“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. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit." On the day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, Peter stood up and declared to all the Jews in Jerusalem who witnessed the event that this Spirit-filling was the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Acts 2:16-21). The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the time--the last days--in which God pours out His Spirit on all His people. Prior to this time God only filled certain people with His Spirit--prophets, priests, and kings--who heard from God and spoke His Word to the people. Now the promise is that God will fill all his people with His Spirit and this outpouring of the Spirit will be so widespread and extensive that even sons and daughters prophesy, young men see visions, old men have dreams from God, and servants are filled with the Spirit. The outpouring of the Spirit will be so ubiquitous, says Joel, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (vs. 32). The Holy Spirit makes God personal to each of us and all God's people can live Spirit-filled lives in which we personally hear from God and boldly proclaim His message that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ can be saved.
