The Spirit Of Adoption

Knowing God as Father transforms us from being spiritual orphans, full of striving and fear, to being sons and daughters of God, full of peace and love. In the story of the Prodigal Son, we see more than just the abundant mercy and love of The Father who was ready to receive His rebellious son back into is arms and home. We ALSO see that the wayward son wasn't the only one who was estranged from the Father, the son who lived at home in proximity to his Father ALSO had an orphan spirit and mentality. He couldn't celebrate the return of his brother, he didn't even call him brother, he said to The Father, "this son of YOURS..." He was bitter and angry because He saw the celebration of the brother who had returned, and never realized that all The Father had also belonged to him all that time. He had never believed that he was accepted as a son in his own house or that he had the right to ask his Father for the things the Father would have been glad to give him. He referred only to his work and obedience as what he thought should have been qualifications for love and celebration. The Father pleads with the older brother to come in and celebrate but he refuses, and we see that even though the Father has loved both of his sons all the while, the restored son is the only one who receives the Father's love by grace, by the spirit of adoption and sonship, rather than trying to become qualified for something that the Father gives freely because of His own goodness and love.

Sermon Notes:

“He’s better than we think – so we need to change how we think” Bill Johnson

Jesus Modelled His Dad

Jn 14:9-10

Jn 5:19

Jn 15:9

Orphans Crave a Dad

DO Something . HAVE something. BE something

Jn 14:6

Jn 3:16-17

Jn 1:12-13

Eph 3:14-15

Rom 8:14-17

Luke 12:22-32

Sons live from their Dad

“Orphans live in an atmosphere of fear – but sons learn to find their place at the family table” Leif Hetland

"DO Something . HAVE something. BE something" becomes:

"I AM. I HAVE. I DO"

Luke 15: 26-32

“Striving, fear, and anxiety only exist where there is an absence of tasting the Father’s love” Bill Johnson