Walk Like A Man
Danny Korakas
Dec 11, 2004
Children's children (grandchildren) are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. (Proverbs 17:6)
We know from Scripture that we are all called to be "priests." Men have a detailed and specific calling to be the priest of their home. A priest is one who ministers to God and humanity by the sacrifice they offer through Jesus Christ. To qualify as a priest of the Most High God, we must be willing to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice.
I believe that many men have received the revelation of their calling as a priest to their home. However, I believe that the Lord is calling forth men to be the "PROPHET" of their home as well. The priest of a family will REPRESENT his family to God. On the other hand, the prophetic husband and father REPRESENTS God to his family. It is important to remember that the prophet is not authorized by the WORDS he speaks as much as by the integrity and example he represents and lives.
FATHERS REPRESENTING GOD BY EXAMPLE
As I stated earlier, the prophetic father represents the attributes of God to his family by the life he lives. As much as a father may represent God to his family, he can also "misrepresent" God to his family. If a father is STRONG in love, touch, and compassion, he paints a tangible picture for a child to view the love, touch and compassion of God. Likewise, a father can very easily paint a portrait of God in the mind of a child as being critical, angry, and judgmental. The disposition of a natural and spiritual father will naturally be representative of how a child views their heavenly FATHER.
The story of Isaac and Ishmael is a picture of the tremendous benefits of being ACCEPTED and loved by a father. The Bible says that the birth of a people called by God's name would come through a "father's" blessing given to Isaac. (See Hebrews 11:18 & Genesis 21:12) Ishmael, on the other hand, experienced REJECTION when he was forced to leave with his mother, Hagar. This would forever scar the life of Ishmael. I believe, and scripture confirms, that Ishmael's destiny was one of favor and blessing. However, because there wasn't a natural and spiritual father to paint a picture of God's LOVE and to invest time in this young man's life, Ishmael fell into the insecurity and deceptions that are produced from the pain of rejection. We do not have a record of a father-figure or Ishmael seeking the Lord for healing and restoration; we only see that his "mother" had to gave him away in marriage.(See Genesis 21:21) Consequently, we can clearly see the fruit of unhealed rejection moving from generation to generation as a curse throughout Ishmael's descendants. Unhealed rejection without the healing touch and affirmation of God is strong enough to move from one generation to another through the power of "example."
This truth becomes vividly stark and manifests itself in the Muslim's view of their "god" as a distant, judgmental and critical deity rather than personal, loving and compassionate. The result is oppression, VIOLENCE and control, which provides a warped sense of security in a truly insecure state. The corporate insecurity of Islam surfaces in its unwillingness to expose its adherents to the love of God through Jesus Christ. The greater the rejection, the greater the effects of isolation and insulation.
It has been proven through numerous studies that approximately 80% of children will grow up copying the dominate traits of their parents (both good and bad). Although a child who is abused or neglected may say or think to themselves that they would never do that to a child when "they grow up," without the love and acceptance of God, they tragically find themselves exhibiting the same behavior traits toward their children in many areas and circumstances. We see this as well in alcoholic, violent, addictive and co-dependant behaviors. Children have a built-in desire to love and emulate their parents. Even when abused, mistreated and rejected, they still have the capacity to love and LEARN from their parents. Again, both for the good and bad. (Do we represent the fruit of God's Spirit to our children or do we represent our past hurts and insecurities ... or the fruit of the flesh? This understanding must be seriously taken into account in the EXAMPLE we represent to our children.
The greatest gift and example that the PROPHETIC FATHER can give is LOVE. When tender and compassionate love is lacking in a child's life, the result is the pain of rejection. This leads to a sense of worthlessness and a feeling that they can never "measure up" to the expectations of others. The sad thing about rejection in a child is that this "disease" is slow, lethal and seldom diagnosed until "internal" damage has already been done. And as we have stated in another article: The pain of unhealed rejection will always seek PLEASURE to relieve or comfort itself. Again, we see this manifested in Islamic beliefs of heaven and a god who rewards with sensual pleasure.
The Lord said that a day would come when the hearts of the fathers would be turned once again to their children. I find this promise to be very encouraging in an age with fatherlessness and rampant divorce. Just because a "house" has two parents in it does not make it a "home." I believe that much of the problem in so-called "two-parent" homes is not so much that fathers do not love their children as much as they don't know how to show their love or the love of God by example to their children. Love that is only a feeling, but not demonstrated, is not love to a child. Inconsistent expressions and demonstrations of love toward our children produces confusion, distrust, and rebellious attitudes to gain any type of CONSISTANT attention.
The Prophet in today's church is a spiritual father in representing God to His people. I have read many articles stating how others believe the behavioral make-up of a prophet or prophetic person should be. I have been amused to find that not one has mentioned LOVE as a prophet's primary quality. (There may be some out there. However, I have not read any.) I believe this stems from a deep seated deception of how "strong" men are to portray themselves. This stereotype and paradigm is about to be shattered by a generation of prophetic people who will walk in the strength and demonstration of God's love. They will exercise compassion and DISCIPLINE with maturity and care. They will arise to be the spiritual fathers the church so desperately needs.
