her face no longer looked sad.

20. Pray fervently
She put her soul in her prayers.
Pray persistently
She continued steadfastly in prayers.
Colossians 4:2 NET Be devoted to prayer,
keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

21. Pray faithfully
She believed that God would answer her
prayers. 1 John 5:14 NET And this is the
confidence that we have before him: that
whenever we ask anything according to his
will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that
he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
then we know that we have the requests
that we have asked from him.

22. Women of faith believe in the effectiveness
of prayer.
God takes notice of such faith,
2 Chronicles 16:9 NET Certainly the LORD
watches the whole earth carefully and is
ready to strengthen those who are devoted
to him. You have acted foolishly in this
matter; from now on you will have war.

23. 1 John 3:21 NET Dear friends, if our
conscience does not condemn us, we have
confidence in the presence of God, 22 and
whatever we ask we receive from him,
because we keep his commandments and
do the things that are pleasing to him. 23
Now this is his commandment: that we
believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and love one another, just as he gave us
the commandment.

24. 24 And the person who keeps his
commandments resides in God, and God in
him. Now by this we know that God resides
in us: by the Spirit he has given us.
So we should not be surprised to see as we
continue reading that....

25. WOMEN OF FAITH EXPERIENCE
GOD'S PROVISIONS

26. When the Lord remembered her.
1 Samuel 1:19 NET They got up early the
next morning and after worshiping the
LORD, they returned to their home at
Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with
his wife Hannah, and the LORD
remembered her.

27. When the Lord gave her a son, whom she
named Samuel.
("heard of God; asked of God")
1 Samuel 1:20 NET After some time
Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to
a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, "I
asked the LORD for him.

28. God gives us what we want, but, it must be
according to His will.
1 John 5:14 NET And this is the confidence
that we have before him: that whenever we
ask anything according to his will, he hears
us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in
regard to whatever we ask, then we know
that we have the requests that we have
asked from him.

29. We must abide in His words.
John 15:7 NET If you remain in me and my
words remain in you, ask whatever you
want, and it will be done for you.
Selfish prayers will not be answered as we
wish. James 4:3 NET you ask and do not
receive because you ask wrongly, so you
can spend it on your passions.

30. God will always provide what we need. It
may not be what we want or expect. But it
will meet our needs, and be for our good.
Matthew 6:33 NET But above all pursue his
kingdom and righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well.
Romans 8:28 NET And we know that all
things work together for good for those who
love God, who are called according to his
purpose,

32. In Hannah's case, she received what she
asked for. But she had made a vow, and as
we read on, we see that she planned to
keep her promise.
1 Samuel 1:21 NET This man Elkanah went
up with all his family to make the yearly
sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow,

33. 22 but Hannah did not go up with them.
Instead she told her husband, "Once the
boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear
before the LORD, and he will remain there
from then on."
She carried out what she promised.
1 Samuel 1:24 NET Once she had weaned
him, she took him up with her, along with
three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a
container of wine.

34. She brought him to the LORD's house at
Shiloh, even though he was young. 25
Once the bull had been slaughtered, they
brought the boy to Eli. 26 She said, "Just
as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the
woman who previously stood here with you
in order to pray to the LORD.

35. 27 I prayed for this boy, and the LORD has
given me the request that I asked of him.
She worshipped the Lord.
28 Now I dedicate him to the LORD. From
this time on he is dedicated to the LORD."
Then they worshiped the LORD there.

36. We should keep our vows. God has no
pleasure in fools who do not keep their
vows.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 NET When you make a
vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For
God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what
you vow! 5 It is better for you not to vow
than to vow and not pay it.

37. As Christians, even our 'yes' and 'no' are as
solemn vows.
Matthew 5:33 NET "Again, you have heard
that it was said to an older generation, 'Do
not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to
the Lord.' (Lev 19:12)

38. 34 But I say to you, do not take oaths at all
— not by heaven, because it is the throne
of God, 35 not by earth, because it is his
footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it
is the city of the great King. 36 Do not take
an oath by your head, because you are not
able to make one hair white or black. 37 Let
your word be 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no.' More
than this is from the evil one.

39. James 5:12 NET And above all, my
brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by
heaven or by earth or by any other oath.
But let your "Yes" be yes and your "No" be
no, so that you may not fall into judgment.
We should worship the Lord. Fulfillment of
vows or promises should not be done
begrudgingly. We should with gratitude of
heart do the will of the Lord.

40. Colossians 3:17 NET And whatever you do
in word or deed, do it all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Finally, we note Hannah's prayer of
thanksgiving (1 Sam 2:1-10), which is
reminiscent of Mary's 'Magnificat' (Lk 1:46-
55).
Both prayers reveal that…

42. With great joy in her heart.
1 Samuel 2:1 NET Hannah prayed, "My
heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is
exalted high because of the LORD. I loudly
denounce my enemies, for I am happy that
you delivered me.
With praise for the Lord for His help. 1
Samuel 2:2 NET No one is holy like the
LORD! There is no one other than you!
There is no rock like our God!

43. 3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly, letting
proud talk come out of your mouth! For the
LORD is a God who knows; he evaluates
what people do. 4 The bows of warriors are
shattered, but those who stumble find their
strength reinforced. 5 Those who are well-
fed hire themselves out to earn food, but
the hungry no longer lack.

44. Even the barren woman gives birth to
seven, but the one with many children
withers away. 6 The LORD both kills and
gives life; he brings down to the grave and
raises up. 7 The LORD impoverishes and
makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises
the poor from the ash heap to seat them
with princes and to bestow on them an
honored position.

45. The foundations of the earth belong to the
LORD, and he has placed the world on
them. 9 He watches over his holy ones, but
the wicked are made speechless in the
darkness, for it is not by one's own strength
that one prevails. The LORD shatters his
adversaries; he thunders against them from
the heavens.
The LORD executes judgment to the
ends of the earth. He will strengthen his
king and exalt the power of his anointed
one."

46. We should rejoice in blessings received.
For we are to rejoice always.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 NET
Always rejoice,

47. How much more so when we have received
blessings from the Lord! We should offer
praise for blessings received. As David
offered thanks, and promised to praise God.
Psalms 18:49 NET So I will give you thanks
before the nations, O LORD! I will sing
praises to you!

48. Praising God is how Christians offer
spiritual sacrifices to God.
Hebrews 13:15 NET Through him then let
us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise
to God, that is, the fruit of our lips,
acknowledging his name.

49. “HannaH - A Woman Of Faith"
serves to remind us that
all women of faith...
ENDURE REAL PROBLEMS
EXTEND VIBRANT PRAYERS
EXPERIENCE GOD'S PROVISIONS
EXCEL AT KEEPING PROMISES
EXPRESS THEIR PRAISE

50. Today, anyone can become a person of
faith...Even though you face many
problems. If you are willing to come to God
in prayerful obedience to the gospel of
Christ.
Receive the gift of salvation provided
through God's Son. Remain true to your
commitment to His authority as Lord of your
life. Offer your life and the fruit of your lips in
praise to Him.

51. May everyone, whether male or female, be
able to say together with Hannah: 1 Samuel
2:1 NET Hannah prayed, "My heart rejoices
in the LORD; my horn is exalted high
because of the LORD. I loudly denounce
my enemies, for I am happy that you
delivered me.