OLD PEOPLE CAN BE USEFUL INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS …



OLD PEOPLE CAN BE USEFUL INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF GOD

(A message preached during the spiritual retreat for old people)

Text: Luke 2: 21-38

Introduction

Old age is usually a time for retirement. It’s a time when we lose our physical sensitivities and is usually a time of feebleness. Wrinkles appear on the skin. Many old people have the dread of old age and have a sense of insecurity. Is it so for you too? The word of God has good news and wonderful promises for you. It can be a time of great blessings. God can and will restore you.

When God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt he was 80 years old.

The Bible text above tells us about two very old people, a man and a woman, who were marvelously used by God in spite of their age. Simeon and Anna were real servants of God. It is amazing to see that God can also use very old people to do wonderful things. They were both, in spite of their age, moved by the Holy-Spirit and were very attentive to His leading. Old persons can be very useful if they are full of the Holy-Spirit and are moved by Him. God is love. He loves everybody, both young and old alike. Throughout the Bible we can see God using old people to accomplish His divine purpose. You can be such a person by the grace of God. I pray that God uses you mightily.

I The kind of people God uses.

1. God seeks true worshipers.

Jesus said to the Samaritan Woman: “Yet a time is coming and now has come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth”

(John 4: 23-24)

God seeks true worshipers what ever be their age. Even very old people can be true worshipers who glorify the Lord and enjoy themselves in His presence.

2. God seeks intercessors.

Anna was 84 years old and yet she never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Extraordinary! I sincerely think that there are some very old people who are praying and worshiping much more than young people. Old people usually have more time that they can use to pray and intercede for other people. In Isaiah 59: 16 it is written: “He (God) saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intercede.”

3 God seeks someone who is available.

In Isaiah 6: 8 the prophet heard the voice of God who was looking for someone to be His servant: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am, send me!”

When Isaiah heard the voice of God, he immediately responded. If you are so busy that you can’t respond to God’s call and find quality time for Him, He won’t be able to use you. Irrespective of your age, you can be a useful instrument in the hands of God. He is calling you. Respond to His call, it’s not too late.

II Essential conditions to be fulfilled if you want to be used by God.

What ever be our age, there are some very important conditions to be fulfilled if we want to be used by God. Simeon and Anna fulfilled these conditions. That’s why they were powerful instruments in the hands of God.

1 Be full of the Holy-Spirit

For God to use us, we should be full of the Holy-Spirit. The Spirit of God was upon Simeon and Anna in a powerful way. They were attentive to His leading and were moved by His power. Old age is not an obstacle for God as long as you are full of the Holy-Spirit. You see that the Lord can use a person mightily irrespective of his/her age.

2 Be obedient

They were obedient to the Holy-Spirit’s leading. The Bible says that they were moved by the Holy-Spirit. They were involved in God’s divine purpose and at the same time their dream to see the Messiah was fulfilled. They were not passive but active. They even prophesied and exhorted Joseph and Mary. Moreover, they were happy and enjoyed the peace of God. Is not that wonderful?

III God’s promises for old people.

God has made special promises to old people. These promises are especially for them.

1 God really wants to use old people in the last days.

In Acts 2: 17-18 we read: “In the last days, God says, I will pour my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

2 The righteous will bear fruit even in old age.

They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm 92: 15-16)

3 God‘s faithfulness is proclaim in Isaiah 46: 4.

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

God is calling both the young and the old people to serve Him in these Last days. Let us all rise to serve Our Precious Lord.

God bless you abundantly.

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