God's Holy Fire: 'Fearless Confidence'

Sunday, November 1, 2026

[About the disciples in Jerusalem after Peter and John were threatened and then released from prison, Luke wrote:] While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.
— Acts 4:31 MSG

Key Thought

I love the phrase "fearless confidence"! In the face of threatened persecution from the very same people who put Jesus to death and who made the disciples cower in fear just weeks earlier, this ragtag band of Jesus' followers was filled with fearless confidence. How was this change in them possible? There were three new realities for these disciples, and all three are still available to us:
  1. the resurrection of Jesus,
  2. the power of faithful prayer shared in genuine community, and
  3. the work of the Holy Spirit filling and empowering each follower of Jesus.
So let's encourage each other to stay focused on these three incredible realities that are ours in Jesus. With them comes fearless confidence!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, thank you for the power you have unleashed in my life and in the lives of your people through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the gift of prayer, and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In Jesus' name, I thank you. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

15 Related Resources by Heartlight

Acts 4:31
Devo: Today's Verse
"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
Boldness!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"After [the disciples'] prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness."
Shaken, Stirred, and Emboldened!
Devo: Unstoppable!
"After [the disciples'] prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with..."
Look at what prayer can do!
Illustration of Acts 4:31
Inspirational illustration of Acts 4:31 -- After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
See All 15 Related Resources about Acts 4:31

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 4:31 MSG — They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, November 1, 2026

Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 2:21-22
"For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from....."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Father and Son, Greater Works!' (Jn. 5:19-20)
"So Jesus explained [to the leaders who wanted to kill him], "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Hope Born in Hostile Times' (Acts 7:17-21)
"[As Stephen continued his defense, he moved from God's deliverance of his people through Joseph and began to tell the story of Moses:] "As the time..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
"A God who let us prove his existence would be an idol."

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