Foundation of Fatherhood
“A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.” — Unknown
Father is destiny. When fathers don’t fulfil their God-given mandate, destinies are aborted. The cornerstone and foundation of fatherhood is God. Since the eternal character and nature of God is that of a Father, it follows that every father, in a certain sense, represents God. In another sense, we may say that a father, a good father, is the most God-like thing a man can become. It is a man’s highest achievement. As a male, a husband, and a father, you must succeed, first and foremost, as a husband and father before you can succeed in any other capacity. To succeed in other areas but fail as a father would be, in God’s sight, seen as a failure. I believe this is true for many men in our culture today. They can succeed in many fields: sports, as a military general, as a bank president, as an author, as an actor, and perhaps even as a Christian minister, and yet fail at home. And I want to suggest that failing at home as a father is to fail, and no other success can compensate for that failure.
Every man has a spiritual head, and this head is a spiritual father.
In 1 Corinthians 11:3 Paul speaks about a relationship between God and the home. He says: But I want you to know that the head of every man [or husband] is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God [the father].
The head of every man is Christ, whether man knows it or not, and whether they accept it or not. Christ is their spiritual head. This Christ, who is the head of every man, is a father.
Jesus is a father.
This scripture shows so.
- For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6). Here, Isaiah shows that Jesus is an EVERLASTING FATHER.
- And having been perfected, He became the AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION to all who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:9). Here, we see that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to those who obey him.
- Looking unto Jesus, the AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2). This shows that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
Jesus is the author of eternal salvation and the author and finisher of our faith. Authorship relates to fatherhood, as well as the legitimate authority of something. “Father” possesses inherent authority. He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:15–16) The triune God in Christ Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9) and the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). What does it mean to be the “author of eternal salvation”? Jesus initiated, generated, produced, upholds, and sustains the salvation of all mankind. He is the sole Source of our redemption. If you want to come to God, therefore, Jesus is the ultimate Source. He is the Generator of salvation; it germinated with Him, and it is completed in Him. He is both the Author and Finisher of our faith. I am so glad He is not just the Author but also the Finisher. Many men are merely authors of babies; they don’t finish as fathers. Jesus is a good father. He’s the Finisher of your faith. He didn’t just start your faith; He will see it to the end until it is complete. He will cause you to grow up to the full measure of His purpose for you so that you look just like Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:13)
Here you see that Jesus provides the “gene” for the new generation of man. He is the source of seed for salvation. All fathers provide the genes or “seed” that determine the attributes of the generations they produce. In Isaiah’s description of the Messiah, he concludes with the titles Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6.)
How did the Son become Father? He produced a new generation of human beings. He became the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45) or the “second man” (v. 47) who produced the “new man” (Ephesians 2:15).
Jesus as a son became father because He and the Father are one (John 10:30). Ephesians 1:3 declares that God is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When the Son came to Earth, He came from the Father, but they are one. The Father and the Son are one! In John 1:1, we read concerning Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” For His atonement purposes, Jesus is the Son, but when it comes to His function and responsibility, He’s “Everlasting Father.”
Note that you cannot be a true father unless you are willing to uphold that which comes from you. God sustains everything that has come from Him. Through the Son, God the Father made all the worlds and upholds all things by the power of His Word. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.(Hebrews 1:2–3)
So, Christ is the head of the husband, and the husband, in turn, is the head of his wife and his family. In a certain sense, therefore, the man (husband and father) represents Christ to his family. He has the same relationship to his family that Christ has to him. To understand how a human father represents Christ to his family, there are three main ministries that are eternally associated with the Lord Jesus Christ: that of priest, that of prophet and that of king. We shall use them to show how a man represents God to and in his family.
Ezekiel 22:30 speaks of the ministry of a father within his home. The bible says: So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; ….
Now, a father is the man that God is seeking in every family. Here we see that the purpose God has for a man in each home or family is:
- Protect his family or home. “Make a wall.”
- Mediate for his family. (“Stand in the gap”)
- To represent God. Represent God to his family or before God. (“Stand in the gap on behalf of the land”)
- Avert calamities (“That I should not destroy it.”)
