Psalm 37:23-24 - "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord... Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand".
You've got to establish that your identity is independent of how well you're doing at any point of the time. My children are my children, regardless of what's going on in their lives. Regardless of whether our relationship is strained, or tense, or there's difficulties, or things have happened - that makes no difference, they're still my children. Their identity is unchanged. It's in their DNA, literally.
When you're born again, spirit of God comes into you. In your DNA, is the reality I am now partly God in me, partly human. I'm a child of God. I'm a unique new creation. Do I do everything right? No, I do dumb stuff, a lot of the time. However, that doesn't change who I am. I'm a child of God, who's in a growth mode. I'm a growing up child of God. If I'm a growing up child of God, well, cut me some slack, in case I muck it up on the way. That's why the church has to be full of grace and truth. The truth means help people face stuff. The grace means if they fall over, it's OK. Come on, get up. We love you, it hasn't changed who you are, and hasn't changed our relationship with you.
The Holy Spirit then matures us. He first establishes your identity; it's an ongoing thing. Then you secure; you're not insecure. You're not upset by stuff. A lot of people are insecure and upset by you. They're all up uppity, immature. The Holy Spirit matures us, and develops us, and it's a process of growth. He oversees your journey, and uses everything that happens to you to grow.
Romans 8:28 - "All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord, and are called according to his purpose".
"Love the Lord" means I intend to keep his commandments and do what pleases Him. "And are called according to his purpose". In other words, I've embraced His call, and I'm doing my best to love Him, then everything, even if it's dumb stuff, bad stuff, upheaval stuff - no matter what it is, it all works. God uses it to shape you, to become the man and woman of God He wants you to be. That's a great freedom in life, isn't it? Don't worry about stuff happening! Who knows what's going to happen next. Every day is full of some new surprise. That's life. You can't control it all, so just work on the basis that God can use everything to grow me, if I just respond to the leading of the spirit. He will conform me to become Christ-like.
It's painful, but face your pain. Lean into God. Lean upon the Holy Spirit, grow up, and get love coming back into your heart, and love the person. Forgive the person. Now you've grown. What was meant for evil, turn for good. You can't lose. If you just respond to the Holy Spirit, you can't lose everything. Everything will work for your good.
When he says He's the Spirit of Adoption, adoption is yet to come, for believers. Adoption is yet to come. I can't go off into that.
Romans 8:17 - "If we're Children, then we're heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if we suffer with him, in order that we may also share in his glory"
"Suffer with Him" means if we walk, and identify with Him, and go through hardships of following Him, that we may be glorified together with Him.
Romans 8:18 - "For I consider the sufferings of this present time or age not worthy compared to the glory yet to be revealed in us".
There's something God is yet to reveal to the world, because the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Romans 8:22-23 - "The whole creation is groaning and laboring with birth pains until now. Not only that, but we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies".
"Eagerly awaiting the adoption" means the resurrection, the redemption of our body, the first resurrection. This is the great hope of all believers, that our body which is ache and pains and humiliating will be changed and transformed at the coming of Christ. This is the great hope of the church. You will be resurrected. There are two resurrections, and if we will purify ourselves and journey and walk with Him, we will make that first resurrection. It's called the Great Hope. It's a hope that causes us to press on and remain diligent.