When You Find A Father, Fight To Keep Him
June 15, 2008
Scripture:
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name; you are mine.”
Synopsis:
God created mankind with a dual nature. We are eternal spirit beings living a terminal human experience. So each of us has the capacity for carnality and spirituality and no one exemplified this duality more than Jacob whom God renamed Israel. Jacob represents the carnal, fallen nature of man, while Israel represents the higher spiritual nature each of us can be formed into through an intimate relationship with God.
Jacob was the biological father of twelve sons that became Israel, the father of a whole nation. He represents spiritual fatherhood and it’s dual nature. Like Jacob, every spiritual father has a carnal and spiritual side. One day they inspire us with their spiritual insight, they next day they disappoint us with their carnal weaknesses. No matter how they behave, every spiritual father deserves honor and the father we appeal to is the one we will receive from. If we attack our spiritual fathers with criticism and skepticism then we will likely get a carnal response. But if we determine to give them honor at all times and cover their weakness, then we are positioning ourselves for spiritual insight and blessing. We find this principle described in Genesis chapter 9 in the story of Noah’s nakedness and Ham’s act of dishonor. The result for Ham’s indiscretion was generations of his offspring being cursed. Conversely, Shem and Japheth covered their father’s nakedness and were blessed for generations to come.
Blessing and cursing is in the power of the tongue and nowhere is this more true than in the relationship between a spiritual father and his children. Spiritual sons and daughters that position themselves by giving honor to their spiritual father will receive spiritual impartation and like Elisha received from Elijah, a double portion mantle. Those who dishonor or expose their spiritual father will receive no direction or impartation and therefore never fulfill their purpose. Unlike the relationship between a biological father and his children, a spiritual father is chosen by their sons and daughters and therefore the burden of maintaining the relationship is on the children, not the father. That’s why it is so important to find a spiritual father and then fight to keep him.