The failure of fathers to fulfill what God requires of them results in calamities, frustration, and the unleashing of God’s wrath upon the home and family. “So, I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore, I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 22:30–31).
The man God is seeking here is a male. He is a husband. He is a father.
Now, how does a father fulfill Ezekiel 22:30? By fully understanding and undertaking the three ministry roles of Jesus in his home: the roles of a priest, a prophet, and a king.
The Three Ministry Roles of a Father
“Dad: A son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love.” — Unknown
The Father as a Priest
The father is the priest of his home. What does it mean to be a priest of his home? It means that he represents his family to God in intercession and prayer. Jesus is at the right hand of God, interceding for us. As a father, husband, and man of the home, you should do the same. Job is a good example of this in the Bible. He stood in the gap for his family. The Bible says: “And his [Job] sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus, Job did regularly.” (Job 1:4-5). Here, we see that Job represented his family (children) to God. As a father:
- When did you represent your family to God?
- When did you thank God for your wife and children?
- When did you take time to pray and fast for your home and family?
- When did you give an offering to God on behalf of your family?
- When did you offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving (both of lips and material things) to God on behalf of your home and family?
Use these questions to evaluate your role as a priest of your home.
A father’s success in the other two ministries, as a prophet and king, is closely tied to his success as an intercessor and priest. If he succeeds as an intercessor, he will likely also succeed as both prophet and king. However, if he does not grasp the practice of interceding for his family, it will be challenging for him to fulfill the roles of either prophet or king within his family.
Now the Bible says this of a priest: “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 2:7).
Malachi gives three things concerning a priest that you, as a father, should know. “the the lips of a priest should keep knowledge.” The father, as a priest of his family, must understand himself, his role as a priest to the family, and (God) whom he represents to his family and how he represents him.
Now, what is understanding? Understanding is the knowledge and comprehension of the original purpose and intent of a thing, as well as the principles by which it was designed to function. To possess an understanding of something, you must know its original intent. First, what was in the mind of the creator? Second, how did the creator intend the product to function? Understanding is the comprehension of the truth. Why is this important? Because nothing is truly yours until you understand it. No matter how much you listen, if you don’t understand something, it’s still not yours. You will never truly own or possess what you do not understand. That’s why information does not guarantee knowledge.
Therefore, if you, as a father, don’t understand yourself as a priest, you don’t yet possess the priesthood ministry. This is why fathers who don’t know who they are imitate others and become someone other than whom they were created to be. If you don’t know what you were born to be and do, then you become a victim of others’ opinions. Understanding who made you and who you are is crucial to prevent others from taking possession of your life. When you have understanding, you know what to do with your life and how to impact your family.
Knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. In Malachi 2:7, knowledge is the word of God or instructions as received from God. What knowledge should the lips of a priest keep? The knowledge that a priest must keep is the truth of the word of God. The truth of God. What law should people seek from the mouth of the priest? The law here is simply the priest repeating the instructions he received from God to the people.
II. And people should seek the law from his mouth. This means that a priest is a teacher. Now, if a man takes on the responsibility of becoming the teacher and instructor in his home, he attracts God’s favour and blessings. Why? Because the father functions as a teacher, he fulfills God’s purpose for his life. Since the father is the source, everyone who comes from him must look to him for instruction. God teaches the father to teach future generations.
How does a father teach?
- He receives instructions from God (His father).
- He instructs his family.
- He manifests the spirit of His father to the family.
The Father Receives the Instructions
It is important to remember that the biblical record in Genesis provides no evidence that Eve received the instructions regarding the garden or the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil directly from God; only Adam received direct instructions from Him (Genesis 2:15 -17). Therefore, God the Father made Adam responsible for teaching the woman and everyone else who came after him what He had said. This pattern is repeated with each new family and is clearly evident in God’s interactions with Abraham. God told him, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” (Genesis 18:17–19)
The Father Instructs
The Father Instructs, and the Mother Commands. Solomon said, “My son, hear the instruction of thy father [original information], and forsake not the law of thy mother [commands of the original information]” (Proverbs 1:8). There is a difference between an instruction and a command or law. Instruction involves the giving or receiving of original information for direction and function. A command or law serves to reiterate and enforce instruction. In a godly context, an instruction is the truth that a father has learned from the Father (God). He imparts that instruction to his wife. As a mother, she reiterates what she has heard as a command.
