Introduction:
- It is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case.
- Expectation is the prerequisite for receiving
- What you cannot conceive, you won’t be able to possess it- Abraham possess as far as he could see- Gen.13:14-17
The life of Simeon and Hannah is of tremendous blessing this evening, they demonstrated how expectation tool can propel a man to receive from the Lord. Bible say “the expectation of the righteous shall not be cut off”, and “the desire of the righteous shall be granted”-Prov.10:23-24; 23:18b
This implies that “the righteous” is the concern of God. Those who are in the right standing with God, doing the right thing that the Lord God prescribed. “Tell it to the righteous, it shall be well with him.
Preparing For Divine Encounter
1. Spiritual Preparedness (Amos 4:12)
Someone was a righteous man. Though waiting on God for manifestations of promises. But he never wavered in his pious act to God. He remained in right tune with the God. Emotion or sentiment cannot receive from God but being in right lane with God.
Simeon, full of Holy Spirit. Scripture Acts of Apostles 17: 28- ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being” typifies life of Simeon. Everything about Him speak of life in Holy Spirit. He lived, moved and had his being inside Holy Spirit. He understood instruction of Holy Spirit and the prophesy upon his life, he relied on the leading of Holy Spirit to wait on God. He received timely instructions from the Holy Spirit when to move (Luke 2: 25b-27a). A man full of the Holy Spirit will understand the move of God…in Him we moved. He was not only hearing from God hut also learned to obey the dictate of the Holy Spirit. Like Stephen, he was full of Holy Spirit, like men of Isacchar, he understood time.
To continuously manifest God, we must remain in constant tune with the Holy Spirit. Who can understand a man except the spirit in him…
2. Human intentionality (1 Chron.4:9-10)
Jabez personally cried unto God, He got what he intended.
Simeon, A devotee. God is committed to those who are committed to Him. Someone was not carried away with the promise being waited for but he remain devoted in service, worship and fellowship with God.
He was not alienated from the will of God (John 15:5-7). His eyes remain fixed to the promise keeper, he wasn’t carried away by other options.
Like Zechariah, he was devoted in the business of the Father (Luke 1:8-9) and challenges of life didn’t truncated his fellowship and communion with God. A devotee has his heart and soul get attached to God- Psalm 63:8- My soul followeth hard after thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me. It’s beyond lip service but “a soul tie”, seeking God first remain supreme priority (Matt.6:33).
3. Full of Faith and Believe
Simeon, full of faith and action. Faith without work is dead (James 2:26). Faith cometh by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Simeon believed what God promised him regardless of time and facts. He had absolute faith in God, this enabled him to wait. By faith he moved into the temple to lay claim to his promise. He did not hesitate, he was not wavering in faith, he moved into action….grabbed the Saviour and laid hold on Him. Faith engenders us to move into action
4. Persistent Thirst; Unquenchable desperation and Perseverance (Mark 10:46; Gen 32; Psalm 42)
Hannah like Simeon was also a consistent woman, a devotee of God, in constant fellowship with God, very persevere, Unrelenting communion with God for 77 years, never weary, fainting. Also full of praise.
We must learn to live like these men as we rely on Holy Spirit for specific instructions.
We shall surely manifest the glory that Jesus came to reveal (Luke 2:32).
5. Readiness to receive -Luke 2: 27
So he came by the Spirit into the temple. – Luke 2:27 NKJV. Simeon was ready an he received what he was waiting for.