Orphaned or Adopted?

fireshack — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:59:26 +0000

Compare how the orphan spirit stacks up in contrast with heart of Sonship:

Galatians 4:4, but when the right time came, God sent his son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts prompting us to call out, Abba, Father. Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.

1 Image of God
Orphan: sees God as the master
Son: sees God as a loving father
Psalm 36:7, how precious is your unfailing love, oh God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

2 Dependency
Orphan: independent/self-reliant
Son: interdependent/acknowledges need
Psalm 63:1 I earnestly search for you. My soul thirst for you; my whole body longs for you…

3 Theology
Orphan: lives by the love of law
Son: lives by the law of love
One Corinthians 13, patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, not rude, does not demand its own way, not irritable, keeps no record of being wronged does not rejoice about injustice, rejoices in truth, never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful.

4 Security
Orphan: insecure/lack piece
Son: rests in peace
Proverbs 1:33 but all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm

5 Need for approval
Orphan: strive for the praise, approval, and acceptance of man
Son: totally accepted in God’s love and justified by grace
Psalm 23:2 he lets me rest in Greenmeadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

6 Motive for service
Orphan: A need for personal achievement as you seek to impress God and others, or no motivation to serve at all
Son: service that is motivated by a deep gratitude for being unconditionally loved and accepted by God
Matthew 21:28 parable of the two sons.

7 Motive behind Christian disciplines
Orphan: the duty of earning God’s favor or no motivation at all
Son: pleasure and delight
Philippians 2:17 but I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.

8 Self image
Orphan: self rejection from comparing yourself to others
Son: positive and affirmed because you know you have such value to God
Hosea 14:8 I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.

9 Source of comfort
Orphan: seek comfort in counterfeit affections: addictions, compulsions, & hyper religious activity
Son: seeks times of quietness and solitude to rest in the father’s presence and love
Luke 5:16 but Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

10 Peer relationships
Orphan: competition, rivalry, and jealous toward other’s successes and position
Son: humility in unity as you value others and are able to rejoice in their blessings and success
Ephesians 1:15 ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly…

11 Handling other’s faults
Orphan: accusation and exposure in order to make yourself look good by making others look bad
Son: love covers as you seek to restore others in the spirit of love and gentleness
Luke 15 the parable of the lost son: the father rushes out to meet him and covers him with a robe.

12 View of authority
Orphans: see authority as a source of pain; distrustful towards them and lack a heart attitude of submission
Son: respectful, honoring; you see them as ministers of God for good in your life
Job 36:11 if they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.

13 View of admonition
Orphan: difficulty receiving admonition; you must be right so you easily get your feelings hurt and close your spirit to discipline
Son: see the receiving of admonition as a blessing and need in your life so that your faults and weaknesses are exposed and put to death
Psalm 66:10 for you, O God, have tested us; you have refined us as silver is refined.

14 Expression of love
Orphan: guarded and conditional; based upon the others performance as you seek to get your own needs met
Son: open, patient, and affection as you lay your life and agendas down in order to meet the needs of others
1 Corinthians 13- Law of love

15 Sense of God’s presence
Orphan: conditional and distant
Son: close and intimate
Psalm 27:5 for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret place of his tabernacle he shall hide me; he shall set me high upon a rock.

16 Condition
Orphan: bondage
Son: liberty
Romans 6:14 sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

17 Position
Orphan: feels like a slave/servant
Son: feels like a son/daughter
Galatians 4:7 now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.

18 Vision
Orphan: spiritual ambition; the earnest desire for some spiritual achievement and distinction and the willingness to strive for it; a desire to be seen and counted among the mature
Son: daily experience the father’s unconditional love and acceptance and then be sent as a representative of his love to family and others
Acts 16:32 and they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.

19 Future
Orphan: fight for what you can get!
Son: Sonship releases your inheritance!
Luke 15 parable of the lost son. “All I have is yours”

God With Us

fireshack — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:05:21 +0000