God's Holy Fire: 'Soon!'

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

[Jesus said,] "John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."
— Acts 1:5 MSG

Key Thought

"Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, ..." (Acts 1:4 NLT). These were Jesus' words to his closest followers. Now we understand why. When John the Baptizer came, he spoke of one who would baptize in the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:7-8). Soon after Jesus ascended back to heaven, the kingdom of God would break into the world with fresh power. In the kingdom, the Holy Spirit is given to every true follower of Jesus. The early disciples stood on the edge of Pentecost and the beginning of a new movement of God that would sweep up all sorts of people into his kingdom. And we are part of that great movement. We, too, are filled with this same Holy Spirit. Jesus still calls us to live out the good news of God's kingdom in our world by the power of the Holy Spirit... and to do it now!

Today's Prayer

Father, thank you for your plan: the call of Abraham, the leadership of Moses, the heart of worship in David, the faithfulness of the prophets - all who worked, led, and spoke through your Spirit and pointed to your great work to redeem the world and create a people who reflect your character and compassion. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, please form us - please form me, those I love, and all of Jesus' disciples - into the people who live your will in the world. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

15 Related Resources by Heartlight

The Missing Ingredient!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"On one occasion, while [Jesus] was eating with [the disciples], he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised,..."
The Kingdom of God
Devo: Unstoppable!
"During the forty days after [Jesus] suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was....."
His Power Becomes Our Power
Article by Max Lucado
When we wait on the Holy Spirit, we are anticipating God's power to work through us to God's glory! Max Lucado reminds us to wait on the Holy Spirit to come with power.
Wait!
Article by Max Lucado
If the apostles needed to wait on the Spirit, shouldn't we? Max Lucado reminds us that the Holy Spirit is essential to all we do and are as followers of Jesus, so let's wait on the Spirit to lead us and empower us before launching out too hastily into the unknown.
See All 15 Related Resources about Acts 1:5

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 1:5 MSG — [Jesus said,] "John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'More Than Any Other' (Mk. 12:42-44)
"A poor widow dropped in two small coins, worth less than a cent. He called his disciples and said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: This poor..."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Author Unknown:
"Oh forgive us Lord, for so often we seek the things in your hand rather than the things of your heart."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'What Do You Notice Here?' (Jn. 6:10-11)
""Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said [after being told that a boy in the crowd had five barley loaves and two fish]. So they all sat down on the..."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 18:8
"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts."

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