Empowering Lights

Having listened to Isaiah fifty-eight and received God’s mind and word about fasting and praying, which are not according to Him, we also received much more. We were assured of the unlimited blessings and promises free to us all, when we do as our Lord requires, in fasting and praying.

As we keep looking to Anna, of the four spiritually burning lights to be illuminated in us, there is one more precious and powerful light still to be lit. Already beautifully lit are the Naming Light, the Abiding Light and the Serving Light. What is the final Light we need to complete the Prophetess Light? It is the Empowering Light. Let’s return to our main Scripture verses.

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.

When we look at Anna, what do we learn? Why was she fasting and praying all day and all night? One thing we do know for sure is that hers was not fasting and paying amiss. Her service of fasting and praying to God was fully recognized by God, faithfully regarded by God and freely rewarded by God. This is all given great testimony in what we are being shown in this sentence. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

To ply us with information which is beneficial for better understanding, we need to be knowledgeable of a few important things that occurred previously. Earlier in the chapter, we are told of a very devout and just man called Simeon, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He knew God well and God knew him extremely well. God was so pleased with Simeon’s life that He made him a most generous, lavish and blessed promise. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2: 26.

When Joseph and Mary decided to take Baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to have Him consecrated, as was the Jewish custom, the Holy Spirit brought Simeon into the temple at the same time, keeping His Word and fulfilling His promise to Simeon. My friends, see that this is all our Lord’s miraculously empowering Hand. This meeting is all supernatural, all of God. Indeed, Simeon only came to the temple at the exact time Jesus would be brought there, not by instinct, not by gut feeling, not by guess work and certainly not by chance. This is all the direct Hand of the Holy Spirit.

It is into this holy, heavenly time of empowering, that the Holy Spirit continues His most inimitable work, as Anna comes in, in that instant. Yes, Anna lives in the temple, but not in the sanctuary as it were. It’s like what obtained and still obtains with some churches. The minister’s dwelling is attached to the church, so that he, or she, and his family live on one enclosed property. However he is not in the sanctuary every day. Think of Anna in that way. She is in the temple abiding, but she is not in the sanctuary, abiding. She goes there at the appropriate times. However, today is super special, for she is also taken by the Holy Spirit to the inner temple, at the time when Simeon is holding the Christ Child up before the altar, blessing and praising God for Israel’s Consolation.

Truly, Anna is:-

Fully recognized by God - And coming in that instant. God has recognized her and favoured her with seeing Messiah Jesus.

Faithfully rewarded by God - She gave thanks to the Lord.  God has rewarded her so bountifully and so lavishly, her unbounded response is to simply give thanks.

Freely renewed by God - She spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. God has been so free and generous with her in granting her living witness and testimony, she is now able to speak with renewed, refreshed and revitalized words, what she now personally knows.

All praise and thanks to God for Prophetess lights of Naming, Abiding, Serving and Empowering. Rejoice! We are being made God’s peculiar Advent trees, showcasing Him. And now, with unharnessed excitement, unrivalled anticipation and undeniable hope, we look to the Fourth and final Sunday and week in Advent.

Pray Almighty, Holy Spirit, to keep our spirits ever tethered in Him, so that we may live in His fullness. In Him, may we know the freedom to know soaring faith that is daunted by nothing and no one. May trust and belief stand forever strong in Him, so that we may indeed continue to be our Lord’s Advent trees, fully serving Him, in all the ways which please Him.