God's Holy Fire: 'The Gift for Those Who Belong'

Friday, January 12, 2024

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
— Romans 8:9 NIV

Key Thought

Those who have received God's promised forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit are no longer "in the realm of the flesh." The incredible, wonderful truth is that as followers of Jesus, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, we are now people filled with supernatural power while we live in a very natural world. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us is the defining reality of our identity as children of God. Yes, there are other things that demonstrate that we are Christians and disciples of Jesus. However, the Holy Spirit is our proof of adoption into the family of God and our source of power to love as we have been loved (Romans 5:5). The Spirit is God's fresh power in us to transform us into the character and compassion of Jesus instead of the fleshly way of the world. Romans 8 talks all about this power for us, but please hear the clear promise of this one verse: "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, ... ."

Today's Prayer

Holy and righteous Father, I want to yield my heart, soul, mind, body, and physical strength to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want your holy compassion and character to come to life in me through the power and presence of the Spirit. O Holy Spirit, please exercise your holy influence in me as I try to please the Father in what I think and say and do. In the name of Jesus, the Son of God, I pray. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, January 12, 2024

A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Beloved, You receive these notes because you love Me and want to walk with Me in your daily life. So I want to remind you of something very..."
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in....."
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
"Who but the same God Who stands in the darker, fouler rooms of our hearts and says, 'Yes, let the God of Heaven and Earth be born here — in THIS place.'"
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
"Dear Father, holy God, Allow me to bear the marks of your covenant in my heart and my mind. May I be a spiritual descendant of Abraham. Let my praise..."

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 8:9 NIV —  And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

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.