Have you ever heard one of those phrases, and the moment it went in your ears, it was locked in forever? You immediately filed it in the “Don’t forget this one” folder. It was permanently placed in that special spot reserved for the paradigm shifting phrases that alter your thinking. To all godly dads out there, as you read this post, ask yourself: is danger approaching you? You still have time to avoid it.

One of those “locked in” kind of phrases happened to me this weekend at our Father & Son Retreat Project: MANHOOD.

We had five great speakers who all shared valuable insights. I’ve listed a top phrase from each speaker below. But, one mentioned by Dr. Kevin Jones jumped out at me.

He said: “My wife and I pray, ‘God! Show us the enemy while he’s still far off!’”

If you’re a human being, you’re opposed by one who hates your very existence. He seeks to kill and destroy. And, especially If you’re a dad trying to be an engaged and godly father, Satan has you in his sights big time.

Knowing you have an enemy who seeks to attack, wouldn’t you want maximum notice of his next onslaught? If a tsunami is coming, you want an early warning! If the alarm sounds when the wall of water is at your doorstep, you’re doomed.

As I pondered Kevin’s prayer, I wondered, where do I sense the enemy coming? Do I have some early warning capabilities? The answer is, yes! I do!

Four early warning systems godly dads should have in their lives:

  • Godly Counsel: My wife, sons, friends and those I work alongside are all able to help me see around corners and know what trouble I may be heading toward
  • The Bible: God’s word warns me about many things – my flesh, pride, envy, the adulteress, how I use my mouth – it all helps identify areas of potential danger
  • Prayer: God reveals areas of risk to me through prayer – He helps me avoid calamity by aligning my will to His when I’m on my knees seeking understanding
  • Holy Spirit: This is arguably the greatest asset in avoiding disaster – for the believer, this inner guiding light is essential for finding our way through a dark world

I think Fathers are on the spiritual battle front lines. Whether we know it or not, our desire to parent our children with godly values, puts us in the enemy’s crosshairs. He is coming for you – and your family.

Pray this prayer today and see what God brings on your radar.

The enemy may be closer than you think.

 

Some other gems I mined at Project: MANHOOD:

“It’s time for us to man up in our homes and make God’s word central again.”
– Aaron Harvie

“There’s a lie in our churches that says if you’re a ‘Varsity’ Christian, you become a pastor. All other roles are ‘JV’.”
– Lachlan Coffey

“I pray because Jesus prayed, that’s good enough for me. And, as a Dad, it’s my job to teach my sons to pray.”
– Dan Dumas

“The one regret I have about my dad is that I didn’t invite him into my sins as a boy so he could walk with me.”
– Jon McCallon

 


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