From Fear to Family: Living in Love

 



From Fear to Family: Living in Love

​The Scripture

​"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit... For you did not receive a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'"

— Romans 8:5, 15


​"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God... This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

— 1 John 4:7, 10


​ The Shift in Identity

​There is a profound shift in identity that happens when we move from trying to please God through our own effort—living "in the flesh"—to living by the Spirit. Romans 8 tells us that in Christ, we are no longer slaves to fear or the limitations of our fallen nature. Instead, we have received the Spirit of Adoption.

​This adoption is not merely a legal status; it is a relational intimacy. The Holy Spirit within us allows us to call the Creator of the universe "Abba"—a term of endearment like "Papa." However, this new family status comes with a family resemblance. 1 John 4 reminds us that because God is love, His children must reflect that same love. This isn’t a human, conditional love, but Agape—a sacrificial, self-giving love.

​Romans 8:17 adds that we are co-heirs with Christ, sharing in both His sufferings and His glory. The love we share isn't just about "being nice"; it is the evidence of our transformation and the power of our eternal inheritance.

  • ​Reflect on Identity: Are you operating today out of fear or out of your identity as an adopted child? Take a moment to breathe in grace and whisper, "Abba."
  • ​Act on Love: Who is someone difficult to love? Ask the Spirit to pour Agape through you toward them.
  • ​Remember the Source: You cannot produce this love on your own. Re-fuel at the foot of the Cross daily.

 The Inheritance of the Forgotten Daughter

​For twenty years, Sherri lived in the "Squalid Quarter" of the city. She lived entirely in the flesh—controlled by survival instincts, fear, and a deep, gnawing selfishness. She believed kindness was a weakness and lived as an orphan in a world that didn't care.

​One day, a messenger brought a scroll to her shack. It was from the Palace. The King, rumored to be filled with an impossible, self-sacrificial love, was not looking for servants; He was adopting children. The messenger told her the King had already purchased her freedom.

​Sherri was skeptical. She walked to the palace not as a daughter, but as a beggar trying to earn her keep. She tried to work to prove her worth, but she kept failing, driven by her old habits. Even in the palace, she was still living according to the flesh.

​One evening, she sat weeping in the courtyard, terrified of being cast out. A gentle voice asked, "Why do you weep?" It was the King. As Sherri stammered through her failures, the King held up His hand. "You are not a slave, Sherri. You are a daughter."

​He touched her heart, and instantly, the spirit of slavery vanished. In its place flowed a peace she had never known. She didn't call Him "Master"; she cried out, "Abba, Father!" 

The Transformation

The story didn't end with her comfort. As she lived in the Spirit, her eyes changed. She looked out at the Squalid Quarter and no longer saw competition; she saw people starving for the love she had found.

​Because she was now "born of God," she began to use her new royal resources to feed and clothe those she once ignored. She didn't do it to earn her place; she did it because her Father’s love was pouring through her. Some days were hard, and she faced mockery from her old peers, but she knew she was a "joint-heir with Christ." Her suffering was merely a prelude to the glory her Father promised. She was no longer a beggar; she was a beloved daughter, reflecting the Father’s heart to a broken world.

​

​Abba, Father, thank You for rescuing us from the "Squalid Quarter" of our own sin and fear. Thank You for the Spirit of Adoption that whispers to our hearts that we belong to You. Help us to stop trying to earn our seat at the table and instead rest in Your finished work. Let Your Agape love flow through us today, so that others might see our Father in heaven. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

​The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

​BELIEVE, OBEY, BE BLESSED, AMEN.

BOBBA

Love, Penny


Recommended reading 

Romans Chapter 8: 8-17

1 John 4:5-11

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