Moved (Prompted - emphasis mine) by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, (Luke:2:27&28)
Now, Simeon had a promise from the Lord that he won't die without seeing the Messiah. Having received the promise, all Simeon had to do was to wait you would think. While waiting is a part of the process we all had to go through when we have a promise from the Lord, the most important part during our period of waiting is to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If Simeon hadn't been sensitive enough to the prompting of the Spirit, he wouldn't have come into the temple courts on time to see Jesus, thereby seeing his promise getting fulfilled. Promise is followed by promptings. The word prompt means "of an event or fact) cause or bring about (an action or feeling)". The promptings of the Holy Spirit brings about an action within us that will take us closer to the promise or like in Simeon's case -a promise getting fulfilled. Promise is the destination; promptings are directions.
The promptings of the Holy Spirit are exclusively for an individual. While prophecies and promises may come through another person, the promptings of the Spirit can be experienced only by the individual concerned. Samson's life serves as an example. Judges:13:25 says "the Spirit of the Lord began to stir (prompt -emphasis mine)him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol." In the beginning of chapter 14, we read about how Samson went to Timnah and fell in love with a Philistine woman. When he wanted to take her as his wife, his parents weren't fond of his idea. Judges:14:4 says "His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel." The Spirit of the Lord had prompted Samson and not his parents. Naturally that's the reason they resisted his idea at first.
Learning to know the promptings of the Lord can be cultivated only by having a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The more we get to know Him, the more sensitive we will get to His promptings. It will be a slightest of nudge in our spirits that requires immediate action. Let us learn to know his promptings, promptly, by spending time with Him!
Blessings!
Now, Simeon had a promise from the Lord that he won't die without seeing the Messiah. Having received the promise, all Simeon had to do was to wait you would think. While waiting is a part of the process we all had to go through when we have a promise from the Lord, the most important part during our period of waiting is to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If Simeon hadn't been sensitive enough to the prompting of the Spirit, he wouldn't have come into the temple courts on time to see Jesus, thereby seeing his promise getting fulfilled. Promise is followed by promptings. The word prompt means "of an event or fact) cause or bring about (an action or feeling)". The promptings of the Holy Spirit brings about an action within us that will take us closer to the promise or like in Simeon's case -a promise getting fulfilled. Promise is the destination; promptings are directions.
The promptings of the Holy Spirit are exclusively for an individual. While prophecies and promises may come through another person, the promptings of the Spirit can be experienced only by the individual concerned. Samson's life serves as an example. Judges:13:25 says "the Spirit of the Lord began to stir (prompt -emphasis mine)him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol." In the beginning of chapter 14, we read about how Samson went to Timnah and fell in love with a Philistine woman. When he wanted to take her as his wife, his parents weren't fond of his idea. Judges:14:4 says "His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel." The Spirit of the Lord had prompted Samson and not his parents. Naturally that's the reason they resisted his idea at first.
Learning to know the promptings of the Lord can be cultivated only by having a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. The more we get to know Him, the more sensitive we will get to His promptings. It will be a slightest of nudge in our spirits that requires immediate action. Let us learn to know his promptings, promptly, by spending time with Him!
Blessings!
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