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W/ - Mine The Holy Spirit is seeking daily to convince us that we are really God’s children (Romans 8:14-16). Despite this regular reminder of the Spirit, something in the human heart and spirit rebuffs against our spiritual adoption that we have through Jesus. We can be spiritually adopted and still live with an orphan mindset. The orphan mind strives for the praise and approval of others and wrestles with comparison and jealousy. It struggles with a poor self-image, viewing itself through the lens of weakness and failure. The orphan mind distrusts authority and lacks a heart of submission, which leads to unhealthy independence and self-reliance. In contrast, the mind of a child of God has been renewed. It trusts the heart of our Heavenly Father, seeks His approval alone, knows that it is fully accepted and loved, and desires to live in complete dependence upon Him. A child of God finds their acceptance, identity, security, and purpose in the Father. GET THINGS STARTED In Romans 8:16 Paul writes that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Why do you think we need the Spirit to convince us that we are God’s children? What does an orphan spirit or mindset look like within a follower of Jesus? GO DEEPER 1. According to Romans 8:14-15, what have received and not received as believers of Jesus? From what we have received, what do we cry? 2. As adopted children of God, what assurances are we given in Romans 8:1 and 8:37-39? 3. From Romans 8:16-17, what new identity do we receive through our spiritual adoption?

MAKE IT PERSONAL 1. Do you have an orphan mindset or spirit? What part of that mindset do you tend to wrestle with the most (e.g. seeking the praise of others, comparison or jealousy, poor self-image, distrusting authority, unhealthy independence and self-reliance, etc.)? 2. Of the four key things we find in Jesus (acceptance, identity, security, and purpose), which do you need assurance in today? 3. How much do you fight the idea of calling God your Abba or daddy? What makes that possibly challenging for you?

PRACTICE IT NOW Take time as a Life Group to purposefully pray for the Holy Spirit to remove any orphan mindset within you and to give you a renewed mind of a true child of God. Ask God to increase your pleasure and delight in being with Him in prayer, worship, fasting, etc. Ask Him for the heart that ultimately seeks His praise only, that has confidence in His love and acceptance. Pray that you have a heart that lives in utter dependence upon God in full surrender and submission. Take time to also to pray that God would increase your ability to see Him as your spiritual daddy or Abba.