I Will Pour Out My Spirit On All Flesh
Joel made a dramatic prophecy about how God would pour out His Spirit on all types of people who believed in Him.(Joel 2:28,29) Before this day, the Day of Pentecost, only the kings, priests, and prophets had the Spirit upon them, so they could accomplish the will of God and speak for Him. Once the Spirit was poured out on all believers, everyone was indwelt by the Spirit. This caused a huge change in God's kingdom work. Let me explain.
I heard Ed Stetzer give one of the most profound messages about Pentecost. He said that before all believers had the Spirit in the Old Testament times, they mission was to get people to come to Jerusalem and hear about God there at the Temple, where He dwelt. Then, after Pentecost each believer was commissioned to be witnesses for the Lord (Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all the people groups of the world.(Matthew 28:19-20) Therefore, the message changed to "go" instead of "come." The believers were to spread the Word of God wherever they could, as they went through life, and some were sent to places all over the world.
One day this time will come to an end. I believe that end will be when the Rapture of the church takes place. That will start the Tribulation time of seven years. At the beginning of that time, the Temple will be rebuilt, and the message will change back to "come to Jerusalem," because the Spirit will be taken from this world, since He resides in all believers. Then, the Spirit will only be on select people again.
This tells me that we are blessed more than many of us have realized. We have the Spirit, so we can carry out the role of a king, a priest, and a prophet, as God directs. We have the authority to carry out the mission of the King, Jesus.(Matthew 28:18) We have the ability to bring men to God like a priest, and we have the ability to deliver God's message like a prophet. It is up to each believer to reach the world for Christ. There is no hierarchy, even believing slaves have the Spirit, young and old have the Spirit, men and women have the Spirit. Yes, there are roles in the family and in the church for men and women, but in the world we all are gifted by His Spirit to be His missionaries. Let's get to it before things change back to the old way, and the Tribulation makes it harder for people who have never heard to come to Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joel 3 and Amos 1-3.
I heard Ed Stetzer give one of the most profound messages about Pentecost. He said that before all believers had the Spirit in the Old Testament times, they mission was to get people to come to Jerusalem and hear about God there at the Temple, where He dwelt. Then, after Pentecost each believer was commissioned to be witnesses for the Lord (Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all the people groups of the world.(Matthew 28:19-20) Therefore, the message changed to "go" instead of "come." The believers were to spread the Word of God wherever they could, as they went through life, and some were sent to places all over the world.
One day this time will come to an end. I believe that end will be when the Rapture of the church takes place. That will start the Tribulation time of seven years. At the beginning of that time, the Temple will be rebuilt, and the message will change back to "come to Jerusalem," because the Spirit will be taken from this world, since He resides in all believers. Then, the Spirit will only be on select people again.
This tells me that we are blessed more than many of us have realized. We have the Spirit, so we can carry out the role of a king, a priest, and a prophet, as God directs. We have the authority to carry out the mission of the King, Jesus.(Matthew 28:18) We have the ability to bring men to God like a priest, and we have the ability to deliver God's message like a prophet. It is up to each believer to reach the world for Christ. There is no hierarchy, even believing slaves have the Spirit, young and old have the Spirit, men and women have the Spirit. Yes, there are roles in the family and in the church for men and women, but in the world we all are gifted by His Spirit to be His missionaries. Let's get to it before things change back to the old way, and the Tribulation makes it harder for people who have never heard to come to Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joel 3 and Amos 1-3.