Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
God is our Father and we are His children. In the beginning, God created a son, Adam and gave him the perfect home. God’s heart for 
Adam was to rule and expand His creation, His perfect home (Gen. 1:26). Then the enemy came to steal, kill and destroy all the Father had planned and intended for us (John 10:10). Because Adam agreed with the enemy, we all became orphans, disconnected from our Father and from our inheritance (Gen. 3).
The Father restored us back to Himself and His home through His Son, Jesus (John 20:17). Yet, many of us still live as orphans trying to work for our inheritance and the right to live in the Father’s house. For so much of my life, I was one those sons who lived as an orphan. I didn’t even know I was living that way, but I always felt I was on the outside looking in. I thought there was something I needed to do to get in.
I was like the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal son. I was with the Father and in his house, but my heart didn’t know it. I believed I had to work hard to please the Father, be accepted and prove my worth to have access to Him and all that was in His house (Luke 15:29-31).
Then, a strategic day arrived. We went on a family camping trip to celebrate my birthday. Sunday morning everyone got up, packed up and left. Becky wanted to spend the day, hike and enjoy the mountains. I didn’t, but I love Becky and want her to be happy, so we stayed behind.
There was a feeling that would come to me when I was left like that. Even though Becky was with me, I felt a sense of loneliness and abandonment. I asked the Lord that day, “What is this?” His answer was a turning point in my life. He said, “It’s the orphan spirit.” I responded, “What is an orphan spirit?” I heard, “John 14:18”. “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
I fell in love with John chapter 14 that day. I broke the orphan spirit’s hold on my life. At that moment, I felt something that had been with me my entire life leave. I felt different. It had always been in the background of my life, influencing my emotions, thoughts and actions. Now I was free. I asked for the Holy Spirit to fill that place and rest like a dove on my shoulder. It was precious. I was stunned. I could hardly believe what was happening.
A little later in the day we stopped at a picnic area. There was a family celebrating their 4-year-old son’s birthday. We struck up a conversation and they told us the boy’s name was Byron. My heart was pricked and became like melting wax. I knew God was about to say something. I responded, “That is my name also and it is my birthday.” The mom said, “Happy Birthday, his name is Byron Caleb.”
I knew that God was telling me it was time for me to begin to receive the inheritance He had for me, to live in the home of His heart as a son. All my life up until that day the orphan spirit had convinced me I was nothing and there was nothing about me that deserved dignity or honor, but the Father told me something else.
That was the day I began to understand my true identity as a son that the Father loved (Mark 1:9-11). I was accepted and honored. I didn’t have to do anything. I was no longer on the outside looking in. I was finally at home in the heart of the Father.
You can’t cast the orphan spirit out like most demonic powers. Receiving the Father’s love is the only way to break its hold (1 John 4:18-19).
Many Blessings, BW