SPIRITUAL FATHERS – PART 2

Did you ever ask yourself the question, “Why do I need a spiritual father?”, “Why Is it important for me to have a spiritual father”?  

These are all valid questions; which you need to ask yourself in order to see the benefits and importance of a spiritual father. 

Let’s start by looking at who is a father, spiritual father and a spiritual son?

BIOLOGICAL FATHER:

A biological father it is someone who has contributed to your conception and is related by blood, but it takes more than just biological creation to be a father. 

A father is someone who: 

• Disciplines, 
• Teaches, 
• Is an authoritarian figure, 
• Provides validation and affirmation in their children’s lives, 
• They are providers and protectors. 
• Fathers are essential and fundamental to the growth, development, foundation and structure, impartation, validation, protection, and instruction in how children will live and go through their lives.

SPIRITUAL FATHER: 

A spiritual father will help you grow up spiritually into maturity, they sow into your life, expecting you to eventually become spiritual parents yourself. The goal is to create a spiritual harvest. A father will nurture and protect a son. 

A spiritual is someone who:

• Pour out knowledge, understanding, wisdom, counsel, and blessing to the son.
• A spiritual father's primary goal is to make a son successful in knowing the Lord, and fulfilling the call of God on the son's life. 
• Spiritual fathers enjoy spending time with their sons not out of obligation, but because they are truly family. 

 SPIRITUAL SON:

A spiritual son is a person who recognises their need for God and embraces the spiritual fathers in their lives, the people placed there by God, and walks with them into spiritual maturity. True sons will serve their father, but service should always be based on relationship; not requirement. 

Jesus called His sons to be in relationship with Him before He expected them to serve Him. Jesus got His sons to serve Him faithfully by establishing a relationship with them. 

“Whether it's sons serving fathers or fathers serving sons; relationship must be our foundation.”

That is the Kingdom Principle.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORPHAN AND A SON IN THE CHURCH:

• The orphan spirit operates out of insecurity and jealousy. The spirit of sonship functions out of love and acceptance.
• The orphan spirit serves God to earn the Father’s love. The mature son serves God out of a sense of Divine acceptance and favour.
• The orphan spirit is jealous of the success of his brothers. The mature son is committed to the success of his brothers.
• The orphan spirit tries to medicate its deep internal alienation through physical stimulation. The mature son walks in the joy and presence of the Lord for comfort.
• The orphan spirit uses people as objects to fulfil goals. Mature sons serve people.
• The orphan spirit is driven by the need for success. The Spirit leads the mature son into his calling and mission.
• The orphan spirit repels children. The spirit of sonship attracts children.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPIRITUAL FATHER

A spiritual father will have the following traits:

• A spiritual father sees you for who you are and is a champion of your heart
• Fathers give their sons and daughters an inheritance. An inheritance has to do with a tribe, a ministry, and spiritual DNA. 
• Fathers cover their spiritual sons and daughters during life's storms.
• Fathers teach their sons and daughters how to live life and wake them up to the work of the kingdom.
• Fathers are consistent. Too many of you have suffered under inconsistent father figures. Their inconsistency can be a form of abuse.
• Don't confuse authority figures, especially your pastor, with your spiritual father. Pastors may qualify as a spiritual father if they show up in your life over time in a deeply invested and personal way.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPIRITUAL SON:

A Spiritual son will have the following traits:

• Sons will know how to Honour 
• Sons will know how to serve
• Sons will know obedience 
• Sons will know serious labour 
• Sons will know fulfilment 
• Sons will know how to give in every area 
• Sons will know loyalty and trust 
• Sons will know how to create 
• Sons will be tested 
• Sons will know how to pray & intercede 
• Sons will always know teamwork 
• Sons will know integrity

BLESSINGS OF A SPIRITUAL FATHER

A spiritual father imparts the following blessings:

• Provides a safe environment of love
• True spiritual fathers have first learned to be sons themselves.
• Carry personal integrity and authentic experiences in God to share
• Creates a great deal of freedom.
• Brings a spiritual covering and protection.
• Enhances the way you think.
• Leads you into maturity
• Releases impartation into your life.
• Bring accountability and correction.
• Releases an inheritance to you.

Scripture tells us that God is the Father, he is not a Father by analogy to earthly fathers but the opposite, Paul writes, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” - Ephesians 3:14–15. 

Families receive their name from the Father. Not the other way around. We have children because God has a child, The Son. God is the architect, we are the subsequent pattern. God has always been the Father to his Son. The particular mark of a spiritual father is godliness, which is to say, spiritual parentage. God is a parent. That’s who he is. He is Father. And we are his children. A spiritual father imitates God by making disciples of spiritual children.