INTRODUCTION
Today I want to share in two area to help you grow as a son or daughter of God and to help equip you in SOZO ministry for others.
The two areas are:
ORPHAN SPIRIT
FATHER’S BLESSING
ORPHAN SPIRIT
Introduction
Before I share about what the orphan spirit is, it is helpful to have a brief look at the origins of the orphan spirit. Where did it come from?
First “Orphaned” Spirit
Scripture shows us that Lucifer was a special angel in charge of worship in heaven.
Pride in developed in Lucifer’s heart and he wanted to take God’s position.
So, Lucifer is banished from heaven.
Lucifer (who is now called Satan) leaves God’s presence.
Lucifer rejected God. He rejected love. He rejected Father.
SO, Lucifer becomes the first orphan. An orphaned spirit.
Sonship
Now we move forward in time to creation.
God made the first man Adam in His own image and put His own breath (life) in him.
Adam was born into sonship in relationship with His Father.
Adam was a son and lived as a son. There was no orphanness.
Revenge
We know from Genesis chapter 3 that Satan take out His revenge against God by attempting to destroy those made in the image of God.
Reading between the lines we can imagine that Satan wants God’s children to become orphans just as he was.
Orphan Spirit in Man
As Adam and Eve were tempted, they began to have their own orphan experience.
No longer were they living fully in the loving fathering presence of God as sons and daughters.
The orphan spirit had entered the world.
Orphan World
Every person born after Adam and Eve would now also have this capacity for orphan-ness. To live apart from the fathering of God.
Eventually the earth would become an orphan world with many people living apart from a relationship with God.
What is the orphan spirit?
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of what an orphan spirit is (and what it is not).
Teresa Liebscher says:
The orphan spirit embodies the mindset of a son or daughter separated from his or her loving Father. Out of this sense of abandonment, lies, sin, and selfish acts flourish to medicate the loss of identity, provision, and protection.
The orphan spirit is mindset or a disposition that effects the spirit, soul (mind, will & emotions) of people.
It is a distortion of the image of God in people.
It is a way of thinking, feeling and then acting and living that is more like an orphan than a loved son or daughter.
It is a way to describe behaviours that come from unhealed inner motivations and drives.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Orphan mindsets are the “pattern of this world”, not of God’s world.
The orphan spirit is not a specific demonic spirit. Although continually living with an orphan mindset can lead to actions that may open the door to the demonic.
How does it work?
The “orphan spirit” something we can “grow into” in an orphan world through negative life experiences.
We begin to hear an internal voice: “I’m not good enough, I need to work harder, I don’t belong …”
Over time we can develop a stronghold in this area that exerts control over our life.
This often takes the form of believing and then living from these lies rather than God’s truth.
Lies are designed to keep people in fear, isolation, lack, condemnation, competition etc.
They may be successful life strategies to some degree, but are far below the abundant life God has for people.
Example: If I don’t push everyone down around me I will never succeed.
Orphan Attitudes & Behaviors
Luke 6:44-45 …
Every tree will be revealed by the quality of fruit that it produces. Figs or grapes will never be picked off thorn trees. People are known in this same way. Out of the virtue stored in their hearts, good and upright people will produce good fruit. But out of the evil hidden in their hearts, evil ones will produce what is evil. For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words.
Jesus said that want is in the heart will come out and be seen by people.
It is like this with the orphan spirit. What is internal become external.
Where there is certain kind of fruit it is associated with a certain root.
Here are some orphan mindsets (lies) :
- I don’t belong
- I need to work hard to be accepted
- I am unworthy
- I am not loved
- I need to fight to succeed
- Peopel never like me
- Everyone is against me
Orphan mindsets show themselves as orphan-like behaviours.
- Jealousy
- Anger
- Fear
- Isolation
- Competition
- Over protectiveness
- Bullying
- Self-hate
- Dependence on substances
These are some of the fingerprints or the fruit of the orphan spirit.
It is important to identify the root (orphan mindset) and not just focus on the fruit (orphan behaviour).
The orphan mindset can be seen from the perspective of disempowering and empowering mindsets and behaviors.
Disempowered Orphan Mindset
People act like victims.
Examples: rejection, self-hate, isolation, unworthiness, suicide etc.
Empowered Orphan Mindset
People act like bullies.
Empowered orphan mindsets can look like power or success, but can be harder to identify as orphan mindsets.
Examples: performance, dominating others, independence, control, aggressiveness.
What are orphans like?
Here are some characteristics of orphans that are also foundations of an orphan spirit.
Orphans know about love but have little personal experience of real love.
Orphans think like a slave or a servant.
Orphans never really belong.
Orphans live as if that everyone is against them.
