Rev. Steve Maile
22nd May 2011

The human race is in a state of crisis. We are a mixed up, confused generation, with our identities and morality under constant threat. We live in a generation of blurred lines, innumerable distractions, rising tension and temptations. At the center of this deepening crisis is our rock-solid anchor – the Fatherhood of God. When we understand who our Father is, we understand who we are in Him and we become secure in our identity. God’s Fatherhood is key to the establishment of Truth that sets everything else in place.

God has always been interested in fatherhood, and He wants to restore fatherhood to us all. Is it any wonder then that in Malachi 4:5, God says Elijah will restore children to their parents and the parents to their children? But why does God want us to have the spirit of Elijah? Why does God select Elijah and not Elisha? By virtue of numbers of miracles, Elisha outshines Elijah and yet God calls on Elijah. 2 Kings 2:12 holds the answer. When Elijah was being taken away by the chariots, Elisha cried out “My Father, my father…..” Elisha held Elijah in great respect. Elijah was almost like a father figure to him. Elijah demonstrates his fatherhood by building up ‘sons’ in the Lord and handing over the baton to them to finish the race after his time. Elisha, on the other hand, had good bones that were able to bring the dead to life, but he didn’t leave behind a legacy. We need an anointing to become father-figures. It is not enough that we have powerful ministries. We must look beyond our time, are we raising a generation of people who can take over from us?

Here are some important points about fatherhood.

1. Everyone needs spiritual fatherhood. The devil will try and isolate us, but we must respond by saying that ‘no matter what, we are staying in the family of God’. We must be in agreement with God.
2. We need to submit our lives to spiritual Fatherhood.
3. We need fathers in the church who will spell out love, guidance, wisdom and correction. Fathers keep us out of trouble, they protect us.
4. We need to honour fathers. God gave us only 10 commandments and one of those 10 was to honour our father and mother. Zachariah 2:5 assures us that God Himself will put a ring of fire around His children. Who are His children? Those who are submitted to spiritual discipleship and to building their character. They will have an anointing on their lives, that comes as a result.
5. Never uncover a father – Noah’s son did that and was cursed by God. Some of us need to break the curses before the blessings can come.
6. Stay under the father’s anointing.
7. Learn to serve under the father’s vision.
8. Receive discipline from the father in order to develop our character.
9. Learn to receive a double portion.

Let us not be like the prodigal son who demanded his share, even though he was the rightful heir. Let us also not be like the elder brother who passed judgment , like many of us who have been in church for so long that everything becomes mundane. Instead let us remain under God’s Fatherhood and be willing to say to Him, ‘make me’, rather than ‘give me’.