The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 December 2024 — The Spirit-Filled Life
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TOPIC: The Spirit-Filled Life
READ: Acts 7:54-60 (NKJV)
- When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with [their] teeth.
- But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
- and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
- Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
- and they cast [him] out of the city and stoned [him.] And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on [God] and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
THE MESSAGE:
Today, the Church remembers St. Stephen, a deacon and the first martyr of the Early Church (Acts 6: 5; 7: 55). He is introduced as being full of God’s grace and power, and he did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people (Acts 6: 8-10). This stirred up the jealousy of some prominent Jews who could not match his wisdom. They seized him and set up false witnesses against him. He traced their history of rebellion against God and how they rejected the prophets and killed them. He then reprimanded them for being stiff-necked, which angered them. Stephen, being filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaimed seeing the glory of heaven with Jesus standing on the right hand of God. He was eventually stoned to death.
Stephen committed his spirit to God and prayed for his enemies before he died. This would not have been possible without being filled with the Holy Spirit. To be able to live for God and serve Him acceptably in our time and generation, we must be Spirit-filled. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to indwell us and take the lead in our lives and walk with God. The Spirit bears witness that we are God’s children (Romans 8: 16), quickens us (Rom.8: 11) and sanctifies us daily by making us fit for the Master’s use.
PRAYER: O LORD, grant me daily infilling of Your Holy Spirit to strengthen and empower me for Your service. Amen
PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY’S DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2024
TOPIC: THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
- Father in the name of Jesus, thank You for the grace to see this day in good health and sound mind.
- Father, thank You for the special gift of life, many wished to see this day, but they couldn’t.
- Thank You Jesus for being there for us, Your children.
- Thank You Lord for Your plans for me this month and this year. They are plans of good, not of evil, to give me a successful and good end.
- Father, please forgive me all my known and unknown sins, and give me power to overcome sin and its lustful desires, in Jesus’ name
- Holy Spirit, help me to live a life that I will be remembered for, in Jesus’ name.
- Lord, please, fill me with Your grace and power, in Jesus’ name
- Father, use me for great wonders and miraculous signs among Your people, in Jesus’ name.
- I receive grace to live a Spirit-filled life in Jesus’ name.
- Holy Spirit, quicken and sanctify me daily by making me fit for the Master’s use, in Jesus’ name.
- LORD, help us to get it right in Nigeria, and let Your perfect will be enforced on us in Jesus’ name.
- Heavenly Father, let Your peace reign in this country,
- Whether the devil likes it or not, I will make heaven and receive my eternal rewards in Jesus’ Name.
- This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
- Personal and family prayer requests.
- Confession: God bless the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), God bless the Universal Church, and bless our country Nigeria -1 Chronicles 17:27.
- Thank You Lord for answered prayers, in Jesus’ Mighty Name we pray. Amen.