FATHERS REPRESENTING GOD AS PROPHETIC TEACHERS
Prophetic fathers are those who place a premium on raising their children according to God's Word along with TEACHING them God's Word. Remember, the Bible states that the WORD (Jesus) is the spirit of prophecy. The primary communication language of the prophetic father is proclaiming and teaching the heart of God. The anointing of the prophet is the fragrance of the Lord's PRESENCE. Without intimacy with the Father, we fail to hear and know what the Lord is speaking to us. We can only give what we truly have to our children. A good example would be the healthy submission and obedience of our children that we all desire. However, as a father, it is rare that we will experience the submission and obedience we desire from our children unless we are submitted and obedient to Christ ourselves. (HYPOCRISY cannot be hidden within a family. Hypocrisy is the enemy to the spiritual growth and development of our children and young people.) Submission and obedience to Christ's authority empowers us as men with godly authority that flows down to the rest of the family. This is the essence of all prophetic authority. Moving in fleshly authority will demonstrate itself in unhealthy frustration, anger, shouting and stomping of feet. However, it will lack the genuine authority that comes from the presence of God to lead our families.
In ministering at many men's retreats, I have found that many, if not most, Christian men fail to pray with their wives. As I stated earlier, the greatest teacher to our children is the life they observe us living. Children that experience a healthy prayer life between the husband and wife will develop a dynamic and healthy prayer life at a very young age that will carry them through the struggles of adolescence. The manifestation of our young people sitting on the back row and their lack of spiritual depth is primarily the fault of men who fail to be a prophetic signpost and teacher to them. We have got to realize that traditional church is not going to produce and grow on-fire kids. Religion to a kid is an occasion to put on a "religious outfit and face", go home, take it off and hang it in the closet until the next Sunday. Church fellowship is only an extension of the relationship with Christ that is instilled by the head of the home the other six days.
"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a SIGN on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your CHILDREN, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied." (Deuteronomy 11:18-21)
In the above verse, the words in the Hebraic language are all masculine in nature. This is a word of wisdom given by Moses to all fathers in how they should conduct their home-life. As I write this, I am writing out of tremendous conviction in the hope that I will heed these words from the Holy Spirit. I realize that this word is first and foremost for me — for I certainly have a long way to go. I pray that Father would give me the grace, love, and discipline to be the prophetic teacher my children so much deserve. When fathers instill the value of reading the Bible and praying together as a family, the prophetic signpost of Christ's love for the church becomes a real and visible picture to the unsaved and lost.
FATHERS REPRESENTING GOD AS COMMUNICATORS
One of the greatest complaints of young people is that their parents do not LISTEN to them. Did you know that the greatest form of communication is listening? Just as our relationship with other people is a reflection of our relationship with God, so is our listening to others a reflection of our willingness to truly listen to God. The accuracy and anointing of the prophetic voice hinge upon our time of listening to God.
There has been a great deal prophesied as of late for leadership in the church to encourage the body of Christ to EXPRESS themselves and provide them a platform of ministry and purpose. Likewise, it is imperative that we provide a platform for our children to express and communicate with the freedom to discuss their problems and issues. The key is not to become overtly "religious" in our response. I learned when my daughter was 18 years old that this approach did not work very well! Why? Because she wanted somebody who would just listen and try to identify with the emotions and issues of a young lady establishing her identity.
Sadly, we see the same approach in church ministry. "Spiritual fathers" would rather have an answer for everything and create a religious environment instead of just being real and encouraging the freedom to express. I believe that just communicating about everyday life and taking TIME as a father to truly listen to our children will foster an environment and a desire for our children to LISTEN and communicate with God.
PROPHETIC GRANDPARENTS
The Bible says that a child is the "crown" of a grandparent. For many reading this, your "direct" parenting days are over. I imagine that many like me wish we could somehow bring back time and start over with our older and grown children. Beloved, it is never too late to be a godly and "prophetic" parent that represents God's love. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus and He has promised to even turn our bad or even "absent" times into good if we will trust and obey Him. I believe that this will be a defining week in my life. When the Lord began ministering this word to me to share with you, I realized that God in His love was desirous to heal and restore many things in my life in order to be the father that He would have me to be. His ultimate desire and my utmost calling, is to be a priest and prophet to my dear wife and children — to truly represent Him in a personal and relevant way.
The beauty and privilege of being a grandparent is that it allows a person a second chance in ministering the love and ways of God to their future heritage and namesake. Grandparents have the opportunity to break the bonds of rejection and generational curses that have hindered families from the abundant life that Christ has offered. I am certain that 2005 will be a year in which grandparents walk in an increased anointing and awareness of their calling to our youngest generation. We have suffered as a nation in our spiritual depth and maturity because we have neglected and shelved the WISDOM of our elder men and women. This is about to change. Once again, the youth of the nations will sit at the feet of their grandparents and glean from a lifetime of knowledge and understanding in the blink of an eye. Yes, the grandfather will dream dreams. Their dreams will be the dreams and visions of a generation that will welcome back our Lord and King.
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