The father’s instruction must be original information from God. The mother’s law or command is a reiteration of the father’s original teaching. If this simple principle is upheld in the home, God’s favour will manifest. However, many homes have ignored it. Fathers have failed in their part. Consequently, there are homes where women give commands but have never received instructions. The children do not feel any authority or sense any power in their mother’s voice because there is no man in the house. As a result, lawlessness and rebellion manifest in the behaviour and attitudes of the children.
The Teacher Spirit
Fathers are meant to teach; this explains why men often struggle to learn from women. Instructions should ideally come from the father. God created man to provide guidance while woman is to receive that teaching and then direct the children. Even when men lack something to teach, they dislike admitting they don’t have the answers. The father educates, and the mother directs based on what the father has taught.
“For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts”. Who is a messenger? A messenger is a person who carries a message or goes on an errand for another, especially as a matter of duty or business. Messenger of the Lord of hosts means you are a person who carries a message or goes on an errand for God. Thus, a priest is a representative of God. Therefore, a father is also the representative of God. Here, as a priest, he represents his family to God. And as a prophet, he represents God to his family.
The Father as a Prophet
A father’s second main responsibility is to act as a prophet for his family; that is, to represent God to them. The first thing we need to acknowledge is that a father inevitably represents God to his family. He may intend to do this well, poorly, or not at all, but almost inevitably, he does. Psychiatrists, sociologists, and those in ministry would nearly all agree that a child typically forms their first impression of God from their father. I believe this is intended by God. One of the most solemn responsibilities that God can bestow upon any human being is to represent Himself to others. The kind of father a person has significantly influences that person’s initial response and reaction to God.
If a person had a father who was kind, outgoing, warm-hearted, and easy to communicate with, that person will typically find it easy to think of and approach God in those terms. However, if a person had a father who was unkind, critical, and constantly making unreasonable and excessive demands, that person is likely to view God in the same light. They will perceive God as always imposing demands that humanity can never fulfil, unrealistic, legalistic, and harsh.
Sometimes, a child may have a father who is genuinely cruel and vicious. Often, such a child unconsciously transfers those negative attributes from their natural human father to God. Consequently, they develop a negative attitude towards God that is based solely on their father’s behaviour.
So, as a father,
- “Which picture have you given your children of God the Father through your relationship with them?”
- Which picture have your children formed from how you represent God to them, which will help them relate to God the Father?
The Father as a King
The function of a king, of course, is to rule or govern and represents the third ministry of the father in his home. In the modern world, the word “king” is not always widely accepted, although it is a term used throughout the Bible. If you do not like the word king, we can substitute “governor.” In any case, the father’s function is to rule or govern his household on behalf of God. Turning to 1 Timothy, Paul discusses the qualifications for a man who aspires to hold the position of elder, overseer, or bishop. Various terms are used, but the point remains that it describes a man who is to lead or govern God’s people. The most crucial qualification for this office is the state of the man’s home. How does that man function within his home? This is what Paul states in 1 Timothy 3:4–5: [Such a man must be ] one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?).
It’s expected of a man to rule his own household. He’s expected to exercise authority and raise his children to be respectful, obedient, and under his control. If a man can’t achieve this at home, Paul suggests he has no hope of succeeding as a leader, governor, or ruler in God’s church. The Greek word used for “rule” literally means “to stand out in front” or “to stand at the head of.” It conveys various related ideas, such as to rule, to lead, to protect, and to control. In essence, the father is the head of his home, setting an example and standing between his family and life’s dangers. He’s a man with courage, or “guts.” Having “guts” is essential for being a man and a father. Paul goes on to say that successful leadership at home is crucial for leadership in the church. The reason is simple: the home is a miniature church, with the father as pastor, the mother as helper, and the children as congregation. God has built these basic elements into the family, just as He would in a proper New Testament church. In effect, God tells the father, “Make your family succeed, and you’ll be qualified for leadership in God’s church.” I’d also like to add that a church’s strength lies in its families. You can build a large congregation, but ultimately, it’s no stronger than the families that make it up. If families aren’t in order, the church can’t be either.
