THE DAY OF THE LORD - Joel 2: 27-32
THE DAY OF THE LORD
Joel 2: 27-32
Sunday, November 13, 2016, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
The hand of the Lord has moved for us! God has brought an end to the reproach and intimidation of the spirit of antichrist against the Church.
Joel 2:27: “You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else; and My people shall never be ashamed.”
The Voice of God has closed the mouth of the Beast. The liberal media is the voice of the Beast. (Ez. 29:21) For 24-hours after the election, the false prophets (pundits and pollsters) were silent. They fell on their face. They have now recovered their voice, but they continue to be silenced. Only those who hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches know what is happening inside the transition of the new administration. The altars of the false prophets of Baal have fallen with the fall of Hillary. This election has given the Church back its voice. We will see many who were fearful and intimidated by the political stronghold of the spirit of antichrist begin to become emboldened. To you warriors who never left the front-line, never cowered down, never stopped preaching the pure gospel of the Word, REJOICE!!! You stood with the army of God, in place, not breaking ranks so that others might have a voice. That is the commission of warriors to fight on the front lines that others may be safe.
The Day of the Lord is a fullness of time when the Lord moves sovereignly in His creation and the affairs of man. We have known throughout the year 2016, that the earth is under a visitation of the Lord as we have watched him blow the lid off everything, overturn and destroy the altars of Baal and the corrupt systems of men.
The Day of the Lord is a day of “darkness” to the wicked, to those who are walking after the flesh. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of light in stark contrast to the kingdom of darkness.
Joe. 2:2: “A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of (thunder) clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains…”
Light represents understanding and darkness signifies ignorance. Adam is asleep in the darkness. Jesus Christ is awake in the light, the morning of this new day.
To the wicked, God’s day is marked by “gloominess”. The Day of the Lord marks the ending of the old day, the old order. In Moses’ day there was a darkness so dark that the Egyptians could feel it, but there was light at the same time among the Israelites in Goshen.
The “Day” of the Lord is “day” and not night! It is as the “morning” or the “dawn.” “Awake, O Zion!”
There are different groups of people in the United States to whom this is a day of darkness. But for the Christian regardless of race, creed, gender or color, we have been liberated from an oppressive regime which was effectively intimidating Christians from openly preaching, teaching, decreeing and walking in the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For those of us who were born in liberty, freedom of speech and freedom of religion, we were appalled at how easily the social cultures of this nation cowered down to, and came into agreement with this oppression.
The Lord brought forth a strong people set in battle array to war in one accord with the Army of Heaven. This army did not flinch in the face of persecution, rejection, or threats. These consecrated ones were sent to stand and minister the rebuke of the Lord upon the refuge of lies.
There are those who have stood and warred valiantly who now express anger at those who did not stand or fight in the battle; but now these are joining with the victors. The warriors are sent out ahead of the Church to fight the battle for those who are fearful, weak of faith, wounded, baby Christians, and those who are not anointed for the battle. The victory is for the whole church. It is the commission and anointing of the warriors to stand and to fight for the whole church. Count it all joy! Not everyone has the same calling.
A remnant turned back to God and His ways. He “dealt” “wondrously” with us.
Isa. 12:6: “Inhabitants of Zion cry out and shout for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you.”
In the time of Joel, Judah’s consecration affected every area of national life and brought the restoration of the years. We cannot turn from desolation and make a fresh commitment to the Lord in our own strength. We must be empowered and enabled by the anointing of His Spirit.
It is the cry of my heart that during the next four years as the Lord has opened the gates in the realm of civil authority over this nation, the heavens will be opened for the great Harvest with a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Joel 2:27-32 is the key passage of the Book of Joel. These five verses constitute the singular prophetic passage and is directly fulfilled in the New Testament. Joel is the Prophet (Trumpet) of Pentecost! Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sound the Alarm!
