SPIRITUAL FATHERS 2
(week 34)
Olubi Johnson
In our last article we saw the importance of spiritual fathers. In this article we will begin to see how to identify and so follow true spiritual fathers.
True Fathers and Positional Fathers
So who is a true father? The apostle Paul said:
1Corinthians 4:15-16 KJV: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
Obviously not everybody who says he is a father is actually one. There are different categories of fathers in the Church: positional fathers, developing fathers, and fully developed fathers.
A positional father is not a true father, but only someone in a position of authority in the Church through whom God is ruling by means of the external anointing of the Holy Spirit rather than the internal anointing of their character and the enlarged capacity of their spirits.
Acts 1:8 KJV: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
This speaks of the external anointing for gifts and power. Furthermore in 1 Cor. 13: 1-3 we see that it is possible to speak in tongues, preach and teach with great revelation, remove great mountains of sickness and oppression by faith, and do great works of charity all by the external anointing of Holy Spirit and yet not have the love of God developed within:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 KJV: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
However, there is an internal anointing of the Holy that develops in us truth and the character of God and increases the capacity of our spirits.
I John 2:27 KJV: But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Psalms 119:32 KJV: I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
This speaks of the enlargement of our hearts or the capacity of our spirits.
True Fathers travail in intercession
Sadly this is the position of many Church leaders today. God has little confidence in them because they have not learned obedience and the fear of God by the things they have suffered through daily prayer with strong crying or travail like Jesus did:
Hebrews 5:7 KJV: Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
They have not travailed in intercession to birth spiritual children and cause Christ to be formed in them.
Isaiah 66:8 KJV: Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Galatians 4:19 KJV: My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Consequently, they are anointed to teach and preach but cannot impart life to birth and form character in the saints so Paul calls them instructors and not Fathers.
Majority of our ministers today are instructors but not Fathers and that is why there is not much formation of the Christ character in majority of the saints as at now. However God at this time is raising up for us true Fathers in this 3rd. day that will be clouds who will give covering to the assemblies of Zion and release the latter rain teaching of the Word of God that will cause fruit of the Spirit to come forth from the ground of the heart of the saints.
Isaiah 4:5 KJV: And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Zechariah 10:1 KJV: Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Proverbs 25:14 KJV: Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Ephesians 4:8 KJV: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Ephesians 4:11 KJV: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Here we see that ministry gifts like pastors, prophets and teachers that do not teach the pure Word of God from a heart of a Father, will be like clouds without rain, and are called here by the Holy Spirit, false gifts. They make a lot of noise but do not impart life.
In our next article we will see how to distinguish between pure ministry gifts of fathers and polluted gifts.
