God's Holy Fire: 'Confirmed'

Friday, June 12, 2026

[Peter, addressing the apostles and elders at the Council in Jerusalem:] "God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us."
— Acts 15:8 NLT

Key Thought

These words come from Peter's defense for taking the good news of Jesus to Gentiles - Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:1-48). From the moment that the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and the other believers in his household, Peter and his companions were convicted that God had shown he approved of their conversion (Acts 10:44-48; Acts 11:15-18). The Holy Spirit is God's way of showing that we are part of his family (Romans 8:9). The unity, the bond, the family connection that we share is precious and to be rigorously protected (Ephesians 4:3). The Spirit is our assurance that we belong to God and are family with each other!

Today's Prayer

O Father, tear down the walls that keep your children apart. Thank you for confirming by the presence of the Holy Spirit within me that I am your child. May I deeply value each of your children, my brothers and sisters, for whom Christ died and in whom the Holy Spirit lives. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

3 Related Resources by Heartlight

Resolving Conflict with Grace
Devo: Unstoppable!
"When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God...."
Guidance from the Holy Spirit
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Precious Disciple, The conference that you read about in the verses below occurred in Jerusalem. The focus of that conference was what should be..."
Challenging, But Joyous Fellowship
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Child of the King, You are royalty. However, your royal lineage is not established by your race, your culture, your language, your education, or..."

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 15:8 NLT — [Peter, addressing the apostles and elders at the Council in Jerusalem:] "God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, June 12, 2026

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Love Never Ends' (1 Co. 13:8-13)
"Dear Father, O God of love! Let me possess love, for love never ends. I know that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will pass away, for they are all....."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Wanting Jesus for the Wrong Reasons'
"The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'The Gift that Cannot Be Bought' (Acts 8:18-21)
"When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. "Let me have this..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Morning Thought: Psalms 119:49
"Whatever your especial need may be, you may readily find some promise in the Bible suited to it. Are you faint and feeble because your way is rough..."

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