How a Father Fulfils These Three Ministry Roles.
(Genesis 2:8,15).
Now, the book of Genesis 2:15 gives us a clear picture of how a man should perform the roles of the three ministries: that of a priest, a prophet, and a king to his family.
Genesis 2:8,15 says: “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed……. Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
From Genesis 2:15 above, you must learn the following: God placed man in the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden represents God’s presence. Therefore, a father must love Eden and cherish God’s presence. He has a true self-image grounded in the understanding that God created him in His own image. He knows who he is.
- He desires to work. If you meet a man who doesn’t like work, he’s not a real man, a man of purpose.
- He is able to cultivate.
Now, the book of Genesis 2:15 provides a clear picture of how a man should fulfill the roles of the three ministries: that of a priest, a prophet, and a king in his family.
Genesis 2:8,15 says: “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed……. Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
From Genesis 2:15 above, you should learn the following:
- God placed man in the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden signifies God’s presence. Thus, a father must cherish Eden. He must embrace God’s presence.
- He possesses an accurate self-image rooted in his understanding that God created him in His own image.
- He knows who he is.
- He desires to work. If you encounter a man who doesn’t like work, he isn’t a true man, a man of purpose.
- He is capable of cultivating.
- He commits to safeguarding everything under his care.
- He knows and understands the Word of God and imparts it.
Fathers Dwell in the Presence of God. (Eden)
The first thing God gave the male was Eden. The word Eden in Hebrew (עֵדֶן) is written with five strokes, each stroke being a symbol representing a word or a character. When you study the five strokes, you will find that they indicate spot, moment, presence, open door, and delightful place. By combining the meaning of these Hebrew strokes, you can interpret the word Eden as: God took the man and placed him in a spot, for the moment, where the presence of God was an open door to heaven.
Eden is, in essence, an atmosphere rather than a physical place. The Scripture says that the Lord “planted” (Genesis 2:8) or established the garden. He established a spot on the earth where His presence literally descended from heaven, creating a door of open access to heaven. Adam didn’t have to do anything “religious” to enter the presence of God. He had open access to Him and walked and talked directly with God in the cool of the day.
Why did God give Eden to the male first, before He gave him the female? Because God knew what He was going to do with this man. Remember that in Adam’s body was the initial seed for all humanity, and He would bring everyone into existence through him. He wanted the male to have access to Him so he could always know the will of God for those who came from him. A male, husband, and father being in God’s presence is essential for accessing the instruction needed to lead his family in God’s ways. When God put the man in Eden, the first thing He gave him was His own presence. Likewise, the first thing you need in your life as a father — whether you are a driver, a company president, a journalist, a computer guru, a doctor, a carpenter, or anything else — is the presence of God. You need God’s presence before you need the presence of a woman. In fact, Adam was already in Eden when God brought Eve and presented her to him. Eve met Adam in Eden. Where do you meet women?
For a male, for a husband, for a father, the presence of God is like water to a fish or soil to a plant. If you take the fish out of water or the plant out of soil, it malfunctions and dies. If you take the male out of God’s presence, he will malfunction and die.
So, fathers, to fulfill the three ministry roles (as the priest, as the prophet, and as the King) in your home or family, you must dwell in God’s presence always. Seek God continually.
Fathers Manifest What is in Them. (They work)
As a man, you must manifest what God put inside you. Manifesting what God placed within you is work, and work is the second way to fulfill the three ministry roles of a priest, a prophet, and a king. Now, the word work has different meanings. In one sense, work means “to become.” Work is not something you do; it is something you become.
