Father's War
Father’s War
by Ron Wood
Many great dramas have been written or filmed that featured a father standing strong to defend his children. A man unwilling to fight for his family is a phony father and a hollow man.
In the Old Testament, Abraham was a man who displayed traits of good fatherhood long before he actually became a father. When his nephew Lot along with many women and children were captured and carried off, Abraham put together a band of brothers from within his household to rescue them. He had 318 trained men who were ready to follow him into battle. (Genesis 14:13-20)
What made these ordinary workers and ranch hands willing to follow their master on a perilous pursuit? To these men, Abraham was a patriarch. He had treated his servants like sons.
Fatherhood is far more than the act of siring offspring. When God first called Abram, he and Sara were childless. Yet the character of a father, not the act of having fathered children, was what God was looking for. This was the kind of man with whom God could cut a covenant. Why? Because- Abraham’s ways were compatible with God’s ways as a father.
The spirit of fatherhood in Abraham was like a covering that protected those shielded by it. The spirit of fatherhood creates extended family– it adopts. It causes a man to invest resources in those joined to him, to nurture and equip those dependent on him, to save his family or friends from their enemies.
Abraham’s faith was contagious. This motley non-military team that he assembled like a posse believed the impossible, that they could win the battle and rescue their loved ones. True fatherhood creates a culture of faith that has a can-do attitude. Fatherhood is a bulwark against eroded values in a decaying culture. Real fatherhood, the kind that comes from knowing God, faces down fear, refuses to run, and fights for what is right. Fatherhood empowers. A mother may carry a baby for nine months and nurse it for a year, but a father also carries his children… in his heart, forever.
Our God is an eternal Father. He is not like a father... he is a father! The Bible says he is the father of our spirits and, like a good father, he corrects us so we can be partakers of his nature and learn his ways. Our Savior revealed God to us in a new way… our "Father in heaven!"
True fatherhood is displayed in actions, not intentions. Fathers earn respect by their deeds and thus become worthy of honor. It is not a title or an empty office, but a job description, what a man does daily. The apostle Paul said, "You have lots of teachers but few fathers." This is still true. The prophet Malachi quoted the Lord, saying, "If I am a father, where is my honor?" and went on to discuss financial honor through the practice of paying tithes and giving offerings.
God is a good, honorable father. He is not an abusive father. He is not an absent father. He is not a feminized father. God the Father did not come from a dysfunctional family that left him emotionally frozen and distant from his children. He is holy, happy, merciful, reliable, and just. God speaks and keeps his word. He loves us, stays involved in our lives, and disciplines us for our own good. He trains us in right living. He causes us to reap what we sow, yet forgives us when we repent. His kids never go lacking. And God gets angry at his children’s enemies.
God goes to war against any enemy who attempts to rob his children of their inheritance. Jesus is The Prince of Peace, but he can be violent. He doesn’t promote peace at any price. Lasting peace comes when God’s rule impacts our human situation. That happens as people choose to follow God’s word and invite Christ’s kingdom to be present. But not everyone is willing or obedient, are they? Because of the reality of evil and the existence of the devil, all people must be confronted with the kingdom of Christ, the Good News, and the devil’s deceit and oppression must be defeated. That ends all revolt and robbery. To this end, our Father is willing to fight.
The Bible is filled with stories of good people forced to fight. Job fought using prayer. He made intercession for his children regularly, fearing they might have sinned. God said concerning Job that he was a perfect man. David was a solitary psalmist and a gentle shepherd, but he was ready to fight. He protected his family’s sheep by killing the lion and bear, thus preparing himself for overcoming Goliath. Nehemiah the builder called for his people to fight for their families as they returned to the promised land and rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. God honors men who take a stand against their foes for the welfare of their family.
Whether it is a drug lord invading a peaceful neighborhood, or a political leader with no moral values, or a bureaucrat who takes bribes, or a heartless judge who frees the guilty and fails to protect the innocent, or sly entertainers flaunting their perversion, evil must be withstood by men of courage or else we forfeit the future of our families.
