06.20.2021 | RESTORATION OF THE FATHER IN FATHER’S DAY
RESTORATION OF THE FATHER IN FATHER’S DAY
Ephesians 3:14-15 (AMP) – “For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father].”
2 Samuel 7:14a – “And I will be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
1. Find The Father
a. Release Unrealistic Expectations
b. Forgive Fathers
Ephesians 3:17 (NLT) – “Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Matthew 6:15 (NLT) – “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
c. Honor Fathers
“A culture of honor is celebrating who a person is without stumbling over who they’re not!” – Bill Johnson
Ephesians 6:2-3 – “’Honor your father and mother.’ This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, ‘things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.’”
2. Reveal The Father
“You don’t have to be the perfect Father but point the way to the perfect Father.” – Kelle Faw
Proverbs 22:6a (NLT) – “Direct your children onto the right path.”
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) – “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”
a. Walk in The Father’s Influence
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (NLT) – “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.”
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 (NLT) – “Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
b. Step into Spiritual Fatherhood
1 Corinthians 4:15a – “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers.”
c. Release Yourself From Condemnations
Romans 8:1 (NLT) – “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
d. Give The Father’s Blessing
Matthew 3:17 (NLT) – “And a Voice from heaven said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, Who brings Me great joy.’”
Discussion Questions:
1. Take a moment to share about your experience of a key father figure growing up.
2. What did you receive from your father (or father figure) that you wanted as a son/daughter?
3. What did you get from your father growing up that you didn’t want?
4. What did you miss out on receiving from your father? (Taking time to answer these questions and forgive can open the door for the Perfect Father to come in and heal!)
5. Share some ways you can honor your father (or spiritual father) in your life.
6. Share your thoughts on how fathers can reveal the Heavenly Father.
7. Have you experienced a father’s blessing? If not, who is someone you are in relationship with that you could ask to share a father’s blessing with you?
8. Who is someone you are in relationship with (perhaps helping disciple) that you could speak words of blessing over?