Fathers and Sons
By Pastor Steve Maile
Malachi 4:6 NKJV
“And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Today many are being brought up without a father, yet the Bible tells us of the importance of the father’s role not only in the family but also in the Church. In 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 NKJV says, “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.” To be a father is one of the greatest calling in the ministry. Fathers are there by God to set an example, to keep you out of trouble and to offer wisdom from the Lord. Sadly, there are many Christians that are not Fathered, they might say they have a mentor or a coach but not a father. Just like Paul said, there are many teachers but not many fathers. I want to encourage you that Yes! God the Father is the Father of us all, but don’t let that be a cop out or a reason for you to not be fathered by someone in the Body of Christ. This is not a law, but make sure you life is in order, and your character is being built and developed to live a life of servanthood.
The role of a Godly father is to implement his wisdom and impart who he is into the sons and daughters the Lord has given him. Teachers teach what they know, but a father will impart who he is. Very often the Fathering anointing operates through the Apostolic ministry, we see it all through the Bible, from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, Paul and Onesimus, Peter and Mark, just to name a few, they all had a father son relationship in the Lord.
Here are some Scriptures underlined about the father son relationship:
2 Kings 2:12-13 NKJV
“And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.”
Philippians 2:19-22 NKJV
“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”
Philemon 1:10 NKJV
“I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains,”
1 Peter 5:13 NKJV
“She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.”
1- Fathers are placed by God to protect and cover.
King David in the Psalm 140:7 said, “You have covered my head in the day of battle.” Every one of us are called into battle, and in the battle you will need covering. God the Father wants to cover you, He wants to clothe you, He wants to develop you in Christ, and He wants to father you in a covenant relationship that will never be broken.
David understood honour, fatherhood anointing, and covenant, this is why he would not raise his hand against King Saul even when Saul wanted to kill him. The Scripture tells us in 2 Samuel 21:7 that David made a covenant with Jonathan, Saul’s son, and because of that covenant after Jonathan’s death, David brought Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son) to the palace and treated him as one of his sons all the days of His life. (See 2 Samuel 9:11) Mephibosheth had the father’s protection of King David, that’s why when the Gibeonites asked for the death of 7 descendants of Saul, David protected Mephibosheth. (Read the story in 2 Samuel 21.)
2 Samuel 21:7 NKJV
“But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.”
2 Samuel 9:11NKJV
“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.””
2- Fathers are there by God for the development of character.
A spiritual father in the Lord will always be on the look out for the character development of his children in the faith, and will help them in their calling in Christ. The Father is more concerned about their hearts than their gifts. Romans 11:29 NKJV tells us, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” The gifts are important and the Lord will never take those gifts away from us, but more important than the gifts is our character. There is a danger of going wrong if we don’t have a father over us.There are still some Christians who still carry an orphan spirit and reject the concept of a spiritual father, this is a problem that the Holy Spirit wants to address.
Every son and daughter in the Kingdom has to have served under another man of God and when you have been proven in little things you will be ready for bigger things.
3- Fathers are placed by God to bring correction and discipline.
1 Corinthians 4:21 NKJV “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?”
Hebrews 12:5:8 NKJV
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”
No one likes to be corrected and chastened but we need to endure it, because we must remain humble. We don’t know everything and we need godly fathers to help us with their wisdom and insight. We need to understand that any correction they bring to us come from a place of love. This is always the case with God the Father, He loves us, therefore He corrects us. Look at the example of Jesus, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8) NKJV
He was a perfect Son because He submitted to the will of the Father even dying on the cross, This is what Jesus prayed before the cross, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:41-42) NKJV
Wouldn’t we like to follow the steps of Jesus? God’s love for us will result in discipline and correction in order to get rid of the things that are not good, until we become like Him. He wants us to be partakers of his holiness, what a privilege this is for us!
It is true that there are many in positions of authority who talk to people roughly and like to control and manipulate but this is not the Kingdom way. As Proverbs 18:23 NKJV says, “The poor man uses entreaty but the rich answers roughy.” A father will speak differently, because the Fatherhood anointing is a covenantal anointing where the father seeks the well being of His children. A father is full of mercy, compassion, wisdom, and love.
Godly Fathers are rare and they need to be honoured and valued. When you find the father that the Lord has placed in your life cling to that person, this doesn’t mean that spiritual Fathers are perfect, they are not! Don’t lift them up as a god or put them on a pedestal. But equally don’t fall into a trap of showing no honour, humility, and respect.
4- Fathers are placed by God to impart.
Romans 1:1 NKJV
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established”
Paul wanted to impart spiritual gifts to the Christians in Rome, how? By praying and laying hands on them. In 2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV Paul said to Timothy, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” We see then the gift Timothy had was imparted by Paul, his father in the faith. This is such a blessing, yet if spiritual gifts can be imparted by the laying on of hands, we then need to be careful not to let anyone lay hands on us unless we know their integrity in the Kingdom, Good things can be imparted but also bad ones. We need to know the character of the ones who are imparting.
Whatever is flowing out of your spirit is always imparted through the laying on of hands. Make sure to heed the word in 1 Timothy 5:22, NKJV “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.”
5- Father bring affirmation, approval, and acceptance.
Romans 8:15 NKJV
“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.””
We are so privileged to have a relationship with God as a Father because of Jesus Christ, It is through the Father who we know who we really are, He gives us our secured identity. We cannot find identity in any other way, thing or person. We all seek for approval, affirmation and acceptance but it can only be found in God the Father through Jesus His Son.
When Jesus was baptised God the Father brought approval and affirmation, He said, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”No wonder Jesus walked on this earth with such confidence in the love of His Father and wouldn’t budged at the temptations of the devil.
There are so many dysfunctional families today and children are not getting the approval and affirmation of their fathers, so they fall into drugs, immorality and end up ruining their lives. But the Lord wants to restore fatherhood in families and in the Church. Remember our opening verse in Malachi, God is passionate in turning the hearts of fathers to their children and the children to their fathers. We need to be fathered to go further and break the curse in society of fatherlessness.
The Lord wants to bring many sons and daughters into the Kingdom and everyone needs a spiritual Father. Be fathered so you can become a father.
Lastly, Never uncover a Father but keep showing honour to him. Honour is the language of the Kingdom.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are the perfect father and we need you!
Break from us pride, rebellion and the orphan spirit we may have in us.
Your way is the best way, so I submit to your way. If fatherhood is needed in my life, then I welcome it. Thank you for your love and care for me. I want to know you more and be fathered by you.
In Jesus name I pray
Amen