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

Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Psalm 25:14-15
"The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'You've Done It All!' (Ps. 71:17-19)
"You got me when I was an unformed youth, God, and taught me everything I know. Now I'm telling the world your wonders; I'll keep at it until I'm old....."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Don't Worry about Their Threats' (1 Pe. 3:13-15)
"Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Horace Mann:
"Keep one thing in view forever- the truth; and if you do this, though it may seem to lead you away from the opinion of men, it will assuredly conduct you to the..."

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