The Spirit of Adoption – Week Five

LIGHT: “Let us strive to know the LORD. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land.” Hosea 6:3

RAIN: Meet with Me by Paul Balochi; Lord Let Your Glory Fall by Matt Redman

SEEDS:

CULTIVATING: Before we move forward into this week’s lesson, I would like to go back to the image of being engraved on the palms of His hands from Session 2.  Please consider the verses and Greek word studies below regarding God’s act of engraving on our hearts and engraving us on His.

Hebrews 9:20b – 22 Ezekiel 36: 25-28        Exodus 31:18                                                                        

Chaqaq: to cut in, inscribe, decree of law (the words in bold are all the same Greek word)

·   Proverbs 8:27-39   … He marked out the horizon on the face of the deep…He established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep…He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His command… and He marked out the foundations of the earth.

·   Isaiah 33:22  …For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.

·  Isaiah 49: 15-16a …Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.

Eggraphó: to engrave; inscribe, write in or on: (the words in bold are all the same Greek word)

·   Luke 10: 19-20  …. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

·   2 Corinthians 3:3  …. You show that you are a letter from Christ… written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Prayerfully consider how God has written His Fatherhood on your heart.  Through what circumstances? With what words? Is your life reflecting what He has written on your heart?

Now let’s move into this week’s session on receiving the benefit of sons.  In Beth Moore’s bible study “Breaking Free”, she talks about the steps to freedom.  The 5 statements below are excerpted from her study; the words within the square brackets are mine. 

1. Recognizing your captor [thoughts that stand up against the knowledge of God].   2 Kings 16:2-4 High places are people, things, or circumstances that outgrow our thoughts of God. 
2. Stand in agreement with God.  Confess Him and His greatness.  The Greek word for confession is homologeo: “speak the same” meaning to say what God says about the matter. 
3. Tear down the lies. [Following the Holy Spirit to identify where the orphan lives in you and agreeing with God about them. 2 Corinthians 10:5] 
4. Put up the Truth [that is what Session 3 is all about – confessing the Truth].
5. Bow thoughts to the Truth.  Romans 8:6 [Practice the Truth of God’s fatherhood in your thoughts, words, actions, choices.]

           Freedom is exchanging a yoke of slavery (orphans) for a yoke of liberty (sonship). It’s not doing it by yourself or for yourself but with God and out of love for Him.  Take time this week and review the symptoms of orphan mentality in your life, acknowledging anything that the Father has brought to your attention without condemnation or regret.  Agree with Him about His heart for you. Review any scriptures that you know and any that we have studied thus far using Emily’s notes to assist you. Declare out loud the ones that speak to you. Write them down.  Rehearse them at the beginning and end of your day. This practice will accomplish several things:

1. Identify any integrity gaps in your life/thoughts that don’t agree with what you are confessing
2. Take those thoughts captive
3. Exalt the Truth  
4. Build freedom into a habit so you will not “turn again to slavery”. Galatians 5:1

Go to Biblegateway.com or any concordance and look up the phrase “unfailing love” in any translation and read as many verses as you can.  This phrase is only used to describe God’s love for us and is never attributed to mankind. Respond to the Father in worship and prayer “making music in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

Contributor Donna Hyatt

NOTES: Session 3 Participant Notes