God's Holy Fire: 'Are We Asking?'

Saturday, January 3, 2026

[Jesus said,] "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
— Luke 11:13 NIV

Key Thought

James told early followers of Jesus that they lacked many things in their spiritual walk with the Lord because they did not ask for them or because they asked with the wrong motives (James 4:1-3). So often we fail to have the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives because we don't ask for the Spirit. God longs for us to request the Spirit's presence and power, but the Father is not going to force the Spirit's influence into our lives. He wants us to request the Spirit and to submit to the Spirit's leading and direction in our lives. So let's ask the Father for the Spirit and follow the Spirit in all that we do!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, my loving Father, I thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit given to me when I came to Jesus. But, dear Father, as I face the challenges of temptation, deal with grief and loss, face challenges that are overwhelming to me, and seek to bless your children, I confess that I need to recognize and access the power and presence of your Holy Spirit in my life. Please fill me with your Spirit and show me how to use his blessing and guidance. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

9 Related Resources by Heartlight

Luke 11:13
Devo: Today's Verse
"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask....."
Good Gifts to His Children
Illustration of Luke 11:13
E-card of Luke 11:13 - If you.. know how to give good gifts to your children, then how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
One of the Greatest Answers to Prayer
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"[Continuing his teaching on prayer, Jesus said,] "You fathers — if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for...."
SpiritFire: Ask!
Article by Phil Ware
Why do we not ask for something God longs to give? Phil Ware begins a four week challenge that coordinates with the SpiritFire daily devotional challenging us to invite the Holy Spirit into our daily lives.
See All 9 Related Resources about Luke 11:13

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 11:13 NIV — [Jesus said,] "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, January 3, 2026

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'The Fruit of the Spirit' (Ga. 5:22-26)
"Dear Father, grower of spiritual fruit, Let the fruit of the Spirit blossom, mature, and ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,..."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'The Proof Is in the Person' (Jn. 9:35-38)
"When Jesus heard [that the man he had healed was thrown out of the synagogue], he found the man and asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" The..."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Matthew 6:6
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'These Chains Won't Hold' (Acts 12:6-7)
"The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison..."

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