Prophetess Anna’s Spiritual Experience ,Genesis 30:13; 32:30; 49:20; Luke 6:36-38; 1 Peter 4:7 | Sermon by Father.Mungamuri Devadasu

Prayer: Heavenly Father, who always speaks to us, we come before You in Your holy name. May every part of our worship today bring glory to You. Grant us wisdom to understand the mysteries of Your word. Open our hearts to perceive what knowledge alone cannot reveal. Strengthen our faith so that we may trust in Your promises. Let Your divine light shine upon us, keeping us steadfast in Your truth. Help us move forward with renewed faith and obedience to Your guidance. Bless those who are weak and unable to be with us today. Protect this gathering, keeping away anything that does not align with Your will. In the name of Jesus, our soon-coming King, we pray. Amen.

Let us align our lives according to the lessons from history!

Eight days after the birth of our Lord, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple. Bethlehem was about five miles from Jerusalem. Among those eagerly awaiting the Savior was Simeon, a devout man—he was the last of those who longed to see the Messiah. Likewise, Anna was also blessed to witness His arrival and the fulfillment of God's promise.

Anna belonged to the tribe of Asher, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. She was the daughter of Phanuel and was born into this lineage. After living with her husband for seven years, she spent the next 84 years residing in the temple, dedicating herself entirely to fasting and prayer. Her life was one of unwavering devotion and faith.

This is the third recorded instance in history. Jacob, a man of deep faith, had a son named Asher. As Jacob journeyed back from Paddan Aram, he spent an entire night in prayer at the Jabbok River, near a place called Peniel, seeking God's blessing.

As history unfolded and moved forward, we come across Anna, the daughter of Phanuel. This account originates from Genesis and spans through the middle books of the Bible, passing beyond Malachi and leading up to Bethlehem.

Anna belonged to the tribe of Asher, making her a descendant of Jacob—one who bridged the Old and New Testaments. The name Asher itself signifies blessing and prosperity. The people of this tribe were known for their wealth and fortune. Asher’s mother rejoiced, saying, “They will call me blessed because I have borne a fortunate son.” The words blessed and prosperous, which we commonly use, have their roots in Asher’s name. Whenever we hear these words, we should remember the tribe of Asher.

But in what way? Whenever we face worldly needs, let us recall this truth.

At the Jabbok River, Jacob spent the entire night in prayer. After sending his livestock and people across the river, he remained alone, wrestling with God in prayer. That place was called Peniel, meaning the presence of God. Jacob prayed fervently throughout the night, and the heavenly being who wrestled with him finally blessed him before departing. Filled with awe, Jacob declared, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

Peniel = The Presence of God.

When you pray in your room, that place too becomes the presence of God.

From the lineage of Jacob, through Phanuel, came Anna. She longed to see the Savior, entered the temple, and beheld the child Jesus. While her ancestors trembled in the presence of God, Anna, without fear, rejoiced and praised Him. Luke records that she worshipped God with great joy.

We cannot see God face to face, yet Anna was truly blessed. Why? Because she had lived in God’s presence all her life. Let us always remember and seek such a life of devotion.

Human life is of two kinds:

1. A life connected to the world
2. A life connected to the spirit

The blessing of Asher was primarily worldly. In Egypt, Jacob blessed his sons, and to Asher, he declared: “Asher will enjoy the finest food.” While ordinary people eat common food, Asher was destined to partake in the best.

How fortunate and blessed he was! This was not just a blessing from Jacob but also a prophecy. Furthermore, it was foretold that Asher would provide rich delicacies fit for kings.

Indeed, one blessing always surpasses another!

Asher was blessed with an abundance of the finest food, both for himself and for kings. This same divine favour was evident in Anna’s life as well.

Later, when Moses blessed all the tribes, Asher received an even greater blessing. Moses declared: “Asher will dip his feet in oil.” This signifies that Asher received extraordinary favour.

