Understanding and Accessing The Father’s Blessing

May 6, 2011Marketplace Summit

Portland, ORDr. Bruce CookCopyright 2010

Father God is the Role Model• God said, “I will be a father to the

fatherless.” “God sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:5-6, NIV)

• For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry Abba, Father. (Rom. 8:15)

• Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. (Gal. 4:6)

Types of Fathers

• Absent Father (Death, Divorce, Military, Travel)• Abusive Father (Verbal, Physical, Sexual)• Active Father (Sports, Adventure, Activities)• Addictive Father (Gambling, Pornography, Sex, Alcohol,

Drugs, Tobacco, Anger, Gluttony, Workaholic, Cursing)• Apathetic Father (Disconnected, Defeated, Don’t Care)• Authoritarian Father (My way or the Highway, Shape up

or Ship out, Controlling, Manipulative, Taskmaster)• Passive Father (Ahab, Enabler, Silent) • Unavailable Father (Emotionally Unavailable)• Healthy Father (Good man but does not know the Lord)• Godly Father (Priest of the Home, Spiritual Leader)

The Roles of a Father

• Protection• Provision• Identity

• Acceptance• Affirmation • Involvement• Investment

Effects of Father Wounds• Distorted/Inaccurate View of God• Distorted/Inaccurate View of Authority• Distorted/Inaccurate View of Self (False Identity)• Distorted/Inaccurate View of Others (Race, Sex)• Rejection• Abandonment• Loss of Intimacy & Identity• Trauma/Abuse/Betrayal/Inability to Trust/• Insecurity/Low Self-Esteem/Shame/Guilt/Self-Sabotage• Fear, Unrighteous Anger (Rage/Fury), Depression• Rebellion, Control & Manipulation• Seek Approval/Works Orientation/Need to Earn Love

The High Cost of Fatherlessness• Saul (kingdom was removed from him and his house or

lineage & he and his sons were killed together in battle)• David (4 of his sons died as punishment for his murder

of Uriah the Hittite, Solomon’s heart turned after foreign women and their idols). Israel was divided into two kingdoms during the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam (I Kings 12:1-24, 14:21-31; 2 Chron 10-12)

• Eli (his sons Hophni and Phinehas were dishonest, disorderly, disobedient and derelict—they died on the same day, followed by their father) (I Sam. 2:27-36, 4:11-22)

• Abraham (brought forth Ishmael)• Lot (his daughters raped him & committed incest, wife

was turned into a pillar of salt)

The High Cost of Fatherlessness

• Fatherlessness breeds orphans, slaves and bastards instead of sons, priests and kings.

• 90% of all repeat offenders in the US prison system come from one-parent or broken homes.

• God raises up men and women to be fathers to nations and industries. George Washington is known as the father of America. Bill Gates is known as the father of the software industry.

• Joseph -- “I am a father to Pharaoh.” (Gen. 45:8)• We are called to father our spheres of influence

Fathering Technology

• “Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them [his 10 children], thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular custom.” (Job 1:1-5)

• Affirmation—Yahweh said, “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22)

• Technology of Adoption—”In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 1:5)Rom. 8:14-17, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs…”

Examples of Father Blessings

• Moses Blesses the Children of Israel (Deut. 28-30)

• God Blesses Abraham to become a Father of Nations (Gen. 17:1-22; Gen. 22:15-18)

• Isaac blesses Jacob and Esau (Gen. 27)

• Israel (Jacob) blesses his 12 sons and the 2 sons of Joseph (Gen. 48-49)

• God the Father blesses Jesus the Christ

Elements of a Father’s Blessing• Sonship• Inheritance• Birthright• Authority• Character• Identity• Affirmation• Approval• Discernment• Prophecy• Protection• Assignment

Conclusion and Activating Prayer

• Father’s Blessing Prayer for those on the call.