What Is the Spirit of Sonship? Being Confident in Your Identity

The spirit of sonship releases confidence and purpose in your life. Operating out of the spirit of sonship as an heir with Christ frees you to live according to God’s path

However, Paul writes in the book of Romans that there is a spirit of slavery that fights to consume your thoughts. This spirit of slavery brings fear, doubt, lack, and rejection with it. This oppressive spirit of slavery makes you feel orphaned. 

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”—Romans 8:14-15

The key to walking in confidence and freedom is to operate out of the spirit of sonship. 

The Holy Spirit Himself will bear witness that you are a child of God. The answer to the question, “What is the spirit of sonship?” can be summed up in Romans 8:17…

“and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” 

In other words, when you operate out of the spirit of sonship…

  • You have the mind of Christ
  • You believe and expect God’s promises to be manifested in your life.
  • You live according to the Spirit and not the flesh. 
  • You are confident in your God-given identity and purpose.
  • You welcome God’s direction and discipline in your life. 
  • You serve the Lord because you know you are fully adopted and accepted.
  • You receive favor and know you have every spiritual blessing. 

Let’s look at these seven operations of the spirit of sonship and the scripture verses you can come into agreement with today. Begin renewing your mind with these verses when you feel the spirit of rejection or orphan spirit set in. 

Do you struggle with depression and the feeling of rejection? 

Click HERE to find out how to battle the spirit of rejection. 

Declare God’s Word and the Spirit of Sonship

1. The Spirit of Sonship has the Mind of Christ

“For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”—1 Corinthians 2:16

2. The Spirit of Sonship Believes and Expects a Manifestation of God’s Promises

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”—Isaiah 55:11

3. The Spirit of Sonship Lives According to the Spirit

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”—Romans 8:13-14

4. The Spirit of Sonship Has Confidence in Identity and Purpose

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”—Philippians 1:6

5. The Spirit of Sonship Welcomes Godly Discipline

“If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”—Hebrews 12:7-8

6. The Spirit of Sonship Knows Full Acceptance and is Fully Adopted

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”—Ephesians 1:4-6

7. The Spirit of Sonship Receives Favor and Has Access to Every Spiritual Blessing

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”—Ephesians 1:3

“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”—Isaiah 58:11

Coming into Agreement with the Spirit of Sonship

The spirit of rejection and the orphan spirt battle the spirit of sonship. The oppressive spirits operate out of insecurity, lack, shame, and guilt. In contrast, the spirit of sonship—which you have been legally given through the blood of Christ—operates out of a place of joy, peace, prosperity, and security. 

The child of God knows the Father intimately. If you are a son or daughter of the Most High King, you know Him as Abba Father, as daddy. From this place of deep and intimate connection, you can operate out of His abundant love. 

The spirit of sonship will take thoughts captive and makes them obedient to Christ. This means when lack and insecurity bubble to the surface of your mind, you lay them at the foot of the cross, declaring Jesus’s blood has been shed and that these thoughts of anger, guilt, shame, and lack no longer have a hold on you. 

  • Renounce the oppressive spirits in the name of Jesus Christ—Yeshua the Messiah! 
  • Declare God’s promises of sonship over your life. You have been given a new life and a robe of righteousness. Lift the promises of God (written above) as proclamations of your identity. Stand up and proclaim them into the atmosphere. 
  • Welcome the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to train you to think and meditate on the thoughts of God rather than the native mindsets you are used to. Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. Decide today to “crucify the flesh,” and walk in the Spirit, according to Galatians 5:16-26. 

The Takeaway

Operating in the spirit of sonship is about coming into agreement with your God-given identity. 

You must first renounce the lies of the orphan spirit and spirit of rejection. Then allow the Holy Spirit to teach and train you to think differently. Welcome His instruction. It is then you will be able to walk confidently as the victorious child of God that the Lord says you are.