#DailyDevotions We Are In The Last Days.

Joel 2 ²⁸“Later this will happen: I will pour out My Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will speak My Word. Your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. ²⁹And even on men and women who are slaves, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

It is interesting to note that on the day of this fulfillment, Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, speaking with the power of the Holy Spirit quotes this saying, “’In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out My Spirit on all people.”(Acts. 2:17) This is a nice interpretive move by the Holy Spirit indicating something new is happening here. With the sending of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, the end of times has come upon us. It boggles pastors’ minds when people tell them we must be living in the last days with all that is going on around us. They think Jesus’ return must be soon now. We’re like, well it’s been the last days since Pentecost. We should be expecting Jesus’ return every day. There is nothing left to be fulfilled. We don’t want to take away from the immediacy of the expectation of His return. We also don’t want you to be afraid of it if you are living repenant lives trusting in Jesus or being disappointed if He doesn’t show up like the last 10 billion times someone has said, “This is it!” Just keep putting your faith in Jesus. You will see Him soon enough.

We should note the LORD says He will pour out His Spirit on all people. Some translations don’t capitalize Spirit because they doubt there is any revelation of the Trinity in the Old Testament. Well their loss. Here He is! Now when He says He is pouring out His Spirit on all people what does this mean? I think Jesus tells us in John 16, “⁸He will come and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment: ⁹of sin because they don’t believe in Me; ¹⁰of righteousness because I’m going to the Father and you won’t see Me any more; ¹¹of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged.” He has since Pentecost doing these things. He is preparing people to hear the Gospel. He is convicting them of their sin and unbelief when they hear the Good News of Jesus and reject it. He is converting them and regenerating those hear and do not reject Him.



The Holy Spirit then empowers us as He makes our hearts His temple and dwelling. In the early Church before the New Testament was written He communicated with the Church through visions, dreams and prophecy. Now everything He was going to remind the Apostles of is written down for our edification, we see Him manifest in the Church with the greater gifts of love, speaking God’s word, release from sinful and addictive behaviors, peace, joy, patience, kindness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22ff) He gives us the gift of serving, teaching, exhorting, being generous, and doing acts of mercy. (Rom. 12) To some He gifts them with knowledge, wisdom, working miracles, prophecy, and discerning spirits. (1 Cor. 12) These lists of the gifts of the Spirit in our congregations are not exhaustive. He bestows upon us believers what the congregation needs us to do to edify the Body of Christ. Many people chase after the gifts that may get a lot of fanfare. Paul tells us to seek to love and be able to speak a good word about Christ. I would suggest asking the Holy Spirit to give you the gifts of love, service, generosity, mercy and kindness as these things seem to be lacking the most in our current times.

So, don’t be afraid of signs of the end. Peter said we are in the end times. Jesus is coming soon. Come LORD Jesus! Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the gifts your congregation needs manifest.

Heavenly Father, You have ushered in the last days on Pentecost and give us Your Holy Spirit. Endow each of us with the gifts and fruits of the Spirit so we may edify our brothers and sisters in Christ in our congregations. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.