God's Holy Fire: 'The Chosen One of God'

Friday, August 9, 2024

[John the Baptizer continued,] "I didn't know [Jesus] was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
— John 1:33-34 NLT

Key Thought

John doesn't claim that he has any special knowledge of Jesus' identity because of insider information as a cousin of Jesus. No, John's recognition was based on the revelation from God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is God's Chosen One, and a key part of Jesus' role as the Chosen One is baptizing people with the Holy Spirit. Jesus' identity, ministry, and message are all tied to the work of the Holy Spirit! We can't follow Jesus without a deep appreciation and recognition of the vital role the Spirit plays in Jesus' life as well as our own!

Today's Prayer

Gracious God, the Almighty, who has chosen to dwell in my heart through your Holy Spirit, thank you for revealing yourself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Be at work in my life through the Spirit. Purify my heart, transform my mind, and empower my actions so that I will honor you and help others know your Son. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, August 9, 2024

A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
""Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in...."
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he..."
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
"Everyone [at the Jerusalem meeting about whether Gentile Christians had to follow Jewish customs] listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about..."
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
"Dear Member of My Body, At the beginning of the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul is about to address the chaos that had resulted from...."

Illustration

Illustration of John 1:33-34 NLT — "I didn't know [Jesus] was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit."

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.