Adoption: Listening From Belonging
It’s often said, “The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart.”
You may know God loves you. You love Him. You feel immense gratitude for His mercy and grace. But accepting the fact that He loves you, believing He can forgive the things you’ve done. It isn’t that easy.
Romans 8:15 offers this assurance, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!”
A significant roadblock to accepting your adoption into God’s family is often the bond-servant mentality. This is a mindset that believes you must earn or deserve God’s blessing through your performance.
You are an heir, an heir receives an inheritance by grace through a will, not because of anything you’ve done, either through merit.
It is difficult to grasp the concept that you don’t have to earn adoption, especially when the world is constantly telling you you’re only worth what you produce. You can’t earn God’s blessings; you can only humbly accept them.
You cannot move into heirship without the help of the Holy Spirit. As Romans 8:15 teaches. You receive a spirit of adoption, the Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are God’s child. The influence of the Spirit enables you to cry out, “Abba, Father,” a term of intimacy that replaces the spirit of slavery and fear.
Your mind isn’t instantly renewed when you’re saved; it’s a gradual, ongoing process. You are invited to actively rewire your thoughts to align with your status as heir.
2 Corinthians 10:4 is a vital verse to keep in mind as you renew your mind. It says, “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” A stronghold. A spiritual fortress, often a deceptive mindset or habit. Built from lies that capture a person’s thoughts, hindering spiritual freedom.
The choice to consistently think right thoughts will create new neural pathways for resilience and peace.
Practice declaring your new standing as an adopted child of God by saying something like, “I am a joint heir with Christ” or “I am a blood-bought daughter of the King.”
You can live out your rights and liberties as a child of God.
As a child of God, your Father, you can approach the throne of grace with boldness. Bring your prayers and petitions to your Abba with confidence. He wants to hear from you. He wants to give you good things.
Ask your Papa for provision: “Give me this day my daily bread.” Tell your Father in heaven when you are afraid and ask him to protect you and to comfort you.
Make yourself welcome in your new household. You are a sister in a family of brothers and sisters in Christ.