The Union of the Spiritual and Material
Wherever you go, the signal follows — the power is not in the room, but in you.
Devotional Credit: E. Stanley Jones, “In Christ”
Photo Credit: Unsplash
E. Stanley Jones reminds us that the Holy Spirit does not restrict His movement to ecclesiastical structures or apostolic titles. Rather, He often flows most freely through those whose lives are integrated — those who do not divide their days into sacred and secular compartments. The so-called "Seven" in Acts, chosen to serve tables, became vessels of remarkable spiritual influence. Stephen preached with such power that revival swept through Jerusalem, though it cost him his life. Philip’s evangelism reached Samaria and Ethiopia, catalyzing international and cross-cultural missions. Even the earliest recognition of women as prophetic voices appears under his influence.
What unfolds is striking: the apostles, while authoritative, could not manufacture the movement — they came afterward to affirm what the Spirit had already begun through lay believers. These “ordinary” followers, scattered by persecution, carried the message of Christ as far as Antioch, where one of the most influential missionary churches was birthed. Paul himself, though formerly a Pharisee, entered this lay movement and became the spearhead of the gospel’s advance across continents.
Jones reveals that when believers live without dividing life into spiritual and material realms, the Spirit has full access. God does not merely use the titled, the credentialed, or the recognized — He empowers the yielded. And His power flows most freely where spiritual truth saturates every part of ordinary life.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit
I do not separate your tasks into “sacred” and “secular.” All of your life belongs to Me. When your heart is surrendered to Christ and your mind renewed in truth, I will fill your ordinary moments with extraordinary grace. As I did with Stephen, I will cause My wisdom to shine through your words. As with Philip, I will send you to speak life where others see division or despair.
Do not imagine that spiritual power only rests upon platforms or behind pulpits. My power is present where My Son is trusted — in homes, workplaces, kitchens, quiet walks, and crowded streets. Those who carry Me into every moment, letting no part of life remain untouched by our union, are the ones through whom I move most freely.
You are My dwelling place. Whether you are caring for someone’s needs or sharing a word of truth, you are not functioning apart from Me. Your very breath is evidence of our union. As I scattered the early believers and used them to plant My Church across the earth, I am sending you — not because you hold a title, but because you bear the life of Christ within.
Let Me do in you what no structure, strategy, or program can achieve. Be attentive. Be available. I will supply the joy, the boldness, and the fruit. Just as in Antioch, the hand of the Lord is with you.
Scriptures: Acts 6:5-15; Acts 8:4-8, 26-40; Acts 11:19-26; Acts 21:9; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:7
Real-Life Analogy
It's like carrying a portable hotspot in your pocket. Wherever you go, the signal follows. Others connect, not because you announced it, but because the source is already active. The power isn’t in the room — it’s in you. And when the spiritual and material merge in seamless union, you become a walking invitation to divine connection.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that You have not confined Your power to institutions or titles. You have placed Your Spirit within me, and You delight in moving through every part of my life — the ordinary and the sacred. I rejoice that in Christ, there is no division between worship and work, devotion and duty. Everything becomes holy when offered to You. I trust You to express the life of Jesus through me today, wherever I am and whatever I’m doing. Thank You that the hand of the Lord is with me.