God's Holy Fire: 'Intimate Friendship'

Monday, February 16, 2026

The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
— 2 Corinthians 13:14 MSG

Key Thought

While most translations of this verse say "fellowship of the Holy Spirit," I find the phrase "the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit" to be powerful and exciting. We are brought into close fellowship with God and each other through "the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit." Think about the implications of this concept. Our fellowship with one another and our connections to each other are based on our being drawn together through our shared friendship of the Spirit. As we are drawn into the intimate friendship of the Spirit of God, we find ourselves drawn nearer and closer to each other.

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, I want to be drawn near to you. I thank you for the extravagant grace of my being able even to say such a thing. You are holy and majestic, yet you want me to come close to you. Thank you for inviting me into such an intimate friendship through the Holy Spirit as I commit to being in a close relationship with other believers who yearn to be drawn near to you. In Jesus' name, I thank you for this grace. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

13 Related Resources by Heartlight

2 Corinthians 13:14
Devo: Today's Verse
"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
Grace, Love, Fellowship
Illustration of 2 Corinthians 13:14
Inspirational illustration of 2 Corinthians 13:14 -- May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Stay Connected
Devo: Together in Christ
"All of God's people here send you their greetings. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit..."
The Spirit Helps Us Pray
Virtual Worship by Demetrius Collins & Phil Ware
Prayer can be an incredible blessing for us as God's children. However, prayer can also feel frustrating and bewildering to many who are trying to follow Jesus. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to glorify God as we remember that prayer is about relationship and Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help us know our hearts are heard.
See All 13 Related Resources about 2 Corinthians 13:14

Illustration

Illustration of 2 Corinthians 13:14 MSG — The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, February 16, 2026

What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Pedigree or Faith?' (Jn. 8:37-40)
"[Continuing his reply to the Jews, Jesus said,] "Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'I Cling to You' (Ps. 63:6-8)
"I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Tom Drout:
"We cannot live with bitterness because it will first manifest itself in our spirit, then in our emotions, and finally in our bodies."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'My Perfect Weakness' (2 Co. 12:1-10)
"Dear Father, Put your hand over my mouth to keep me from boasting about myself. Even if I were to have visions and revelations about you or to be..."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations