The Spirit Poured Out
Barbi Shires

The Scripture: Joel 2:28-32 NIV
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. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.

Devotional: 
In this scripture, God promises something incredible: His Spirit will not be reserved for a select few but poured out on all people. The scripture tells us that gender doesn't matter—sons and daughters; age doesn't matter—old and young; social status doesn't matter—even servants receive this gift. God's presence breaks through every barrier we construct.

Peter quotes this passage on the day of Pentecost, declaring that what Joel prophesied centuries earlier was now happening before their eyes. The Spirit that once rested on prophets and kings was now available to fishermen, tax collectors, and ordinary people who simply called on the name of the Lord.

However, this outpouring comes with both wonder and warning. Signs in the heavens remind us that God reigns over everything He has made, and that all of history is heading toward an appointed day—"the great and dreadful day of the LORD." But even as creation itself trembles, God provides a way of escape: "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."

What does this mean for us today? The same Spirit that empowered the early church is available to all of us. Your age, background, or position don't disqualify you from being used by God. He wants to speak through you, work through you, and fill you with His presence.

Reflection:
Have you called on the name of the Lord? Are you open to the Spirit's work in your life, even in unexpected ways?

Prayer:
Lord, pour out Your Spirit on me afresh today. Remove any barriers I've placed between us. Use me as a vessel for Your purposes and help me live in the reality of Pentecost—that Your presence is both a gift and a calling. Amen.