God's Secret Agents: Simeon, Anna and the Call to Intercede
Dr RJ Sing, 1 hr 2 min
Originally preached as “The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer”
Sermon outline
Intercessory prayer is the church's remedy against unseen opposition and its responsibility on earth, and those who yield to it become part of the fulfilment of God's plans.
Main text
- Luke 2:25-38
Opening
He warns that missing meetings leaves gaps in the wall of your spiritual life, and that believers face an enemy they cannot see who opposes anointed churches most. Reflecting on a recent crusade that ran without opposition and was paid for in cash, he says the Lord reminded him its success came through intercessory prayer, and he does not want the church to lose that.
You have an enemy you cannot see: your remedy is intercessory prayer
We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. Attacks often begin after salvation, sometimes from the people closest to you, as with Judas. Churches that cast out devils and heal the sick are opposed, because a believer's life is a testimony against the world, as Jesus' was against the Pharisees. When something works in the spirit, take note of it and keep working it.
Illustration: Before the crusade the church prayed on the Wednesday night, the Thursday and the Sunday morning, with intercessors, pastors and cell leaders all praying. Like a surfer who knows when and where the best waves come, ride on what God has shown works.
“What is your remedy? Your remedy is intercessory prayer.”
- John 14:26
- 1 Timothy 1:19
- Ephesians 6:12
- John 13:26
- John 6:70
- Matthew 5:14
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
- Matthew 23:27
- Matthew 23:33
- 2 Timothy 3:5
- Matthew 5:11
- Hosea 4:6
Three levels of prayer
Prayer is, first, petitioning God; second, seeking him in deep fellowship and communion, with a pen and notepad ready to write down what the Holy Spirit says; and third, interceding in the Holy Spirit. Intercession is not about you but about others: standing in the gap for a person or group, for a circumstance the Spirit highlights, or for any need anywhere in the world. Not everyone is at that level yet; you grow into it.
Illustration: Praying just before the crusade, the Lord told him 'my angel is going before you' and that he would pour down the rain of the Holy Spirit in the meetings, and he wrote it down.
“It's not about you. It's not about your needs. It's about other people.”
Yield when the Spirit wakes you to pray
God may wake you at two or three in the morning; don't roll over or blame what you ate. Get up, go to your prayer place and start praying, even if you don't yet know why, and the burden will unfold. Don't phone the person afterwards to announce it, because seeking the praise of men costs you the reward from God.
Illustration: A missionary group lost for three days in a sandstorm in Africa found a pond of water that could not be found again; back home, an intercessory group had been moved to pray for them without knowing why.
“If you get the accolades of men, you'll lose the reward from God.”
- Matthew 6:1
- Exodus 17:6
- Exodus 14:21
- Exodus 16:13-15
The Holy Spirit broods over what you pray for
When you pray over a vision, an unsaved family member or a small cell group, the Holy Spirit broods over it as he hovered over the waters in Genesis, and your words then build it, even if it takes years. Don't consider the lying vanities of what your eyes see; that is a Thomas kind of faith. Call those things that be not as though they were. The world accepts negative speech but calls believers crazy for speaking the Word.
Illustration: At Pick n Pay with his wife he watched a furious man abandon his trolley and storm out, and society calls that normal; yet twice a restaurant manager asked them to calm down because they were laughing without drinking.
“You've got to train yourself as a Christian not to believe what your eyes are seeing.”
- Genesis 1:2-3
- Hebrews 11:1
- Acts 4:35
- John 20:29
- Romans 4:17
- Mark 11:23-24
- Psalm 2:4
Simeon and Anna: intercessors who recognised the Messiah
Simeon was just, devout and waiting for the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Ghost upon him. He took the eight-day-old Jesus in his arms and was ready to die, while Joseph and Mary marvelled. Anna, a widow of great age, never left the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. Because they fasted and prayed, they knew the Messiah when they saw him.
