Joel 2:28   And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

            

In this simple but amazing prophecy of Joel there is a promise of great hope. Let's imagine we've never seen it before – that we were there with Joel when he brought it. It is God speaking about His Spirit, the Spirit that we know was involved in bringing the world into being (Gen 1:2), who inspired the Tabernacle makers (Ex 31:3), and who came upon Gideon, Samson and others with power (Jud 6:34, 11:29, 14:6). The one thing we know is that when God's Spirit comes, people change, things change – and God was promising His Spirit to come on ALL men, with the result that they would get revelation - prophecy, dreams and visions.

 

Now of course when the day of Pentecost came and this word was fulfilled, then indeed great power did come on believers – and so we realise that this is God's word for His people, not just any person. Now Paul tells us a number of times in the New Testament that we, as believers, are indwelt by His Spirit, so consider what we said earlier: the revelation of the Bible is that when the Holy Spirit comes, He brings change – and ongoing change.

I expect you were changed when you were born again and became a Christian, but how about since? Is ongoing change your experience, ongoing things happening as the Holy Spirit prompts and guides us and leads us into doing God's will? Change and activity is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. Do we let Him do that in our lives?