Reading in Luke 2 about our Lord’s birth the Lord opened up verses 25-35 as to the purpose and work of His Holy Spirit. Here with Simeon, a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem, I saw all that the Holy Spirit is to accomplish in the lives of those who love Jesus Christ.
“The Holy Spirit was ON Simeon.” Before our Lord’s first coming into the world, the Holy Spirit “came upon” chosen individuals – to do the will of God for God’s purpose in this world.
“He (Simeon) was WAITING for the consolation of Israel.” Because of the Holy Spirit on Simeon he could patiently WAIT for the coming of God’s Son into the world, according the Scriptures that Simeon knew. God’s people today are WAITING for God’s Son to “come again,” because we ‘know’ what the Scriptures say about the second coming of Christ. As we WAIT, we are told to endure “evil intensifying rapidly” in the world, to pray without ceasing, as we faithfully testify about the Savior of the world. The Holy Spirit is the POWER of those who walk with Jesus Christ.
“It had been REVEALED to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” Holy Spirit reveals God’s timing for things to come, things prophesied by God’s appointed prophets then and now. The Holy Spirit REVEALED to Peter how he would die. The Holy Spirit REVEALED to Paul where to go and not go. The Holy Spirit REVEALED to John what to write (book of Revelation) so every generation would have the truth about the time of the end, and every disciple ready and prepared for Him.
God’s Holy Spirit is the One who REVEALS truth. He teaches us directly as we read God’s Word because He dwells within us, so that we don’t need anyone to teach us, says the Lord, who is the Spirit. Holy Spirit REVEALS truth from God’s Word when we need it, so we can expose all lies (the devil’s and the world’s).
God’s Word and God’s Spirit work perfectly together. If you read the Word of God without the Holy Spirit your understanding will be wrong, or in the least it will be a ‘simple knowledge,’ but without any POWER in your life.
If you say the Holy Spirit speaks to you and you do not read and study God’s Word in order to know Him and how He works – then it’s not the Holy Spirit who is speaking to you as you thought; it is a “counterfeit” spirit that intends to lead you away from the truth and will of the Lord.
It’s the Holy Spirit in me that makes me hunger for God’s Word, and thirst for the intimate private fellowship with my Lord each morning.
In Hebrews 6:1-6 we learn that our Father requires His children to move on to “spiritual maturity” which has to do with the Holy Spirit’s gifts and work in me. If we do not go forward with the indwelling Holy Spirit to our required “maturity” in Christ, we will not grow as we should so that God can use us the way He desires to. We become stagnant. We remain infants. We are spiritually deformed.
For He says, “Anyone who lives on the milk (the foundation of faith) of repentance from acts that lead to death, faith in God, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the [Holy Spirit’s] teaching about righteousness. Solid food is for the mature, who by constant (daily) use have TRAINED THEMSELVES to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
We can always learn from each other, no matter how old in the Lord we are, but it’s the Holy Spirit who trains our ears to hear what we need to hear, and gives us eyes to see what we need to see, and the wisdom to understand and do – what we need to know and do. Holy Spirit is whom we listen to first and last on all things about life and eternity. Holy Spirit trains us to do the Lord’s will. Holy Spirit is the helpmate of the Lord, they are ONE in all things.
Jesus wants His people to mature and walk with Him on HIS PATH, and not anyone else’s path, no matter how godly they seem to be.
“MOVED by the Holy Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courts (where Simeon saw the baby Jesus).” God wanted Simeon to be the one to proclaim ‘at that moment’ who this child is as the prophesied One. Imagine how Simeon must’ve lived day to day, WAITING and HOPING for that day. I’ll bet he seriously watched what was happening in Jerusalem, world events of his day, praying and making himself ready for it to be fulfilled ‘in his day.’ How many churches are doing the same today?
I’d have to say that most churches aren’t living as Simeon because they really don’t believe it will happen in their day, yet the Holy Spirit has ‘generationally’ kept the coming of our Lord a reality, so that each generation of faith in Jesus Christ would be READY and PREPARED for Him. If you really don’t believe you are the generation who sees the return of Jesus Christ, you won’t be ready to see the Lord as you had hoped to! (In one of His parables, Jesus tells us about the wise and foolish ‘virgins:’ those who were ready and those who were not – when it was time to see the Bridegroom. Matthew 25)
“Then Simeon BLESSED Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus…”
Another responsibility of the Holy Spirit is to BLESS those whom God chooses for His purpose in any and all generations.
The Bible teaches us that the day will come when the Holy Spirit has been finally broken off from the earth. (as Daniel put it in chapter 12) As it is, the wrath of God (Bowls of His wrath poured out) cannot come until His Holy Spirit is ‘taken’ from the world, no longer allowed to do all that the Holy Spirit has been doing to provide the grace and mercy of the Lord in the world.
Apostle Paul wrote about the ‘last’ anti-Christ and what he will do: “And you know what is holding him back, so that he (the devil personified) may be revealed at THE PROPER TIME. For the secret power of lawlessness (in accordance with how Satan works) is already at work; BUT THE ONE WHO NOW HOLDS IT BACK WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TILL HE IS TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY.” (Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit) “THEN the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will OVERTHROW with the breath of His Mouth and destroy by the splendor of HIS COMING (our King of kings and Lord of lords – Revelation 19).” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8
The Holy Spirit is the One who sets up our appointments to hear the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to convict us of sin and the judgment to come, so that we can be forgiven and saved. The Holy Spirit is the One who grants us our spiritual gifts for our individual callings from God. The Holy Spirit also takes our prayers before the Throne of God, to be heard and answered by our Father God.
Jesus spoke about His Holy Spirit replacing Him at the Day of Pentecost: “When he comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in Me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world (Satan) now stands condemned.” John 16:8-11
So, as we learn, God’s Holy Spirit is far more vital, powerful, involved and intimate – than most people know. No wonder the Holy Spirit is called “God’s Gift.” How BLESSED we are with His gracious presence still in the world! But the day is soon upon us when HE, the power of God’s holy people, will be taken from the earth, and with Him – the Bride of Christ a.k.a. the Spirit-filled faithful saints.
Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!