Can You Stay Alive Until You See It?
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. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then he took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.
Luke 2; 25-30 KJV
Abraham lived to see his son Isaac born, but that was as far as he would get. He died in Genesis 25 at 175 years old, full of years. God had promised to him his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and the stars of the heavens. He only saw one son born to his wife Sarah. It was this son, Isaac, who was considered by God to be the man-child from whom Christ the Savior would descend. This is referenced in Galatians 3:8 KJV, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed.” Yet, Abraham only saw in his lifetime a few children born from his womb. However, look at Hebrews 11:8 KJV. ”And by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Hebrews 11:11-13 KJV says, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Abraham is the father of faith, and he lived about 1900-2000 years before Christ. If a man can use his faith to conceive a promised child at 100 years old, living under a covenant that was to fade away when the precious blood of Christ flowed at Golgotha, how much more can a New Testament believer claim a promise made by God?
Simeon must have made an impact upon Saint Luke. If you are going to have something written about you, what better than the resume: just, devout, and Holy Ghost led? We read nothing else of Simeon after this. We conclude that he died sometime after he told God, “I can go now”! Just one paragraph about his whole life is all we have. But it’s a mountain of testimony to us. How many times did the devil say, “Simeon, you are old and no one in your family lived long, you are going to die before you ever see any redeemer come to Israel”?
We all believe that God makes promises! However, let’s always test the word we have heard in our mind, soul, or spirit to see if is God and not just our fleshly desire. This way we don’t have any false hope, let down, or further aggravation from our enemy about what has not happened in our lives. God knows best for us. We don’t understand all things, and no one else does either. But let’s hang on to every promise God makes. We have a New Testament blood covenant, unlike Abraham and even our buddy Simeon. My subject is not the promises God makes, my subject is not “why it has or hasn’t happened yet”, nor is my subject “having patience alone”. My subject is “Can you stay alive until you see it?”. Remember being a child and wanting soooo badly to stay awake for a certain television program or movie? You thought about it and waited for it all day. You sat on the couch or lazy boy excitedly awaiting the show only to fall asleep during the commercials preceding it!!!! Wasn’t it so disappointing when your mom or dad came to wake you up and put you to bed and you realized that what you had waited for all day, you missed?!
Most battles are not won with a shout of Hosanna, or a Jericho march. The reason many do not win battles in their life is because we are addicted to needing an overwhelming sign of victory in the fight. A sign that everything is going exactly like I thought! Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it will go exactly like you prayed, but usually you won’t even see the victory and it will be standing and looking at you. Most battles are won by one tactic: YOU SIMPLY STAYING IN THE RACE. Yes, there are times for spiritual adjustments, when we need to make adjustments to win, but if you are striving (not arrogantly or selfishly) to see God get the victory, you will, if you only just stay in the fight. I heard a story of a man they call “Alligator”. Want to know why he’s called that? He is known throughout the Southeast for his capturing of the largest alligators ever seen. Many of his comrades and even reporters have asked him how he catches the big ones. He said, “Well, I take a spearhead and put in the rough scaled back of the gator. Then I let him drag me and my boat all around the lake until he is absolutely exhausted, and the rest is easy. I wear him out!”
Someone has got to lose, and I didn’t come to lose. How are you going to survive? Well, you are going to just get to the end of it. The only certainty you have is that it will pass. You are not a loser; you may just be in a time of loss. There is a time to win and time to lose. Know where you are! And while you are waiting, rehearse to yourself that there is an end! It will end or you will end! God has a problem with quitters, but it’s not that they want to quit, but rather “when”. We usually quit one mile short of the finish line, or the last quarter of the game. The hardest part of the battle of faith is the last 15 minutes! Most victories come by you simply representing. Show up in the realm of faith and say, “Present! I’m here and I will not die until I see my victory.” In a world of spiritual goofiness this is exactly the opposite. You’re not being a fool; you are doing exactly what the Bible says; “Casting down imaginations and reasonings!” Your presence in the battle is proof of victory, not prayer alone. Just represent yourself and show up for the appointment with God.
Thank God for Simeon. He doesn’t write a book, but his life is a book. He teaches us 6 things of note:
1- Holiness and Faithfulness alone don’t make the promise come any faster.
2- Waiting on others to see it won’t help you see your promise come to pass.
3- If a man can by led by the Holy Ghost while the Holy Ghost was not yet given, then what can I endure now? Are we lazy, blood washed, Holy Ghost filled people?
4- Whatever you do don’t stop coming to God’s house. Read my text! Simeon was a man of God’s house. Quitting church is never the answer!
5- Whenever God brings the promise to pass, if you decide to live to see it that is, publicly lift it up before the Lord. Before you bless others with it, Bless God for it!
6- Give it up! No man truly owns anything until he loves God so that he is willing to let it go, if God were to require it of him. Don’t make your promise or victory your god.
I don’t know how long Simeon waited, but the moment that Mary and Joseph came into the temple, I believe he grabbed his promise and said, “Stop the singing, and put down the hymnals. It’s time for a baby dedication. I have been waiting to see this redemption in the flesh, I’ve been waiting and the wait is over, MY promise is in MY hands!” Then, he took the child and lifted him up and thanked God Almighty saying, “Now I can die, because I lived to see him.” Have you given it all up to God yet?
I sure hope you have been encouraged today. You can shout before you see a promise come to pass, that’s faith, but when you see your victory come you should really worship like you have never worshiped before. I have several prayers I am praying for that I won’t mention and the day or night that I see them roll down a church aisle and rest on that altar, I am going to dance around that altar. Why? I have been waiting on this for a lonnngggg time. Can you stay alive to see it? Don’t fall asleep right before the show!! You may not finish first, but just finish the race. For if you finish it, you win. Thank God for Simeon. Email me and tell me what you think!