Typically, oil is applied to the head, and whatever remains is used for the feet. But in Asher’s case, there was such abundance that even his feet were anointed with oil.

Jacob’s blessing over Asher included:

1. The finest food
2. Rich delicacies for kings

Moses’ blessing expanded upon this:

1. An abundance of oil
2. A limitless supply

David later wrote, “My cup overflows.” This was his personal experience of God’s abundant provision.

Such blessings are not just material but also spiritual—signs of God’s overflowing grace and favor.

The blessing that started with Asher continued through Phanuel, extended to Moses, passed beyond Malachi, reached Bethlehem, and finally came to Anna. This journey of blessing from Asher to Anna spanned 1,800 years.

We, too, experience this divine provision in our lives. As Psalm 23 declares, “You anoint my head with oil.” When Jesus entered the house of the Pharisee, a sinful woman anointed His feet with perfume. Some questioned, “Does He not know what kind of woman she is?” But the value of what she poured was nothing compared to the worth of His feet, which Revelation describes as “like fine brass.”

Blessings Given to Asher:

1. The finest food (abundance on the surface of the land)
2. Iron and bronze (treasures hidden within the land)

Asher’s inheritance was abundant in every way. His blessings, as declared by Leah, Jacob, and Moses, proved true over time. Prophecy brings peace and strength.

• To have food to eat is a blessing.
• To have iron and bronze for trade brings wealth and security.
• What great fortune!

From the Old to the New Covenant

As the Old Testament ended and the New Testament began, between them stood Peniel and Anna, the daughter of Phanuel.

Though Asher’s descendants lacked nothing in physical blessings, Anna chose to pursue spiritual wealth instead. She lived a life of devotion, fasting, and prayer—seeking the greater, eternal inheritance.

Anna lived in abundance for seven years, enjoying all that life had to offer. But after her husband passed away, she chose to dwell in the house of God, forsaking earthly pleasures—including food. This was her greatest blessing.

Her primary devotion was fasting. Though she was born into the tribe of Asher—a lineage blessed with the finest food, iron, and bronze—she considered fasting to be far greater than these material riches.

Because of this, she did not grow weak, weary, or troubled.

Moses and Elijah both fasted for forty days, yet they lacked the blessings of abundant food, wealth, and security. However, Anna, like them, received extraordinary strength—not from physical nourishment, but from her unwavering faith and devotion.

Elijah, Moses, and Anna—these three stand in a divine sequence.

Anna’s spiritual journey consisted of five key aspects:

1. She dwelt in the temple
2. She entered the temple regularly
3. She fasted in the temple
4. She prayed continually
5. She spoke with the faithful

If we too experience these five aspects in our lives, we can partake in Anna’s blessed inheritance.

Anna did not merely fast—she devoted herself to unceasing prayer. Though we do not know the exact words of her prayers, we can be certain that she prayed great and mighty prayers.

Her grandfather, Jacob, prayed alone at the Jabbok River all night. But Anna surpassed him—she prayed day and night.

• Jacob prayed for one night, but Anna prayed for many nights.
• Jacob did not pray during the day, but Anna prayed both day and night.

How truly blessed she was! Her devotion far exceeded even that of Jacob.

Anna’s true joy was found not in the seven years she spent with her husband, but in the eighty-four years she spent in devotion to God. Her married life, like the day, was brief, while her years in the temple, like the night, were long yet deeply fulfilling. However, when viewed spiritually, her entire 84-year journey in God’s presence was like a single sacred night—much like the one night of struggle her grandfather Jacob endured. Anna’s life teaches us profound lessons on faith and dedication. If we, too, spend even one hour in the day and one in the night in God’s presence, we can receive the same blessings that Jacob and Anna experienced. In the Old Testament, a man (Jacob) did this; in the New Testament, a woman (Anna) followed the same path. Why shouldn’t we do the same? With faith and determination, we too can embrace a life of spiritual fulfillment and receive both physical and divine blessings. Amen!