God's Holy Fire: 'Moment of Glory'

Thursday, July 16, 2026

The moment [Jesus] came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him.
— Mark 1:10 MSG

Key Thought

Winning the Super Bowl, winning the World Cup, winning Wimbledon, winning the British Open, winning the Daytona 500, and winning the World Series are considered lifetime achievements for those involved in the respective sports. Yet none of these victories even approaches the significance of the moment in today's verse. Jesus, with droplets of water from the Jordan River running down his face, is honored in a powerful way by God. More than just the words of affirmation that Jesus receives (Mark 1:11), heaven is torn open - surely a sign of a world-changing event. The Holy Spirit of God comes in a visible form to show heaven's approval. Jesus is recognized as awesome: not awesome in the sense of some great athletic achievement, but as one who is worthy of awe and reverence. God the Father and God the Spirit show the majesty of God the Son. The new age of God's grace is signaled by the heavens opening, and the power and peace of this grace are seen in the coming of the Spirit.

Today's Prayer

O God, revealing yourself as Father and Son and Spirit, thank you for your majesty - your glory, holiness, and might. Thank you as well for your proximity - your willingness to be incarnated in Jesus and being present again through your Holy Spirit in us. Forgive us - please forgive me - for not reverencing you as you deserve. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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3 Related Resources by Heartlight

The Heavens Split Apart
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"As Jesus came up out of the water [after his baptism], he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove."
Dear Loved by God
Devo: Spiritual Warfare
"One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens..."
Pride of God's Life!
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"[When John the Baptizer was proclaiming the coming of Jesus], Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out..."

Illustration

Illustration of Mark 1:10 MSG — The moment [Jesus] came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him.

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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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