03: I AM A CHILD OF GOD
Special Focus: ALTAR’D: 21 Days of Transformation
- We will kick off Sunday, January 6th and run from the 7th to the 27th
- Theme Verse: Romans 12:1 (TPT) – Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship.
- ALTAR’D – Altar: to build an altar in our lives… and offer our lives as scared, living sacrifices. Alter: to be changed – we are believing for change in each one of our lives.
- We are going to:
- Fast – we are going to encourage everyone to fast in some capacity for the 21 days
- Pray – we are going to have daily prayer targets, prayer calls.
- Read – we are going to read the word of God together.
- Watch – we have daily video devotionals
- Gather together – we are going to come together for prayer/worship on the Friday nights
- Let’s start 2019 by putting God first and set our course for what He wants to do in the coming year.
I am a Child of God
We are continuing our series Heart of the Father and I want to talk about the power and significance of being a daughter or son of God.
1 John 3:1 (TPT) – Look with wonder at the depth of the Father’s marvelous love that he has lavished on us! He has called us and made us his very own beloved children.
- The Apostle John points to the fact that God made us His children as a key sign post of his “marvelous love”
John 3:16 (ESV) – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life
- God very easily could have saved us without adopting us but He wanted to adopt us!
- Example: It’s one thing to save someone who is drowning… but adopting them???
Benefits of Being Adopted as a Child of God
Romans 8:14-17 (ESV) – 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 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!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
#1 – INTIMACY“We Cry Abba Father”
Tim Keller: We need to know the original language here. “Abba” was an Aramaic term which is best translated “Daddy”—a term of the greatest intimacy. A child does not always (or even often) address his father as “Father”; likely, he has a different term for him that shows his loving, trusting familiarity with his father, such as “Dad” or “Papa” or “Daddy.” And this is how Christians can approach the all-powerful Creator of the universe, who sustains every atom in existence moment by moment!
- We are welcomed by the Creator of the universe to a close walk with him!
- There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing Him – He welcomes us to know Him!
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) – 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
- As a child of God, knowing my Abba Father is my privilege and my right!
#2 – SECURITY “We are Son’s of God”
- As an adopted child of God we have a secure place in the family. In the time and culture this was written an adopted child could never be cast back out.
Hebrews 13:5b-6 (ESV) – for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NKVJ) – The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
Psalm 23 (ESV) – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 125:1-2 (TPT) Those who trust in the Lord are as unshakeable, as unmovable as mighty Mount Zion! 2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord’s wrap-around presence surrounds his people, protecting them now and forever.
Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV) – No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
Romans 8:31-39 (TPT) – 31 So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? 32 For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. 33 Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them—“Not guilty!” 34 Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph? 35 Who could ever separate us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, 36 even though it is written: All day long we face death threats for your sake, God. We are considered to be nothing more than sheep to be slaughtered! 37 Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!
38 So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. 39 There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!
As a child of God I have security and nothing can separate me from the love of God!
#3 – AUTHORITY: “As Heirs We Have Authority In Christ”
- As a child of God we are given authority
- Authority = the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
Luke 15:17-24 (TPT) – 17 “Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing and he thought, ‘There are many workers at my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They lack nothing. Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating their slop? 18 I want to go back home to my father’s house, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. 19 I’ll never be worthy to be called your son. Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employees.”’ 20 “So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. So the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love. 21 “Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’ “The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’ 22 “Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. 23 Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. 24 For this beloved son of mine was once dead, but now he’s alive again. Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.
- By giving him the ring, the seal of sonship, the Father was confirming his status and authority as a son.
Tim Keller – We have the status not of “a slave” but of “sonship” (v 15a). In a house, slaves have no authority. They can only do what they are told. But under their parents, children do have authority in the house—they are not mere servants. The children of God are given authority over sin and the devil. They are to move about in the world knowing that it belongs to their Father. There should be a confidence and poise about them. Children have the honor of the family name. There is a wonderful new status conferred on us.
- Under their parents children have an authority in the house.
- We have been given authority over sin and the devil
- We can move about in this world knowing that it belongs to our Father
- We should walk with a confidence and poise
Luke 10:19 (NKJV) – Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
- As a child of God I have authority!
#4 – INHERITANCE: “We have been given an inheritance”
Galatians 4:6-7 (TPT) – 6 And so that we would know for sure that we are his true children, God released the Spirit of Sonship into our hearts—moving us to cry out intimately, “My Father! You’re our true Father!” 7 Now we’re no longer living like slaves under the law, but we enjoy being God’s very own sons and daughters! And because we’re his, we can access everything our Father has—for we are heirs of God through Jesus, the Messiah!
Tim Keller – “Now if we are children, then we are heirs” (v 17). This means we have an incredible future. In more ancient times, the first son was the heir. There may have been many children, and all were loved, but the heir got the largest share of the wealth and carried on the family name. This was the way a great family kept its influence intact and did not have it divided and dissipated. (Paul’s reference should not be read as either supporting or rejecting this practice. It is simply illustrative.) Now, in a breathtaking turn, he calls all Christians “heirs of God.” This is a miracle, of course, because the heir got the lion’s share of the parent’s wealth. Paul is saying that what is in store for us is so grand and glorious that it will be, and will feel, as though we each had alone gotten most of the glory of God.
2 Peter 1:4 (TPT) – 4 As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises you can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.
- As a child of God I am a joint-heir with Jesus
brendan witton.com 