All Nations Centre, The Apostolic Church, UK.
4 POWERFUL PRAYERS TO HELP OVERCOME
Lord help our fathers to battle whatever challenges are hindering their good success, put your fear in their hearts, teach them to honour you and let them follow after peace diligently in Jesus name.
Lord grant fathers who are carrying pain, hurts, sadness, and disappointments in their hearts, forgiveness, peace, health, joy and happiness throughout their lives.
Lord take away selfishness from the heart of all our fathers. Give them compassion for the people they lead. Let every wolf in sheep’s skin, and every enemy masquerading as a friend to them, be exposed and disgraced, in Jesus name.
Lord deliver and set Our Fathers free from every entanglement of sin, give them the power to live, henceforth, above sin, and above all the activities of the flesh, whenever temptation to sin comes their way, please, quickly make a way of escape for them in Jesus name.
POPULAR QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT FATHERHOOD
1.HOW DOES A FATHER’S ABSENCE AFFECT A CHILD?
- A child has no-one to model
- Kingship (authority) i.e. leadership
- Lack of priestly service (i.e. how to lead the family in serving God)
- Lack of Prophetic role i.e. bringing the heart and mind of God into situations
- Children need discipline (biblically – corrections). Fathers are the ones that could help execute discipline (correction) in the homes).
- A father’s absence can have a negative impact on a child. In some cases, the child performs poorly in education and/or develops serious behavioural issues and /or lacks spiritual upbringing.
- A father’s absence from a child affects the child in the context of the child not having a balance on what they hear and receive from parents. The absence of a father can lead to children not being raised with the right sets of values. , where there is not father to play this role, children tend to exhibit lack of discipline. In America, it is said 1 in 4 children have no father present in their homes. This can also lead to behavioural problems.
- Risk of poverty – father are most times the income generator in the home. Where there is no father, according to statistics, children in that home are 4 times greater to live in poverty compared to children with fathers in the home.
- Another impact of the absentee fathers is that the children tends to suffer neglect because mum had to go out to generate income. The children are often free to things on their own for considerable time. All these can lead to stunted lifestyle.
2.HOW DO YOU GET MORE INVOLVED AS A FATHER FIGURE?
- If you want to get involved with a child as a father figure, the first and most important thing is LISTENING. Make sure the child feels you are listening to him/her.
- Try and be involved in their lives from when they are 5, 6, 7 and beyond. Being around to do simple things like doing grocery shopping with them and making meals with them and eating meals and spending time with them opens the pathways for conversations that you’ll be able to have when they are teenagers. If you had not been engaging with them when they were younger, it gets very difficult to suddenly want to start getting into their business as they turn into their teenage years. The basis of the trust would already have been missing.
- Identify homes that have no father figures in them. Sometimes it is the mothers who are crying for help.
- Live a life of integrity and hard-work thereby providing the right life model. Provide the basic needs of the child. Be a good role model.
- Ascertain from the mum if one could work the with the child.
- Build relationship with the child. Based on the relationship, carry out assessment of ‘Father Figure Role’ needed in the child’s life. This could be over a long time or when it is established that the child has a balanced spiritual and psychological life
3.WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO FATHER TEENAGE BOYS?
1.Build relationship with them. Listen to them. We must make sure we level with our teenager by valuing their opinion and not just laying down laws.
2. Have regular outdoors events or meetings with them.
3. Show genuine care based on relationship.
4.Understanding their world view and setting boundaries and enforcing rules.
5.Provide support e.g. getting into universities, jobs, etc.
It can be more structured by having a mentor and mentee relationship (where goals are established at the onset and plans are put in place to achieve them).
5.Encourage them they can achieve great things regardless of the challenges faced.
6. Be firm with them when required.
Above all pray for and with them.
4.WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WORDILY DAD AND A CHRISTIAN DAD?
WORLDLY
Decision based on world values and belief
Does not acknowledge or recognise the Sovereign God
Model and shape his family based on worldly principles and values
GODLY
The Word informs his decision and choices
Brings His Family before God through all kinds of Prayer
Acknowledges The Triune God –God The Father, The God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
13 ENCOURAGING BIBLE VERSES
Philippians 4: 6-8
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Psalm 118:14
The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Philippians 4:19.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 1:3.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Psalm 23:1 & Psalm 23:6
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Isaiah 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isaiah 54:17
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
3 John 2
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Exodus 12:13.
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Numbers 6:24-26
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
HAVE YOU BEEN BLESSED?
We trust that you have been blessed by the prayers, Bible verses and advice. Please look out for more information from the men’s ministry. If you would like to ask any questions please visit All Nation’s Centre website.
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