Sunday Service, 20th -June- 2021
Today is father’s day and not man’s day. Their are those who will be called father even though they are not biologically fathers. The word father is an English word. We have similar words in different languages. In Latin it is called Papa. That’s where the word Pope originated from. In most countries, father is known as Papa. Here in Luganda, we call it Taata. Others call it Igwe and some call it Kitaffe.
Wherever you go, the word father comes with a lot of emotions. In itself, it has somebody who is rich. If you are an English student, you are going to learn a lot of things from the word “father”. You will also discover that in a father, there is a lot of stuff.
Every child walks to the father and know that his father is the best. Each child’s father is the best in the eyes of that child. Every child knows that his father can do anything. He can kill a loin or bear. Whatever you tell a child, he will never dispute you because a father is always a hero before the child. A father is a provider, defender and leader in his family, and no one can dispute that. A father’s position is not up for elections or grabs. A father is a father.
When there is an absentee father, you can tell that something is wrong with that family especially when the mother becomes a father. So the responsibility of a father is to lead upfront and see better than what others can see. You lead upfront and defend by the back. It is like when a father is walking through a dangerous position, he will tell his children to get behind him, or hold on to him and then he will go ahead. When a father reaches a place where the view is clear, then he takes the back seat. A father can defend the family from whatever that is coming to attack the family from behind. So the positioning of a father in terms of responsibility keeps on shifting.
Today, I look back at the life of my father. He was raised among the three children (one daughter and two sons) by my grandfather who was a rich man in Singo but then, he chose to preach the gospel. My grandfather moved with Apollo Kivembulaya whom they now call a Saint till he died. The amazing story is this, my grandfather sent my Dad to someone who could raise him up after realising that he couldn’t live any longer due to the illness he had contracted from Bonga – Zaire because it had no cure at that time. It was a liver disease that caused blindness. My grandfather wrote a letter to Bishop Wills and asked him to be a father to his son (my dad). My father’s brother (uncle Moses) had joined the military and he was among those (Baseveni) who went for the second world war in Bama. Uncle Moses was the eldest and since my dad was young, they couldn’t take him to fight in Bama. My father was sent to be taken care of by this bishop. My father was later sent to Mukono to study theology and also education. He was an educationalist [head teacher] in Wampewo, Ssangi and he really raised many people.
When we look at the life of Abraham, he was one and his wife Sara by the time God called him, but they are responsible to children who are even us. Abraham became our father because of his God. Therefore, you can become a father biologically or a father of Nations spiritually by the presence and power of God, because the Lord said, I will make you a blessing and through you all the families of the earth shall be blessed [Genesis 12:2-3]. Isaiah 63:16 says, But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. When we go to heaven, Abraham might say, you’re not my grandson; you are too black and dark, get away but we shall tell him, because of your God, we are in the same heaven now.
So the role of a father and his position demands that you transmit that which God as given you. Not only what you have because what you have is a seed (sperm) and yet you are limited in scope. When God gives you His seed, His Spirit and His anointing, that is massive, that is powerful, that is great; you affect a Generation, you affect a Nation, you affect a group of people of men and women who are going to affect everyone because of what God has given you. Then there is also something that you have to do; not only giving out but you have to do in order to secure, strengthen and father that which will take over the world tomorrow. Let me break it down for you. Look at Abraham. He was responsible for the whole world, even upto today. The man died long time ago but he found in God a Father. The word Jehovah is not only meaning Lord. It means the Father. It means the origin.
When they talk about Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew chapter one, they break it down; so and so begat this one. In other words, he fathered so and so… The father can always start something. He can always have a new beginning. Once you have the anointing of a father, you can start something. When Jesus was teaching us about our heavenly Father according to John 17, He was trying to say, I am introducing to you a force, a power and an anointing that can start you up anyhow, anytime anywhere. God is your Father. Matthew 6:9 says, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Our Father, we are here on earth.
A Father can start anything without first borrowing the money from the bank or asking for your help. He can handle your situation. When the father is handling your situation, you become bigger than the enemy. That is why this day of the father’s day, all of you fathers allow God to handle your situation[s]; it maybe that family house which you have not finished or that business which has just been closed or maybe your child is stubborn. There is a bigger Father than you, and He can father all of us. He is capable of handling all our situations.