Orphans live life by following rules to avoid punishment
Orphans have no family identity
Orphans fight for position and power in life
Orphans seek comfort in things that are often harmful to them
Jesus & the Father’s Promise
John 14:18
“I will not leave you as orphans I will come to you.”
When Jesus said these words to was also Father God speaking.
He was saying. I will not leave you in this world like orphans. I will come to you.
The only way to stop being LIKE an orphan is to:
Be INTRODUCED to a true Father – to a perfect, loving heavenly Father.
AND to be TRANSFORMED into a son or daughter by the Father by living in His blessing.
Only has a person has a relational connection with God can orphan mindsets be properly identified, replaced with truth, wounds healed and people made whole.
The Journey
There are aspects of orphan mindsets still operating in all of us from time to time.
The good news is that we don’t need to be perfect to minister to others. We do need to be on honest and open before God and to stay on the journey to wholeness.
The more orphan mindsets are displaced in our lives with what God has for us, the greater will be our testimony and expectation that God will do this again and again for us and for others.
Freedom from Orphan Mindsets
When we do an activation at the end of this session I’ll share some keys to use to bring freedom from orphan mindsets in a SOZO context.
Now let’s look at the Father’s Blessing
FATHERS BLESSING
Big Picture
Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
God is a good Father. He wants to bless people. He especially blesses His children who are in relationship with Him
The Father’s intention is to have sons (and daughters) and for them to grow in relationship with Him.
He designed the world as a place where sons & daughters can be reconciled to Him, restored and grow into maturity.
In relationship with God is the only place where the orphan spirit is displaced and replaced.
Seven Needs
There are seven key things that every person needs. We see this especially children in the type of home they need to grow into healthy people.
These needs are primarily supplied through the blessing of a father.
- Peace
- Identity
- Security
- Affirmation
- Protection
- Destiny
- Comfort
These needs are primarily supplied through the blessing of a father.
Father’s Blessing
Mark 1:11
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
In this passage we see the Father’s blessing spoken over His son Jesus.
Obviously Jesus didn’t need to be freed from orphan mindsets, but He still needed the Fathers blessing.
People need know and experience the Father’s blessing to be truly free from orphan mindset and also to become whole and mature sons and daughters.
Orphan mindsets OUT Fathers blessing (and all this contains) IN.
Lack of Parents Blessing
Life experiences have played a huge role in our capacity to receive and live in the Father God’s blessing.
Lack of our earthly Father’s blessing and bad father experiences can cause us to see God wrongly (e.g. as a father who is angry, judges, is distant etc.)
We need to seeing the Father as He really is (not based at all on the orphan voice).
Our Goal
Our goal is to connect people to the Father’s love and blessing for them.
To help them hear what God is saying who He is for them and how he seems them and their situations.
What are sons and daughters like?
Here are some of the characteristics of sons and daughters who are experiencing the Father’s blessing.
Sons and daughters live in the daily experience of the love and affirmation.
Sons and daughters know the pleasure of their Father no matter how hard they work.
Sons and daughters are at home wherever they are. They belong.
Sons and daughters know that their Father knows them and loves them completely even when the world is against them.
Sons and daughters live by faith – completely trusting their Heavenly Father for provision, protection, affirmation and identity.
Sons and daughters are accepted as a part of the family and find their identity in their relationship with their Father.
Sons and daughters simply receive their inheritance from their Father with no need to struggle against others.
Sons and daughters get comfort that lasts from their loving Father.
Going Forward
Position heart for more of the Father blessing – encounters with His Father’s.
Father Heart EBook (120 devotions & activations).
https://connexionzone.com/father-heart-book/
ACTIVATION
We are going to do a practical activation to experience something of the orphan spirit going out and the Father’s blessing coming in.
This is something that you can practically use for a SOZO session as the Holy Spirit leads.
1. Identify
Identify an orphan mindset (attitudes / behaviours). Holy Spirit, what is the fingerprint of the orphan spirit that still shows in my life from time to time.
2. Disempowered or Empowered?
Is this orphan mindset more disempowered (victim) or empowered (bully)?
3. Confession
Confession – Ask the Father for forgiveness for living out of this mindset and listening to the orphan inner voice.
4. Identify the Lies
Question: What is the lie I’m believing?
e.g if I’m not strong I won’t succeed in life. I never have favour because people don’t like me.
5. Renounce agreement
Renounce every agreement with this lie and any orphan mindset.
6. Replace with Truth
Holy Spirit what truth do you want to give me to replace the lie. Example: I am kind. You have given me favour with people.
7. Father’s Blessing
Father, what are you saying about me? What are you doing right now?
How do you want to bless me right now.
8. Practical Action
You are a powerful person. Ask the Holy Spirit for a practical action to do as you walk in your true identity and with the Father’s blessing.
Fathers Blessing
Speak the “Fathers Blessing” declarations
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