FreedomintheSpiritLUKE2:25PastorJesseWatkins www.jessewatkins.com November19th1863thatthisnation,underGod,shallhaveanewbirthoffreedom andthatgovernmentofthepeople,bythepeople,forthepeople,shallnotperishfromthe earth. IwouldliketoprefaceourtalkaboutSimeonbyexaminingthedescriptionofthisman.If yourememberhowmuchwedealtwithAbrahamlastyear,andthatAbrahamwas declaredrighteousbyGod.Thereasonhewasdeclaredrighteousisbecausehe believedGod.SowhenweseeinthebibleadescriptionthatSimeonwasrighteous,we caninferbecauseofAbrahamthatscriptureistellingusthatSimeonwasamanthat believedGod.AndIwanttoshowyouanotherreasonthatrighteouswasadeclarationof hisfaith,nothisactions. Thedescriptionjustafterthisisthatheisdevout.Nowweknowthatanyonesomeoneis referedtoasbeingdevoutitmeanstheiroutwardresponseandtheiroutwardactions matchwhattheybelieve.

. SowhatwearegivenaboutSimeonisatwofolddescriptionabouthisfaithandabouthis life.Heisdeclaredrighteousthroughfaith,andhisfaithleadshimtoadevoutlifestyleof honoringGod. Thirdly,wearetoldthatSimeonwaslookingforwardtotheconsolationofIsrael.Now onewouldgatherfromthetext,thatifthischaracteristicsetshimapartaslooking forwardtoredemption,thenitcouldbesaidthatothersormanyhadgivenuphope.I thinkthisdescriptionaboutSimeonistalkingabouthisattitude.Thefactremainsinthe middleofRomanoppressionwhenitlookedlikeallhopewaslost,whenitlookedlike thepromisetoAbrahamaboutalandtodwellinforeverwouldnotbecomingtrue, Simeonhadnotgivenuphope.Anothertranslationsaysthathewaslookingforwardto theconsolationofIsrael. Whatdefinedthismanwasnotthebleaknessofhissituation,butthebrightnessofhis hope.Ohmanthatwillpreach. BecausehebelievedGod,becausehewasamanoffaithinGodandintheholy scriptures,heknewthatGodcoulddowhateverGodwantedtodo. AndIbelievethatbecauseduringthe400yearperiodofsilencebetweentheOld TestamentandtheNewTestament,thattheonlythinghisfaithwasbasedonwasthe WordofGod. HeknewthatGodcouldraiseupamanthatwouldbuildaboatfor120years,so thatarighteousfamilywouldrepopulatetheeart. HeknewthatGodcouldsplitthesearightdownthemiddlesothatGodspeople couldwalktotheothersideandthenhavethewaterscomecrashingupon thosewhoweretheirenemies. HeknewthatGodcouldraiseupafishthatwouldswallowadisobedientprophet onlytospithimout3dayslater. HeknewthatGodcoulddoanythinghewantedtodo! Hishopefulnessstemmedfromhisholiness.TheknowledgeofGodledhimto

nevergiveuphope. 1. OftheSpirit a. ThefirstdescriptionwegetfromthescriptureaboutSimeonsrelationshipwith theSpiritisthattheSpiritwasONhim.YoucouldalsosaythattheSpiritwas withhim.Atfirstglancewemightpassoverthisindication,andnotgiveit considerablethought.ButthecontextIwanttogiveyoutoday,isthatfromthe Hebrewunderstanding,iftheSpiritwasONyou,thenyouwouldbelivingalifeof favor. b. TheoppositeofthiswasalsotrueiftheSpiritdepartedfromyou,thenyouwould belivingalifeofcurse.WefindtherecollectionofSaulin1Samuel16thatthe SpiritoftheLorddepartedfromhim,andhewasplaguedbyatormentingSpirit. Soitwasvery,verygoodnewsbackthenfortheSpirittobeONyou,because youwerelivinginGodsfavor. c. WealsoseethisinPsalm51,wereDavidcriesouttoGod,letnotyourSpirit departfromme.BecauseDavidknewthatiftheSpiritdepartedromhim,Gods favorwouldberemoved. d. SotheconditionwehaveherebasedontheOldTestamentcontextisthatwhen theHolySpiritisONyou,youarelivingunderGodsfavor. e. LetmetellyousomethingGodsfavoronyourlifedoesnotmeanalackof troublingcircumstancesbutitmeansthatinthemiddleofallcircumstancesthe Lordiswalkingwithyou. f. Whyisthissoimportantbecauseitmeansthatyouneverhavetodoanything alone.ThatGod,literallyyourbestfriend,walkswithyou. g. About5yearsago,IwasleadingayouthmissionstriptoItaly h. TheLordsfavormeansthatevenifNebudchadnezzarthrowsyouintothe furnaceyoucandancewiththeSpirit. i. TheLordsfavormeansthatevenifyougetthrownintotheLionsDenyoucan walkoutthenextmorning. j. TheLordsfavormeansthatyoucanbesingingworshipsongsinajailcell,and theLordsendsanearthquaketounlockthedoor.ThatisGodsfavor. k. ButGodsfavoralsomeansthegoodthings.WhenyoustartrealizingGods favorinyourlifeitwillchangethelatitudeofyourattitudeabouteveryblessing youhave. l. IhavesomegoodnewsforyoutodayifyouareaChristian,theHolySpirit isnotonyou,butrathertheHolySpiritisINyou. m. YoudonthavetoworryaboutwhetherornottheLordsspiritwilldepartfromyou, becausetheHolySpiritisnowasealofyoursalvation,anditspresenceis guaranteedbythebloodofJesus. 2. BytheSpirit a. ItwasrevealedBYtheSpirit,thathewouldnotdieuntilhesawtheMessiah. b. SimeonwasabletoheartheSpirit.Thismayseemlikeanelusiveability,butlet meassureyou,theHolySpiritwantstotalktoyou,andthemoretimeyouspend