The Lord tells us why he chose Abram, why he elevated him from exalted father to Abraham, father of a multitude. It was because he would be a faithful father to instruct or command his children. God said "I know him... I’ve chosen him." Based on what? The Lord had observed Abraham training his household servants as though they were his family, boldly rescuing Lot, then honoring God with tithes from the plunder. (Genesis 18:19) This shows us that when God chooses someone, he first tests them to prove their faith prior to releasing their blessing.
Abraham’s faith was birthed by God’s gracious choice, not any man’s determination. God can vindicate anyone He chooses, if we respond to his grace with faith that endures. God selected Abraham, approved him through trials, and then gave him a posterity beyond his wildest dreams. God the Father is in the business of selecting and supporting fathers who pass the test. God will fight for fathers when they stand for what is right, confront evil, and defend their children. God is still looking for men who walk in the steps of father Abraham.
Today, vicious enemies have risen up against Abraham’s natural seed, Israel. Our Father in heaven is not passive nor neutral. He is on the side of covenant faithfulness. The three-generation promise that he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not be undone. God will keep his word.
Simultaneously, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes. Wicked forces assail the saints and seek to plunder their inheritance. Satan is resisting the spiritual Seed of Abraham, Christ Incorporated, the Church which is his Body. In behalf of us all, God will work wonders again. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will arise and make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, for the glory of His Son and for the salvation of a multitude.
It is time for the saints to possess -- through prayer and faith -- the kingdom purchased for us by Jesus. It’s time for the power and glory of the kingdom to be displayed.
Considerations and Applications:
1. Being servants in the house where God birthed you is a high calling.
2. Real Fathers in the Faith treat those who serve like sons, not hirelings.
3. Equipping sons in the house is part of your calling, if indeed you are a father.
4. If you depart from fatherhood as did Lot, you will be captured by an alien culture.
5. Everything God does that’s built to last begins with fatherhood.
6. God the Father will fight for Jesus’ birthright: Israel, the saints, the nations.
Father’s War © 2006 by Ron Wood. Write us at ron@touchedbygrace.org. See more material online at touchedbygrace.org. A Ministry of Prophetic Teaching. We are Touched by Grace to Touch the World!
by Ron Wood
Many great dramas have been written or filmed that featured a father standing strong to defend his children. A man unwilling to fight for his family is a phony father and a hollow man.
In the Old Testament, Abraham was a man who displayed traits of good fatherhood long before he actually became a father. When his nephew Lot along with many women and children were captured and carried off, Abraham put together a band of brothers from within his household to rescue them. He had 318 trained men who were ready to follow him into battle. (Genesis 14:13-20)
What made these ordinary workers and ranch hands willing to follow their master on a perilous pursuit? To these men, Abraham was a patriarch. He had treated his servants like sons.
Fatherhood is far more than the act of siring offspring. When God first called Abram, he and Sara were childless. Yet the character of a father, not the act of having fathered children, was what God was looking for. This was the kind of man with whom God could cut a covenant. Why? Because- Abraham’s ways were compatible with God’s ways as a father.
The spirit of fatherhood in Abraham was like a covering that protected those shielded by it. The spirit of fatherhood creates extended family– it adopts. It causes a man to invest resources in those joined to him, to nurture and equip those dependent on him, to save his family or friends from their enemies.
Abraham’s faith was contagious. This motley non-military team that he assembled like a posse believed the impossible, that they could win the battle and rescue their loved ones. True fatherhood creates a culture of faith that has a can-do attitude. Fatherhood is a bulwark against eroded values in a decaying culture. Real fatherhood, the kind that comes from knowing God, faces down fear, refuses to run, and fights for what is right. Fatherhood empowers. A mother may carry a baby for nine months and nurse it for a year, but a father also carries his children… in his heart, forever.
Our God is an eternal Father. He is not like a father... he is a father! The Bible says he is the father of our spirits and, like a good father, he corrects us so we can be partakers of his nature and learn his ways. Our Savior revealed God to us in a new way… our "Father in heaven!"
True fatherhood is displayed in actions, not intentions. Fathers earn respect by their deeds and thus become worthy of honor. It is not a title or an empty office, but a job description, what a man does daily. The apostle Paul said, "You have lots of teachers but few fathers." This is still true. The prophet Malachi quoted the Lord, saying, "If I am a father, where is my honor?" and went on to discuss financial honor through the practice of paying tithes and giving offerings.
