TEXT: Luke 2:22-32
First, Simeon prayed in a spirit of righteousness. The Bible tells us that Simeon was a just and devout man - he treated his fellow men justly, and worshipped God devoutly. James 5:16 says that “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” We are told in Psalm 66:18 that “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer.” For our prayers to be effective, we must be righteous. We must welcome the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and strive towards obeying the commands of the Lord. Even though we will never be perfect, with the help of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we can have a heart that no longer loves sin, but is rather grieved by it and drives us to confession and repentance. When we have repented of sin and aligned our hearts with God, we will be more effective in our prayer life. Like Simeon, we will ask of God the things He wants us to have, and we will be blessed according to His will.