Breakthrough
A Life Well-Lived
Zach Neese

Intro: 2012 – Ask God what He wants you to do this year.

“When are you going to do what I told you to do?”

Today – A Woman who pushed every excuse aside and did what she was meant to do!

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
Luke 2:21-22 (NLT)

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 
Luke 2:25-32 (NLT)

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping (NKJV – “serving”) God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. 
Luke 2:36-38 (NLT)

PRAY: Conviction, repentance, transformation

1. Israel’s Distinctive: The God who SHOWS UP
   1. Dedication of the TABERNACLE – Leviticus 9:23 – FIRE
   2. Solomon’s TEMPLE – 1 Kings 8:11 – CLOUD
   3. PENTECOST – Acts 2 – We became the TEMPLE (1 Corinthians 6:19) - FIRE
   4. SECOND TEMPLE? – NOTHING - 515 BC
      1. NO GLORY – No Fire. No Cloud. No Wind - NOTHING
      2. Herod the Great started renovating the Temple in Jerusalem in 20 BC – beautiful – 8th Wonder of the World – pyramids, Athena's Temple, Colossus – LIKE Church of Laodicea!
   5. No GLORY – 500 YEARS! – The MANIFEST PRESENCE of GOD never entered that Temple once in 500 years until a young couple carried their 8-day-old baby in to name him and dedicate him to God.
      1. EASY to miss their day of VISITATION.
      2. If they were looking for GLORY/FIRE/CLOUD.
2. Let’s learn from someone who CAUGHT IT! - Anna the Prophetess

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 
Luke 2:36 (ESV)

1. Prophetess (prophetis- Greek) - a woman to whom future events or things hidden from others are at times revealed, either by inspiration or by dreams and visions
   1. Women ministered in the Temple.
   2. TWO WITNESSES - The identity of Christ had to be corroborated.

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 
2 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV)

1. Simeon was the first – a respected male prophet
2. Anna was the second – a respected female prophet.
3. His RETURN will be corroborated by two witnesses as well! Revelation 11:3-4 ESV

B. HER NAME was a prophecy!

C. ANNA – chânan – heb. - to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; to cause to implore

a. Daughter of Phanuel - 2 roots - Behold + the Face of God

b. Tribe of Asher - Happy, blessed, full and fruitful

c. Her Story is in her name! i.e.

d. Married 7 years – COULD have REMARRIED - 7 completion, perfection of God’s divine plan.

Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping (NKJV – “serving”) God with fasting and prayer. 
Luke 2:37 (NLT)

D. What was she doing in the Temple for 60 years?! “Never left!”

a. Worshiping/Serving – depending on translation.

b. Latreuo – Minister to God! Render religious homage, serve, worship

i. Fasting – What are you willing to give up?

ii. Prayer – deesis – gk – supplication – for a need, want, privation, poverty; seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God.

c. FRUSTRATING to AMERICANS - What did she do?

1. Of importance? Of consequence? What did she accomplish?

2. She worshipped and prayed and fasted for 60 years until GOD showed up in that TEMPLE!

3. My Testimony: - I saw Jesus! I am ruined for everything else! I want you to see Him! I want my kids to see Him! I want the world to see Him!

4. Is that a life well-lived?

d. 4 living creatures – is that a life well-lived?

e. Is it too small a calling to minister to His heart? Not if it means finally beholding His Face.

And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant (ebed from avad) to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him—for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant… that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 
Isaiah 49:5-7 (ESV)

III. The Beginning of 2026 – The New Year

A. In 2026 – Do you want to do something important this year?

a. Is there a higher call than to minister to God?

b. Question: Lord, how do you want me to LATREUO – to minister to YOU - this year?

c. No More Excuses

She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue (redemption) Jerusalem. 
Luke 2:38b (NLT)

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 
Luke 2:25 (ESV)

PROSDECHOMAI - At the Door, Eagerly Waiting and Watching to Welcome Him In

i.e. Sam - can’t wait to see my cousins                            Doorkeeper

CLOSING – Are you Waiting? Watching? Longing?!  Do you want to?

ABC PRAYER                 BLESSING