Faith Looks to Jesus, The Spirit Forms His Life

Resting on the charger, power flows by contact, not effort.

Devotional Credit: Abide Above, Miles Stanford
Photo Credit: Unsplash

We grow best when our eyes are on Jesus, not on our performance. Miles Stanford reminds us that the Holy Spirit always turns our gaze to the Lord Himself. He does not invite us to count our good works, then trust in them. He centers us on the Person who finished the work. When my attention drifts to how well I am doing, I start living on yesterday’s bread. It goes stale. Faith feeds on the living Lord.

An older writer that Stanford quotes says the Spirit produces fruit, then hides it from us so that our trust rests in Christ alone. That rings true to life. When I chase evidence that I am changing, my heart slides toward quiet self-credit. When I look to Jesus, peace returns. Joy returns. Love begins to show up in ordinary ways that do not need a spotlight.

Spiritual power is not the flashy or the spectacular. It is the steady character of Jesus showing up in our words, choices, and reactions. The Spirit’s ministry is to glorify the Son. He draws us into real fellowship with the risen Lord, then He grows the fruit that matches His presence. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. The everyday likeness of Jesus, formed within.

Paul’s line about being chosen through sanctification by the Spirit and belief of the truth was spoken to a church family. In Christ, God set apart a people, then the Spirit applies that reality as we trust the truth of the gospel. That frees us from fatalism and invites us into a living confidence. We are a people set apart in Jesus, and the Spirit makes that set-apart life practical as we keep looking at the Lord.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

I dwell in you, and I glorify the Son. I set you apart in the truth, and I anchor you in the love of the Father. Fix your heart on Jesus, and I renew your mind. As you behold the Lord, I transform you from glory to glory. I work in you to will and to do for the Father’s good pleasure. I bear fruit in season, and I teach your heart to walk in step with Me.
There is no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus. Agree with the truth, present yourself to God as alive from the dead, and trust My leading. I pour the love of God into your heart. I seal you, I comfort you, I empower you with grace in the inner person. Christ in you is the hope of glory. Continue to receive Him, and keep walking in Him, rooted and built up, established in faith with thanksgiving. I am the Spirit of life and peace, and I faithfully complete what the Father began.

Scripture references: 2 Thessalonians 2:13, John 16:14, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 2:13, Galatians 5:22–25, Romans 8:1–11, Romans 6:6–13, Romans 5:5, Ephesians 1:13–14, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 3:16–19, Colossians 1:27, Colossians 2:6–7, Colossians 3:1–4, Titus 3:5–6, Ezekiel 36:26–27, 2 Peter 1:3–4, Hebrews 13:20–21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 4:6–7, John 14:16–17, 1 John 2:27, 1 John 4:4.

Real-Life Analogy

Think of placing your phone on a wireless charging pad. Nothing flashy happens. You simply set it down in the right place, there is quiet contact, and power flows. That is what dependence looks like. You are not forcing energy into the battery. You are resting the device where the supply already is. In the same way, the indwelling Spirit of Jesus expresses His life through you as you rest your weight on Him. Alignment replaces strain. Contact replaces self-effort. Power is present because He is present.

Try this the next time a hard conversation lands on your calendar. Before you walk in, pause for ten seconds. You do not rehearse your worth or brace your will. You set your heart on the Lord who lives in you, then say, Lord, I trust You to express Your patience and clarity through me in this meeting, I yield my reactions to You. Then step in and follow His quiet nudge. Let Jesus do the talking through your tone, your pace, and your choice of words.

Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You that in Jesus I am included in Your chosen people, and Your Spirit sets me apart through the truth. Thank You that every spiritual blessing is already mine in Christ, and that Your grace is sufficient for this day. I rest my heart on Your Son. I rely on Your Spirit within to reveal Jesus through my words and responses. Today I walk by the Spirit, grateful that You complete what You began, and I say thank You for Your faithfulness.