How to invite the Holy Spirit into a national reckoning: Joel Part 2:18-32
We’ve all sinned, blown up relationship w/person loves. 1.APOLOGIZE. 2. RESPONSE
- Tell everyone 2. Cut you off 3. Punish you 4. Forgive/embrace
CASE STUDY: Personal sinning =
- Nat’l reckoning (locusts) 2. CHURCH. Repent. Lead by Joel
God is forgiving of the repentant
Joel 2:18 Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people. 19 The LORD answered and said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations. 20 “I will remove the northerner far from you, and drive him into a parched and desolate land, his vanguard into the eastern sea, and his rear guard into the western sea; the stench and foul smell of him will rise, for he has done great things.
Lie #1 – God does not forgive
Lie #2 – God forgives everyone
Truth: God only forgives people who repent
- God had “pity” or compassion.
- Jesus – 60 verses gospels about emotion
#1 “compassion” -“his heart went out ”;“his heart overflowed w/compassion”;“felt sorry for them”
- Hurting XN – repent to return to the Lord for help (progress NOT perfection)
- Non XN – repent to turn to the Lord (get started lifelong process repentance)
God is joyful with the repentant
Joel 2:21 “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things! 22 Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield. 23 “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
Lie #1 – God is not joyful
Lie #2 – God has joy for everyone forever
Truth: God give joy to the repentant forever
CH 2: “tremble” “darkness and gloom” “blackness” “fire” “people are in anguish” “faces grow pale” “the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it”?
CH 2: “green” “fruit” “abundant rain” “be glad” “rejoice in the LORD ur God”
= “fear not x2” – an impossible season triggers fears it’ll happen again
FROM RECKONING TO RESTORATION PROCESS OVER TIME
This is a worship song – it rhymes
Joel may be a creative worship leading songwriter
God is joyful. You made for joy. Joy is where we must return to. = Best version you!
FRIEND IN BRUTAL DIVORCE (I’m not going to allow my ex & atty to take my joy)
God is generous to the repentant
Joel 2:24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25 I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. 26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
Lie #1 – God is not generous
Lie #2 – God owes us
Truth: God owes us nothing, but has given us everything we have
- There are seasons of life where we are “put to shame”
- God can “restore the years that the…locust has eaten”
= Repentance is steps in the restoration process
When repentance goes up, the Holy Spirit comes down
Joel 2:28 “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. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.
- Prophecy about future
Over 500 yrs later – Jesus came filled HS, raised HS, returned Heaven, what next??
Acts 1:3-5, 2:1-4, 2:14-21 He [Jesus] presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise…”you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”…When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance….14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “…this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Tongues – 1. Earthly language 2. Heavenly language
- Pour = unending FLOW – KINK IN HOSE GRANDSONS
BAND UP
We are in the “last days” leading to the “day of the Lord”
- =2000 years later Church proof Joel’s prophecy came true & the HS is at work!
- Jesus is still 1. Forgiving 2. Joyful 3. Generous = to the repentant!
EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED!
Death Hell Sickness/Death Poverty
