Adopted Of God Series

Adopted of God

Intimacy with the Father

Inheritance from the Father

NCBC, 4/25/04, Romans 8:15-17

In the Alaska Native Culture that surrounds us is an amazing example of God’s idea of adoption. Many times the younger siblings or their parents will be allowed to adopt their firstborn.

To Westerners this is confusing because often these adopted youth will call their biological Mothers and Fathers…sister or brother. The uncle or aunt becomes their mother or father and to anyone observing the family dynamics this is without question.

This is exactly the way that God takes this adoption when we “truly” accept Jesus Christ, our adoption into God’s family is without question.

Are you showing your family resemblance?

Intimacy with the Father

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father [Rom. 8:15].

The Spirit delivers man from a terrible spirit and family—“the spirit and family of bondage.”

Bondage is: fear. Man is gripped by the bondage of fear, usually experiencing apprehension, anxiety, tension, dread, alarm, danger, terror.

Man apart from God usually senses subjection, and enslavement to some form of fear. The one spirit with which we all are familiar is the spirit of fear.

Men are enslaved and held in bondage by fear.

What causes fear?

Nearly everything…

suffering

disease

unemployment

loss of livelihood

not measuring up

failure

disapproval

blame

Yet when we are adopted by God, HE through the Holy Spirit delivers us from the bondage of fear.

How?

By adoption, by actually adopting the believer as a son of God.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:4-6).

Through the Spirit we have access into God’s presence.

We have this access to God because we have been adopted as a son of God.

Notice here that the Spirit is called “the Spirit of adoption.” Adoption into God’s family is that important.

We actually receive the “Spirit of adoption” and the sense—the consciousness, awareness, and knowledge—that we are a child of God.

We are children with all the benefits and privileges of being a blessed child of our Creator and God. The privilege of access is granted—of entering God’s presence anytime and anyplace.

It is this wonderful privilege that enables us to break the bondage of fear and to conquer the spirit of fear.

No matter what we face, we are able...

• to enter the presence of God.

• to lay our fear before God.

• to cry out, “Father, Father—help me!”

• to know that God will help us because God loves us as HIS adopted child.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).

“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephes. 2:18).

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ephes. 3:12).

Remember "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear" – it’s not there anymore…there is not the spirit of fear within you, wondering about your spiritual condition, unhappy, and despondent.

Instead, we are to be filled with joy because you are HIS child. And the Spirit of God wells up within you, saying, "Abba, Father."

The word Abba is an untranslated Aramaic word. The translators of the first English Bibles, who had great reverence for the Word of God, who believed it was indeed the Word of God, would not translate it. Abba is a very personal word that could be translated "My Daddy." We don’t use this word in reference to God because of the danger of becoming overly familiar with HIM. But it expresses a heart cry, especially in times of trouble.