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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Rom. 8:15-16
Dear heavenly Father, on any given day a number of voices contend for our attention. There are the voices of from the past—sometimes shouting, sometimes whispering, always seeking to disrupt our peace and rob our joy. “You still don’t have a clue, do you? You haven’t changed one bit. Why would God ever love someone like you? Didn’t I tell you you’d never amount to much? If people really knew who you are . . .”
Then there are the voices of the present—often hijacked by our defeated enemy, Satan. His incessant scheme is to tempt, seduce, and then condemn us—doing everything possible to rob us of our enjoyment of the gospel. Then there are the voices from the future, usually fueling our fears with suggestions like “You’re not as sharp as you used to be, are you? You’ll probably be forgotten, won’t you? You’ll eventually end up alone, right? Why do you think God would let someone like you into heaven?”
But then there’s the voice of the Holy Spirit. Oh, how we praise you for that one voice which transcends and trumps every other voice—the gossiper of the gospel, the herald of our healing, the bearer of beauty, the messenger of mercy, the singer of sanity, the cantor of Christ—God the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirits that we are your bought, belonging, and beloved children. How we praise you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Abba, Father, by the Spirit of Sonship, continue to free us from all of our slavish fears—past, present, and future. May the Sprit speak so loudly; every dark voice will be quieted. May he speak so clearly; every deceiving lie will be silenced. May he speak so convincingly; every paralyzing doubt will be routed. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name. Amen.
