holy fire

[God said:] "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations." —Isaiah 42:1 NIV Key Thought The last part of Isaiah contains passages that are often called the Servant Songs. Jesus claims several of...

For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. —2 Peter 1:21 NIV Key Thought True prophecy — the word of God put into the hearts of his servants — didn't arise in the hearts of the prophets. God...

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. —Isaiah 11:1-2 ESV...

All [the prophets] were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves — through the Holy Spirit — the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this! —1 Peter 1:12...

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his...

God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. —1 Peter 1:2 NLT Key Thought The story of the prophet Isaiah's calling by God...

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ... —Ephesians 4:3-4 NIV Key Thought I love the Greek word Paul uses for "make every effort" — try to say it, "spoudazow"; it...

Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. —1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NLT Key Thought As beautiful as the promise of yesterday was...

And in [Jesus] you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. —Ephesians 2:22 NIV Key Thought "Where can I go to find God?" Mortals have asked this question ever since they were driven from the garden and from their daily walks with God in "the cool of...

[Jesus] brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. —Ephesians 2:17-18 NLT Key Thought Assured grace means equal...

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. —Ephesians 1:17 NIV Key Thought Paul is praying this prayer for new followers of Jesus, and I love the language, "I keep asking ..."...

It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free — signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned...

While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has...

God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge — a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete. —2 Corinthians 1:21-22 MESSAGE Key Thought The test of genuine disciples and true followers of Jesus is...

[When John the Baptizer was proclaiming the coming of Jesus], Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: "You...

I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too — your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful — I can't take it all in! Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go...

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. —Psalm 143:10 NIV Key Thought As in this psalm, we cry out to God because we are aware of enemies who are set to attack us and of our personal sins that so easily entangle us in evil. On our own, we...

[God, speaking about the Israelite exiles in Babylon:] "And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my...

"And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!" —Ezekiel 39:29 NLT Key Thought God speaks of the coming of his New Covenant relationship with his people. One dynamic of that Covenant is that the...

[God, to the Israelite exiles in Babylon:] "I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my...