Because of a lack of teaching and understanding of Father God, many live as slaves in fear, rather than sons and daughters of a perfect Father. It is one of the enemy’s favorite deceptions. He knows your saved, but he will do ALL he can to make you feel distant from Father God like a slave with no rights, privileges and love. Just obey and do.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:14-17 NKJV
You see, when we don’t understand sonship–the beauty of being loved, cherished and adored by Abba–then we will live in fear. And that binds our hearts so that we are not able to receive and give love to our wonderful Father.
Many people in church today still have not grasped the fact that they are sons and daughters of God. They feel that Father has been so disappointed in them through the years because they (and others) have been so disappointed in themselves. Many feel that Father has abandoned them through the years. Some even feel like Father God is crabby, annoyed and a distant grouch that simply tolerates us until we see Him in Heaven one day.
How do you feel that Father sees you? What do you feel He thinks about you? Think about it for a moment right now. Those thoughts that come to your mind–those emotions you feel–you are living from that place in your life right now, whether good or bad.
When you have an orphan spirit you will have a difficult time connecting to your spouse, your children, those in spiritual authority and even supervisors. You will also have a hard time accepting and loving yourself. I am telling you that Father wants to set your heart free of every negative emotion, thought and bad teaching on His heart towards you.
“Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:3-7 NKJV
You are no longer and orphan with an orphan spirit. You are a son. You are His daughter. You and I have been brought into the family of God by the Holy Spirit! And it’s the Holy Spirit that enables you to call Father, “ABBA, Daddy God” with tremendous confidence, love and emotion. And because you are His son/daughter, you have ALL the rights and privileges of a child of God.
However, an orphan spirit causes someone to live life as if they do not have a safe and secure place in the Father’s heart. They feel as if they have no place of affirmation, protection, longing or belonging in the heart of God. An orphan sprit lives a life that is self-oriented, lonely, isolated, striving, leading to a life of anxiety, fear and frustration.
But sonship is about security, significance, identity, patience, trust, humility and loving others the way that Father has loved you.
The following list was written by Jack Frost. A beloved minister who’s passion was to teach people how to break free from the orphan spirit and live in Father’s embrace. Look over the list to see if you see areas in your life that need to change. Areas where you may be living from an orphan spirit. I added just a couple of my own in the list.
O=Orphan Spirit S=Sprit of Sonship
O-Sees God as Master—S-Sees God as a loving Father
O-Independent/Self-reliant—S-Interdependent/Acknowledges need
O-Lives by the love of the Law—S-Lives by the law of Love.
O-Insecure/lacks peace—S-lives in rest and peace
O-Strives for praise, approval and acceptance of man—S-lives totally accepted in Father’s love and justified by grace.
O-Has a need for personal achievement as you seek to impress God and others, or no motivation to serve at all—S-Has a heart of service that is motivated by a deep gratitude for being unconditionally loved and accepted by Father.
O-Lives out of a sense of duty and earning God’s favor—S-takes pleasure and delight in Christian disciplines.
O-“Must” be holy to have Father’s favor, these increasing a sense of shame and guilt—S-“Wants to be” holy and does not want anything to hinder relationship with Father.
O-Has self-rejection from comparing yourself to others—S-Positive and affirmed because you know you have such value before God.
O-Seeks comfort in counterfeit affections: addictions, compulsions, escapism, busyness, hyper-religious activity—S-Seeks times of quietness and solitude to rest in Father’s presence, embrace and love.
O-Has a spirit of competition, rivalry and jealousy toward others success and position—S-Has a spirit of humility and unity as you value others and are able to rejoice in their blessing and success.
O-Has a spirit of accusation and exposure in order to make yourself look good by making others look bad—S-Love covers as you seek to restore others in a spirit of love and gentleness.
O-Sees authority as a source of pain, distrustful towards them and lacks a heart of an attitude of submission—S-Is respectful, honoring you see them as ministers for God for good in your life.
O-Has difficulty receiving admonition. You must be right so you easily get you feelings hurt and close your Spirit to discipline—S-Sees the receiving of admonition as a blessing and need in your life so that your faults and weaknesses are exposed and put to death, which leads to greater freedom and intimacy with God and your brothers and sisters.
O-Is guarded and conditional. Based upon others performance as you seek to get your needs met—S-Open, patient and affectionate as you lay your life and agendas down in order to meet the needs of others.
O-Conditional and distant—S-Close and intimate.
O-Is in bondage—S-Lives in freedom
O-Feels like a servant/slave—S-Feels like a son/daughter
O-Has spiritual ambition, the earnest desire for some spiritual achievement and distinction and the willingness to strive for it. And has a desire to be seen and counted among the mature—S-Daily experiences the Father’s unconditional love and acceptance and takes great joy in being sent out as a representative of His love to family and others.
O-Fights for what they can get—S-Sonship release your inheritance. Everything that Father has for you is yours.
To walk in a healthy relationship with Father, we may need to have some heart changes. You can’t cast out an orphan spirit. It is ungodly beliefs and attitudes that have developed over a lifetime. It has become part of your personality, character and emotional makeup. It’s the reason you respond, act, live the way you do before God and others.
Here’s what we have to do:
- Must recognize our need for change.
- Repent of all sins related to the orphan spirit.
- Forgive others and self—this will bring a supernatural release in your heart.
- Resist all temptation to fall back into any ungodly beliefs
- Keep yourselves in the love of the Father every day. And we do this through His Word, prayer, worship. Meditate on Song of Songs 2 and John 15. We must abide, abide, abide and taste and see that the Lord is good while confessing His promises over your life and be quick to repent of any little foxes that will try to “spoil your vine”.
You are loved!
Ryan Bruss