Lord, thank You that this person knows You and has welcomed in Your Spirit—the guarantee of their final adoption. This person is now Your child, and You will never forget or leave this person behind. Remind them gently and often of Your great love and that You will keep Your promise of eternity through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In Christ, Amen.
just saw this logging in-- and a continual battle sometimes for some; What you have said here is very powerful. "the guarantee of their final adoption." since it's from the Biblle. the Holy Spirit brings "conviction" which means feeling a need to change to please God, while oppressing/depression spirits/heaviness; PTSD; and countless issues like past legalism, childhood trauma, etc...
these things can bring a deceiving spirit of "condemnation," which is a false spirit, as the Apostle John said, "if our heart condemns us, we know God is greater than our hearts." (1John 3:20) This is one of the most powerful verses against depression and fear, also. the idea is that our own human power (feelings or thoughts) does not have the power or authority to either justify us or condemn us. neither do lying spirits, even though they may try to get us to rely on ourselves, which would be a form of idolatry, instead of a believing and trusting--faith (even without seeing, or even feeling) in a power greater than ourselves--Jesus and the New Covenant.
"Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," Ephesians 1:5; American King James Version; biblehub.com)
it's only natural when people are stressed out or in a crisis to reach for what we are familiar with--
but, you can't "walk on water" that way--
faith calls us to believe in God's vast power before it is revealed to us, as we are prepared each day, by day...
God's power is too dangerous to be revealed directly to us as people, at least not unless we are prepared for it.
This is big talk coming from this mustard seed-guy, mr. pills and barely able to get out of bed; but--
trust me-- it works on paper....
"the battle belongs to the LORD;" gotta disengage from that gerbil wheel--- step off it...
into freedom--
LET'S DO IT TODAY--NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WALK STEADILY, STEP, BY STEP, ON THE "WATERS OF LIFE"...
knowing that our safety does not even depend on our ability to believe--(are we still children of God when we are asleep?)
but to receive Divine grace...
being "saved," or "justified," is not walking on water either--that would make ourselves and the water an idol too--
if we think our salvation depends on our ability to walk on water, so-to-speak, like some churches teach, it will only lead to relying on ourselves which will never get us there---
all these supporting verses can be found in freedom ministries that focus on these areas of weakness, deliverance, depression, oppression-- or just from supportive Christian friends, pastors, the Bible--concordance and internet...