listeningtohim,thelouderhisvoicegets.Theproblemis,thatwedontgetquiet enoughforlongenoughtobeabletohearhim.Theproblemis,wehavefilledour lifewithtoomanydistractionsanditisdrowningoutthevoiceoftheSpirit. c. InordertostarthearingtheSpirit,youaregoingtohavetogetquietonaregular basis.Youmusthaveyourquiettimeinaquietplacesoyoucanmeditateand reflectonhowGodisspeakinginyourlife. d. Iwanttopauserightnowandaskyoutothinkaboutwhatnoiseinyourlife needstobedroppedawaysothatyoucanspendmoretimewithGod e. Yousay,wellIjustdonthavetimetositandreadmybibleandwriteinajournal. Letmeaskyouthisifyourcarbreaksdowndoyouhavetimetomakeittothe mechanic?Ifyoucatchabadvirus,doyouhavetimetomakeittothedoctor.If yourmarriageisontheedgeofcollapse,doyouhavetimetogotocounseling. Themanagementofyourtimewillbedictatedbythepriorityofyourspiritual health.IfyourSpiritualhealthisthemoreimportantthinginyourlife,youwill maketime.Butmostofushaveplentyoftimeforfootball,andthevoice,and breakingbad,anddowntownabbey,andzombieapocalypse,andallkindofother vainthings. f. MaybeyoujustneedtocancelcableTVthisyearmaybeyouneedtodeletethe facebookaccountforalittlewhile. g. Mydearfriendtherealityisthisifwetrytodothingsonourownwewillfail. Anddontyouknow,thatGodistheexpertabouteveryproblemthatyouface. Whenwetryanddothingsonourownwewontgetanywhere.Iwillgiveyouan illustrationofthis.10monthsago,Ireceivedabanjofromthechurchasa30th birthdaypresent.Nowifyouknowme,Imaverymusicalperson.Itaughtmyself howtoplayguitar,piano,drums,andnormallyifitwillmakenoise,thenIwilltry andplayit.ButIhavereallystruggledonthebanjo.Iwasntreallymakingany progresssoIsetitasideforawhile.ButletmetellyouabouttheLordsfavor. Thisislikeamazing!! 3. IntheSpirit a. TheEnglishstandardversiontranslatesverse27thiswayAndhecameINthe Spirit,intothetemple. b. OthertranslationsmayreadthathecameBYthespiritintothetemple c. TheHolmanChristianStandardreads,GuidedbytheSpiritheenteredthe templecomplex. d. TheunderstandingthatwecantakeawayisthatSimeonwasLUILivingUnder theInfluenceoftheSpirit. e. SimeonwasnotaRabbi,hewasnotaLevite,hewasnotaPharisee,hewasnot aSadducee,hewasaregularoldguy.ButthekeyfactorinSimeonslifeisthat helivedundertheinfluenceoftheHolySpirit. f. Ithinkthereare2concludingfactorswecanmakeaboutlivingwiththeHolySpirit i. HearingwhattheSpiritSays ii. GoingwheretheSpiritLeads