Adopted Through the Holy Spirit

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15)

How is it that we can call God our Father? Here is the defining statement of how that happens. Paul says we are adopted through the Holy Spirit. Prior to adoption, we were slaves. We could infer from this that we were orphans—having no spiritual Father. But now God has adopted us and has become our Father.

What is the one main effect of that adoption? Paul says that it should be fearlessness. Fearlessness that comes from our secure adoption by God. With such a strong and secure family status, we have no reason to fear anything. At all times and in all circumstances, we are, in fact, adopted children of God. We should remember that and not fall back into fearful orphan behavior.

We are secure. We need to remember that.

1. How does your adopted status with God affect you during each day?

2. When you are tempted to think you need to fight for yourself in some situation, how could remembering that you are an adopted child of God change your thinking?

3. What could you do differently today in order to remember that you are an adopted child of God?

-- Charlie