Literature Ministries International


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July 4, 2019

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Simeon

"And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him." Luke 2:25

Dr. Dennis Kinlaw had some interesting thoughts about this passage. "Simeon was an ordinary man whom we would not know about, except God placed him in a specific place in His timetable to be brought together with the Son of God, the Savior of the world. The most important thing said about Simeon was, the Holy Ghost was upon him. 'It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.' At God's appointed time, Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus into the temple 'to do for him after the custom of the law.' And who was there at that precise time? It was Simeon. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he said, 'Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of thy people.' Led by the Holy Spirit, God put Simeon in the very center of the action.

"It's interesting to notice that in this entire passage, more is said about the Holy Spirit working through Simeon than about Simeon. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that were true in our lives, that our lives would be characterized by what the Holy Spirit is doing through us? When you read the biographies of men mightily used of God, you will read of an unusual relationship they had with the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit moves in the hearts of the unsuspected, the resentful, and often the rebellious, to conquer and bring into submission those whom God chooses to use mightily for His glory in ministry. Through a humble and dedicated life, the Holy Spirit empowers, and the witness goes forth to reach lives needing to be transformed. George Mueller, who moved the world through prayer, was reached by an unknown friend, as was the evangelist Charles Finney. Faithful Sunday school teachers, unheralded but Spirit-filled, reached Robert Morrison, the miracle missionary to China, and J. Wilbur Chapman, who won untold thousands through his worldwide ministry. Read the lives of D. L. Moody, Hudson Taylor, C. T. Studd, John Goforth, George Whitfield, John Bunyan, John Calvin, Martin Luther and countless others. They all had an encounter with God and their lives were "radically changed" because they were "possessed by the Holy Spirit." You may never be a Moses or a Paul, or be like any of these great men of God, BUT YOU CAN BE A SIMEON!

The key is in your relationship to Jesus Christ, who deals with us through the person of the Holy Spirit. All believers possess the Holy Spirit, but few know the joy and fullness of life when the Holy Spirit POSSESSES US. Dr. Dennis Kinlaw summarizes, "Until the Holy Spirit possesses all of you, there will be enough internal static and diversionary concern that will keep you from reading the message accurately, or surrendering to it adequately, that you will spend the rest of your life on marginal, inconsequential things, rather than being where the crux of the action is." Avail yourself to all God has for you! Focus your heart upon Christ, and open your life to the leading and influence of the Holy Spirit.

© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission.


This page was reprinted by permission from: http://litmin.org/dare.php?date=2019-07-04


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