Zion will awake as we have a fresh experience with the Holy Ghost. Only the Holy Spirit in power can reveal and expose the desolation and true condition of the depth of the corruption in our nation and our alliances with other nations, as well as the soul of the church.
Joel 2:28: “It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh…”
Acts 2:17: “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh…”
The Pentecostal outpouring of Acts 1 is but the “Firstfruits” and the “earnest” of His fullness. That which fell upon the men and women in the Upper room was but a part of all that Joel saw and declared.
That fullness of outpouring for the whole earth remains to be seen and experienced in the global harvest and is the Spirit “without measure.” This will be poured out upon Zion’s overcoming company empowering them to move into the high calling!
God’s Spirit moves in seasons and cycles. I have lived long enough to be blessed with many refreshings from the Holy Spirit according to His season.
In the Upper Room at Jerusalem, the 120 who tarried were all with “one accord.” Those early saints were together, waiting for the promise with the “same passion!” Suddenly right out of Heaven there came a “sound” or noise like the roar of the sea waves. This rushing wind was borne along with a great and mighty force.
This “sound” changed everything and brought a new covenant with a new administration.
People of God this past week there was the sound of a mighty wind blowing across this land. This wind swept through the whole nation overturning the corrupt “system.” This mighty wind brought in a new administration. With the wind, I am believing the Holy Spirit to bring in the Harvest.
This rushing mighty wind was the very Breath of God, the passionate “blast of His nostrils.” (Exod. 15:8) Centuries before, God breathed His name “Jah” (the “H” sound) into “Abram” (high or exalted father and into “Sarai” (dominative, contentious, quarrelsome), empowering them to become “Abra –H-am” (father of a multitude) and “Sara-H” (noble woman, princess, lady queen).
Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me…”
‘It shall come to pass afterward…” (Joel 2:28)
The wind of the Holy Spirit is His breath. God will breathe!
The outpouring of the Spirit takes place “afterward.” After the time of righteous preparation, corporate fasting and prayer; and after the corporate “amen” and agreement of the people of God.
There was a mighty army of Christians all across the world who came in agreement for the deliverance of the United States from the oppression of lawlessness, corruption, and religious tyranny. This universal army of Christians are from all races, denominations, and nations.
Some feign they have fear of this new administration. I believe it will be an administration of law and order. The only ones who have anything to fear will be those who break the law.
Joel 2:28: “…that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh…”
God will do this pouring out through His mature Church, Zion! Again this is a unified Body of believers from all denominations and nations of the earth. We are His “windows (floodgates) of heaven.” This awesome outpouring of His Spirit is to be upon “all flesh” upon every nation, tongue, and tribe. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Joel 2:28: “…and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream drams, your young men shall see visions.”
Do not doubt the Spirit is breathing on the Church universal with these supernatural gifts.
In Acts 2 and at Azusa Street, the church came to understand there is no gender prejudice in a genuine Pentecostal outpouring. The “sons” and the “daughters” shall “prophesy.”
Joel 2:29: “Also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days I will pour out My Spirit.”
Again there is no gender prejudice in this outpouring. It comes upon the “servants” and upon the “handmaids”.
Joel 2:30: “I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth.”
God will show wonders in the earth accompanying a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These “wonders” are the signs of the Holy Ghost in the Feast of Pentecost.
I heard pundits boast before our election that if Donald J. Trump won the election, it would be a miracle. As they spoke it, so it is.
The Greek word for “wonders” is teras, and it means, “a prodigy or omen; a portent; a miracle performed by anyone; something strange, causing the beholder to marvel, is always used in the plural, is always rendered “wonders,” and generally follows signs. A sign is intended to appeal to the understanding, a “wonder” appeals to the imagination, for its power indicates its source as supernatural.”
Joel 2:30: “…blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.”
