God's Holy Fire: 'Blasphemy!'

Saturday, April 30, 2022

ToGather: Right Side Up

This week our focus is on living by the Kingdom of God standards.

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[Jesus:] "So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven — except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come."
— Matthew 12:31-32 NLT

Key Thought

While rejecting Jesus is sad, he states that it is forgivable. However, attributing his power to Satan rather than the Holy Spirit is denying the power of the Holy Spirit and is unforgivable blasphemy! If Satan could have stopped Jesus, he would have — he actually tried to stop and corrupt Jesus through temptations and at the cross, but failed! Jesus is stronger than Satan. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is delivering people from the power of sin, death, and hell. No other power, but the very power of God in the Holy Spirit, could do such wonderful things (Matthew 12:25-29). To attribute such power to Satan is to blaspheme the Spirit of God who is bringing the deliverance of God to the broken and the lost. As Nicodemus said in his encounter with Jesus, "We know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him" (John 3:2).

Today's Prayer

O Father, I recognize that Jesus' awesome teaching and amazing miracles happened because of his allegiance to you as he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. I am thankful that this same power is at work in my life. I am comforted to know that Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to live within me and to be at work in my life. In Jesus' name, I thank you and praise you. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 12:31-32 NLT — "So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven — except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven."

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.

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