Child of God, your Father is well known, and His reputation is that He has defeated the devil. He is the God of war. He is the God of betterment. He is the God of victory. He is the God who owns cattle on a thousand hills. Your God has a reputation that He even comes on earth and chases away the devil, and then goes to hell and takes the keys from there. That is the reputation of your heavenly Father. He is a no nonense. When He starts something, He finishes it. When He speaks, it comes to pass. Demons know Him. The heavens and earth know Him. When things are messed up, He just speaks and things come to order. That is our Father. He knows how to bless, save, redeem, defend, choose, lift and glorify. That is your Father.
Child of God, do not despair. Don’t give up Uganda. Even in the midst of this pandemic of covid-19, our Father has ever handled viruses. He handled the Spanish flue pandemic. He handled the Ebola and HIV. He is now handling covid-19. Don’t give up child of God. We have a Father and He knows your name. He will defend you. He will protect you. He will guide you. He will save you. He will set you free. He is your heavenly Father. No matter what happens or what the devil tries to do to you, your heavenly Father is stronger than you have ever known. He is the everlasting Father. He is the King of kings and LORD of lords. That’s your Father. Call upon Him today and He will answer you in time. Call upon Him and He is ready to be your Father. He is the Father to the fatherless. He made you, so He will sustain you. He will protect and guide you in the mighty name of Jesus, the Son of the Living God. He is the SAME yesterday, today and forever. So trust in Him today. Believe in Him today. Ask Him today, my Father…
Time came when Jesus had to die and He surprised the devil in John 17. The devil knew that Jesus was the Son of God because he had seen Him do things; he had seen the Holy Spirit come upon Him. So he came to Him in the wilderness to have a conversation with Him, and he said, “if you are a Son of God” because he knew this level of a battle and encounter was going to take the Son of God. It was going to take someone who had a father. And that is what he (the devil) came for. The devil said, “if you are the Son of God“…he knew that the heaven was opened. When you have your Father, heaven will open for you. When you have a Father, the devil will be defeated. Whatever you are going through, the devil will be defeated [Matthew 4:1-6].
In John 17, Jesus said something. The bible says, and Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father…” This is how you deal with the bullies. You must have a Father. The economies, the situations, circumstances and illnesses, call on your Father, “Father, my heavenly Father, my Father…” Identify yourself with God by calling Him Father. Jesus warned us never to call any man on earth “Father” because you only have one Father [Matthew 23:9]. Don’t call anybody Papa because they don’t have the ability to step in and deal with your bully. They don’t have the ability to come and fight this Covid-19. Jesus put it in sixty minute when He said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify…” Let the glory; the source of provision; the world bank; the money we need…the hour has come. In other words, in sixty minutes bring the glory that my needs will be met. My need is in the glory of God. That is why I told you child of God that we need to bring in the glory of God, and all our needs shall be supplied [Philippians 4:19].
I don’t know where you are right now or what you are going through, but may the Father’s glory come upon you today, and meet your need[s]. That is why child of God, those who know their God as their Father shall do exploits. First of all, they will be STRONG and will do exploits.
There are things that are going to weaken many people; the economy, health, relationships, death, fear, but they that know their God as their Father, shall be strong. You see when Elijah is going, Elisha is staying. Do you know how he got that double anointing? Do you know how he received that mantle? The mantle was going with Elijah. Elisha cried “my father, my father”. At the cross, Jesus cried “my Father, my Father”… We will never know your DNA until we know the DNA donated by your father. Your Father in heaven wants to deposit something in the inside of you so that you may be like Him. “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and it’s riders”, Elisha cried [2 Kings 2:12].
People of God, we have a Father and He knows you by name. He is calling you today. If you are not born again, He wants you to become born again. If you are not saved or not caring, call Him Father.If you thought that you have not educated your children so what do they want from you, you are a father. A father will never give up. The Father will never quit on us. When we knock on His door, He will open it. When we ask, He will provide. So this morning, I want you to have a Father in heaven. I have a Father and He knows me by name.
Father in the name of Jesus, I give You praise. May You be a Father to us as a country, as a people, as a church and as a family. Oh God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, may You be a Father to all men. Heavenly Father, I need You to be my real Father. I eagerly want You in Jesus’name.
This is what He says in Psalms 2:7, I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. God has begotten you. God has fathered you. Number 42 in Greek means to begot. So you are about to birth something; a great idea which can never be stopped or shutdown by the pandemic.
If we are children of our Father, we shall do things that will shake the devil and shutdown hell. We will do things that will tell the devil enough is enough. We will do things that will tell the enemy that we are different people.
Missions Department – Robert Kayanja Ministries
