What is an Orphan Spirit? How You Can Experience God as Your Good Father Today

Trevor Lund
20 min readAug 18, 2024

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Discover the concept of an orphan spirit and learn how to experience God as your loving Father, transforming your spiritual journey with His grace and love.

In this message, we explore the concept of the orphan spirit and how it impacts our relationship with God. Learn how to experience God as your good, good Father and transform your spiritual journey with His love and grace. Discover practical steps to heal from an orphan spirit and embrace the fatherhood of God in your daily life. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on deepening your faith and understanding God’s love.

Trevor H. Lund is the founder of Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca and the Creative Storyteller at https://revtrev.com. Subscribe and set notifications on YouTube at https://revtrev.com/tv and visit https://revtrev.com/radio to subscribe to his podcast wherever you listen.

Orphan Spirit

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Read Psalm 68:1–6

Someone left a comment on our church website.

“Do you have any further study of God as a Father? I have an orphan spirit from my past and a leader has said that to defeat it I need to study the fatherness of God.”

I thought it was a great question, and was surprised to learn I’ve never addressed it head on.

As I got into studying on it, I realized I had more than enough material for at least six messages and understood God was prompting me to change my plans for one of the courses I know He wants to do. It’s coming together amazingly and you’ll reap the benefit of it first.

The problem with the “Orphan Spirit”

The problem is the Bible never talks about the “orphan spirit” it’s a term we’ve coined more recently to describe a situation that many Christians find themselves in.

An “orphan spirit” is a term used in some Christian circles to describe a mindset or attitude where a person feels abandoned, rejected, or without a sense of belonging, particularly in a spiritual sense.

This can manifest in feelings of isolation, insecurity, and self-reliance rather than trusting in God’s love and provision.

Fatherlessness

The biblical term that is often associated with the concept of an “orphan spirit” is “fatherless” and that feeling of fatherlessness that can be a better term to reflect the condition of being without a father, which can imply feelings of abandonment, lack of guidance, and emotional pain.

Let me highlight what I see in the Bible around fatherlessness. We are told…

8 things the Bible says God is to the Fatherless

God is…

1. …a father to the fatherless Psalm 68:5

(NJKV) “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”

2. …a helper to the fatherless Psalm 10:14

(NKJV) “But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.”

3. …a protector of the fatherless Jeremiah 49:11

(NKJV) “Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive; and let your widows trust in me.”

4. …the one who shows mercy to the fatherless Hosea 14:3

(NKJV) “Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say anymore, ‘To the work of our hands we will not rise.’ For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”

5. …the one who vindicates the fatherless Psalm 10:18

(NKJV) “To vindicate the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.”

6. …the one who executes justice for the fatherless Deuteronomy 10:18

(NKJV) “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.”

7. …the one who relieves the fatherless Psalm 146:9

(NKJV): “The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.”

8. …the one who places the lonely in families Psalm 68:6

(NLT) God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

God is speaking about literal orphans, not just someone with an orphan spirit.

But it does show us his heart towards those who feel and act like an orphan, even when they are amazingly loved by Him.

God’s heart is for the fatherless. He is as a protector and provider for those who are fatherless, highlighting His desire to fill the void left by earthly fathers.

We see His heart towards them in how He wants us to show His heart to them:

11 Ways the Bible Says we are to treat the Widows and Fatherless

God wants us to…

1. …worship him by visiting the fatherless James 1:27

(NKJV): “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

2.…care for the fatherless Proverbs 19:17

(NLT): If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord — and he will repay you!

3. …defend the fatherless Psalm 82:3

(NKJV): “Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.”

4. ..never mistreat the fatherless Exodus 22:22–24

(NKJV) “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.”

5. …never oppress the fatherless Zechariah 7:10

(NKJV): “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.”

6. …never steal from the fatherless Isaiah 10:1–2

(NKJV): “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless.”

7. …never pervert justice against the fatherless Deuteronomy 24:17

(NKJV): “You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge.”

8. …never steal the land of the fatherless Proverbs 23:10–11

(NKJV): “Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless; For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.”

9. …never do violence against the fatherless Jeremiah 22:3

(NKJV): “Thus says the Lord: ‘Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.’”

10. …stand up for the fatherless Isaiah 1:17

(NKJV): “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.”

