God's Holy Fire: 'God's Servant'

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."
— Matthew 12:18 NIV

Key Thought

Matthew is quoting a prophecy from Isaiah 42, applying it to Jesus in a time of rising conflict. In spite of the conflict, Jesus refuses to stop ministering even though he is under intense scrutiny and faced fierce opposition. Instead, he takes his closest followers and teaches them his will and shares his healing grace with those who are in need. With God's approval and the power of the Holy Spirit upon him, he cares for the broken in the face of hostility and shares grace in the face of criticism. Through kindness, compassion, integrity, and passion, Jesus works to accomplish what only Immanuel can do - brings God's grace and faithful loving justice to all nations - and he does it even under unfair scrutiny because the Father has empowered him through the Holy Spirit!

Today's Prayer

O Father, we confess that we sometimes give in to fear. We fear aging and illness. We fear the crazy swings in the economy. We fear the legal opposition to practicing our faith openly in our schools, at work, or online. We confess that when we fear these things, we forget that you are still at work in our world and in us. Give us courage and tenderness through the work of your Spirit within us so that we will minister as Jesus did, including in times of opposition and hardship. In Jesus' name, we request this grace. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

1 Related Resource by Heartlight

Fulfilling the Mission
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"[Jesus healed many and then warned those he healed not to reveal who he was.] This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: "Look at my..."

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 12:18 NIV — "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: John 6:67
"Many have forsaken Christ, and have walked no more with him; but what reason have YOU to make a change? Has there been any reason for it in the past?...."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Edward Bedore:
"The knowledge of Christ's love for us should cause us to love Him in such a way that it is demonstrated in our attitude, conduct, and commitment to serve God......"
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Be Inspired!'
"Dear Faithful Follower, You need to be inspired if you are going to face the challenges of living in these last days. As Paul warned Timothy, there....."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 23:19
"Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path."

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