Empowered

Life Lessons Devotional Series, Monday May 1, 2023

Scripture: ¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
²¹ And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

– The Last days was initiated approximately 2000 years ago following the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Subsequently the Lord poured out His Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the prophetic message concerning the last days.  God’s Word has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled in accordance with all that has been recorded.

– We who are His church are the beneficiaries of the promised outpouring of God’s Spirit!  God’s Spirit has been poured out, is being poured out, and will be poured out on all people in accordance with the Word of the Lord. “All people” as recorded here is representative of the inclusion of not only the Jews but the gentiles from every tribe, nation and language on the earth.  All people everywhere can come to a full and complete knowledge of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!  None are excluded!  Whosever will may come! Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!  Amen!

– With the outpouring of the Spirit is given the promise of prophetic utterance coming from young and old, both men and women, for all are one in Christ Jesus!  So too comes the foreboding promise of global cataclysmic events.  Although 2000 years have come and gone, we are only now beginning to see the consummation of what the prophet Joel spoke of taking shape as the powers of darkness rally together for the final battle.  Though evil abounds everywhere, truth and light will always overcome through the power of the Spirit!