11. …speak for those who can’t speak for themselves Proverbs 31:8–9

(NLT) Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

We are to show God’s heart to people who have God’s attention, even if they don’t feel they have His attention.

How do you know if you have an orphan spirit?

An “orphan spirit” is a made up term and with made up terms I feel we can do better. I’ve too often seen someone in a position of power tell someone “You’re operating from an orphan spirit” to put someone in their place who offers a different perspective that they disagree with.

I think the term “feeling of fatherlessness” is better because it’s a feeling, not a position.

It moves it from something I need to be cast out of me and I need to be delivered from to something I can confess and repent of — as I’m convicted and prompted and empowered by Holy Spirit.

It’s like I have responsibility but it’s Holy Spirit’s work in me.

There is a metanoia — a changing of our mind, a repentance that needs to take place. But the difference is how we think and feel and not on who we are.

Does “feeling Fatherless” make better sense?

Feeling Fatherless refers to a mindset or attitude that manifests a sense of abandonment, lack of belonging, and feelings of inadequacy. Individuals with this mindset may exhibit several characteristics. Here are some common traits along with biblical citations that encourage positive change in the emotion:

8 Characteristics of Feeling Fatherless and what to remember

  1. Feelings of abandonment
  2. Fear of Rejection
  3. Insecure Identity
  4. Striving for Approval
  5. Isolation and Withdrawal
  6. Difficulty Trusting Others
  7. Bitterness and Resentment
  8. . Lack of Purpose

1. Feelings of Abandonment

People with an orphan spirit often feel abandoned and alone, leading to deep emotional pain.

Remember: Psalm 27:10 (NKJV): “When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.”p

2. Fear of Rejection

A constant fear of being rejected can stem from feeling unloved or unaccepted.

Remember 1 John 4:18 (NLT): “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

3. Insecure Identity

Feeling Fatherless can lead to uncertainty about one’s identity and worth.

Remember Galatians 4:7 (NLT): “Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.”

4. Striving for Approval

Individuals may strive excessively for approval and validation from others, feeling they must earn love.

Remember Ephesians 1:6 (NLT): “So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.”

5. Isolation and Withdrawal

A tendency to isolate themselves due to fear or past hurts can be prevalent.

Remember Hebrews 10:24–25 (NLT): “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

6. Difficulty Trusting Others

A distrustful attitude towards others can be common, stemming from feelings of betrayal or hurt.

Remember Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

7. Bitterness and Resentment

An orphan spirit may lead to feelings of bitterness towards others, particularly authority figures.

Remember Hebrews 12:15 (NLT): “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

8. Lack of Purpose

Individuals may struggle with a sense of purpose or direction in life, feeling lost or aimless.

Remember Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT): “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

The characteristics associated with an orphan spirit can create significant barriers to experiencing love, acceptance, and fulfillment in life. Recognizing these traits can be the first step toward healing and embracing one’s identity as a beloved child of God.

Those are tips to help you see if you’re feeling fatherless and how you can start not working out of fatherlessness. Sometimes that’s all somebody needs.

You make the decision to stop thinking from lack and what you don’t have and start being thankful for all you have and those verses become anchors for you to think God’s thoughts about your situation. You confess your thinking not God’s thoughts, train your brain to think God’s thoughts.

And you’re good. You realize God is good, and is working all things together for the good of making you more and more like Jesus, so you’re good.

But others may have a bit of a journey to get to the place that you don’t think I’m doing you a disservice to you to make you think slapping a Bible verse on a feeling is all you need to change it.

The length of your journey has little to do with how long you’ve been a follower of Christ and more to do with the lies you believe.

(This is where this one message becomes at least five more. )

How do you Break the (Orphan Spirit) Feeling of Fatherlessness?

To break the feeling of fatherlessness you need to know you have a Father who loves you. It can’t be head knowledge alone, it needs to be worked into the day-to-day of your everyday.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you need to live LOVED

What does it mean to Live LOVED?

That’s a great question. Here’s what the Bible tells us about what living loved looks like.

