Joel 2
An Army of Locusts
1Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
2a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
nor ever will be in ages to come.
3Before them fire devours,
behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,
behind them, a desert waste—
nothing escapes them.
4They have the appearance of horses;
they gallop along like cavalry.
5With a noise like that of chariots
they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire consuming stubble,
like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
6At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;
every face turns pale.
7They charge like warriors;
they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,
not swerving from their course.
8They do not jostle each other;
each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
without breaking ranks.
9They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;
like thieves they enter through the windows.
10Before them the earth shakes,
the heavens tremble,
the sun and moon are darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
11The Lord thunders
at the head of his army;
his forces are beyond number,
and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;
it is dreadful.
Who can endure it?
Rend Your Heart
12“Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
14Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the Lord your God.
15Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
16Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”
The Lord’s Answer
18Then the Lord was jealous for his land
and took pity on his people.
“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,
enough to satisfy you fully;
never again will I make you
an object of scorn to the nations.
20“I will drive the northern horde far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench will go up;
its smell will rise.”
Surely he has done great things!
21Do not be afraid, land of Judah;
be glad and rejoice.
Surely the Lord has done great things!
22Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.
The trees are bearing their fruit;
the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
23Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
because he is faithful.
He sends you abundant showers,
both autumn and spring rains, as before.
24The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm b —
my great army that I sent among you.
26You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders for you;
never again will my people be shamed.
27Then you will know that I am in Israel,
that I am the Lord your God,
and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.
The Day of the Lord
28“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.
29Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
30I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
32And 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. c
Let’s Pray! Let’s start with this prayer from Joel 2
“Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ” (Spend time asking the Lord for mercy on his people and for grace in dealing with the church in sin.)
Cleanse the church, oh God. Raise up your people. Wake them up, Lord! Wake them up! I pray against the deceitful and seductive ploys of the enemy. He is drawing us away from your will for our lives and distracting us with things of this world. I rebuke these lies and a seductive spirit, in Jesus’ name. I pray that you will intervene by raising up prophets, teachers, preachers, leaders and evangelists to speak truth to the body of Christ. Heal those leaders who are under pressure. Deliver them from evil. Encourage them today, Lord Jesus. (Pray specifically for your local church leaders, for online pastors and teachers who build you up and anyone else the Lord brings to mind.)
Lord, have mercy. We know that the church in America has lived carnally. We have lusted after power, money, fame, and the approval of many. We have been prideful, arrogant, and faithless. We have fought each other willingly, while we refuse to fight the enemy Satan and argue about it theologically. We have lived with you as an afterthought and not in the front of our minds and hearts. We have not loved you as much as sports, or money, or self-actualization, or our own goals and dreams. Forgive us for not loving you well, Father God.
Thank you for loving us. Thank you for your patience and love. You are slow to anger, quick to forgive. Make me more like you! I want to be quick to forgive and slow to anger. Pour your Spirit out so that I can walk in your power and truth. Fill me with your Spirit of wisdom and revelation so I can know you better. I want to walk in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I want to battle from the place of victory- not for the victory. Fill me with your perspective. I want to wake up to your truth. Forgive me for believing lies. Open the eyes of my heart.
Lord, I pray for the weak. I ask for the new believers to be strengthened in your power and might. I pray that they will be discipled. Lord forgive us for being lazy in our discipleship. We have left the new believers on their own, when you commanded us to make disciples. Protect them and build them up in your strength, Oh Lord.
I ask that you will continue to bring more people into your kingdom. Build your kingdom in the hearts of people. Continue to redeem. Continue to pour out your Spirit on all flesh that your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions. Pour your Spirit out on me, Lord. I want to experience your Spirit in this time. The darker the night, the brighter the stars shine. May your light shine in me, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, I don’t know what is coming down the road, but I do know that many people on the road are lost with out you. Equip me to bring in the harvest. Lord, you are already in the future and you hold me in the palm of your hands. I trust you with my life and my family, in Jesus’ name. I plead the blood of Jesus’ over my family.
Lead me by your Holy Spirit, so I know how to prepare for what is coming. I know I need to first of all be spiritually prepared. Secondly, I need to take care of my family. Please speak to me and direct me in how you want me to physically prepare. I don’t want to prepare in my flesh, Lord. Give me energy and ideas from your Spirit.
I give you all glory and honor and praise! (Spend time worshipping the Lord and giving him glory. )
Revealed Ministries 