Look to the Source of Life
Daily Devotional—Saturday, September 19, 2026
“Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith…” — Hebrews 12:2, NKJV
Heart Change Insight
“Make abiding a lifestyle. Make the presence a lifestyle.” — David A. Case, Spirit Deep Dive Self-Paced Course
Recognizing the enemy’s influence matters. Coming out of agreement with a lie matters. Standing in the authority Jesus gives us matters. Still, we have not completed the process when we have only said, “No, Devil.”
Something also needs to fill the place that influence occupied.
Jesus gave a sobering warning in Matthew 12:43–45 and Luke 11:24–26. He described an unclean spirit leaving a person and later returning to find its former house “swept and put in order.” The house had been cleaned, but it remained empty. The spirit returned with seven others more wicked than itself, leaving the person in a worse condition than before.
This is the danger of creating a spiritual vacuum. We may recognize a lie, reject an influence, and bring temporary order to our thoughts. If we do not then receive God’s truth, peace, and life, we may remain vulnerable to repeated spiritual energizing, influence, or attack.
Something has been removed, but the place it occupied has not been filled.
Look to the Source of Life
Hebrews 12:2 tells us to look to Jesus. This is more than a quick glance in His direction before returning our focus to the problem. We fix our focus on Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Where we look affects what we receive.
Fear wants us to keep looking at the threat. Shame keeps our focus on what is wrong with us. Spiritual warfare can tempt us to become so focused on the enemy that we forget the One who has already overcome him.
We need to recognize the enemy’s influence, but the enemy does not deserve our ongoing focus. Once we have resisted him, we look to Jesus. We look to the One who tells us the truth, gives us peace, and has authority. We look to the Source of life.
This does not deny the reality of spiritual influence. It refuses to make that influence the center of our spiritual lives. Our confidence does not come from how thoroughly we understand darkness. It comes from knowing Jesus and remaining connected to Him.
Receive Before You Try to Produce
In John 15, Jesus describes Himself as the vine and us as the branches. A branch cannot create its own life. It receives life through its connection to the vine.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” — John 15:4, NKJV
We cannot produce God’s peace through determination or manufacture spiritual strength by trying to feel powerful. We cannot create the fruit of the Spirit by demanding better behavior from ourselves.
We were designed to receive spiritual life.
Communion is the ongoing relationship in which we receive that life. It is more than observing the Lord’s Supper or spending a few minutes in a morning quiet time. Communion is walking with God in a present-tense relationship throughout the day. We slow down, listen, receive, respond, obey, and remain connected.
Sometimes we pray by dropping off our package. We tell God everything that is wrong, ask Him to fix it, say amen, and immediately move on. We have handed Him the burden, but we have not remained long enough to receive anything from Him.
In Targeted Receiving: If Receiving Is the Answer…, I explain why we need to slow down and identify what we specifically need to receive from God. Fear may have told us that we are alone, so we need to receive an awareness of His presence. Rejection may have convinced us that we are unwanted, so we need to receive the Father’s acceptance. Uncertainty may have pulled us into striving, so we need to receive His peace and permission to wait.
Targeted receiving is not about finding magical words or manufacturing a spiritual experience. It is participation in a relationship. We bring God what is happening inside us, ask what He wants us to receive, and make room for His answer.
Let Communion Fill the Space
Communion is God’s answer to the spiritual vacuum. We do not simply empty ourselves of fear, lies, and ungodly influence. We receive the truth, presence, and life of God. We replace agreement with the lie by agreeing with Him. We replace fear’s energizing with the energizing of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we recognize that we have become plugged into our own effort. Our thoughts are running in many directions, our actions have become compulsive, and we are pressing to make everything happen. We may be doing good things while no longer receiving the life of the Vine.
At that point, we stop. We confess our self-reliance. We wait and listen. We allow our thoughts and actions to come back under the presence and direction of God.
Receiving also includes correction and obedience. The Father may prune an anxious habit, an unhealthy attachment, or a pattern of self-reliance that interferes with our communion with Him. Pruning can be uncomfortable, but it is not rejection. God corrects us because He loves us and intends for our lives to bear more fruit.
We do not fill a spiritual vacuum through activity for God. We allow it to be filled through relationship with God.
After saying, “No, Devil,” look to Jesus. Ask what needs to fill the place where fear, accusation, or confusion has been operating. Slow down enough to receive, then continue walking with Him in communion.
Freedom is more than the removal of what came from the enemy. It is the life of God filling us, strengthening us, directing us, and flowing through us.
Look to the Source of life. Receive what He is giving. Abide in Him.
Reflection Question
After I resist fear or reject a lie, do I remain with God long enough to receive what He wants to give me in that place?
Prayer
Jesus, You are the Author and Finisher of my faith and the Source of the life I need. Show me where I have resisted the enemy without allowing Your truth and presence to fill that place. Teach me to slow down, look to You, and receive what You are giving right here, right now. Keep me rooted in communion with You so that fear and spiritual influence do not find an empty place to occupy. Let Your life flow through me and produce fruit that reveals Your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Today's Step of Obedience
Set aside five unhurried minutes for a communion checkpoint.
Name one specific fear, lie, accusation, or spiritual pressure you have been resisting. If needed, say plainly:
“No, Devil. I do not agree with this lie. Jesus has authority here.”
Then look to Jesus and ask:
What have I come out of agreement with?
What truth, peace, or life do I need to receive from You in this place?
Is there a next right, indicated step of obedience You want me to take?
Wait without trying to manufacture an answer. Notice whether God brings a Scripture, truth, correction, person, or practical step to mind. Compare what you receive with the character of Jesus and the truth of Scripture.
Close by thanking God for His presence. Return to this communion checkpoint later in the day and ask, “Holy Spirit, am I abiding right now?”
WATCH:
Targeted Receiving: If Receiving Is the Answer…
Spiritual authority isn’t produced by saying the right words with enough intensity or trying to make a desired outcome happen. In this Heart Change U Live conversation, we explore the difference between magical thinking and authority rooted in relationship with Jesus, agreement with His truth, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Dive Deeper
The Spirit Deep Dive
In the Spirit Deep Dive module, "Communion," Pastor David A. Case explores communion as a daily, present-tense relationship with God. Drawing from John 15, he explains why slowing down, receiving correction, walking in obedience, and remaining connected to Christ are essential to bearing fruit that has eternal significance.
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