God's Holy Fire: 'Born of the Spirit'

Friday, January 16, 2026

Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."
— John 3:5-6 NLT

Key Thought

We are called to be spiritual people - holy, righteous, faithful, and compassionate like our Father in heaven. But our own efforts fail at achieving these spiritual characteristics. We need the power and presence of Almighty God at work in our lives to purify and sustain us in our desire to live to honor our Father. So God in his great mercy gave us the gift of new birth and the right to be born of God (John 1:12-13). This gift is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is at work in us through our faith and baptism (Galatians 3:26; Acts 2:38-39). The Spirit cleanses us and makes us holy no matter our past sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The Spirit lives inside us and identifies us as children of God (Romans 8:9). The Spirit powerfully works to conform us to Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Conforming to Jesus is certainly something that we could not accomplish by our own abilities. We celebrate the Father's work in us through the Holy Spirit who has made it possible for us to be born anew and to live for Jesus (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7).

Today's Prayer

Thank you, Father of mercies, for the work of the Spirit to cleanse me and give me new birth into living hope as I seek to live the way of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of John 3:5-6 NLT — Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."

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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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