God is a good, honorable father. He is not an abusive father. He is not an absent father. He is not a feminized father. God the Father did not come from a dysfunctional family that left him emotionally frozen and distant from his children. He is holy, happy, merciful, reliable, and just. God speaks and keeps his word. He loves us, stays involved in our lives, and disciplines us for our own good. He trains us in right living. He causes us to reap what we sow, yet forgives us when we repent. His kids never go lacking. And God gets angry at his children’s enemies.
God goes to war against any enemy who attempts to rob his children of their inheritance. Jesus is The Prince of Peace, but he can be violent. He doesn’t promote peace at any price. Lasting peace comes when God’s rule impacts our human situation. That happens as people choose to follow God’s word and invite Christ’s kingdom to be present. But not everyone is willing or obedient, are they? Because of the reality of evil and the existence of the devil, all people must be confronted with the kingdom of Christ, the Good News, and the devil’s deceit and oppression must be defeated. That ends all revolt and robbery. To this end, our Father is willing to fight.
The Bible is filled with stories of good people forced to fight. Job fought using prayer. He made intercession for his children regularly, fearing they might have sinned. God said concerning Job that he was a perfect man. David was a solitary psalmist and a gentle shepherd, but he was ready to fight. He protected his family’s sheep by killing the lion and bear, thus preparing himself for overcoming Goliath. Nehemiah the builder called for his people to fight for their families as they returned to the promised land and rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. God honors men who take a stand against their foes for the welfare of their family.
Whether it is a drug lord invading a peaceful neighborhood, or a political leader with no moral values, or a bureaucrat who takes bribes, or a heartless judge who frees the guilty and fails to protect the innocent, or sly entertainers flaunting their perversion, evil must be withstood by men of courage or else we forfeit the future of our families.
The Lord tells us why he chose Abram, why he elevated him from exalted father to Abraham, father of a multitude. It was because he would be a faithful father to instruct or command his children. God said "I know him... I’ve chosen him." Based on what? The Lord had observed Abraham training his household servants as though they were his family, boldly rescuing Lot, then honoring God with tithes from the plunder. (Genesis 18:19) This shows us that when God chooses someone, he first tests them to prove their faith prior to releasing their blessing.
Abraham’s faith was birthed by God’s gracious choice, not any man’s determination. God can vindicate anyone He chooses, if we respond to his grace with faith that endures. God selected Abraham, approved him through trials, and then gave him a posterity beyond his wildest dreams. God the Father is in the business of selecting and supporting fathers who pass the test. God will fight for fathers when they stand for what is right, confront evil, and defend their children. God is still looking for men who walk in the steps of father Abraham.
Today, vicious enemies have risen up against Abraham’s natural seed, Israel. Our Father in heaven is not passive nor neutral. He is on the side of covenant faithfulness. The three-generation promise that he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not be undone. God will keep his word.
Simultaneously, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes. Wicked forces assail the saints and seek to plunder their inheritance. Satan is resisting the spiritual Seed of Abraham, Christ Incorporated, the Church which is his Body. In behalf of us all, God will work wonders again. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will arise and make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, for the glory of His Son and for the salvation of a multitude.
It is time for the saints to possess -- through prayer and faith -- the kingdom purchased for us by Jesus. It’s time for the power and glory of the kingdom to be displayed.
Considerations and Applications:
1. Being servants in the house where God birthed you is a high calling.
2. Real Fathers in the Faith treat those who serve like sons, not hirelings.
3. Equipping sons in the house is part of your calling, if indeed you are a father.
4. If you depart from fatherhood as did Lot, you will be captured by an alien culture.
5. Everything God does that’s built to last begins with fatherhood.
6. God the Father will fight for Jesus’ birthright: Israel, the saints, the nations.
Father’s War © 2006 by Ron Wood. Write us at ron@touchedbygrace.org. See more material online at touchedbygrace.org. A Ministry of Prophetic Teaching. We are Touched by Grace to Touch the World!
