Abiding Light

Having spent time highlighting the fact that prophetesses are a part of God’s working plan, His Sovereign will, and their particular prophetess roles, we return to the Advent Story and how God was pleased to use a true prophetess there. Here again is what is said of Anna, as a servant or prophetess of God.

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Luke 2: 36 – 38.

Earlier, we were told that four lights would be illuminated for us, from this text. We have already dealt with the Naming Light. Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess. She was named prophetess by divine ordering and not by self-ordering, human ordering or any other ordering.

Fully lit up for us now, is the Abiding Light. Anna lived, giving her life to what I call, temple living. She, was a widow, of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple. This prophetess knew full, not partial, temple living. She never, if even she was tempted to do so, ever strayed from the place she had chosen to live in. We can speak about temptation, for we have experienced and know that the crafty, shrewd deceiver, never tempts us on what does not matter to us, in relation to our offerings to God.

Haven’t you proven this fact in your own lives? When you offer your bodies to God, which is your reasonable service, Satan comes with his angels of light, to tempt you to do good things, but they are totally against God’s will? This is what I mean. You know that, you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you. 1 Corinthians 3: 16b. You know that the temple must be without mischief and corruption. Now comes a ticklish situation and straightway the deceiver comes with his soft, persuasive tongue, and tells you things like this. You can twist and bend the truth a little. It is harmless and no one will be hurt. You listen and begin to feel justified in this action, so you yield to this fruit of the enemy. Worse yet, you have departed from the temple of God.

As believers, male and female alike, we each, like Anna, have offered our bodies to the Lord, for they are His. They are no longer ours, as Jesus bought us from Satan and sin a long time ago. Let’s reason now, backed and uplifted in faith and stubborn belief, on this matter of our lives. We were told that Anna was a widow who did not depart from the temple. In other words, she lived in the temple. I suppose it was akin to how young Samuel lived in the temple with high priest, Eli. What we are observing is that she has given herself over to abiding in the temple. All she knows now is temple dwelling.

How was she able to do this? Why was she able to do this? It was because she was a widow; her husband was dead. You too are able to know perfect temple living, for you are a widow also. At one time, you were married to, united with Satan and sin, and lived according to his demands. Unending praise, thanks and glory to God, you were freed from such bondage, by the Precious, Victorious Blood of His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6: 19 – 20. We are no longer married to or united with Satan, for he is dead to us, making us widows, free to be united with, and fully live only with Jesus. 

Brothers and sisters, fellow believers in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, Saviour and Lord, you must be like Anna, a widow, if you are to abide in the Spirit and He abide in you. He will depart from you if His temple, your body, is even shared by one other. Be like Anna in your living. Do not depart from God’s Blood-bought, cleansed and sanctified temple. Be like Anna in your abiding. Reckon yourself to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6: 11b.