Unstoppable! 'God's Spirit' — Acts 11:12

Sunday, June 21, 2026

[Peter continued telling the story of Cornelius' conversion:] "The Holy Spirit told me to go with [the messengers Cornelius had sent] and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us."

— Acts 11:12 NLT

Key Thought

God had used all sorts of ways to reveal his desire for Peter to go and speak the Good News of Jesus to Cornelius and his relatives and friends. With the arrival of Cornelius' three messengers (Acts 11:11), the Holy Spirit made sure the message was clear. The Spirit said, "Go! Don't worry that they are Gentiles!" Heaven expended great effort to awaken Peter and the early church to Jesus' last words: "Go!"* Following Christ is not primarily about just trying to attract people to a church building but about our going to them with the message and love of Jesus. And for Jesus, our "going" is not limited to nearby; it involves going "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). We are to go as witnesses with the message of Jesus. Going is a vital part of our DNA as disciples of the Son of God who came to us, for us!

* See Matthew 28:19-20; cf. Luke 24:44-49.

Today's Prayer

Dear Father in heaven, may your Kingdom come on earth. May the world see your will being done through our actions here on earth. Inspire us and empower us to go and take the message of Jesus into all the world. Use us to bring your grace to those who have not heard and your love to those who are trapped without hope. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

3 Related Resources by Heartlight

The Spirit Told Me!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"[Peter:] "The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with [Cornelius' messengers]. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's..."
Outsiders (Us) Are Welcome in God’s Kingdom
Devo: Spiritual Warfare
"[The apostle Peter explained,] "Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told....."
Discovering the Character of your Church: 'Are' Values or 'Should' Values?
Article by Tim Woodroof
How do we get down to our true values? Tim Woodroof talks about the values of churches and distinguishes between the values that are and the values that churches feel like they should have.

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 11:12 NLT — [Peter continued telling the story of Cornelius' conversion:] "The Holy Spirit told me to go with [the messengers Cornelius had sent] and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, June 21, 2026

God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'The Sevenfold Spirit' (Re. 1:4-5)
"This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come;..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'All Are Dependent Upon God' (Ru. 1:1-2)
"In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Charles C. Morrison:
"The Church is a society of sinners - the only society in the world in which membership is based upon the single qualification that the candidate shall be..."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'The Secret of Fruitfulness' (Jn. 15:4-5)
"[Jesus continued,] "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be..."

About This Devotional

Unstoppable! is a one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage, a reflection and a prayer. The reflection opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges one to live for Jesus.

Unstoppable! is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More Unstoppable!