THE NOTHOS SYNDROME
Before we begin...
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Lets look at a true son
Spirit of Sonship
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“Christ was faithful as a Son over His house”
(Hebrews 3:6)
You can only be a Father if you are a Son.
Example of a true son, Timothy
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A genuine son embraces and cares for the concerns
of his father. Philippians 2:20.
A son is not self-centred. Philippians 2:21
A son serves his father. Philippians 2:22
A son serving his father is compared in this passage
with serving Christ. Philippians 2:21,22
A son can be sent to represent the father.
Philippians 2:19, 1 Corinthians 4:16,17
A son reproduces himself. 2 Timothy 2:2
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Exposing the Nothos Syndrome in
our lives
“Christ was faithful as a Son over His house”
(Hebrews 3:6)
Nothos
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‘Nothos denotes an illegitimate child, one born out
of lawful wedlock.’
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
(Hebrews 12:8, AV)
Roots of the Nothos Syndrome
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Unsure of/Loss of identity
Loss of father
Dysfunctional father; absent, distant, disinterested
Abusive father; verbal, physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual
Misunderstanding
Wrong teaching
Poor or incorrect example set by church leaders/parents
Self-centredness
Immaturity
Trauma
Group One: Spirit of a Hireling
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“He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is
not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf
coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the
wolf snatches them, and scatters them.” (John
10:12)
“He flees because he is a hireling, and is not
concerned about the sheep.” (John 10:13)
Identifying a Hireling Spirit
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Works for a wage.
Institution mentality.
Comfortable commitment.
Disappears under pressure.
Not whole-hearted
My way
Takes offence, gives criticism
Reasons from part to whole
Correction
Finds it easy to leave
Group Two: Spirit of an Orphan
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The root for the Hebrew word 'orphan'
means 'to be lonely'.
Example of an orphan spirit, Ishmael.
Genesis 16:3-12; Genesis 21:9,10.
Defining an Orphan Spirit
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Independence and self-reliance.
Live by the Love of Law.
Insecure and lacking peace.
Strives for man's approval.
Motivated by need for personal achievement.
Christian disciplines are a duty.
Holiness brings God's favour.
Opinion of self derived from comparison with others.
Defining an Orphan Spirit
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Comfort sought in counterfeit affections.
Threatened by peers.
Exposing of other's faults to improve own standing.
Find it difficult to receive admonition.
Conditional expression of love.
Walks in condition of bondage.
Spiritual ambition to achieve and be seen and
counted among the mature.
Attitude to the future is fight for what you can get.
Group Three: Spirit of Slavery
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So then brethren, we are not children of the
bondwoman, but of the free woman.
(Galatians 4:31)
Identifying a spirit of slavery
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Sonship
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Parentage
Free woman and Father God
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Covenant; Hebrews 12:22-24
Mount Zion – New Covenant
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Basis of acceptance
Promise
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Inheritance
Heir to all the Father has
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Timescale; John 8:35
Permanent, the son stays forever
Slavery
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Parentage
Bond-woman and Satan
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Covenant; Hebrews 12:22-24
Mount Sinai – Moses' Law
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Basis of acceptance
Works
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Inheritance
None
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Timescale; John 8:35
Temporary, the slave does not remain in
the house
Identifying a spirit of slavery
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Sonship
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Yoke; Matthew 11:29-30
Light, easy
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Attitude
Peace and rest
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Characteristic feeling;
Life, hope and confidence
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Depth of relationship Rom 8:15
Intimate
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Assurance of salvation
Certain
Slavery
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Yoke; Matthew 11:29-30
Heavy, burdensome
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Attitude
Lack of peace, always work to be done
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Characteristic feeling;
Death, hopelessness and fear
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Depth of relationship
Superficial
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Assurance of salvation
None
Identifying a spirit of slavery
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Sonship examples
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Jacob
Abel
Paul
Onesimus
Slavery examples
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Esau
Cain
Saul
Onesimus
Group Three: Spirit of Slavery
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Watch out for the warning signs.
Has serving the Lord or serving in the church has
become a duty or a chore?
For you have not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of
adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!
(Romans 8:15)
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Dealing with the Nothos Spirit
Spiritual orphans, hirelings and slaves do not
have legal rights to the inheritance.
Dealing with the roots
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Loss of father. Fathering. Understanding that God is
Father to the fatherless.
Father of the fatherless and a judge for the
widows, is God in His holy habitation. (Psalm 68:5).
Dysfunctional father; absent, distant, disinterested.
Fathering. Forgiveness and healing. Understanding
the character of God.
Abusive father; verbal, physical, emotional, sexual,
spiritual. Fathering. Forgiveness and healing.
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Dealing with the roots
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Misunderstanding. Fathering. Equipping and
teaching the truth.
Wrong teaching. Fathering. Correction.
Poor or incorrect example set by church
leaders/parents. Fathering. Forgiveness and
equipping.
Self-centredness. Repentance. Fathering.
Trauma. Fathering. Healing, equipping and
restoration.
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Dealing with the Nothos Spirit
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Approach your life from a godly perspective
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But to this one I will look, to the afflicted and contrite spirit, and the one
who trembles at My Word. (Isaiah 66:2)
Acceptance
Confession and repentance
Receive forgiveness
Walk out the heart's decision
Walk in your inheritance