Think about the characters in the Christmas story. Everyone wants to be the Shepherds, right? You get the sky full of angels, the light show, and the "suddenly" moment. Or maybe the Wise Men—you get the cool outfits, the camels, and the headline-grabbing gifts.
But very few people say, "When I grow up, I want to be Anna" from Luke 2.
Why? Because Anna’s gift wasn't gold, frankincense, or a sudden visit from a choir of angels. Her gift was her entire life spent in a single room, waiting for a promise she hadn’t seen yet.
Luke 2:36-38 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Turning Grief into Intercession. The text tells us Anna was married for seven years and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. That’s a long time. She experienced profound tragedy young. She could have become bitter, she could have walked away, or she could have decided God wasn't fair. Instead, she took her emptiness to the Temple.
Pain either makes us turn inward in self-pity or upward in intercession. Anna knew how to "recycle" her grief into power for the Kingdom. If you’re hurting this season, don’t withdraw —press in! Your pain doesn't disqualify you; it actually qualifies you to pray with a level of authority that people who have never suffered just don't have.
The "Waste" of Worship. Verse 37 says she "never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying." To the outside world, Anna’s life looked like a total waste. No career, no social media platform, no "results" to show for sixty years. But not in God’s economy. We live in a world that values "doing." We want to fix, build, and achieve. But Anna challenges us to be content with just being with Him.
Can you be satisfied if no one ever sees your prayers but God? The Anna Anointing is the willingness to be hidden, trusting that your private prayers are shaping public history. You aren't "just" praying; you are chainging the world.
The Sharpness of Sight. Finally, verse 38 says she came up to them "at that very moment" and recognized the Messiah. Jerusalem was packed with religious experts and scholars who knew the Bible front to back. Yet, when the Savior of the world walked in as a tiny baby, almost everyone missed Him. But Anna didn’t. Why? Because sixty years of prayer had sharpened her spiritual vision. She knew His presence before she even saw His face.
Prayer doesn’t just change the situation; it changes the intercessor. It tunes your eyes to see Jesus when He moves. The reward for her long wait was being one of the first human beings to recognize the Savior.
As we go into our prayer time, let’s embrace the Anna Anointing:
The "Recycle" Prayer: Take one area of personal frustration or pain and intentionally offer it as a sacrifice of praise. Tell God, "I’m using this energy to pray for someone else today."
The "Stay" Prayer: Commit to five minutes of "hidden" worship this week where you don't ask for a single thing. Just be with Him.
Team, your hidden prayers are the most important work happening in this city. I’m so proud to serve with you!