Holy Spirit

God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

—1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NLT

Key Thought


Scripture calls us to two powerful principles through this passage. First, the message given to us by the apostles is not man's opinion, but God's truth — we must not ignore it! Second, God gives the Holy Spirit to Christians, not just a...

 

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

—2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

Key Thought


As Paul faced the challenges of imprisonment and impending death, he reminded Timothy in the next verse (2 Timothy 1:8) not to be ashamed of the message of Jesus or of him as Jesus' messenger. This ability for Timothy (and for us) not to be ashamed comes from the Holy Spirit. The indwelling presence of the Spirit brings us power, love, and...

 

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

—Genesis 1:2 NLT

Key Thought


In the very first chapter of the Bible, we are taken to the formless emptiness before time began. We find the Spirit of God hovering over this formless and empty darkness, characterized as "the surface of the waters," waiting for God to speak his creative word. God's formative word set the power of...

 

[Jesus said,] "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

—Luke 11:13 NIV

Key Thought


James told early followers of Jesus that they lacked many things in their spiritual walk with the Lord because they did not ask for them or because they asked with the wrong motives (James 4:1-3). So often we fail to have the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our...

 

I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that...

 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

—Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Key Thought


While the focus of this passage is on God, on "him who is able," I want to draw our attention to one other key phrase in this passage — "his power that is at work within us." Paul has earlier prayed...

 

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...

 

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

—Galatians 3:2-3 NIV

Key Thought


When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit is Jesus' gift to us. The Spirit cleanses us, fills us, and empowers us. The Spirit transforms us to be like Christ, puts to death the evil desires that...

 

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

—Revelation 22:17 NIV

Key Thought


In the moving conclusion to the book of Revelation, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit lends his voice to the voices of Jesus' bride (the church). Together, they cry out, "Come!" They are calling for Jesus to return in triumph and power. Those longing to have...

 

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

—Luke 4:14 NIV

Key Thought


Luke tells us that Jesus was conceived by the Spirit, announced by the Spirit through several witnesses, affirmed by the Spirit at his baptism, and led by the Spirit through his temptation. Then, after his victory over Satan in the wilderness, Jesus went to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit and began his ministry. Today's verse...