God's Holy Fire: 'Instructed & Empowered by the Spirit'

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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[Luke wrote,] In my [gospel] I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.
— Acts 1:1-2 NLT

Key Thought

God's leaders in the Old Testament spoke through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was God in human flesh, so Luke emphasized that Jesus' words carried the authority of God — giving "instructions through the Holy Spirit." We will see some of these "instructions" on the next three days. When Jesus spoke these words to his "chosen apostles," they were some of his last words with them on earth. As we read these things that the Lord said, we will see that they detail the importance of the challenges that lay ahead for the apostles. Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem. They had witnessed great things. They had been chosen to experience the unimaginable. Nevertheless, to do what they needed to do, they needed the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. So, Jesus promised to pour out the Holy Spirit on them, as happened during the Pentecost Festival. The Spirit would empower and inspire those once fearful and deeply flawed disciples, making them bold as they shared their message with the authority of Jesus. Their courage empowered by the Holy Spirit would change the course of history, forever.

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, I am convicted that I need to listen to Jesus' words more attentively, and I need to seek the power of the Holy Spirit more faithfully. I recognize that if the apostles needed the Spirit's power and guidance, then I certainly do as well. Please know that I am committed to seek and to wait and to listen, and then to obey as your Holy Spirit works in my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Acts 1:1-2 NLT —

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.

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