Risen Life For Mortal Bodies
A simple lamp quietly shining, a picture of drawing on Jesus’ risen life for today.
Devotional Credit: Open Windows, T. Austin-Sparks, from The Risen Lord and the Things Which Cannot be Shaken, Chapter 3
Photo Credit: Unsplash
We are not waiting for a future upgrade before Jesus shares His life with us. His risen life is present, and it matters for bodies that get tired, minds that grow foggy, and hearts that face real demands. T. Austin-Sparks reminds us that the life of Jesus can be seen in our bodies, not by magic, but by trust. We take our stand in what the Lord has already given, and we draw upon the life that raised Him from the dead. This is not stoic grit. It is living as branches that receive what the Vine supplies.
I appreciate how Austin-Sparks refuses a passive posture. He does not picture the believer slumped in a chair, waiting for a spiritual jolt. Instead, he calls us to lay hold of Life, to actively rely on the Lord who already indwells us. That is the posture of abiding. We reject the old patterns in Adam, and we present ourselves to Jesus in whom we live and move today. In this way His life becomes the resource for service, endurance, and quiet courage.
There is no pressure here to manufacture what only God can give. The Scriptures say the Spirit who raised Jesus dwells in us, and He gives life to our mortal bodies. That means errands, phone calls, clinical tasks, household chores, and conversations can be arenas where His life is expressed. We are not puppets, and we are not orphans. We are participants in grace, learning to receive and respond.
Thank you, T. Austin-Sparks, for pointing us back to a living Lord, not a theory. Your words lift our eyes from self-management to a Person who is present, and whose life truly sustains.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I dwell in you because you belong to Jesus. I joined you to Him in death and in life. Your old way of living apart from God was judged at the cross, and you now live to God in the Risen One. Present yourself to Me, not as a worker trying to earn favor, but as one who is alive from the dead. I am your life. I renew your mind. I set your steps. I bear fruit that honors the Father.
When weakness presses, do not measure your day by your capacity. Set your mind on the things above where your life is hidden with Jesus in God. I supply what is needed. I lead you to walk by the Spirit, not by the pressures of the flesh. My grace is sufficient, and My power is brought to fullness in weakness. I place My treasure in your jar of clay, so that the surpassing power may be Mine and not yours.
Offer your body to Me as a living sacrifice. Yield your will, and I will work in you to will and to do for the Father’s good pleasure. I produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I teach you to abide, to remain in Jesus, and to bear fruit that lasts. Do not lose heart. Though the outer self wastes away, the inner life is renewed day by day. The life of Jesus will be seen in your body as you stand in Him.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of plugging in a small lamp during a cloudy afternoon. The bulb does not strain to glow. It simply draws on a supply already at the outlet. Left unplugged, the lamp remains the same size and shape, but it does not shine. When connected, it quietly gives light to the room.
Today, when energy seems thin or tasks pile up, picture yourself like that lamp. Instead of tightening up or pushing harder, turn to the Lord within. You might step into the next phone call, the next patient consult, or the next hard conversation with this quiet posture in your heart, Lord, I entrust this moment to You, live Your risen life through me as I serve, speak, and decide. Then move forward, expecting His sufficiency to meet you as you go.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that I am united with Jesus and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Thank You that I have been brought from death to life, and that Your life is present in this mortal body for service and love. I affirm that I am not alone. I present myself to You as one alive from the dead. I receive the sufficiency of Your grace. I rest in the finished work of the cross and the power of the resurrection that works in me today. All that I need for life and godliness is already mine in Your Son. I gladly depend on You.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
2 Corinthians 4:7-12, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 2 Corinthians 4:10, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Romans 6:1-14, Romans 8:9-11, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:16-25, Philippians 2:12-13, Colossians 1:27, Colossians 3:1-4, Ephesians 1:19-20, John 15:1-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Hebrews 4:16, 2 Peter 1:3