God's Holy Fire: 'Empowering Proclamation'

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Merry Christmas!

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

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And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
— Ephesians 6:18-20 NIV

Key Thought

When we open the book of Acts, we see the power of the Holy Spirit helping early believers proclaim the message of Jesus. Also, the Holy Spirit lives in and intercedes for believers when we pray. Disciples can pray in confidence knowing the Spirit allows them to speak directly to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). The Spirit intercedes for Christians beyond the power of their words and according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

We can still trust the Spirit's intercession and access to God to convey our own heartfelt needs to him. In addition, Paul reminds us in today's verses that we can rely on the Spirit's help when we are in front of non-believers. The Spirit will give us the words to speak so that we can proclaim the message of Jesus boldly, fearlessly, and clearly.

Paul also reminds us of another way we can pray and release the power of the Spirit. We can pray for those proclaiming Jesus in hostile circumstances. Let's dedicate time at least one day each week to pray for those who give their lives to proclaiming the good news of Jesus. Let's pray that they declare the message of Jesus fearlessly as they are filled with the Spirit's power!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, please give all of us the wisdom and passion for knowing what words to say and when and how best to share the message of Jesus with those around us. Today, I want to pray especially for those who are giving their lives to sharing the message of Jesus. I am particularly thinking of some that I know personally and ask you to bless them and empower them to know what to say and to proclaim Jesus fearlessly, clearly, and boldly. In Jesus' name, I ask your blessing on your servants of the Word. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Ephesians 6:18-20 NIV — Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

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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