GALATIANS 4:1-3 (NLT)

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. ² They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. ³ And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles^[a] of this world.

Being easily triggered or offended by things is an indication that we’re spiritually and mentally immature. We can internalize and translate things in our mind that either doesn’t align with what God says about us and/or a situation. Sometimes it’s just us projecting our insecurities onto someone else. We start out as babes in Christ but, once we repent and give our life to God, we’re expected to grow into spiritual adulthood. He wants growth, maturity and productivity out of us. Our childish ways of thinking and behaving keeps us from receiving our inheritance, The Promise. There are things inherited to us by our Heavenly father that we can only receive once we reach a certain level of maturity.

GROW INTO YOUR INHERITANCE! DON’T MISS WHAT THE FATHER HAS PROMISED YOU BY BEING IMMATURE.

Maturity requires self-awareness and acknowledgement. There are times when we have to admit some uncomfortable facts about ourselves. We have to acknowledge when we’re mentally and spiritually childish and need to grow up. Immaturity is unacceptable to God. He wants us humble and child-like (teachable) but, NOT immature.

1 Cor. 13:11 (KJV) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Cor. 14:20 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.

(AMP) Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].

Prov. 22:4 (ESV) The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.

1. WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS CHILDISH?
   1. What worked for you last year (season) that isn’t going to work for you in this year (season)?
      • Instead of changing everything around you to fit your suit, CHANGE YOUR SUIT
      • Change environments and influences
   2. Recognize that old you is no longer NEW you
      1. STAY ON THE WALL & DON’T COME DOWN
         • Stay where you are until the work God is doing within you and through you is perfected/completed.

Philip. 1:6 (NKJV) 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;

Nehemiah 6:3 (AMP) So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to [meet with] you?

1.) We were slaves to the law UNTIL Jesus came

• Remain in the place and posture God instructed you to be in UNTIL he says otherwise
  • No one else has to understand what God is saying or doing through you; He will reveal to those connected to him
• Don’t entertain trivial or vain comments. They’re sent as a distraction
  • Keep your eyes and focus on God and on your assignment
  • You’re NOT responsible for what “they” say but, you’re responsible for your response to what they say.
  • FOCUS on what God says to you…

1. You ARE a child of the promise
2. You ARE no longer a slave to sin or your past
3. The Son has made you FREE
4. You ARE right where you’re supposed to be when you’re in the Will of God
5. HE WILL establish you and perfect the work He’s doing through you

GAL. 4:28-31 (NLT)

²⁸ And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. ²⁹ But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. ³⁰ But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^[j] 31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.