Receive the Spirit and Be Set Free!

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  - Romans 8
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Picture by Heaven's Family. www.heavensfamily.org

The more I go along this journey in life, watching the fallout of religion and legalism, witnessing the strongholds of spiritual power and manipulation, seeing the masses of weak and insecure Christians, the more I realize it all comes down to one thing: Our Identity in Christ. Romans eight is a lot of things but mostly it is a treament of our status as a new creation. It begins with "there is now no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." And it ends with the above look at spiritual adoption and testimony in our very spirit, from God's Spirit, that we are His children. By this we are then able to call God "Abba Father." Imagine: The creator of the universe wants to get initmate with us and give us not only a new name but a new identitiy altogether. Anything, I mean anything, that makes you question who you are in Christ is not from God. Let me repeat that: Anything, and I'll add anyone, who makes you question your status as an adopted child who can call God 'Abba' is not operating in the Spirit.


But what about a "healthy fear" of God? I've heard this phrase a few times and I think it's interesting: "healthy" fear. What would be a "healthy" fear. Given the scripture above wouldn't a healthy fear be one that creates more spiritual health? Shouldn't a "healthy fear" lead you deeper into security in God and not away from it? Shouldn't it make you question your status as God's child less and not more? Think of it this way. 


Recently, in a whirlwind of family discipline, I gave in and used the age-old parenting ploy of calling my children "Parkersons" as in, "You are Parkerson's. And Parkerson's don't act like that!" Now what did I mean by that, by using the "last" name in such a way? I meant to call into focus their identitiy, of course. My children DO have an identity in me and in April. They are our children. Now what if they began to refuse their very identiy? This is what I mean. What if I was extending to them everything I am, granting it to them because they are my children? What if I offered them unconditional love, a place as an heir of all that I am and have, and they began to refuse that, or questions its reality. What if they said, "I'm not really sure I am a Parkerson?"  It would crush me. And I would be angry. 


So here's what I think. 


I think a healthy fear would be a fear of what God might think of us if we refuse to take in all that He has for us, and all that He believes about us, provided to us through Christ -- His Son and our Lord. That's a healthy fear. 


Prayer: "Please God, forgive us for questioning our new creation identity, for not fully believing in our full status as your children. And thank you.... THANK YOU... for calling us your very own. For making us, redeeming us, and confirming us as heirs of all that you are and all that you have. Can't wait to be with you for ever.... but for now... we will serve you as members of your wonderful family. Amen!"