“Blood” and “fire” are essential ingredients of a genuine Pentecostal experience. The “blood” is the basis of the “fire” (a symbol for the Holy Spirit). Calvary predicated Pentecost. “Blood” and “fire” are also the two cleansing agents in the Feast of Passover and the Feast Day of Atonement.
Smoke in the Bible has two basic meanings: First, it is a symbol for God’s glory and presence. God Himself is a smoking furnace (Gen. 15:17).
Second, it is a symbol for the victory of a finished work, the acceptance of the burnt sacrifice, and the end of the old order.
Joel 2:31: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.”
On Monday, November 7, 2016, the total “super moon” lunar eclipse also known as a “blood moon” appeared. Blood Moon: Total 'supermoon' lunar eclipse photographed by our ...
The outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost was “lights out” for the Levitical system! This is exactly what happens when God turns on the old order. Jesus overthrew the tables of the money-changers. God is turning the tables on Babylon. The dance and the party are almost over for Belshazzar and his palace crowd! The prophetic fingers of a Man’s “hand” are writing His Word! Wicked knees are knocking together.
Dispensationally the gospel of the Kingdom meant “lights out” for the previous administration of Old Testament Judaism. Malachi 4:5 declares that Elijah would also come “before” that Day. John the Baptist was the forerunner who began to spell out the demise of that old order.
Mt. 24:29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”
This passage in Matthew describes God‘s people enduring a time of “tribulation”. The “’tribulation” prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24:29 marked the end of Judaism (A.D. 67-70). The twelve tribes of natural Israel are described as the “sun” and the “moon.”
Again this cosmic imagery describing the judgment and vindication of God means “lights out” for the old order. There is similar parallel language in the Old Testament describing the end of Babylon (Isa. 13: 9-10); and the end of Edom (Isa. 34: 4-5).
Historically the light of the apostolic Church of the Book of Acts went out. This continued through the Dark Ages until Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation (1517).
Ecclesiastically, the “moon” (the power of darkness) was “turned” (over) to “blood”. In 1969, man literally walked on the moon. Jesus completely walked all over the kingdom of darkness. Now, through Christ’s finished work, “Adam” (humankind) will put the devil underfoot! The Sun-Clothed Woman (the Church) has the “moon” under her feet (Rev. 12: 1-5).
Joel 2:31: “…before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.”
The Day of the Lord is both “great” and “terrible.” It is “great” for the people of God, and night for the children of darkness. The same Flood that destroyed the wicked, elevated Noah and his family to inherit the earth.
Joel 2:32: “It shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
So the remnant is called!
God’s promise is sure. All this will “come to pass” (Joel 2:28). God is no respecter of persons or faces. Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered.
There shall be deliverance in the “remnant whom the Lord shall call” with the high calling! Rejoice if you have been set apart this past year to go through the fire of God; and you have been through an overturning. That means the Lord has called you to the high calling. Only a free man can set a man free!
The word for “remnant” is sariyd and it means, “A survivor; what is left.” Contrary to popular fiction, it is the righteous that remain and are “left behind.” According to Jesus, the wicked are taken in judgment and the righteous are left (Mt. 24:37-41)!
The trumpet has sounded!
To be continued
From: CAROLYN
[mailto:casissom@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2016 10:22 PM
To: 'CAROLYN'
Subject:Wind called Matthew.
Tonight at prayer (Oct. 5) a word came forth by the Spirit, that the wind called Matthew is likened unto the Gospel of Matthew. Within the wind is the wind of the Spirit and will bring change and a turn around. When it turns around in the Atlantic, you will see a turn around in the eastern coast.
The wind of God is beginning to blow across our nation. As you have stood in agreement with the Lord your God in the shakings, so you will receive the blessing of the Wind of God. The wind will blow as the wind of judgment to those who have turned to other gods; and it will be a wind of blessing to those who follow wholly after their God.
Carolyn Sissom
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V.
I entered into the labors of Sound the Alarm by: Rev. Kelly Varner (1949-2009). Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Rev. Varner.