by Pastor Wendall Ward
The Light Came On
In Part 1, I shared a personal testimony of how I became aware of my own orphaned soul. I learned that I had a distorted understanding of God as Father. This awareness put me on a journey to understand the truth. It was the Word that set me free from the nagging ignorance of my heart and mind. In Part 2, we contrasted the traits of an orphaned soul with the spirit of sonship. Everything became clear when I was reading the gospel of John. The essential truth jumped out at me. I came upon the words of Jesus that declared, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
In that moment, the light came on. I began to understand the truth that started the healing process in my life. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? ANYONE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER” (John 14:6-9 NIV).
Hearing the Tender Voice of God
In that sacred exchange between Jesus and Philip, we hear more than a theological answer. We hear the tender voice of the Good Shepherd leading a searching heart into truth. Philip longed to see the Father. Maybe he believed that one more visible sign would
finally satisfy the ache within him. But Jesus lovingly turned Philip’s gaze back to Himself. Here He revealed the essential truth that to truly see the Son is to truly see the Father.
Another revelation came from looking at the Greek word horao. It means a deeper kind of seeing. Not like a hurried glance, it is the steady gaze of a heart that begins to discern what God is revealing. Seeing with understanding means paying attention to what is before us. It is through a lived experience we come to know Him. Jesus was showing Philip that the Father is not found through distance, fear, or imagination. Instead knowing the Father comes through the living, visible revelation of Christ. For the orphaned soul, this foundational truth becomes a place of healing. As we behold Jesus, we begin to recognize the Father as He has always been. He is near, faithful, loving, and fully revealed in the Son.
The Heart of Jesus is the Heart of the Father
So, the essential truth that begins the healing journey for the orphaned soul is clear. The heart we see displayed in Jesus is the heart of the Father toward you and me, His beloved creation. This revelation does not usually come to the proud or self-sufficient heart. It is received by the humble heart that is willing to be searched, taught, and healed by the Word and the Spirit.
Like David, we learn to pray with openness before God. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be ANY HURTFUL WAY IN ME and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23- 24 NASB). In that place of surrender, the Father begins to expose the wounded ways we have misunderstood Him. He gently leads us into the truth of who He really is.
Living From Belonging Not Fear
Next, when we speak of the Father’s heart, we are speaking of the deep, personal, and steadfast love of God. This heart is revealed to us as a perfect and compassionate Father. He is not distant, harsh, or waiting to condemn. On the contrary, He is near in mercy, faithful in love, and committed to the restoration of His children. His love is not earned by our performance. It is not withdrawn because of our weakness. The love of the Father receives us through relationship. Therefore, He invites us to live from belonging rather than fear. This is a big shift from the orphan soul to the place of a son.
We are Sons and Daughters
This is a big shift from the orphan soul to the place of a son. Receiving love that brings us into adoption and belonging. In Christ, we are no longer outsiders trying to prove our worth. Neither are we slaves striving to earn a place in the household of God. We are sons and daughters who have been welcomed and drawn near. We are given the Spirit by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” That truth begins to quiet the fear, shame, and insecurity that often live in the orphaned soul. The Father’s love gives the heart a safe place to rest. It’s in that place of respite where healing begins.
Healing From the Past- God Welcomes the Broken
For many, this revelation also confronts distorted views of authority. It reframes painful memories connected to earthly parents or leaders. The Father does not ignore those wounds. Instead He meets us where we are and shows us compassion. Through Jesus, we discover that God welcomes the broken. He forgives the repentant. In Him there is restoration for the weary. He pursues the lost with tenderness. Christ is the clearest revelation of the Father’s heart. As we behold Him, the anxious places within us begin to learn a new truth. We are not abandoned. We are not rejected, and we are not alone.
Every Wounded Heart Can Come Home to the Father
Jesus places this healing invitation before every orphaned soul. “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.” He is not simply correcting Philip’s understanding. He is opening the way for every wounded heart to come home to the Father through the revelation of the Son. To truly know Jesus is to discover the Father. He is not hidden behind disappointment, distance, or fear. We see Him clearly in the compassion of Christ. He is evident in His mercy toward the broken. We see Him in His welcome of the weary. We encounter Him in His faithful love toward those who feel forgotten.
Finally, the more we come to know Jesus, the more the false images of the Father begin to lose their power. The orphaned soul begins to hear a better word. You are not fatherless. You are not forsaken. There is no need to strive for a place in His house. In Christ, the Father has come near. Through Christ, we are brought home.
For More
Be sure to read Parts 1 and 2 for the full message.
Part 1 https://bethewordministry.com/healing-the-orphaned-soul/
Part 2 https://bethewordministry.com/comparing-the-orphan-soul-with-the-spirit-of-adoption/