HOW TO PRAY FOR VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY
The victory of the Israelities over the Philistines thru prayer illustrates how they overcame the enemy thru prayers. By meditating on this passage we can study how we can also win over the devil by praying the similar way.

1 Sam 7:3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will PRAY to the LORD for you.”
6 they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
7 when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry outto the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.

1a) In one Accord
3a Samuel spoke to all of Israel… 5 Gather all …6 they gathered 8 they said to Samuel…
He spoke to all of them, they all listened, they all gathered, they all pleaded. This shows that they were all in one accord, no arguments and no divisions. Similarly we need to pray in one accord, as one family, once church, one body of Christ. In Acts 1, there was a heavy outpour of the Spirit for the first time when the believers were in one accord.
Act 1:14a all continued with one accord in prayer ...

1b) Supplication
Act 1:14b all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication

2) Repent
3b “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods… and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away them…and served the LORD only. 6a they…drew water, and poured it out before the LORD.
The people obeyed and repented for their sins. In v6 the act of drawing water out of the well and pouring it out is an outward expression of repentance, of drawing from deep in their heart and pouring it out to the ground. This is similar to another outward expression of water baptism, where one commits the Christ. 2 Chro states that the Lord expects his children to humble and turn from wickedness and he will forgive them and heal them. This is proved in Jonah where the people of Nineveh fasted, repented and cried out to the Lord and God forgave them.
2 Chro 7:14 If my people will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Jonah 3:10 Let neither man nor beast, eat/drink anything; ...8 ...cry mightily to God; let every one turn from his evil way...10 Then God saw that they turned from their evil way; and God relented

3) Fast
6b …they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.”
The people fasted and prayed for deliverance from the bondage of their enemy. We too can get Gods attention to our fasting prayers. Jesus made 2 references to fasting not as a rule but an expectation, especially if we need deliverance from the bondage of the enemy. Fasting also helped the Ninevites against death (Jon 3) and Isralites against the Benjaminites (Jud 20).
Mat 9:15 Jesus said “the days will come when the bridegroom (Jesus) will be taken away from them, and then His friends will fast. ”
Mat 17:14 a man came saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic”…18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him 21 Jesus said this (deliverance) kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting

4) Forgive
6c And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
Samuel was the leader of the Israelities and responsible for their mistakes. The law says that the high priest has to give gifts and also sacrifices on behalf of his people. But Samuel forgave his people and asked for their forgiveness. Similarly we too have to forgive others and pray for them. In Gen 20 after Abimelech returned Sarah, Abraham prayed for him to bear child
Matt 5:44 love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you
Mar 11:25 when praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

5a) Watch
7a the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it…8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel …
Eventhough the Israelites trusted their Lord and their prophet, they didn’t take things for granted but kept watch over the advance of the enemy. Similarly we must watch and pray against the tricks of the enemy.
Matt 26:41 Watch and Pray, the spirit is willing but the flesh is week
5b) For at least an hour
Matt 26:40 Jesus:Could you not watch with Me one hour?

6) Believe
7a the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD…
When the Israelites saw the enemy approaching, they did not run away even in fear. They trusted in God. Similarly we must pray with faith and believe in receiving the answer. Both Abraham and Zachariah prayed for a son in their old age. Abraham believed but Zachariah did not and was thus muted. In 1 Sam 17 David trusted God without doubt and wrath (Also Ref Jam 5:15)
Mat 21:22 whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
Gen 15:6 Abraham believed in the LORD (for a hier), and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Luke 1:13 the angel said to Zach, “your prayer is heard” 20 behold, you will be mute because you did not believe my words.

7) Without Ceasing
8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD
Most of us pray once and except answers, but we must not give up faith and continue to pray. In Judges 20:20 the Israelites failed the first 2 times against the Benjaminites, but the third time they still prayed without questioning God and won. In contrast, in 2 Chro 14-16 King Asa trusted in God the first time and won the Ethiopians, but later trusted in the Syrians for war and in physicians for health and thus died.
1 Thes 5:17 pray without ceasing

8) Fervently
8b the children of Israel said, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God”… 9b Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
Samuel cried out to the Lord in prayer fervently. The Israelites cried out to the Lord in Egypt for so many years and God answered. Samson, prayed just once, but fervently and thus God answered. Similarly our fervent prayers will help us avail much.
Jam 5:16b The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Exo 2:23 the children of Israel groaned and cried out…because of the bondage. 24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant.
Jud 16:28 Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once…

9) Sacrifice
9 Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD.
At the end when the enemy was near, Samuel sacrificed a lamb. Abraham, Issac and Abel gave sacrifices and prayed to God. Today, we do not need to sacrifice animals, but we must remember the sacrifice of Jesus and also we must sacrifice ourselves and our worldly pleasures as a living sacrifice and pray.
Rom 12 offer yourselves as a living sacrifice

Note:- The below 3 points are not directly related to the victory of Mizpah.

10) Lift Hands
Let us pray fervently and lift up our voices and hands out to God.
1 Tim 2:8 I desire all pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 King 8:22 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and prayed…

11) Worship
Let us pray with and worship and praise like Paul and Silas, though in bondage prayed with hymns to God. In Psalms 81, David worshiped God with Praise and hymns.
Act 16:24 into the inner prison fastened their feet 25 at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

12) Doctrine & Fellowship
Let us meditate on the word of God and fellowship in Christ and pray with one another.
Act 2:42 they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Conclusion:- Let us pray in one accord, turning away from sin, with fasting, with forgiveness, being watchfull, beleiving, fervently, without ceasing, sacrificing, lifting up hands, with worship and hymns and following the doctrine with fellowship in Christ. We can thus expect our prayers to be answered. The battle of the tribes of Israel against the Benjaminites (Judges 20) also reflects the victory thru praying without ceasing, fervently and with sacrifice.