God's Holy Fire: 'They Do Not Have the Spirit!'

Sunday, March 29, 2026

[The apostles] told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them.
— Jude 1:18-19 NLT

Key Thought

Having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us is the litmus test of whether we belong to Christ or not (Romans 8:9; Act 19:1-7). Without the Spirit of God within us - enabling us to overcome our sinful nature (Romans 8:12-13), transforming us to be like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18), and producing the fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22-23) - we live by our "natural instincts." This way of life is also called living by the flesh or living by our sinful nature (Romans 8:5-8) and is full of corruption, division, and hostility toward God, toward goodness, and toward God's people. Avoiding these things is why conversion to Christ and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit are so important. Living by our "natural instincts" means living in rebellion to God (Ephesians 2:1-3). No one can live for Christ without the Spirit of God. The Spirit empowers us with supernatural instincts from God to live for Christ!

Today's Prayer

Glorious and gracious God, thank you for sending your Son to die for my sins and then sending your Spirit to live within me to help me live to honor you. In Jesus' name, I offer you my thanks, my praise, and my heart. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

1 Related Resource by Heartlight

Last Days
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Friend, In a few days, I will be leading you through My Revelation to John; it contains My message to the churches of Asia Minor — and to...."

Illustration

Illustration of Jude 18-19 NLT — They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, March 29, 2026

Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'The A.S.K. Principle Still Applies'
"As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and he met the...."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
1 John 5:14-15
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: John 17:15
"It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God's own time-the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord's..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'The Good News' (1 Co. 15:1-4)
"Dear Father, God of the living, Thank you for the Good News that Jesus Christ, your Son, is risen from the dead. Thank you that by it I am saved and...."

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