The Joy of Glory

Joel 2:28–29
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Reflection
I love the rain.

The sound of it on the roof. How it washes away the pollen in the spring. The new life it brings. There’s just something refreshing about it. Rain seems life-giving… and I mean in even more ways that just literally giving life to plants and animals.

Is it any wonder then why the Lord would choose a similar image when describing how his Spirit will one day give life to all his people? He didn’t specifically choose the image of rain, but it is a “water-type” image nonetheless as he speaks of “pouring” out his Spirit on all his people.

And what is the result?

Spiritual life!

They prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions! The Spirit of God leads to people hearing from God and proclaiming God! Life, life, and life!

And wonder of wonders… this is the age, the hour in which we live! God has poured out his Spirit upon all who trust in his Son… upon you and me! And that Spirit bears the fruit of spiritual life in and through us!

Do you see the Spirit of God at work in and through you bearing the fruit of life in Christ? Perhaps you don’t prophesy or dream dreams (perhaps you do), but the life-giving work of the Spirit is more multi-faceted than we usually imagine. And, no matter what he does through you… he does it all to glorify Christ (John 16:13-14)! This is the ultimate evidence of the work of the Spirit of God in your life… do you see the glory of Christ? And, are you being empowered to glorify Christ?

You cannot see Christ’s glory apart from the Spirit working!

You cannot glorify Christ apart from the Spirit working!

You cannot pour out what has not been poured in! And, if the Holy Spirit of God has been poured out upon you… there will be evidence of spiritual life! Maybe not dreams and visions, but evidence in the form of loving the glory of Jesus and pointing others towards it.

There will evidence that the Spirit has “rained” upon you… and that evidence is life that loves the glory of Christ.

 
*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.