Born From Above to Bear His Life
A reflection of the unseen—Christ shining through the vessel He inhabits.
Devotional Credit:
Open Windows – by T. Austin-Sparks, from: According to Christ – 1
Photo Credit:
Photo by Unsplash
What is the point of it all? Why did God birth the Church, and why are we called His children? T. Austin-Sparks leads us back to the foundational truth that our existence—individually and corporately—is to express Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. The Church isn’t a place, a gathering, or a program. It is a living expression of the indwelling Christ. And as Christ is the beginning and the end, so everything in between—every thought, every action, every fellowship—is meant to be an extension of Him.
But this divine reality isn’t built through clever church models, enrollment drives, or doctrinal structures. Just as we didn’t “join” the family of God but were born into it, so also the true Church is not a man-made construction—it is a spiritual organism, birthed and formed by the Holy Spirit, not by human effort.
The comparison to the body is more than illustration—it’s a divine pattern. Just as the bloodstream keeps the body alive and the nervous system directs its function, so the Divine Life is the vitality of Christ’s Body, and the Holy Spirit is the one who directs every movement, impulse, and function. This isn’t abstract theology; this is our new reality in Christ. We exist to bear His image, not by imitation, but by union.
In the same way we were born of God, not of human will or design, the Church is not formed by strategy or organization. It begins by seeing Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to conform us to His image. From this posture of dependence flows everything else. We don’t express Christ by trying harder; we express Christ by being vessels through whom He lives.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I placed you in Christ the moment you believed—not by your decision alone, but by My will and power. You are not a child of human striving, but of divine birth. I have made you new—not improved, but new. I placed My Spirit within you to form Christ in you, to live through you, and to conform you to His likeness moment by moment.
You were never meant to manufacture holiness or fabricate fellowship. I formed you into Christ’s Body to be animated by His life and directed by My presence. When you yield to Me, I take what belongs to Jesus and make it real in you—His peace, His love, His obedience, His wisdom. You are not alone in trying to live the Christian life. Christ is your life.
So abide in Me, and let Me express Him through you. The Church was never meant to be engineered or organized by human hands. It is a living body, moving as I lead, breathing with My breath, pulsing with Christ’s own life. When you try to form it by your own design, you step outside of My plan. But when you yield and trust, you will see My life form relationships, worship, service, and mission in a way that no man could ever replicate.
Remember, I have written My ways into your very being—not on tablets of stone, but on your heart. As you trust Me, I will make known the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Scripture References:
John 1:12–13, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4–11, Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 1:22–23, John 15:4–5, Romans 8:9–11, 2 Corinthians 3:3, 2 Corinthians 4:10–11, Galatians 4:19, 1 Corinthians 12:12–13, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine trying to grow a tree by gluing leaves to a stick and calling it alive. It might look like something real from a distance, but up close, there's no life, no growth, no fruit. That’s what human effort looks like when trying to “build” the Church or “be like” Christ apart from the Spirit. But when a seed is planted—when life is born from within—roots stretch, branches form, and fruit naturally comes forth.
Today, as you interact with those around you—whether at work, in your home, or with a friend—don’t glue on the appearance of Christ. Instead, take a quiet moment and yield to the Spirit, saying, “Lord, I trust You to express Your patience, kindness, and wisdom through me in this moment.” You don’t need to mimic Jesus from the outside; He is already living within you, ready to respond through you as you trust Him.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for giving me the right to be called Your child—not through effort, heritage, or striving, but by Your will and grace. Thank You for birthing me into a living Body, where Christ is my life and the Spirit is my guide. I rejoice that I don’t need to build or form what You’ve already created. Today, I rest in the truth that the Church is not something I must assemble—it is something I participate in by simply trusting You. May Christ be seen in me, not because I try harder, but because I trust deeper. You are faithful, and I yield to Your perfect work.