Fathered By God

We have seen that there are no perfect human fathers. And that there is hunger in every heart to connect with dad. Last week we said that we all long for the father blessing. A blessing that gives us identity, security and acceptance in unconditional love, and confidence in validation. We said that ultimately, only God, the ultimate father, can truly bless us.

The father hunger in every human being points to a higher need – a need for Father God. There is a thirst for a perfect father in each one of us. One who will always love us unconditionally. And the father will always reach out to us – may be it was a wake up call for you. A diagnosis, a friend passing on, a difficult patch in life… the Father has been trying to reach out to you for a connection.

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The 5 P’s of a dad;

1. Provision – Only God can provide for you without limitation. In the desert he fed over a million people for 40 years.
2. Protection – Only God can protect you like God. (Psalm 127: 1b Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.) God, a man of war, protected Israel in all manner of ways: once he threw stones and killed many soldiers, in another war he sent angels to slaughter the foreign armies.
3. Prophet – Only God can tell you who you are, truly. He is the Prophet.
4. Priest – Only God can intercede for you in the way He does. (Hebrews tells us Jesus ever lives at the right hand of God to pray for us).
5. Presence – When you go through the fire, it will not burn you (only refine you). Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will be with you.

His word tells us; Psalms 68:5

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

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Parable of this eternal father is found in Luke 15:11-31. A few points to note:

• The father was the constant. The main character in the story is dad. He made all the difference – He is the rock! He is loving, caring, freeing and redemptive. He is a true dad. He represents God the Father.

• Younger son (prodigal) decided to go have fun until famine struck. When he came to his senses, he remembered dad. Home is being in a good relationship with dad. (Hell here on earth, and hell fire, is basically a fatherless existence. Separation with dad invites trouble – as it was with Adam, Israel…)

• The highlight of the story is reconciliation with dad. True life begins when we come back to our heavenly father. When we get home, we are not servants, but sons who qualify for inheritance. We get several things: embrace – an expression of unconditional love and acceptance, ring – sense of belonging and authority to be a son, robes – covering of shame and restoration of dignity, sandals – protection from wounds, and a party – celebration and deep joy in a loving community.

• Older son had issues too – an attitude of entitlement, boredom of being at home and doing the right thing, jealous of the latecomer. Many of us have been around dad for years, but we have missed the adventure of the relationship.

• Verse 31: The promise of the father is twofold: his presence and inheritance. My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. Yours for a mission, to make a story.

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Who is your daddy? Who do you look like, and connect with?

God longs to walk with you and give you a place in a larger story.

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For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son-ship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now, if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

 

Romans 8:15-17. Verse 19 says:

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

 

God as a father calls you out, takes you on a journey and gives you your true name. He called out Abraham, gave him a new name and took him on the most exciting journey of faith. He wants to call you out – out of the boredom of being home and safe. You were not saved to live a safe life – there is a dangerous mission God has for you. The firstborn son needed to allow himself to be fathered. Some of us have been at the place of this son. Settled, bored – no exploits. Nothing much to shoe for who you are named after. Comfortable with sin and things that are contrary to the values of home. Walking in weakness in the midst of power. Are you an ignorant son?

When will you start to exercise your rights of victory, power, strength, joy, and glory?

God will father you by giving you his DNA (character) and POWER. God will open doors for you. He will lead you into your mission! As a dad, he will heal you when you are wounded. He will work on your character through trials and tests. (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job) He will test you on finances, on submission, on morality and perseverance. Are you ready to live like a son?

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Where are you in your walk with dad? Some of us need to get back home. Others need to seek him for the mission he has for us. Others need to stop living bored lives and remember that as sons we have everything you need for a great life. You are equipped to walk as the son of God. God is calling us to do 2 things:

 

1. Return – we need to go back home/in to a great relationship with dad. That takes confessing our sins and turning away from them. Quit cheap living and hide and seek games with dad.
2. Relate – let us go into a season of seeking God in prayer. Let us awaken a desire to experience God and his power. Let us join Paul in saying: I want to know him and the power of his resurrection. We need to have adventure with God as we enjoy all his benefits and privileges. OMBI class is about to do a 21 day fast. What if we joined them to seek God for his presence?

God is raising us to change the city, take the continent and win the world. It is going to take more than being professionals. Our brains or productions wont hack it. What defines a church is the presence of dad – his character and power. Without that, we are an experiment about to flop.

Let us arise, return home and get down to relating fervently with our God. Will we let God father us?

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• 04 Fathered By God (Who’s Your Daddy) from Mavuno Church. Check out Mavuno Sermons on Vimeo

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