The Holy Spirit Promised

Background Scripture: Joel 2
Lesson Scripture: Joel 2:12-14, 17-19, 26-32

Introduction

In the frustrations of the Israelite’s wilderness experience, Moses exclaimed, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29). Today we are living in that time of which Joel prophesied; the Holy Spirit is poured out on all those who believe. May we open our hearts to a better understanding of the Spirit’s moving and working in our lives.

Key Verse

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

The prophet Joel’s writings give little indication to his place in history. He likely lived during the early years of the boy king Joash’s reign. Regardless of the timing, the setting is clear. A locust swarm had stripped the land of vegetation, leaving the inhabitants in a desperate situation. Locust swarms still happen in the Middle East and must be experienced to fully appreciate the destruction they bring.

Joel uses the terror of the locust plague to bring attention to a more terrible event—the day of the Lord. He leads the reader to repentance and returning to the Lord. The people of that day must have responded, for he continues with words of comfort and the promise of renewal in the land. The Lord promises the blessings of material provisions, and it has the ring of a spiritual fulfillment. Then comes the beautiful prophecy that Joel is best known for; he speaks of the time when the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out upon all flesh.

“The Holy Ghost is not seen clearly as a person of the Godhead in the old dispensation. . . . He is most often portrayed as acting on God’s behest upon man from the outside rather than from within man’s heart.” 1 The Holy Spirit was not given freely to all men in the Old Testament era. We see Him sent upon an individual specially to advance the Lord’s purposes. The call to leadership was often accompanied with the Spirit’s infilling. In the New Testament after the Lord ascended, we see the Holy Ghost come into much more of a distinctive work. He is seen clearly as the third person of the Godhead. At Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on those who were gathered and waiting. Upon receiving Him they spoke the message of the gospel in different languages and began to witness to the world around them. As listeners believed the good news, they too were endued with the Holy Ghost.

Practical Truths for Today

“Come, Holy Spirit, I need Thee,” should be the prayer of every Christian. The Lord is aware of our sinful nature and the downward tendency we have without the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Joel prophesied of a time when there would be a new kingdom in which the Holy Spirit would provide the believer’s spiritual needs. The Holy Spirit desires to fill our hearts with the fullness of Christ. He is central to a Christian’s life, and it is through Him that we find full expression in Christian living. He fills our hearts with comfort when we are distressed and healing when we are wounded. He reproves us when we do wrong and leads us back into a right relationship with God. He reminds us of what our heart needs at opportune moments. He inspires us to offer ourselves in the work of the kingdom. Is there any part of our life that He will not touch if we allow Him free course? The Spirit’s work transforms us into a living vessel for the Lord.

Repentance and conversion are requisites for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He comes into our heart when we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, and He strives to keep us pure. He will not dwell in a divided heart; we must be fixed upon the Lord. Without the Spirit we cannot live a faithful Christian life and serve God acceptably.

Sometimes a Christian may wonder, “Is the Spirit really living in my heart?” To answer that question, we must understand the nature of the Holy Ghost. He takes no glory for Himself but always lifts Christ and points us to his Word. He only speaks that which He has heard, and He always agrees with the written Word. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). Jesus is the fountain of the fruit of the Spirit, and we cannot, without the work of the Spirit, produce this fruit in a way that glorifies Christ and not self. We find his work in us to be a quiet work, striving to make us useful in the service of the Lord.

If an extraordinary need arises, should we pray God for a greater infilling of his Spirit, or should we pray God for strength for the task and for a deeper consecration and dedication to Him and his Spirit? The heavenly Father delights to give us direction through his Holy Spirit if we will ask (Luke 11:13). We must yield ourselves to the Holy Ghost to be sanctified as God desires.

The Holy Spirit directs our worship. In quiet moments He draws our minds to God. When we come into the assembly of the saints, He fills us with love and inspires our hearts and leads us to worship the Lord. The Holy Spirit never draws attention to Himself or leads us to worship Himself but always points our worship to Christ.

God sends the Spirit into our hearts as a down payment for the eternal rest that He has promised in heaven, and his presence is a keeping power. To not have Him in our hearts is to lose the “earnest of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14). We need not fear that the Spirit will abruptly leave us unless we sin willfully and are unwilling to repent. However, the Holy Spirit will go away if we continually resist Him. We must not neglect our obedience to his promptings, for God warned the disobedient people before the great flood that “my spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:3). Let us carefully listen to the still, small voice—He will fill our lives with the power and goodness of the Father and lead us to an eternal reward.

Questions

1. How conscious should we be of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives?
2. Is there something that can be done to bring a greater infilling of the Spirit?
3. If someone tends to doubt their salvation, how can they come to a greater confidence in the Spirit’s keeping power?
4. 1 Bible Doctrine and Practice, p. 49
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).