Looking Unto Jesus

Living Overcomer

 


"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:2, KJV). With just a few words, this verse summons every believer to shift their gaze—away from the distractions of the world, the burdens of sin, and the exhaustion of striving—to Christ, the source and sustainer of our faith journey.


To look unto Jesus is to deliberately fix our hearts and minds upon Him. Like Peter walking on water (See Matthew 14:22-33), it is only in maintaining eye contact with Christ that we stand firm above the storms. The moment we shift our vision elsewhere, the waves begin to win. Jesus is not just our example—He is our enabler. He both authored our faith and will complete it.


In times of sorrow, we look unto Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). He wept at Lazarus' tomb, groaned in Gethsemane, and cried out in forsakenness from the cross. No burden is foreign to Him. When we look into His face, we see divine empathy and sovereign strength.


In our moments of joy, we look unto Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. He is not distant from our delight; He’s the One who turns water into wine, who fed the multitude, who welcomed children into His embrace. Our joys are fuller when they are shared with Him.


When we feel the tug of temptation, we look unto Jesus who was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He faced the wilderness with hunger in His belly and Satan in His ears—and He stood firm on the Word of God. His victory becomes our roadmap.


Looking unto Jesus calls for more than a passing glance. It demands a continual gaze. As Paul urged in Colossians 3:2, we are to set our affection on things above—not on earth. Christ is not a footnote in our lives; He is the main chapter. He’s not a side dish—He’s the Bread of Life.


To look unto Jesus is to see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). It's to behold the One who bore our sins in His body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24), to marvel at a love so wide, so long, so high, and so deep that it surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:18–19).


It means we no longer define ourselves by our failures or our victories, but by His finished work. We are not the sum of our regrets or our ambitions. We are redeemed, ransomed, and raised with Christ (Romans 6:4–5).


The call to look unto Jesus is an invitation to transformation. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 affirms, “But we all…beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.” We become what we behold. The more we gaze upon Him, the more we reflect Him.


When life feels like a blur, when the future is uncertain and the present overwhelming, we don’t look around. We don’t look within. We look up. Christ is the anchor of our souls, steadfast and sure (Hebrews 6:19). His throne is not shaken. His promises are not empty.


Looking unto Jesus means turning away from legalism and into grace. We don’t earn our righteousness; we receive it. It is imputed by faith, as Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousness (Romans 4:3, Genesis 26:5). The cross canceled our debt. The resurrection sealed our victory.


In seasons of waiting, when prayers seem unanswered and silence fills the heavens, we look unto Jesus, who waited thirty years for His ministry to begin. He understands divine timing. He probably waited for Lazarus to die, not because He didn’t care, but because the glory would be greater.


When criticism and rejection come, as they inevitably will, we look unto Jesus, who was despised and rejected of men. He stood silent before His accusers, choosing obedience over vindication. “For consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself…” (Hebrews 12:3).


Looking unto Jesus helps us run the race with endurance. The Christian life is not a sprint—it’s a marathon marked by perseverance, setbacks, growth, and grace. See Acts 20:24 and 2 Timothy 4:7-8. We press on, not in our own strength, but fueled by the Spirit who points us constantly to Christ.


The call to look unto Jesus is also a call to behold His return. As the early church lived in expectancy, so must we. “They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).


As we look to Jesus, we also reflect His humility. Though being in very nature God, He made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:6–7). He washed feet, touched lepers, dined with sinners. To look to Jesus is to serve like Him.


To look unto Jesus is to trust that He is enough. Not Jesus plus self-effort. Not Jesus plus comfort. Not Jesus plus approval. Simply Christ. “In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). If we have Him, we lack nothing.


Looking unto Jesus transforms how we suffer. We see that His cross preceded His crown—and the same may be true for us. We rejoice in our sufferings because they produce endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3–4).


To look to Jesus is to see a Shepherd who leads us beside still waters, and also walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. He is with us always, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).


We look to Jesus, the Word made flesh. The One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He doesn’t merely show us the way—He is the way. Our theology must center on Him. Our worship must exalt Him. Our daily decisions must flow from Him.


Jesus is not an accessory to our lives—He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Looking unto Him means letting go of idols and inferior saviors. It means treasuring Christ above career, reputation, or possessions.


We are called to lift our eyes—above the chaos, above the fear, above the temporary—and lock them onto our eternal Redeemer. Like Stephen, as stones were hurled at him, we gaze upward and behold the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55).


Looking unto Jesus infuses our ministry with grace. We don’t preach ourselves, but Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). Our boast is not in cleverness, but in the cross. And as we behold Him, others are drawn to His beauty through us.

To look unto Jesus is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). It’s to live each moment under His Lordship, knowing that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).

We look unto Jesus when we are weary, remembering that He Himself was weary from His journey and sat by a well (John 4:6). And there, He gave living water to a broken woman—and through her, a city believed.


When doubts cloud our minds, we look to Jesus, the Logos, who is truth itself. We rest in the reliability of His Word, knowing that heaven and earth may pass away, but His words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).


To look unto Jesus is to walk by faith and not by sight (See 2 Corinthians 4:18, 5:7). We may not see the whole path, but we trust the One who is the Light of the world (John 8:12). His light is enough for the next step.


Christ is not only the object of our gaze—He is also our prize. The crown of righteousness awaits all who have longed for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). What a joy to see Him face to face.


So let us look to Jesus when our hearts are broken and when they’re overflowing with praise. Let us fix our eyes when our strength is failing and when it feels like we’re soaring. For in every moment, He is worthy. Let us look to Jesus not only in the good times, but also in the bad—when trials come. Let us look to Him always.


We lift our eyes not only in worship but also in war. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, and the armor we bear is wielded in the strength of Christ. He is our victory, our banner, our King. (See Ephesians 6:10-18)

Learn how to stand firm in spiritual battles by putting on the full armor of God and walking in His power. At The Cross: Put On The Whole Armor of God: Standing Strong in Spiritual Warfare


We look to Jesus because He first looked on us—with compassion, with mercy, with saving love. Let every heartbeat echo the prayer: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.”


And as we behold Him—crucified, risen, reigning—we are changed. Day by day. Glory to glory. Until the day our faith becomes sight.


Need prayer or have questions about the Bible? You are not alone! Visit http://from-darkness-tolight-ministry.web.app/ to send your prayer requests and Bible-related questions. Let’s grow in faith together—seeking God’s wisdom and support in every season of life.


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