In Harmony with, or Revolt Against
In Christ, I belong to a new country—with a new outlook, spirit, and identity.
Based on E. Stanley Jones, In Christ
Photo Credit: Unsplash
E. Stanley Jones brings us to linger on the truth that being “in Christ” is not just a beautiful phrase—it is the deepest reality for every believer. It’s not a metaphor, not a lofty spiritual ideal, not a poetic way of speaking—it’s fact. Just as being in a country brings one under its laws, atmosphere, and identity, so being in Christ brings one into alignment with His Spirit, His attitudes, His authority, and His resources.
Jones points out that one can physically be present in a spiritual setting yet remain internally disengaged—"there, but not in." He urges us to see that to be “in Christ” is to live in harmony with Him. When we adopt attitudes or reactions that contradict His Spirit, it’s not merely that we’re having a bad day—we’ve stepped out of the harmony that defines life in Christ. And when that harmony is restored, it's visible even on the face of the one who reenters it.
Being in Christ is not static—it is moment by moment surrender. We either abide in Him or retreat into self. But when we step back into Him through surrender, we inherit His life, His disposition, and His riches. We live not by striving, but by resting in our new citizenship and identity in Him.
Personalized Journal Entry in the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are not an outsider. You dwell in Me, and I in you. This is no poetic exaggeration; it is your truest address. Just as a citizen absorbs the language, customs, and rhythms of their homeland, you are absorbing the ways of My Kingdom. You breathe the atmosphere of grace, not because you earned it, but because you live where grace is the air.
When your reactions align with My gentleness, when your heart leans toward peace, when love flows freely—it is because you are resting where I dwell. But when you resist, react, or retreat into the shadows of old ways, you are not cast out, but you are out of harmony. And harmony is where your joy is found.
Let Me remind you—you don’t need to strive to get back in. I never left you. Simply yield. Let go of the clenched posture of independence. I am not waiting on the other side of your failure—I am in the very breath of your surrender.
You are a citizen of Heaven now. Every resource of Christ is yours because you are in Him. His patience is yours. His joy is yours. His peace is yours. Live like one who belongs, because you do. And when you slip into self again, simply step back—not by effort, but by rest.
Let the melody of My life in you drown out the noise of the old self. You are not bound by yourself anymore. You are not choking on self-reliance. You have been given Me, and I am your Life.
Scriptures: John 14:20, Colossians 3:3-4, Romans 8:9-10, Galatians 5:25, Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:6, John 15:4-5, 2 Peter 1:3
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I trust You. You have placed me in Christ, and in Him I now live and move and have my being. I recognize that my reactions, my mindset, and my heart's posture either echo the Spirit of Christ or drift into something foreign to who I am now. But I do not fear the drift, because You have already drawn me near. You have provided every means for me to live in harmony with the One who indwells me. I choose rest, not resistance—fellowship, not fixation on self. Thank You for making Christ my very Life, and for the unshakable truth that nothing can separate me from You. I rejoice that I am not just near Christ, but in Him—and He in me.