From Orphans to Sons: The Invitation to Abide
Introduction: A Stirring in the Spirit
As tensions rise in our world—from national protests to international conflict—there is a deeper stirring taking place beneath the surface. It's happening in the realm of the Spirit. The Church is being positioned for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit greater than anything we've seen since Acts 2.
But before God pours out His Spirit, He establishes identity. The move we are entering is not rooted in hype or performance. It is rooted in sonship—a people who know who they are and whose they are.
We’re seeing a generation rise that is breaking free from performance-based religion and discovering the Father’s embrace. This is not just about attending services; it’s about walking in daily revival, where miracles follow believers into living rooms, workplaces, and ordinary spaces. Revival is not an event—it’s a culture carried by sons.
Part 1: Abiding as the Foundation of Identity
Before we can understand sonship, we must understand abiding. Jesus makes this clear in John 15:4–5:
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
Abiding means remaining. It’s not a momentary connection but a constant posture of intimacy. This is the soil where true identity grows. Sons do not strive to perform; they rest in the love of their Father.
Without abiding, we fall into performance. Without connection, we live from insecurity. And without identity, we imitate religion instead of encountering God.
This is where our journey begins—not in what we do, but in where we dwell.
Part 2: The Two Extremes – Universalism and Legalism
From this foundation of abiding, we must address the two cultural and spiritual extremes confronting the church:
Universalism — the belief that all are saved regardless of faith or repentance.
Legalism — the idea that we must earn God’s love through rule-keeping and religious appearances.
Both are distortions. Universalism removes the need for transformation. Legalism replaces intimacy with striving.
We read Romans 8:14–17, which reminded us:
"For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons... You received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children."
Sonship is a gift received through abiding, not a reward earned through religion.
Part 3: The Invitation to the Table
The tension between invitation and transformation is captured in Jesus’ parables.
In Luke 14:16–23, the master throws a banquet:
"A man prepared a great banquet and invited many... but they all began to make excuses... Then the master said, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.'"
Everyone is invited. But not everyone responds. And even among those who do, Jesus warns in Matthew 22:11–14:
"When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes... The king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside...'"
Why such a severe consequence? Because the man accepted the invitation but refused the transformation. He came, but he did not abide. He wanted access without submission.
Part 4: Clothed in Christ, Rooted in Relationship
In Galatians 3:26–27, Paul gives language to the garments required for the feast:
"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
The wedding clothes are not literal garments—they are spiritual clothing: the righteousness of Christ.
Those who are truly abiding will naturally be transformed, not by pressure from others, but by the indwelling work of the Spirit. The robe is provided. But we must choose to wear it.
This is the difference between religious performance and spiritual abiding. One strives to appear holy. The other yields to be made holy.
Part 5: Orphans in the House
The parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 reveals the tragic irony: you can be in the house of the Father and still live like an orphan.
One son left and rebelled. The other stayed and performed. Neither fully understood the Father’s heart. While we’ve often used the term “prodigal” in a negative way, meaning “wasteful,” this isn’t the definition at all. Prodigal means extravagant. If anything, this story should be called The Prodigal Father because of the extravagant love he poured out to both of his sons.
The older son said:
"All these years I’ve been slaving for you... yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends."
He did not know what it meant to abide. He lived by duty, not by delight. For most of us, we relate to the son in the house more than the son who ran away. That’s because we grew up in church and were surrounded by the things of God, yet still struggle at times with the orphan mentality, not knowing what we have access to because of the Father’s goodness.
Another part of this story that I find striking and which relates to the narrative we’ve been discussing about the importance of the Holy Spirit.
In like manner, the Father embraced the returning son:
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son... threw his arms around him and kissed him."
This same word—“fell upon”—is used in Acts 2 when the Spirit fell upon the disciples. The embrace of the Father is the outpouring of the Spirit.
Part 6: The Four Dimensions of Identity
To live as sons, we must understand identity on four levels:
Biological – Who you are in your body (Genesis 1:27)
Social – Who you are in your family roles
Cultural – Who you are in your nation/community
Spiritual – Who you are in Christ
The world is confused about all four. But when we abide, the Father reorders our identity. From confusion to clarity. From striving to sonship.
Conclusion: The Revival of Sonship
This coming move of God won’t be defined by extended services or emotional hype. It will be carried by sons and daughters who abide in the Father’s love and walk in the Spirit’s power at all times.
Revival isn’t an event—it’s an identity. When you know who you are, you don’t have to perform. When you abide, you bear fruit. When you are clothed in Christ, you walk confidently into your assignment.
God has set a table. Everyone is invited. But only those who abide, who accept the invitation and wear the garments of righteousness, will feast.
Abiding is the gate to transformation. Sonship is the posture of the awakened Church. And the Spirit is the inheritance of those who dwell in Him.
Let us leave behind the orphan mindset and embrace the full inheritance of abiding sons.
John 15:9: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love."
Questions
What does John 15 teach us about the connection between fruit and abiding?
How do the wedding feast parables illustrate the tension between invitation and transformation?
Why is being "clothed in Christ" essential for entering the kingdom?
In what ways have you identified with the older brother in Luke 15?
How can you cultivate a daily life of abiding rather than striving?