Role of the Spiritual Father
Today’s Focus: A Father’s Desire
Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17; John 5:19
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Growing up as a young boy in my parent’s
house, I can distinctly remember times when my father was always introducing me
and my brothers to family. I remember
saying “man, dad wants us to know everybody” and at the time I did not think I
would remember anybody because there was so many. My father would speak about the past and the
way things were and how His father raised him.
I can even remember times when we stepped out of line with family and
how any and everybody could have disciplined and punished us. Hey, I can remember hearing my dad say “If he
acts up, blister his butt”. Now I am
being real about this but my father was huge on respect for your elders outside
of your immediate family. I remember
times when my dad would say: “Hey guys I am proud of you”. But one thing I do remember distinctly is
that he did not accept failure on any level.
He believed that we could be the best and anything and mediocre was not
acceptable. He pushed us hard and
sometimes it did not work because of our personalities but nonetheless he
pushed because he loved. As a young man
I did not understand it all but now as I have grown I can appreciate what my
father was doing and how he desired that we carry on the family name and take
it to the next level, never forgetting the foundations that were laid by those
before us. I said all this and I am sure
that many of you can relate but unfortunately, and this saddens my heart, some
cannot because there was no father in the home to discipline and hold these
things down. The role of a father in
these days is more crucial than ever and with two sons, I am understanding more
and more the importance of focusing on the spiritual growth of my family.
When we talk about spiritual fathers, we have
stated that it is a mature son of God demonstrating the ways and nature of the
Father. Now just like it was my father’s desire for me to take the family to
the next level and take it past where he and his brothers brought it, so is it
with the spiritual father. There is a since of pride that a father receives
when their son is achieving and growing beyond the heights that they made it
to. The spiritual father delights in this same thing. The spiritual father’s role is to mature the
sons. He desires and longs for the
children that God has assigned him to mature to learn from him and then take it
to the next step in preparing the sons for the return of Christ. The pride he has comes from a loving heart
and affection for the sons. Now the sons
know that the fathers love them because it is evident in the time spent in
teaching and nurturing the son. The sons
obedience to their fathers bring honor to the house and joy into the father’s
heart. A great example of this is our
Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. Let me show
you!
Matthew 3:13-17: Then
cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to
be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.
Then he suffered Him. And Jesus when He was baptized, went straightway
out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice
from Heaven, saying: THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED
The Father was extremely proud of His son for
His obedience and submission unto Him.
Jesus understood that to be one with the Father, He must be submitted,
spirit, soul and flesh to Him. In being
one with the Father there is a consistency brought to the Earth in this fact:
John 5:19: Verily
verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the
Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
This is the consistency a spiritual father
must demonstrate. In the next message we
will look at the results of inconsistent fathering on the natural and spiritual
level.
Peace, Love and Grace,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
