Speaking The Father's Blessing

By Neil Kennedy

The power of the words a father speaks over his children cannot be measured. His words are spoken blessings — powerful seeds of greatness — which, when sown, will cultivate the incredible talents that lie within his children. The great patriarch Abraham demonstrated his faith by giving his children intentional direction for their lives. God’s covenant was secured because Abraham established the legacy of the promise to his children’s children.

This book will empower you to speak intentional direction over your children with 52 blessings and 365 promises from God's Word. As you declare the blessings of God for your children, you can have confidence that He will watch over His Word to perform it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neil Kennedy
• Release date: Dec 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310938818

Neil Kennedy

Neil Kennedy is the founder of FivestarMan, an international movement for men. Neil has authored several books, including FivestarMan: The Five Passions Of Authentic Manhood, The Centurion Principle, A Mother's Guide To Raising A FivestarMan, God's Currency, Seven Laws Which Govern Increase And Order, and Speaking The Father's Blessing.Neil is also a sought-after contributor to many publications, authoring multiple articles for journals and national magazines, and he publishes the popular “Daily Champion” for men.

Book preview

SECTION ONE

CHAPTER ONE

FATHER ABRAHAM

He is called the Father of many nations. His descendants are numerous. Three religious groups — Jewish, Muslim, and Christian — trace their spiritual lineage directly to him.

Who was this man? What distinguished him from other men? What was so special about the man called Abram that would catch the attention of God, causing Him to rename him Abraham?

It's amazing to think about being the man God selected to impart His blessing to and establish an everlasting covenant with you and your descendants forever.

On the surface of things, you might say he was very ordinary. Abraham was the eldest son of Terah, a Bedouin from Ur of the Chaldeans. Terah's goal was to move his family to Canaan and establish a legacy; however, experiencing the tragic loss in the premature death of his third son, Haran, Terah's journey was cut short. When Terah and his family members arrived in the city named Haran, Terah could go no further. What should have been a short stop became a permanent memorial for Terah and his abandoned dreams.

Then the Voice, the clear and specific voice of God, spoke directly to Abraham to leave everything — his security, his inheritance, his father's household — to travel to an unknown destination.

You would have to be pretty confident in your ability to hear and distinguish the voice of God if you were willing to leave everything and go... to simply start moving in an uncharted direction! Yet, that's exactly what Abraham did.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Hebrews 11:8, 9 NIV

In order for God to establish a covenant with him, Abraham would need a new territory, a new dream, a new way of going and doing. But the promise wasn't just for Abraham. The promise was also for Abraham's descendants who would follow his path, not just geographically, but also in the steps God had directed him to take as a father.

To establish a covenant that would last, God needed a man who had enough faith to believe for something that would require more than his lifetime to achieve.

Abraham was chosen because God trusted him in his fatherhood.

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 18:19 KJV

Abraham was selected from all other men to be the recipient of the everlasting covenant because God knew Abraham would direct his children. He knew Abraham would disciple and discipline his children, bringing them up with intentional direction.

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Proverbs 22:6 NLT

God's everlasting covenant with a man requires that man to skillfully and faithfully pass on the provisions of the covenant; otherwise, the promise would die with one unfaithful generation.

God is selective. He looks within the heart of a man to make His choice. Something resided within Abraham that got the attention of God. It was Abraham's unwavering desire to be a father.

Fathering is more than having children. Fathering is raising children. It's directing them. It's imprinting your vision and values upon them. It's investing your influence into their lives.

So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say.

Proverbs 5:7 NLT

There is no greater influence in the lives of your children than the words you speak over them. The blessing of the father is incredibly potent and powerful. Your words give your children potential. As their father, you are prophesying their future!

God said, I trust Abraham with my covenant because he directs his household well. He will keep order. He will instruct his children, and in doing so, he will secure the promise.

This is the foundation of fatherhood: The desire and ability to give intentional direction to your children, establishing vision and values for their lives, guaranteeing your progeny will be established upon the earth in righteousness.

By speaking and praying over your children, you set a course for them in life. You direct them in the way they should go. In disciplining them, you set their feet on a path to the future in the hope that when they are older they won't depart from it.

Don't think you won't face opposition. On the contrary, everything of value is challenged. This culture is going to resist everything you are speaking and praying over your child, but know that the words you speak and the prayers you pray will be effective and will not return void. Your words will accomplish the purpose for which you spoke them.

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Proverbs 18:21 NLT

Father, you cannot underestimate the potential of the words that you speak over your children.

I remember the horrific moment when I witnessed a father make a derogatory remark to his daughter. I couldn't believe it. It was one of those defining moments that you are very sure you will never forget. The young lady was in the awkward phase of her pre-teenage years. As she was cutting a piece of pie, he looked at her and said, I think you've had enough.

I saw the embarrassed and embittered look on his daughter's face. I'm certain he didn't weigh the repercussions his comment would have on her; however, his words caused a deep wound that penetrated her soul. From that very moment, she began to struggle with her body image. A sense of dysmorphia gripped her thinking. The anger that boiled her emotions became volatile. The aftereffects of this one tragic moment began a lifelong struggle for this young woman.

CHAPTER TWO

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL

As a father, your words have the power of life and death. Solomon said, A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction (Proverbs 16:23). Rather than spewing out insults, a father should speak instruction.

This doesn't mean you can't expect excellence. On the contrary, your pursuit of excellence is what guards your mouth.

Many fathers make the fundamental mistake of assuming their children know what they know. At times we forget what it was like to learn what now seems obvious. People don't know what they don't know.

Teach your children the principles of life. Show them the way to live. Instruct them in the duties they should perform.

Moses was given the seemingly insurmountable task of leading an entire nation out of the bondage of slavery and into a promised life of freedom. Moses received a download of information and revelation from God. God instructed Moses in great detail about His character, His ways, and His precepts.

Each day, Moses sat in front of a crowd of complainers motivated by ignorance. They simply didn't know how to live in freedom. For generations they were slaves, but suddenly the people found themselves facing the struggles of liberty and personal responsibility. Moses had the task to lead them into making right decisions concerning the matters of life. He was the only one in the crowd who had direct revelation knowledge from God.

This posed a real problem. People spent hours, sometimes days, waiting their turn to receive answers to their questions.

Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, saw the overwhelming responsibility placed upon Moses. He witnessed the frustration in the camp. He knew something had to be done, so he proposed a solution.

Moses' father-in-law said to him, What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.

Exodus 18:17-23 ESV

Jethro's advice is so foundational to leadership that businesses and corporations should take note. As men and fathers, we should certainly listen to this wise father-in-law's advice.

We should teach the ways and the whys of doing things to our children.

When you teach your children to make their beds, show them the tricks of tucking the sheets, folding