Spirit of Adoption

As I have written about before on this blog, I have struggled often with the fear of disappointing God.  In my life, I’ve experienced rejection from people in my life and have listened too long to the lies of the enemy that would try to convince me that God will also reject me.  I have lived under the shame and condemnation of the enemy and thought that my sin and my darkness was too great for Him to embrace and accept me.  But I have grown tired of believing these lies and I finally took deliberate steps to renounce these lies and the spirit of rejection in a time of prayer with my husband last night, which was really good!  While we were praying, my husband read a scripture to me from Psalm 118:21-23…

²¹ I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
       you have become my salvation. 
²² The stone the builders rejected
       has become the capstone;
²³ the LORD has done this,
       and it is marvelous in our eyes.

This scripture is actually prophesying about Jesus, who was rejected by man, only to become the Savior of all mankind.  My husband reminded me that Jesus was rejected by man (see also Isaiah 53:3), so that I wouldn’t need to fear the rejection of man.  On the cross, Jesus was also separated from (in a sense, rejected by) the Father so that I would never have to be separated or rejected by God!  This was a powerful revelation for me, because I have often been afraid that my weaknesses and my sin would keep me from receiving God’s mercy and even eternity with Him – that somehow, my issues would be so great that I would not be granted access to heaven.  What a lie from the pit of hell!!  Jesus suffered the agony of separation from His Father for the very purpose of sparing me from that pain!  I never have to be afraid of being rejected by my Father, for Jesus was rejected for me.

After I bound and commanded the spirit of rejection to leave, I then invited the Spirit of adoption to come fill me, as we are promised in Romans 8:15-17…

¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship (adoption). And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…

As I prayed, this passage came alive to me in a new way, because I realized that with the Spirit of adoption, the Father shows no distinction between His natural children and His adopted children.  He loves me with same love that He loves His beloved Son Jesus!  He does not reserve a lesser love for me, simply because I am adopted – no!  He embraces me and accepts me and adores me and is delighted with me to the same measure as He does with Jesus.  As His adopted child, He even grants me the privilege of sharing in the inheritance of Jesus, to be an equal heir of His Kingdom!  I have received just the tiniest bit of revelation about the love that the Father has for Jesus, and it is enough to overwhelm me that He could love me the same.  Jesus Himself wants and desires this very same thing – He even intercedes to the Father that we would know how the Father loves us even as He has loved His Son (John 17:23).   I will not be made a slave again to fear, for I have received the Spirit of adoption and He testifies with my spirit that I am God’s child!