Holy Spirit

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

—Ephesians 6:17 NIV

Key Thought​

The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and the Spirit helps us understand the will of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). God's message of truth is much more than just the words of mere mortals; it is God's will given by his Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8). Scripture has its origins in the Spirit of God, even though it was proclaimed by human...

 

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

—Ephesians 5:18-21 NIV

Key Thought​

When people are drunk, we say they are "under the influence." When a person is a follower of...

 

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

—Ephesians 6:18 NLT

Key Thought​

"Pray in the Spirit ...!" Paul is asking believers to pray consciously recognizing that the Spirit given them when they came to Christ (Ephesians 1:13) gives them direct access to God. That access allows them to pray what is on their hearts (Ephesians 2:18; cf. Romans 8:26-27) and to ask for knowledge, power...

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

—Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Key Thought​

Sometimes we misunderstand "fruit of the Spirit" because we say "fruits of the Spirit." This difference seems like such a small thing, but, unfortunately, this small thing can lead us to a dangerously false conclusion. The fruit of the Spirit involves all nine of these...

 

And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

—Ephesians 4:30 NLT

Key Thought​

Some other translations say "do not grieve the Holy Spirit." Two truths scream to be heard. First, the way we live matters deeply to the Spirit! Second, we can actually oppose and wound the Spirit of God who lives in us. As Galatians 5:13-21 reminds us, feeding the fleshly...

 

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away [a veil like the metaphorical veil that kept the Jews from understanding the old covenant]. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

—2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT

Key Thought​

...

 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

—1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Key Thought​

When this was written, temples were the places where the gods were thought to live. More than places of worship, these were places of presence. So when Paul reminds us that we are temples of God's presence through the Holy Spirit, he is...

 

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

—1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV

Key...​

 

Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."

—John 3:5-6 NLT

Key Thought​

We are called to be spiritual people — holy, righteous, faithful, and compassionate like our Father in heaven. But our own efforts fail at achieving these spiritual characteristics. We need the power and presence of Almighty God at work in our lives to...

 

Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ...

—Ephesians 5:17-18 NLT

Key Thought​

Today we finish a year of devotionals helping us seek to live for God under the influence of his Holy Spirit. With so many pressures around us on this day and on this night, we could easily give our thoughts, behaviors, and words over to the destructive influence of...