Ezekiel 39:29

Ezekiel 39:29 (ESV):  “And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God.””

The Lord has always worked through human beings by the power of His Spirit. We can do nothing apart from His empowerment and authority.

Ezekiel was called to speak a prophetic promise to the people of Israel: they would be regathered, and not one would be left in a foreign land (v. 28). God would then restore His people and, by His Spirit, bring glory back to His name. There will be a national baptism in the Spirit at that time—this is how we know the prophecy points to a future fulfillment. It’s possible that a partial fulfillment occurred in Acts 2 among the disciples of Jesus. However, a future day is coming when the world will witness the entire house of Israel baptized in the Spirit.

Are you lacking empowerment to be a witness for Christ? It’s “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord (Zech. 4:6). The baptism of the Spirit is the “upon” experience of the Spirit. The Greek word is epi, referring to the Spirit’s empowering presence (Acts 1:8). This differs from the sealing of the Spirit that occurs at salvation (Eph. 1:13–14)—the en (Greek) experience—when the Holy Spirit comes into a person. The baptism of the Spirit, or the “upon” experience, is given for the purpose of empowering believers to be witnesses. God promises to give this to those who ask (Luke 11:13). So let’s ask Him.

Father, we pray for a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit upon our lives today. We dare not trust in ourselves to be Your witnesses. We repent of anything that might hinder Your Spirit’s work within us, and we ask that You would empower us now to be Your witnesses. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.