God's Holy Fire: 'A Foretaste of Glory'

Saturday, September 12, 2026

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
— Romans 8:23 NLT

Key Thought

For most of us, the gift of the Spirit living within us is a calming reassurance of God's love and of our future glory. Even in our times of difficulty, the wonderful blessing of the Spirit's presence breaks through and gives us a sense of God's love, real strength for our ongoing difficulties, and a deep and abiding joy at being God's child. The breakthroughs of the Holy Spirit's grace are a foretaste, a small sample, of the great blessings that are in store for us when we go home to God. Let's revel in these moments of glory and grace, but let's also recognize that these moments are just a glimpse, a tiny taste, of our great and glorious future with Jesus!

Today's Prayer

Father in heaven, I long to see you face-to-face, to behold your glory, to have you wipe every tear from my eyes, and to feel your embrace as you welcome me home. Until that day, please make me aware of your Spirit's presence in my life and open my eyes so that I will savor the small tastes of your glory and grace until I arrive at home with you. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I ask this. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

17 Related Resources by Heartlight

Romans 8:23
Devo: Today's Verse
"Not only [is all creation groaning under its bondage to decay], but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for...."
Romans 8:23
Devo: Today's Verse
"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
Spurgeon PM Devo for Aug. 16th
Devo: Morning & Evening
"Present possession is declared. At this present moment we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have repentance, that gem of the first water; faith,..."
Spurgeon PM Devo for Dec. 4th
Devo: Morning & Evening
"This groaning is universal among the saints: to a greater or less extent we all feel it. It is not the groan of murmuring or complaint: it is rather....."
See All 17 Related Resources about Romans 8:23

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 8:23 NLT — We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, September 12, 2026

Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Acting with Authority for Paul' (Acts 23:23-24)
"[In response to Paul's nephew informing him about the planned ambush of Paul on the way to the ruling council's meeting in Jerusalem,] the commander...."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by William Barclay:
"The tragedy of life and of the world is not that men do not know God; the tragedy is that, knowing Him, they still insist on going their own way."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Secure Promises' (Ps. 146:5-9)
"But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and..."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Peter's Parting Exhortations'
"Dear Precious Disciple, Much as 2 Timothy serves as a farewell message for Paul as he nears the end of his life, 2 Peter plays a similar role for the..."

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