At any point, you begin to hear the cry of a people who are enslaved or who are used as tools or pawns upon which others may trample to increase their wealth or power, the stage is set for a resurrection. Joel made the statement, When God’s leaders who minister to the Lord cry out, spare your people Oh Lord, then the Lord will be zealous for his people. The Lord declares that their threshing floors shall be full of grain, new wine, oil and His people would be satisfied. Again the instruction comes, be glad and rejoice for the Lord has accomplished great things, marvelous things.
“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month”. (Joel 2:23)
There is great significance in the reality that the resurrection played in the history of the people of Israel. The Hebrew people not only were blessed by God and learned to walk in His resurrection power. Much of the time they were a picture for those of us who live in this day as the New Testament Church of Jesus Christ. Joel gave what we would call a prophetic word in Joel 2:25, the restoration would compass many years of destruction. Sometimes destruction can come upon a land and though it may be for a short time, years may be devoured by the enemy. In Joel’s day the locusts came through the land and devoured the crops so the blessing of many years of prosperity was lost. Listen to Joel as he makes the declaration, I will restore to you every year the locusts have eaten. Every type of locust, whether it is the kind which flies in swarms or runs in packs, the crawling locust that licks up the ground or the chewing kind that just keeps chewing on you and everything you have, it chews on your family, your business or places of employment, Joel declares I will restore everything the enemy has stolen. Satan has creatures every-bit as real as a locust, they are called confusion, doubt, fear, jealousy, sin of every kind and description, they are called deceit, indecision and you may know more than I do. They will destroy your life. Listen to the words of Joel when he says, do not be afraid, you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God who has dealt wondrously with you.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:5)
Nearly all that the apostle Paul writes about in reference to the resurrection is concerning the righteous. Paul opens new ground for us in Romans 6:5. Notice the words, “in the likeness of His death”. It is here that we begin to get a revelation of resurrection at work in our lives; (Romans 6: 6) dying with Him will set you free from the bondage of slavery to sin and rebellion. Having died with Christ, we have been set free from sin. (v.6) that sounds different than what we have been taught these days. The words “freed from sin” mean, we are no longer subject to sin, sin is subject to us. Romans 6:8 is shouting ground, our death with Christ causes faith to rise in our spirit man and scripture says , We shall also live with Him, knowing this (Romans 6:9), that Jesus, having been raised or resurrected, doesn’t die anymore; death no longer has any dominion over Him. Jesus defeated death. He destroyed the hold that death had on human kind. The death He died put Him outside the boundaries of sin “once and for all”, but that is not all, He gave us power over sin, sickness and disease. Peter in explaining the experience of Pentecost said, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel and Joel said, “and you shall praise the name of the Lord your God.” Can you imagine in your fondest memories, most glorious dreams, the blessing of God in such abundance where there is no sense of lack. Joel said, “And my people shall not be put to shame, then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel.” (Joel 2:26-27)
Since Pentecost is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, not only will prosperity come upon us and overtake us, but the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God, has come upon you, church. Everything which has been stolen will be restored; most importantly our relationship with a living, loving Father is restored. His Spirit has been poured out on all flesh, from the top of the food chain to the bottom of the food chain. David spoke these words concerning the resurrection of Christ, “His soul was not left in hell, nor did his flesh see corruption, this Jesus, God has raised up of which we are all witnesses, therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out that which you now see and hear. (Acts 2:29-33) No excuses here, He went back to be with the Father and the two live in you and me, He brought the Holy Spirit with Him to empower the Church, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, In every believer, You can not fail, you can not be destroyed, you can not fall, the greater One dwells in you.
Pastor Danny