What are you becoming? The reason many of us fathers are poor and struggling is that we have found a job but have never discovered our true work. A job is not designed to prosper us; it is meant to pay bills. A man is someone who has uncovered who and what he is supposed to become. You are alive because there’s work God wanted manifested on earth that He buried inside you. He wants you to reveal it. You are not a mistake. When you “go to work,” you are actually called to “go to become.” When you go to your job every day, are you becoming what you dreamed of? Perhaps you are in the right place with your employment, and you thank God for it.
But too many fathers find their jobs hinder them from becoming. They are told what to do, when to do it, how long to do it, and when to go home. There’s no room for them to grow, and their manhood is stifled by a job they hate. Every morning, they feel depressed as they sit in traffic on their way to jobs that do not represent their true work.
Work reveals the potential God has placed within you. Suppose I have an apple seed, and I plant it and say to it, “Work.” What I am telling it is that I want to see a tree with apples that have their own seed in them and can nourish people. I am telling it, “I know that inside of you there is a potential you must reveal: an apple tree.”
Work, to an apple seed, is becoming an apple tree with apples that provide nutrients for the community. Notice what happens when the apple tree fulfills its purpose. No apple tree eats its own apples; they are not for their own benefit but for the benefit of others. They bring health to the community. You, too, were born with something “trapped” in you that the world is supposed to benefit from, and that’s your work.
Many fathers are afraid to talk about their dreams, but God is saying to you, “Manifest yourself! I want to see what I put into you.” Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When others see your work, when they see you manifesting what God has put into you, they will glorify God. You were born to do something so awesome that only God could receive credit for it.
Now, your work is your purpose, and your purpose is the original intent of your Creator. Purpose is the reason you were born; it’s why you exist. While purpose is why you were born, vision is when you start seeing it yourself. I believe most men have already been sensing or perceiving their purpose, but it is so vast that they’re afraid of it. Their dreams frighten them. That’s why they settle for jobs they hate. Arise and become what God created you to be.
Fathers are Cultivators
Fathers are cultivators. This is the third way to fulfill the three ministry roles of a priest, a prophet, and a king. Fathers do not just cultivate — they are, by nature, cultivators. As a father, you are a cultivator designed by God.
What does it mean to be a cultivator? Fathers are cultivators because they are the ones who improve things and maximize the potential of the people and resources around them. A father is designed to bring out the best in everything under his care. This is why God will not give you a finished product. For example, He won’t give you a company. Instead, He will give you an idea and say, “I want you to bring the best out of that. Cultivate it.”
Men are cultivators. God hid products and resources in the physical world and watched to see what you would do with them. You will never be given a finished product by God. He will only give you raw material. God won’t even provide you with a completed woman. The perfect woman you are looking for does not exist.
Many men get divorced because they are disappointed in the women they married. They do not understand that you have to cultivate your wife. God will give you a woman who is “raw material.” It is your job to love her as God loves her by helping her maximize her potential, improve her life situation, and be the best she can be. God wants you to help your wife fulfill the plans He has for her. The Scripture says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25 27)
You have to understand that Jesus Christ is a Husband. His wife’s name is Ecclesia (the church, the bride of Christ). He will minister to her and develop her until she is “radiant” and everything He desires her to be. He will present her as a glorious bride. This is the way husbands are to love their wives. In other words, if you are not proud of your wife, you are a failure. If you are ashamed of your wife, you should be ashamed of yourself. The more you criticize her, the more evidence there is of your failure. Instead, the longer your wife lives with you, the better she should become. A good man brings out the best in his wife. Men, therefore, are designed by God to be cultivators who don’t just sit on good ideas but implement them.
Therefore, as a father, repent for criticizing your wife and children. Then, discover their hidden potential and lovingly cultivate what God has placed within them.
Fathers are Protectors
“Son, there are times a man has to do things he doesn’t like to, in order to protect his family.”
