God's Holy Fire: 'The Gift for Those Who Belong'

Monday, January 12, 2026

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
— Romans 8:9 NIV

Key Thought

Those who have received God's promised forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit are no longer "in the realm of the flesh." The incredible, wonderful truth is that as followers of Jesus, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, we are now people filled with supernatural power while we live in a very natural world. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us is the defining reality of our identity as children of God. Yes, there are other things that demonstrate that we are Christians and disciples of Jesus. However, the Holy Spirit is our proof of adoption into the family of God and our source of power to love as we have been loved (Romans 5:5). The Spirit is God's fresh power in us to transform us into the character and compassion of Jesus instead of the fleshly way of the world. Romans 8 talks all about this power for us, but please hear the clear promise of this one verse: "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, ... ."

Today's Prayer

Holy and righteous Father, I want to yield my heart, soul, mind, body, and physical strength to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want your holy compassion and character to come to life in me through the power and presence of the Spirit. O Holy Spirit, please exercise your holy influence in me as I try to please the Father in what I think and say and do. In the name of Jesus, the Son of God, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

17 Related Resources by Heartlight

Romans 8:9
Devo: Today's Verse
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he..."
Welcome Home, Holy Spirit!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this..."
Controlled by the Spirit
Illustration of Romans 8:9
Inspirational illustration of Romans 8:9 -- You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
God's Spirit Alive in Us!
Devo: Together in Christ
"But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that..."
See All 17 Related Resources about Romans 8:9

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 8:9 NIV — And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, January 12, 2026

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'False Gods' (1 Co. 8:7-13)
"Dear Father, the one real and only God, Many do not understand that all reality is rooted in you, so they chase the "gods" of this world, the "idols"..."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'The Testimony of Someone Else' (Jn. 5:31-32)
"[Jesus continued,] "If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Excuses Are Often Lies' (Ex. 4:10)
"But Moses said to the Lord, "Please, Lord, I have never been a skilled speaker. Even now, after talking to you, I cannot speak well. I speak slowly..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'God Our Strength' (Ps. 81:1-3)
"Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp. Blow the ram's horn at new....."

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