10/20
Joel 2:28
28"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
The Apostle Peter said that this prophecy came to pass on Pentecost after Jesus' ascension. He preached in the power of the Spirit to the crowd that had gathered and thousands were saved (Acts 2:17, 41). When the prophet Joel gave this prophecy, he had been encouraging the nations of Israel and Judah to turn to God after a devastating locust plague had devoured all their crops. Tragedy is sometimes necessary to get our attention. It seems we go on day after day thinking nothing will change and that God will put up with our mediocre worship.
The plague did its intended job of turning the hearts of the people back to the LORD. The LORD soon restored what they had lost and blessed the nations. Then He gave them a glimpse of an even greater future when the Spirit of God would be poured out into the hearts of those who sought Him. That is the greatest blessing that we could receive. It is that blessing that helps to keep us from turning away from God in the first place. It is the presence of the Spirit of God in our spirit who will commune with us if we will be still and wait on Him.
If you have received Christ, then you have received this blessing. Now you must nurture that relationship to know the fullness of it. Ask that your ear be opened, and learn to wait on Him (Psalm 40:6). Learn to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Be sure that what you are hearing is in line with God's Word and His nature. Then, act in faith.
Consider what a great blessing it is to live in this age when the Spirit of God indwells His people. Let us not take it for granted or become complacent but press on to know the LORD and His will for us today.
