God's Holy Fire from Heartlight

Spirit-Warned

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

[Paul and his traveling companions] looked up the local disciples [in Tyre] and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was "Don't go to Jerusalem."

—Acts 21:4 MSG

Key Thought

Okay, I admit this is confusing. Paul is convicted that he must go to Jerusalem. At the same time, he knows hardship awaits him. Now this warning from the Spirit: "Don't go to Jerusalem!" I don't know any way to understand this situation other than one of two ways. One, Paul is disobeying the Spirit when he goes to Jerusalem. Two, this message is more of the Spirit alerting him that grief and hardship await him if he goes to Jerusalem than it is the Spirit instructing him not to go. Here's the bottom line: Either way, God uses this trip to Jerusalem to deliver the collection from the Gentile churches and to get Paul to Rome, where the good news of Jesus needed to be heard and where Paul was determined to go. Somewhere in the confusion we all face in trying to follow the Spirit's lead, we have to trust that God will get us where we need to be and doing what we need to do to honor him fully (Romans 8:28, 38-39). The question is whether we are willing to invest ourselves fully and trust in the Spirit leading us no matter what the short-term consequences of our commitment may be.

Today's Prayer

Gracious Father in heaven, I trust that you will use the Holy Spirit to lead me where I need to be to do the work you want me to do. I ask, dear Father, that my life glorifies you no matter where your leading takes me or what your leading entails. My deepest prayer, LORD, is that I never, ever, outlive my love for you and my trust in you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. 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.

Spirit Appointed

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

[Paul, to the Ephesian elders at Miletus:] "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."

—Acts 20:28 NIV

Key Thought

Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of three heavenly truths about leaders:

Leaders are to watch, feed, protect and care for (or shepherd) the people of God.
The Holy Spirit is involved in putting leaders into their leadership role.
Those who lead must always realize that those they lead (called "the flock" and "the church of God" in today's verse) never belong to them but to God, who purchased them at such a high cost.

These truths give leaders a powerful and sobering reminder of their call as leaders and give followers a reminder to follow. For each of us, these truths give us a reminder of just how precious the church is to God!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, please be at work in our churches today through the Holy Spirit's calling those you want and we desperately need in leadership roles in your church. I ask forgiveness, dear Father, for not valuing your church more highly, and I pledge to cherish it as you do. In Jesus' name, I offer these petitions and this commitment. Amen.

Hard Times in the Spirit

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

[Paul, to the Ephesian elders at Miletus:] "But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I'm completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won't be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead."

—Acts 20:22-23 MSG

Key Thought

Paul faces an incredibly difficult dilemma: The Holy Spirit is drawing him to Jerusalem and yet warning him that hardships await him there. Too frequently we have all sorts of simplistic answers for difficult things that happen to God's people. These answers may work fine when those bad things happen to someone else, but they are quite inadequate when bad things happen to us. Paul's impending return to Jerusalem is filled with all sorts of difficulties, yet his return is necessary for him to accomplish God's mission - reconciling Gentile churches and the church in Jerusalem as well as his journeying on to Rome. Walking in the center of God's will and directly following the lead of the Holy Spirit does not necessarily mean that our lives will be easy. In fact, quite the opposite may be true. The goal of the Spirit in our lives is not our comfort, pleasure, or happiness; rather, it is to accomplish God's mission for us and to bring about Christ-likeness in us!

Today's Prayer

O Father, I appreciate the example of Paul as he faithfully goes to Jerusalem to do your will even though he knows tough times await him. Help me know and do your will no matter what circumstances I face, and help me know that you are going to use me to accomplish your will through those circumstances. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Proof They Belong

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

When Paul placed his hands on [the people he had just baptized], the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

—Acts 19:6 NIV

Key Thought

The Holy Spirit is a vital part of our conversion and a crucial part of our daily walk with God and our transformation into the character and compassion of Christ. Paul's teaching and the work of the Holy Spirit in today's verse make clear that God has now fully included this group of people - disciples who had known only the baptism of John and who did not know about the Holy Spirit. Knowing about Jesus, however, wasn't enough. They also needed to know about the Holy Spirit and receive the Spirit. When Paul lays his hands on them, it is clear to everyone that they received the Spirit. They are now true followers of Jesus!

