I Am Adopted into God's Family
Affirmations 2023 | Your Identity in Jesus Christ | Full Armor of God
Select this link for the list of all the affirmations and links to each post.
Lies from the Enemy
“I am rejected and abandoned.”
This is yet another lie that the enemy whispers as he tries to sit at the table Jesus has prepared for you and me, according to Louie Giglio in “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table”. (His book is based on Psalm 23.)
Rejected by God?
Abandoned by God?
Really???
Hmm.
I don’t think so, do you?
Our enemy has no eternal future with God. Our enemy rebelled against the loving and perfect Ancient of Days, and only knows an existence filled with sin, hate, lies, and darkness. It’s all he has. He knows what he has lost since he once was in the presence of God.
He’s jealous of what you and I have: a wonderful, loving relationship with our Redeemer who has given us His eternal life so we can one day live with Him forever, in our true home in the unseen realm, where He reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Our enemy has a horrible destiny at the end of days, and he knows it; he can read the Bible, too (Revelation chapter 19):
Verse 10 (ESV)
and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
That’s the liar’s destiny.
You and I have a glorious destiny, which we’ll talk about in the next section.
In the meantime, the enemy tries to influence us to have a limited, earthly focus. He tries to tempt us to lose heart, despair, and then rebel against God. And, he’s a vicious fighter. I know. I’ve felt his blows. Not fun.
Dear friend, the forces of darkness come at you during times such as these, when you feel at your weakest:
Your friends have turned against you
Your family has rejected you
You’ve lost your job and you’re in financial distress
You’re battling cancer or some other serious health issue
You suffer daily from a chronic illness for which there’s no cure
You’re facing an unwanted divorce or broken relationship
You’re grieving the loss of your loved one
Your country is collapsing and your government is betraying you
You’re being persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ
All of this is hard, so very hard, as we live our human lives in this sin-filled earthly realm that’s currently the enemy’s domain.
But, it’s not forever, despite what our enemy might tell you. And you are not rejected by God, you are not abandoned by God.
What God Says about You
Executive Summary?
You’re going to live forever with your Abba Papa in His wonderful, amazing realm. So stand firm, endure, and be loyal to Him in your faith, believing all that He’s revealed to you in His word. Walk in the fruit of His Holy Spirit. He has a crown waiting for you.
Throughout the Bible, both testaments, we read the arc of God’s story for us, His human family. He created us because He wanted us with Him. God didn’t need us, He wanted us. He created the garden of Eden so He could live with us and enjoy a relationship with us.
So, why would He reject you, abandon you?
And yes, we know the sad, heart breaking story of how humans rebelled against God, influenced by those spiritual beings who had already rebelled themselves against Him. The Old Testament is filled with stories of sin-affected humans who tried to follow God but failed. Over, and over, and over.
God didn’t reject them, He didn’t abandon them. He established His covenant with His people, the Israelites, and through His people our Lord Jesus was born, God in human flesh, the promised Messiah, our salvation from this sin-filled life.
You know the story. He carried our sin on the cross, where He shed His blood and died in our place. Jesus, the Son of God, broke the chains of sin and death that bound us, giving us who believe in Him eternal life with God.
Rooms in His Father’s mansion.
Eden restored!
This is our glorious destiny.
We have His kingdom already, but not yet.
And after all that God has done…
Why would He reject you, abandon you?
He wouldn’t and He won’t.
The enemy’s lies are just that, lies. To fight back, we turn to God’s word.
Psalm 23:4 (NLT)
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
The Lord promises to never leave us nor forsake us. And, as our Good Shepherd, it’s His job to fight off our enemy, so rest in Him, rely on Him. He is the Word of God.
Romans 8:15 (ESV)
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!”
Jesus set us free from the chains of sin and death. He calls us “brother”, “sister”. We are back in God’s family because of Jesus’ gift to us. And remember, “Abba” can be translated from the Aramaic as “Daddy”!
Ephesians 1:5 (ESV)
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
After humans rebelled, it was God’s purpose, His focus, to restore us to Him as His family members, to bring us back to Himself through Christ. Why? Because, as our Creator, He wants us to be set free from sin and death so we can enjoy life with Him in the new Eden. Our destiny!
Since He has done all of this for you…
Why would He reject you, abandon you?
Your Take Away
When the reality of God’s destiny for you really sinks in, it gets easier to reject the enemy’s lies. Yes, it does take some practice. Focus on all of the wonderful things our Good Shepherd has laid out on the table He has prepared for you in the presence of your enemies. As you do, you will grow in the knowledge of who you are and Whose you are.
What are the wonderful things on Jesus’ table? His promises in His word. Follow your Good Shepherd. He’s your light in the darkness, and He will never reject you, never abandon you.
It also helps to reach out to trusted family, friends, and fellow believers to talk with them about your struggles. We need each other, and we can support each other.
Dear sister, dear brother, we will be home one day. The journey may get rough, but our destiny is assured in Jesus, and it will be glorious.
Note: If you’re worried you have committed the “unforgiveable sin”…if you feel worried about this, you haven’t. Read 1 John 1:8-9, confess your sins, and walk forward with the Lord who loves you.
This week, ask yourself:
Do I, deep within me, see myself as adopted into God’s family? If not, why not? How can I change how I see myself?
Which verses in God’s word can I use to fight back against the enemy’s lies? (Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.)
Soli Deo Gloria!
Conversation & Community
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Great post! Yes, I believe, and I confess that I have been tricked by the Devil as well. I just keep praying and trying to do what I think He would want me to do, and in that spirit, I would like to share your post!