“Simeon and Anna knew that this Jesus child that they saw was the Messiah. Why? Because they were serving God with fastings and prayers.”
- Luke 2:24-38
1. He was devout
An intercessor is given to prayer at home, at church, at work and while travelling. He explains that when he used to say 'it's not prayer, it's faith', he was correcting religious thinking, not dismissing prayer. Things can be changed by prayer; God created you as the object of his love, and he proved to him that he takes care of his own better than the world can.
Illustration: When he entered the ministry, his personal fight with God was how he would earn the kind of money he had been earning; over the years God proved he could take care of him better than the world could.
“Prayer is a foundation stone for every Christian.”
- Luke 2:25
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
- 1 Peter 2:11
2. He was patient
Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel.
- Luke 2:25
3. He was full of the Holy Spirit
You cannot perceive and receive spiritual things with your natural mind; you must catch them with your spirit by revelation.
“You cannot comprehend spiritual things with a natural head.”
- Luke 2:25
4. He trusted
It had been revealed to Simeon that he would see the Christ before he died, and he went to the temple for years until that day came. God has revealed many things to you; trust him like that.
- Luke 2:26-29
5. He was a man of vision
Simeon's prophecy over the child made Joseph and Mary marvel; he saw more about Christ than his own parents did. God has chosen to include us in the realisation of his will, so intercessors become an integral part of the fulfilment of his plans.
“If you would pray God would work.”
- Luke 2:33-35
Salt of the earth and ambassadors of heaven
Salt gives flavour, and the church's presence restrains God's final judgment, giving people time to be saved until the salt is removed. We are ambassadors of the kingdom, whose government keeps our supply lines open and will withdraw its ambassadors before judgment. Greater is he that is in you. Our responsibility is intercessory prayer for the church, schools, police, army, president, government and infrastructure, and for those who do not know Christ.
Illustration: James Bond, secret agent 007, arrives in a foreign country and walks and talks with an attitude; believers are God's secret agents and should walk with boldness, like Jesus answering Pilate.
“You are God's secret agents.”
- Job 6:6
- Matthew 5:13
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
- John 19:11
- 1 John 4:3-4
Putting it into practice
- Don't miss meetings; each one adds bricks to your spiritual wall.
- Keep a pen and notepad when you pray and write down what God says.
- When the Holy Spirit wakes you to pray, get up and pray, and keep it between you and God.
- Don't judge by what your eyes see; speak and pray for what God has shown you.
- Pray for your family, church, police, army, government and nation.
Closing
He reads Matthew 5:13 again and tells the church that God has placed them in their families as salt and light, so instead of writing off unsaved relatives they should pray for them and change things through intercession. He says he will finish another day and has everyone stand to thank the Lord.
Declarations he led
- I've got to pray, I've got to fast, I've got to be an intercessor.
- From today I'm going to be a man of prayer, a woman of prayer.
- All things are possible.
- You are the salt.
- I'm going to pray like never before.
In his words
- “They don't attack those that are not impacting the forces of darkness.”
- “You've got to train yourself as a Christian not to believe what your eyes are seeing.”
- “Who says you've got to be drunk to be happy?”
- “Prayer is a foundation stone for every Christian.”
- “You are God's secret agents.”
Every scripture in this message
- John 14:26
- 1 Timothy 1:19
- Ephesians 6:12
- John 13:26
- John 6:70
- Matthew 5:14
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
- Matthew 23:27
- Matthew 23:33
- 2 Timothy 3:5
- Matthew 5:11
- Hosea 4:6
- Matthew 6:1
- Exodus 17:6
- Exodus 14:21
- Exodus 16:13-15
- Genesis 1:2-3
- Hebrews 11:1
- Acts 4:35
- John 20:29
- Romans 4:17
- Luke 2:24-38
- Mark 11:23-24
- Psalm 2:4
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
- 1 Peter 2:11
- Job 6:6
- Matthew 5:13
- John 19:11
- 1 John 4:3-4