If you’re not growing more and more like this, you may be hindered by feelings of fatherlessness…

To live loved means that we’re loved…

and the fact we’re loved by God is most important. John 16:27, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:1; 4:10;19, Revelation 1:5
Because God’s love for us surpasses knowledge Ephesians 3:17–19
and nothing can separate us from His love…Romans 8:35–39
…remembering God is love and love comes from God 1 John 4:7–8;16
…and he disciplines those He loves. Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19

To live loved means that we love God…

…with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength. Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27
…more than the earliest, dearest and nearest love. Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:25
…more than anything else in this world. Matthew 6:24,Luke 16:13, 1 John 2:15
and show it by obeying Jesus…John 14:15, John 14:21, John 14:23, John 15:10, 1 John 4:18–22, 1 John 2:3–5, 1 John 3:10 , 1 John 3:23, 1 John 5:2–3, 2 John 1:6
…helping his people Hebrews 6:10, 1 John 3:11,17–18
…caring for the least of these Matthew 25:32–40
and seeking His Kingdom in all things… Matthew 6:33
Knowing we’re promised a crown of life…. James 1:12

To live loved means we love in action and truth

Our motivation is love… 1 Corinthians 16:14, 2 Corinthians 5:14, Galatians 5:6, Colossians 3: 17
Our labour is prompted by love… 1 Thessalonians 1:3
We’re generous… 2 Corinthians 8:7–8
We speak the truth in love… Ephesians 4:15
We walk in love… Ephesians 5:1
We grow in love… Philippians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:10
We keep ourselves in God’s love… Jude 1:21
We have peace and are thankful… Colossians 3:14–15
We find comfort in love… Philippians 2:1
Our love springs from hope… Colossians 1:5
We have compassion, kindness, humility and patience Colossians 3:12

To live loved means we love each other

We love each other as we love ourselves… Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8, 1 John 4:10–11; 2 John 1:5
Because He first loved us… 1 John 4:19–20
Our love is sincere, we’re devoted to one another with brotherly love and honour one another above ourselves… Romans 12:9–10
We share with God’s people who are in need and practice hospitality… Romans 12:13
We forgive… Colossians 3:13–14
We are patient, kind. We don’t envy, don’t boast and are not proud… 1 Corinthians 13:4
We are not rude, we’re not self-seeking, we’re not easily angered… 1 Corinthians 13:5
We’re unoffendable and keep no record of being wronged… 1 Corinthians 13:5
We always protect, always trust, always hope and always persevere. 1 Corinthians 13:7
We are united together John 17:23
And can’t be motivated by fear 1 John 4:18
Knowing love covers a multitude of sins 1 Peter 4:8
The only debt that remains outstanding is our debt to love one another…Romans 13:8

To live loved means we love even our enemies

We don’t take revenge… Romans 12:19
If our enemy is hungry we feed them or thirsty we give them something to drink…Romans 12:20
We bless those who curse us… Luke 6:28
We pray for those who persecute us…Matthew 5:44
If someone strikes one cheek, we turn the other to them…Matthew 5:39
We represent our Father who is love and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous…Matthew 5:45

Are you living LOVED?

How can you live that way? How can you live more and more this way?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

You can live knowing you are LOVED. We’ll use the word LOVED to help us remember.

How to Live LOVED Tool

L — Leave pretence behind
O — Operate out of who God says you are
V — Value revelation
E — Embark on having well-healed wounds
D — Draw ever-deeper into His love

L — Leave pretence behind

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Are you honest with God? Do you regularly pour out your heart to him? Learn to do this, it will serve you well for now and all eternity.

Be honest with God. The most powerful tool to be honest with God is to use the phrase: “It’s not that it’s true, but it feels that it’s true that…”

Your emotions tell you what you actually believe. For example — Since the God of all hope fills us with all peace and joy as we trust in him… if I don’t have peace and joy, I know I’m not trusting him. So I can go to him and ask him “What am I not trusting you in or for?” He will show me. I’ve asked for wisdom, he gives it generously without finding fault. Then I agree with him — that’s confession, confession is agreeing with God. Repentance is changing my mind and turning around and going in the opposite direction. Then I have peace and joy again.

Tip:

Use the language of the Psalms. Psalms are emotional truth. They will stretch your theological comfort at times.

To live loved you need to stop pretending with God.

The good news is..

The surprise is for you, not Him. He won’t ever be surprised (Psalm 139:1–4) or disappointed in you (Romans 8:38–39).