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, thank you for the powerful story of the Holy Spirit breaking down every barrier to include all sorts of people in Jesus' family of grace. I am also thankful to be included in this family of grace, and I thank and praise you for the gift of the Spirit that connects me to every follower of Jesus. I thank you and praise you, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Bottom Line!

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

—Acts 19:1-2 NIV

Key Thought

The Holy Spirit is a crucial part of our conversion and of our Christian lives. Jesus pours the Spirit out upon us to give us new birth into a new life (Titus 3:5-6; Titus 3:3-7). We are forgiven (Acts 2:38) as the Spirit cleanses us making us holy (1 Corinthians 6:11). The Spirit comes to live in us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Holy Spirit is a crucial part of our coming to Christ. To leave out the Holy Spirit in sharing the good news is not sharing the full good news of Jesus. As the next few verses after today's passage show us, Paul baptized these followers in the name of Jesus. They had known only the baptism of John the Baptizer and didn't realize that the Holy Spirit was a necessary part of fully following Jesus (Acts 19:3-7).

Today's Prayer

God, I thank you for the gift of Jesus who delivered me from my sin. I thank you for the Holy Spirit who lives in me and whom Jesus sent to me when I became a Christian. I find great comfort knowing that you live in me through your Spirit. I pray that I can live each day honoring you - Father, Son, and Spirit - in the way I live my life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Stop Signs!

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

[Paul and his companions on the second missionary journey] went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either.

—Acts 16:6-7 MSG

Key Thought

I am not sure how "the Holy Spirit blocked that route" or how "the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go" in another direction. I do know, however, that so many of our decisions, our ventures, our endeavors are just that - OUR choices. We go through the process of deciding what we think best or what we want to do, and then we ask God to bless it. We can quickly dismiss the doors closing to an opportunity or the Spirit directing us to go a different way. Discerning the will of God in these times is hard. What is Satan seeking to do to deter us? What stop sign did the Holy Spirit give us to keep us from disaster?

Two convictions come over me as I consider this quandary. First, I don't seek to walk each day being led by the Spirit as I should. Being led by the Spirit must be my passion and my yearning as I draw my first waking breath each day. Second, I must learn to present my challenges and problems to the LORD in prayer ... both individually and together with other Christians. I am convinced that doing these things would be beneficial for all of us. We must work together to discern the LORD's will for our lives.

Today's Prayer

O Father, help us hear your warnings and heed the stop signs of the Spirit. At the same time, dear God, help us not give up when we face challenges and difficulties with something you are leading us to do. Help us to know, O LORD, the way we should go so that in all things your mission will be done and your name will be glorified. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Spirit-Led Conclusions

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:00:00 -0500

[The apostles and elders in Jerusalem writing to Gentile Christians:] "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements ..."

—Acts 15:28 NLT

Key Thought

Acts 15 is a remarkable reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit to work within a group of people seeking to honor God. Today's verse is from the conclusion of the gathering of apostles, elders, and believers in Jerusalem where they were seeking to address questions about how much of Judaism would be required of Gentile converts to Christianity. There were radically different opinions on what should be done. Some of those opinions were wrong. Others were right. But as God's leaders - in the presence of the other members of Jesus' church in Jerusalem - prayed and discussed and listened, they came to a conviction they understood as the word of the Holy Spirit. Why is it so hard for us to come to such consensus and to a similar conviction?

Today's Prayer

O Father, give the leaders of your people Spirit-led insight and wisdom. Give us courage as your people to insist that our leaders be Spirit-filled. And, dear Father, please help us honor the work of your Spirit to lead us in the direction you want us to go. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.