Read Joel 1 – 3
Highlights:
Destruction (1:15). Darkness (2:3,9-10). Give me your heart (2:12-13). Worship, intercession, repentance (2:17); Rejoice (2:23); be saved (2:32); dwell with God (3:17).
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come (Joel 2:28-31).
These words that were spoken by the prophet Joel may seem familiar. That is because they can also be found in Chapter 2 of the Book of Acts in the New Testament. On the day of Pentecost, Peter came out of the upper room with the anointing of the Holy Ghost upon him. He stood in front of the thousands gathered there and, hundreds of years after they were first uttered, Peter quoted Joel's prophetic words.
The message delivered by both Joel and Peter is as important to the Church today as it was to the Church in New Testament times. It is a prophecy of what is to come. The first half speaks toward how the Holy Ghost will work in the lives of the children of God as the latter days approach. The second half conveys a message of supernatural occurrences that will happen as related to the planet earth and the heavens.
It would help to briefly examine the things prophesied by Joel and repeated by Peter. The first statement that was made is that the Spirit of God will be upon all those who are His. Evidence of the Holy Spirit will be shown in the lives of those serving God. Some of that evidence will be in the forms of visions, dreams and prophecies. We know from the Word of God that these are gifts that are given to the believers by God. These gifts are given to encourage the believer and show the truth to the unbeliever. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same LORD. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (1 Cor. 12:4-7).
Another thing we can see from these verses is the fact that God uses both men and women to accomplish the work of the kingdom of God. He says sons and daughters and servants and handmaids. The Lord has a long history of using great women of faith. The stories of Deborah, Ruth and Esther can be found In the Old Testament. In the New Testament, women such as the mother and grandmother of Timothy were credited for their faith. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also (2 Tim. 1:5).
God has exciting plans for all of His children, men or women, who follow and serve Him obediently. What greater thing could there be in life than being used by God?
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the LORD Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him (Acts 28:31).
Thought for Today:
It is a privilege to suffer for Christ, but He didn't say it would be easy.
Christ Revealed:
As the One who said: I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh (people) (Joel 2:28) – fulfilled in part on the Day of Pentecost and still being fulfilled today (Acts 2:16-18).
Word Study:
1:12 languisheth, withers away; 1:16 meat, food; 1:17 garners, storehouses, granaries; 2:6 gather blackness, turn pale with terror.
Prayer Suggestion: Ask for understanding of the Word of God so you can share it with others (Ps. 119:27).
Memory Verse for the Week: Psalms 145:10