Why It Matters — Learning from Simeon’s Spirit-Led Life

This past Sunday at Myrtle House Community Church, Carmella brought a stirring word that tied together the rich journey we've been on over the last few weeks—learning what it truly means to walk with the Holy Spirit. This time, she brought us to an often-overlooked figure in Scripture: Simeon, a man who appears only briefly in the Bible, yet models the very heart of a Spirit-led life.

And through his story, she tackled the deeper questions many of us quietly wrestle with:

Why does it matter that the Holy Spirit works in me?
Why should I see what God is doing?
Why should I let the Spirit guide me?
Why should I bear fruit and live this new life I’ve been given?
What’s the point of it all?

When you look at Simeon… the answers become wonderfully clear.

1. Simeon Lived Righteously — He Acted on What God Taught Him

Simeon is described as righteous, meaning he lived in alignment with God’s will through faith and obedience. Not just hearing truth, but acting on it.

Romans 2:13 reminds us that righteousness shows itself in obedience.
And Carmella pressed this gently:
Do we only listen on Sundays, or do we live out what we hear?

The righteous aren’t the perfect ones—they’re the ones who walk in what the Spirit reveals. Not relying on the “naked eye,” but learning to see with the Spirit’s leading.

2. Simeon Was Filled With the Holy Spirit — And People Could See It

Luke tells us plainly that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit. That wasn’t just a private truth—it was visible in his life.

Carmella encouraged us to consider:

What evidence am I showing?
Do people see the Spirit at work in me?
Are the fruit of the Spirit growing in my life?

These questions aren’t meant to discourage us—they’re meant to stir us toward life-giving growth.

3. Simeon Recognized the Holy Spirit’s Voice

Luke 2:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit revealed something specific to Simeon—that he would see the Messiah before he died.

This didn’t happen by accident. Simeon had learned to listen.

John 14:26 reminds us that the Spirit teaches, reveals, and reminds us of what Jesus said. The Spirit is always speaking, always leading.

But like Carmella asked so thoughtfully:
Do we practice listening?
Do we cultivate space to hear the Spirit’s whisper?

4. Simeon Responded When the Spirit Guided Him

Simeon didn’t just hear the Spirit—he followed Him.
He entered the temple at the right moment.
He recognised Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.
And he acted.

This is the heart of a Spirit-led life:
Not just receiving revelation, but walking it out.

Obedience is often stretching, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally messy. But the Spirit’s guidance is always purposeful.

And sometimes the word He gives you isn’t even for you—it's for someone else. That’s part of being a vessel He can use.

5. Simeon Revealed Jesus — And That’s the Whole Point

This is where everything comes together.

Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and began to prophesy.
He recognised the Messiah.
And he revealed Him.

This is why the Spirit works in us.
This is why we listen.
This is why we obey.
This is why fruit grows in our lives.
This is why transformation matters.

We are here to reveal Jesus to the world.

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news.”
Carmella reminded us that the Holy Spirit is the very power Jesus promised—the power that raised Him from the dead, now living in us.

We don’t carry the message alone.
We don’t share the gospel in our own strength.
We aren’t meant to live this transformed life by sheer willpower.

The Holy Spirit is our fuel.

He empowers us.
He guides us.
He speaks to us.
He reveals Jesus through us.
He uses us to bring heaven’s hope to earth.

We are vessels, tools, messengers, lights.
And none of it works without the Holy Spirit working in us.

A Final Encouragement

Simeon may appear in only one passage of Scripture, but his example is powerful and deeply relevant today. He shows us what a Spirit-led life looks like:

Righteous.
Filled.
Listening.
Obedient.
Revealing Jesus.

That’s the life we’re called to.
That’s why it matters.
And that’s what the Holy Spirit is shaping in us—day by day, moment by moment.

May we, like Simeon, see what God is doing… and join Him.