SPIRITUAL PARENTING (II)

"This is now the third time that I am ready to come to visit you—and I will not make any demands on you. It is you I want, not your money. After all, children should not have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children" (2 Corinthians 12:14 GNT)

What the Bible does not say about a father

A father is a Christian who has grown to the point of raising younger Christians after God. Thus, a father is also a Christian, a child of God for that matter. A father is not a special Christian, however, he is to be accorded much respect in the sense that he is spiritually advanced and offers guidance to younger and growing Christians.  

1. The Bible does not say that a father is a covering for the Christian.

If you have put on Christ, then he is your life jacket. You don't need to be under human authority to be completely safe. Besides, the success of your father is not a guarantee that you will be successful yourself. 

2. The Bible does not say that a father must transfer his anointing to you before you can make it in the ministry. 

Scripture says that the Anointing himself, who is the Holy Spirit, lives in you and empowers you for service. 

3. The Bible does not say that a father determines the calling and ministry of the Christian.

God calls the Christian directly in several ways including inner conviction. He chooses what gifts you should have, and so he determines your calling and ministry. 

4. The Bible does not say that a father determines who to marry.

Marriage is God's own ordinance. He is the matchmaker. And so you have to be convinced by God as to which person is suitable for you.

5. The Bible does not say that God does not call you to service directly, and that he has to call you through a father.  

There is no such revelation in the scriptures. Any doctrine that establishes this to be the order for office in the church is man-made. 

First he calls you to service. Then he provides the human authority to commission you for the work to which he has called you. No human initiates the call of God. 

Initiating into the work of the ministry is done solely by God through his calling, and commissioning for service is done by a human authority for recognition's sake not for approval's sake. 

6. The Bible does not say that a father knows what is best for you. 

God, your heavenly Father, knows what is best for you. He can speak to you directly about his intent for you, or he may speak to you about it through a minister, sometimes, one who is not even your father in the Lord. 

7. The Bible does not say that a father's voice is God's voice, hence supreme. 

Between God and a father, if you have to choose whose voice to obey, always choose God's voice. 

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does (John 5:19 NIV).

It is wise to follow where God leads you, to keep your gaze on what God shows you, and to do what you see God doing.

8. The Bible does not say that a father is at liberty to speak to Christians under his training rudely. 

The same instruction for decent communication applies to every Christian, especially the mature ones. 

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). This was written by Paul, an eminent father in the ministry. 

9. The Bible does not say that a father has authority on earth to truncate the ministry of another Christian by means of raining irrevocable curses on them. Christ has dissolved the inevitability of curses working in the life of the Christian. 

Christ redeemed you from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for you, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole” (Galatians 3:13 NIV).

Qualities of a good parent 

1. A good parent teaches you to know and understand God, who is your heavenly Father.

2. A good parent trains you to discern and to obey God's voice.

3. A good parent guides you to understand and to interpret scripture rightly. 

4. A good parent trains you to maintain a closest relationship with the Holy Spirit.

5. A good parent takes oversight of and responsibility for your spiritual growth as well as personal development.

6. A good parent counsels you to live to fulfil the Father's purpose for your life, thus, glorifying him on earth. 

7. A good parent monitors and evaluates your obedience to the Father after teaching, encouraging, admonishing, correcting or rebuking you to stay upright in your calling. 

8.  Ultimately, a good parent does not give up on you. In love, he/she equips, empowers and emboldens you to enjoy perfect happiness in carrying out the Father's pleasure for you.

Blessings of having a good parent

When you have a good parent...

1. You have a wiser person to teach, guide, inspire, encourage and motivate you to glorify God on earth. 

2. You have a more experienced person to coach you to achieve your goals in the ministry and in life. 

3. You have a grown up person to handle you as a baby; a mature person to understand you better because you have not learnt to speak well and to understand in-depth counsel; a strong person to keep up with your several mistakes because you are still growing; even a shepherd to comfort you and to restore you to perfect happiness. 

4. You have a successful leader who knows the ups and downs to coach you to overcome the pitfalls and shortcomings. 

5. You have a crowned winner waiting patiently at the finish line to embrace you and to put a crown on your head. 

#Truth Haven