God's Holy Fire: 'Who Can Argue with These Qualities?'

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.
— Romans 14:17-18 NLT

Key Thought

Who can argue with goodness, peace, and joy? These three virtues are not obtained just by human effort. Yes, a passion to possess these godly qualities is necessary, but the source of these qualities is the Holy Spirit alive in us. Goodness, peace, and joy have their source in God's nature and are made real in us through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we invite the Holy Spirit to reign over our inner being, our character is transformed to be more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). So let's yearn for the Holy Spirit to transform us to be ever more like Christ and trust that the Spirit's influence will be displayed in our lives through goodness, peace, and joy.

Today's Prayer

Father, don't let me be distracted by, or addicted to, food or drink. I want to be sustained and fed spiritually and emotionally by the presence of your Holy Spirit within me. I specifically pray that your goodness, peace, and joy will become more and more apparent in my life as I seek to honor Christ and yield myself to the influence of your Spirit. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

4 Related Resources by Heartlight

A Life of Goodness, Peace, and Joy!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with...."
Serve Christ with This Attitude!
Devo: Together in Christ
"I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then..."
Pursuing Peace
Devo: Praying with Paul
"Dear Father, giver of brotherly love, How wonderful that your kingdom, your rule in people's lives, is not a matter of food and drink, but of..."
Giving Grace
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved, Part of the challenge of being in a multi-cultural fellowship, is that people who are different from you are... different! Their..."

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 14:17-18 NLT — If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Dwight L. Moody:
"Remember, a small light will do a great deal when it is in a very dark place. Put one little tallow candle in the middle of a large hall, and it will give a..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'God's Gift, Jesus' Sacrifice, Our Life!'
"For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in..."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'You Light Up My Darkness' (Ps. 18:28)
"You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Joshua 6:26
"Since he was cursed who rebuilt Jericho, much more the man who labours to restore Popery among us. In our fathers' days the gigantic walls of Popery....."

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