OUTPOURING OF GOD’S SPIRIT

“It shall come to pass … that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” – Joel 2:28

Having spent three weeks meditating on various aspects of God’s Word, it’s time to focus on the OUTPOURING of HIS SPIRIT: “It shall come to pass … that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” (Joe 2:28a). God wants us to experience the Fullness of His Spirt, hence, the outpouring! God had spoken of the Precious Promise of the Spirit with reference to the Messiah: “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring” (Isa.44:3). The idea of pouring portrays copiousness. To say, “It's pouring outside,” means more than, “It's drizzling or dripping.” God's pouring corresponds to being drenched, soaked, or filled by the Spirit. God promised a day when His people, His servants, will be drenched with the Spirit.

Having repented, the people of Israel had to trust in God’s covenant to restore them from exile and establish them in blessedness far greater than what they enjoyed before they were cast out of the Promised Land (Lev.26:40-45; Dt.30:1-10; Zeph.3:14-20). Joel 2:18-27 reiterates the theme of Judah’s enjoyment of full recovery of everything lost to the covenant curses that earlier fell on them (Joel 1:1–2:11). All the enemies of God’s people, no matter where they came from, would also be fully and finally defeated (2:20). Joel indicated that these blessings would be fully realised on the great day of the Lord. Even though the children of Abraham had made themselves enemies of the Lord and as deserving of His judgment as the pagan Gentiles (vv. 1–11), the faithful remnant would repent and be rescued from the wrath of God that they deserved (vv. 18–27).

More significantly, Joel foresaw that a great outpouring of God’s Spirit would accompany those events (vv. 28–29). Moses longed for all the Israelites to enjoy the Holy Spirit to the degree that they could prophesy (Num.11:16-29). His yearning was finally to become a reality. The Old Testament often portrayed the Spirit of the Lord coming selectively upon certain individuals – the judges, prophets, priests, and kings – whom God raised up with unique power for service and gifts for ministry (Jud.3:7-11; 1Sam.16:13). Now the Spirit shall be poured out bountifully in a full stream. Joel prophesied a day when the Holy Spirit would gift all of the Lord’s children, irrespective of age, gender or social class. Ezekiel 39:29 also says: “And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord God.”

Acts 2:1-21 records the fulfilment of these prophecies when, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s descent initiated the last days and the Church age. Following His death on the Cross and Resurrection on the Third Day, Christ ascended to heaven and poured out His Spirit on the Church, gifting all believers for ministry (Eph.4:8). We are to use these gifts to serve one another and spread the gospel until He returns as Judge of all. We receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit by faith when we place our trust in Christ. Thus, no Christian should think that he or she is without the help of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit was fully poured out, and the fullness of the Spirit is therefore the covenant blessing for all believers. We must however personally receive the Spirit, as prelude to walking and living in the Spirit, listening to Him and using the gifts He bestows to serve others in the body of Christ.

Ever since the day of Pentecost, when the prophecy of the Spirit’s outpouring received its inaugural fulfilment, it has been a Christian duty to delight to seek and maintain the fullness of God's Spirit. Ever since Peter claimed in Acts 2:16-17 that the last days of outpouring had begun, no believer who reads this promise should be content until we are drenched with the Holy Spirit.