― Ralph Moody
Men are designed to protect. The fourth way fathers fulfill the three ministry roles of a priest, a prophet, and a king is to protect. Even though many women might feel they can protect themselves, you are still called to be the protector of your family. Remember that God instructed Adam to guard everything in the garden. You were designed to guard and defend, covering everything under your care and in your sphere of influence. This includes your wife, your children, your neighbours, and your community. God designed you with physical strength to defend women, not to use that strength to overpower them. That is an abuse of power. You are meant to be the safest place any woman can be. How many men use their gifts to destroy women? Christ protected women! He was a guard for them. Children were safe with Him. He didn’t abuse them. He blessed them. A good man always leaves a woman better when she leaves his presence. Let this be the last day you misuse a woman.
Men are called to protect their families and communities from the negative and destructive currents of modern society. Men function as an anchor. An anchor is “a reliable or principal support: mainstay”, “something that serves to hold an object firmly”, and “anything that gives stability and security.” If a boat is drifting with a current and you drop the anchor onto a rock, it prevents the boat from being controlled by the current. This is crucial for males. The currents of our contemporary society are filled with many strong influences encouraging unhealthy behaviours, which means that a man must return to his family, secure his anchor on the solid principles, and assert, “We’re not going in that direction.” Note that an anchor does not halt the current; the current will persist. Instead, it halts the boat you are in. How many situations have you prevented from affecting your son? How many have you intervened in concerning your daughter? You notice your daughter wearing certain clothes or presenting herself in a certain way, or you see your son watching something inappropriate on the Internet, and you declare, “No, not in this house.” A male is an anchor, and an anchor halts things. You recognize that your children are being taught in school that homosexuality and lesbianism are acceptable, and they return home discussing whether it is right or wrong. As a kingdom father, you must drop the anchor and declare, “That’s not for us.” An anchor halts things. As a pastor, you are expected to be the anchor of your church. When divisive matters arise within your church, and you are aware of them, you must stand firm like an anchor and say, “Not in this ministry.” You are the foundation. Men, in whatever environment you occupy — home, church, school, workplace, or community — you are designed to protect those around you — the weak, the vulnerable, the oppressed, women, children, and your brothers. A real man is a protecting man.
Father is to be a Teacher
Fathers are wired to teach. Teaching the instructions God provides is the fifth way for a father to fulfill the ministry role of a priest, prophet, and king. As a father, you must learn the Word of God to be prepared to teach. Whatever God calls for, He provides. When God creates something for you to do, He builds the capacity to accomplish it. God created you with a teaching mindset. Men across all countries, as mentioned earlier, are wired to teach and be teachers. The issue is that many of them don’t know the lessons. You are the teacher in your home. You are the one who should possess the information and instructions. It starts with you, which means you must hear from God first. Perhaps you have never read the Bible. You may have read a few verses from Psalms, but you’ve never read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. You’re forty years old and have never read the Bible, yet you’re trying to be the head of the home! Can you teach your wife the Word of God? Do you know enough of the Word to become the teacher of your children? If the answer is no, get busy and commit to reading the New Testament first. We need men who know the Word, not men who know sports and the names of every player on their favourite sports team. You know who got drafted, but you don’t know who Malachi is or why his book in the Bible is essential. Realize you were born to be a teacher. The father who fulfills the three ministry roles of a priest, a prophet, and a king:
- He loves Eden and cherishes God’s presence. He possesses a true self-image rooted in the understanding that God created him in His own image. He knows who he is.
- He desires to work. If you meet a man, husband, or father who doesn’t enjoy work, he’s not a genuine man who fulfills the three ministry roles that a human father must embrace.
- He is capable of nurturing.
- He commits to protecting everything under his care.
- He knows the Word of God and teaches it.
This is a beautiful picture of what a real father is. This image of fatherhood reflects Father God.
Sinfulness, rebelliousness, frustration, confusion, and various forms of pain and evil within families and homes arise from fathers neglecting their responsibilities. Fathers, step up! Let’s roll up our sleeves and take our proper place in the home, family, society, and nation to foster healing.
Father is destiny. When fathers fail, destinies are aborted.
Contributor: Pastor Gilbert Magomere Ayieko
