From John’s Baptism to Jesus
“Working with hands, led by the Spirit—fellow workers in Christ.”
In his devotional, E. Stanley Jones highlights Paul’s greeting in Romans 16:3–4, calling Aquila and Priscilla his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus.” Though refugees, they weren’t dependent or defeated—they worked with their hands and ministered in the Spirit. Their strength in Christ gave them dignity and purpose, which they shared with Apollos, helping move him from John’s baptism to the fuller truth of Jesus’ baptism—life in the Spirit. The emphasis is not on verbal inspiration but on the vital inspiration of Scripture and the spiritual vitality found in those who live and work in Christ.
Journal Entry in the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, I have made you more than a worker—you are My fellow worker, in Me. Like Aquila and Priscilla, your identity is not in what you do with your hands, but in Who lives within you. Your union with Me is your strength, your rest, and your quiet confidence. They were not shaped by their refugee status but by their rebirth in Me. So too, your past has no hold when your present is filled with My Spirit.
I gave them more than self-respect; I gave them Christ-respect—a quiet assurance that their life had meaning, their labor had purpose, and their words carried the fragrance of heaven. They did not correct Apollos with arguments—they drew him closer to Me by the overflow of what they had received. They shared Me, not merely knowledge. They moved him from understanding facts to experiencing Me, the fullness of grace and truth.
You are called to the same—strengthened by My Spirit, resting in My provision, ready to introduce others not just to truth, but to Me, the Person who is Truth. Work with your hands if I lead you there, but always work in the Spirit, knowing you are My vessel, and I live My life through you.
(Romans 16:3–4; Acts 18:2–3, 25–26)
Prayer of Confident Trust
Thank You, Father, for uniting me with Christ and making me a fellow worker—not striving in my own effort, but resting in Your life expressed through me. I trust You to be my sufficiency today, just as You were for Aquila and Priscilla. Whether I’m working with my hands or speaking words of life, may it be You doing the work through me. Thank You that I don’t need to rely on my strength or eloquence. Christ in me is enough.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Devotional Source:
E. Stanley Jones, In Christ