God's Holy Fire: 'God's Servant'

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."
— Matthew 12:18 NIV

Key Thought

Matthew is quoting a prophecy from Isaiah 42, applying it to Jesus in a time of rising conflict. In spite of the conflict, Jesus refuses to stop ministering even though he is under intense scrutiny and faced fierce opposition. Instead, he takes his closest followers and teaches them his will and shares his healing grace with those who are in need. With God's approval and the power of the Holy Spirit upon him, he cares for the broken in the face of hostility and shares grace in the face of criticism. Through kindness, compassion, integrity, and passion, Jesus works to accomplish what only Immanuel can do - brings God's grace and faithful loving justice to all nations - and he does it even under unfair scrutiny because the Father has empowered him through the Holy Spirit!

Today's Prayer

O Father, we confess that we sometimes give in to fear. We fear aging and illness. We fear the crazy swings in the economy. We fear the legal opposition to practicing our faith openly in our schools, at work, or online. We confess that when we fear these things, we forget that you are still at work in our world and in us. Give us courage and tenderness through the work of your Spirit within us so that we will minister as Jesus did, including in times of opposition and hardship. In Jesus' name, we request this grace. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

1 Related Resource by Heartlight

Fulfilling the Mission
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"[Jesus healed many and then warned those he healed not to reveal who he was.] This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: "Look at my..."

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 12:18 NIV — "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'God alone Can Deliver You from Enemy Traps'
"When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: 1 Samuel 30:13
"No neutralities can exist in religion. We are either ranked under the banner of Prince Immanuel, to serve and fight his battles, or we are vassals of...."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Who Sits at Your Table of Grace?'
"Dear Friend, You have been blessed with great honor to be included at My table of grace! When you come and remember Me at what you call "the Lord's....."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by S. T. Coleridge:
"The Jews would not willingly tread upon the smallest piece of paper in their way, but took it up; for possibly, they say, the name of God may be on it. Though....."

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