Slave or Son
Romans 8:15-16: For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
So much of our lives are spent dealing with the details and troubles of each day; the very busy-ness of it all keeps our minds occupied and we do not take the time to stop and consider the huge truths connected to our eternal souls. I confess that for many years I did not stop to consider what it meant to be a slave to fear. I knew certain things and certain circumstances caused fear to rise up in me, but I never thought through the eternal ramifications of fear. And I certainly did not stop to think about the relationship between fear and sonship.
This stark contrast between the two forces us to take notice. Fear and sonship cannot co-exist in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Fear is the opposite of love…fear is the opposite of joy…fear is the opposite of faith. Fear is not compatible with the spirit of God; and it is not a part of our relationship with our Father.
In fact it is a tool of the enemy’s camp. The enemy uses fear to enslave us–to keep us captive to the negative possibilities and outcomes in life. It keeps us focused on self and prevents us from seeking the best for others. The inward focus of fear robs us of our freedom and blinds us to see the fingerprints of God in our lives. And in the life of a child of God, fear is a lie.
When by faith we enter into a relationship with our Heavenly Father, a divine exchange takes place. The spirit of fear which had once ruled our hearts is replaced with the spirit of sonship. We become the sons and daughters of the God of love, grace and mercy. His love is so great and his mercies so eternal, we no longer have any need to fear.
The Word states this truth with great clarity–“perfect love casts out fear.” At the cross our eternal destiny was set–not even death can rob us of eternity in the presence of God. So what’s left to fear? What can rob us of our peace? Life has its ups and downs; riches come and go; the economy rises and falls; people help or hurt us–but nothing has the power to enslave us to fear again once we understand the power and authority given us as children of God.
