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The Cry of the Father ’ s heart . Understanding the heart of Father God for His sons and daughters. Keynote Scripture.
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The Cry of the Father’s heart Understanding the heart of Father God for His sons and daughters
Keynote Scripture “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, and I was to them as one who lifts up and eases the yoke over their cheeks, and I bent down to them and gently laid food before them.” Hosea 11:4 (Amplified Bible)
Why is the fatherheart significant? • There is a deep cry in the heart of man for relationship. This reflects the cry of Father God for relationship with His sons and daughters. • Satan has destroyed both the image of God as a loving father and he has caused havoc and chaos in many of our earthly families by “binding the fathers”.
A worldwide cry! • There is a generation of “orphans” crying out to God. Only by knowing the Father heart of God as a son or daughter can true and lasting healing be achieved. • Worldwide people live in rejection and fear and seek to fill the void within with things – jobs, cars, money, toys, alcohol, sex, drugs – but none of this can truly satisfy!
Foundational truths • God presents Himself as a loving father in the context of a Jewish family and culture. • Satan has sought to destroy this image and remove effective fathers. (John 10:10) • Our earthly fathers are a lens which distorts our understanding of the heart of Father God.
God calls Himself a Father! • “Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? Deuteronomy 32:6 • "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,..” Matthew 6:9
The Jewish Context • Jewish and OT thought and culture is very different to that in which we live today. • Daniel 10:20 talks of the Prince of Greece coming – he is still here! • Greek thought is people centred with rule of the people by the people. • Jewish thought is father centred with leaders chosen by God.
God’s view of us • The Father is for us and not against us! • The Father desires that His children do great exploits and be successful in their calls and destiny. • The Father seeks sons and daughters who will submit to the Father out of love. • Many father-child relationships and relationships with God have been cursed and broken.
Satan’s strategy of destruction • “In fact, no-one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. “ Mark 3:27 • By destroying the strong man Satan has easy access to the wife, the children and the generations to come.
Satan’s strategy of destruction • Satan has successfully distorted the image of Father God and many (including Christians) live with a totally false image of Father God. • “You belong to your father, the devil, …. holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
Images of the father • The passive father • The performance oriented father • The abusive father • The absent father • The authoritarian father • The ‘good’ father All these images are distorted to a degree and this means we cannot truly see our heavenly Father for who he is.
What God thinks about you? • “And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17
God’s view of you • This is my son ….. IDENTITY • whom I love ….. RELATIONSHIP • with him I am well pleased ….. VALUE