And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)
Joel’s prophecy declared that God’s Spirit would be poured out on all flesh—not just priests, prophets, or kings as He had in the Old Covenant, but on sons, daughters, young, old, men, women, and even servants. This was a radical revelation in the time of the prophet Joel, when the Spirit of God only rested on specific individuals, such as prophets, priests, and kings. The idea that God would pour it upon not just men but also women and servants was unthinkable to the people at the time. God is no respecter of persons when it comes to pouring out the anointing of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood.
Everyone who wants to can receive it. We live in extraordinary times of fulfilled prophecy, which began when the anointing of the Holy Spirit was made available to every believer who asked. However, many don’t understand it. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not just an emotional experience. Some people think of the anointing as goosebumps during a perfect worship song or a tingly feeling they receive when someone prays for them.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit upon us equips us with supernatural gifts to serve the body of Christ and the world around us. Earlier in Joel 2, God promised to restore the land with grain, wine, and oil (Joel 2:24-25). This tells us the outpouring isn’t just for power but also for restoration. You are called to have that restoration as well! We still live in a time of outpouring. The Holy Spirit is still actively working, empowering, and leading us, and as we follow, power and restoration will happen.
Practical Application
Could you desire more of the Holy Spirit’s power? Are you hungry for it? If so, you should be open to prophecy, dreams and visions, supernatural healings, and manifestations throughout your life. The Holy Spirit’s power isn’t just for church services; He has given you the power to operate in supernatural strength every day.