Am I done with pretending with God?

O — Operate out of who God says you are

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You do good works because of who God says you are, not to get his approval or others approval. You don’t do it for the show, or do it for the dough. You don’t do it for the worry or do it for the hurry. This is what Jesus told us in the sermon on the mount, you know the message where he revealed more and more and more about our good Father.

Tip:

Go to https://revtrev.com/realme and print off your personalized identity in Christ. Print it off and start memorizing or reminding yourself of it.

The good news is…

He empowers you to accomplish every good work prompted by faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Am I living out who God says I am?

V — Value revelation

Romans 8:15–17 “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”

Since you’ve received him and believed in his name, you have the right to be a child of God (John 1:12). Since you are led by the Spirit you show you are a child of God (Romans 8:14–16) Since you are in Christ through faith, you are a child of God (Galatians 3:26–27). You have been chosen before creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:4–5) as all his children have. See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are (1 John 3:1).

That’s our theological understanding. How do we move it from thought to practice?

Tip: Be grateful for what’s been revealed to you, ask Holy Spirit to teach you how to make that make a difference in your life.

The good news is…

Holy Spirit does the work of transformation. Our role is to be in the Book.

Do I value the revelation of His love I have right now?

E — Embark on having well-healed wounds

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

The first time I heard this phrase it came out of my mouth as a word of knowledge. I was teaching at a church in Calgary on how to fast from negativity. I said something like “Some of you take pride in your wounds and you need to know God takes pleasure in your well-healed wounds.” Afterwords…

When Jesus showed his disciples his nail-scarred hands and offered to show them his wounded side, he was showing them well healed wounds.

Well healed wounds are what he wants for us.

Many have had cruel, abusive or absent fathers, so how can they relate to the God of the universes using the same name as someone who has hurt them?

It’s only when you have well-healed wounds that you can.

Tip:

It could take:
- counselling,
- community,
- forgiveness,
- living unoffended at God.

Miracles can happen, but often God uses process. If you’ve been wounded in community, you need to be healed in community.

The good news is…

He works all things together to make us more and more like Jesus. He will finish the good work He’s started in you.

Are my wounds healing well?

D — Draw ever-deeper into His love

Ephesians 3:14–19 (NIVUK) For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Tip:

We want to learn to value God’s opinion more than our own.

Since he rejoices to see the work begin in us to recognize His love for us and alignment of our lives to live loved, it’s ok if we’re not a finished product.

There may be days we don’t live like Jesus told us to live. He reminds us on the sermon on the mount that we have a good Father in heaven in…

The good news is…

Your Father…
…sees what is done in secret and will reward you
…knows what you need
…sees what is done in secret and will reward you
… forgives you
…sees what is done in secret and will reward you
… feeds and takes care of the needs…
… knows that you need them.
Your Father is perfect.

Do I have a growing revelation of God’s incomprehensible love?

How can you better understand God as Father?

Learn to Live LOVED

L — Leave pretence behind Psalm 62:8 Am I done with pretending with God?
O — Operate out of who God says you are Ephesians 2:10 Am I living out who God says I am?
V — Value ongoing revelation Romans 8:15–17 Do I value the revelation of His love I have right now?
E — Embark on having well-healed wounds Psalm 147:3 Are my wounds healing well?
D — Draw ever-deeper into His love Ephesians 3:14–19 Do I have a growing revelation of God’s incomprehensible love?

Conclusion

There is no biblical term called the Orphan Spirit. There is a position that lead to disadvantage called fatherlessness that God shows his heart for and instructs us to care for.

Feeling Fatherless -what some people call the orphan spirit- is broken through the ever-revealing, never fully understanding revelation of the love of God and responding to His love by living LOVED.

My prayer for you today is Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesus.

Ephesians 1:17–21, 3:16–19 (NIVUK)

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I speak against any feelings of fatherlessness and call out for wounds to be well-healed. I speak peace to storms and faith where doubts assail. I speak life. I speak hope. I speak joy…

You are loved. Live LOVED.

Podcasts, Live Cast and Training on knowing God

Read more at >>> http://revtrev.com/living-light/how-to-know-god-as-father/

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Trevor Lund

I help you to not conform but be transformed so you can have peace at all times and in every situation