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

Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Habakkuk 1:8
"While preparing the present volume, this particular expression recurred to me so frequently, that in order to be rid of its constant importunity I..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Attention to Teaching' (He. 2:1-4)
"Dear Father, Help me to pay close attention to all of your teaching, lest I drift away from it. How shall I escape if I neglect so great a salvation?..."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Isaiah 46:4
"Even to your old age and gray hairs, I AM he, I AM he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Catherine of Genoa:
"I clearly recognize that all good is in God alone, and that in me, without Divine Grace, there is nothing but deficiency... The one sole thing in myself in..."

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