The Father's Blessing — Paul Louis Cole

Cooled by the breezes of the Mediterranean, in a house made from the mud bricks of the Nile River, deep in the beautiful Rameses valley in Egypt the patriarch Jacob rests on a couch, nearing the end of his life. His son Joseph arrives bringing with him his two sons and asking that they be blessed by their grandfather. Genesis Chapter 48 records his words:

“Then he blessed Joseph and said, May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked—the God who has been my shepherd all my life, to this very day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm. May he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of Abraham and Isaac. And may their descendants multiply greatly throughout the earth.”

It is a majestic and deeply rich moment, so filled with faith and blessing that it is recorded again in Hebrews 11. Throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament) and Torah great men of God model for us the power of a blessing. Abraham and Isaac, Isaac and Jacob, then David and Solomon are those who passed down blessing from generation to generation. Men like Gideon showed us the plight that the lack of a blessing brings to the next generation. The blessing was not only a father’s right, it was his duty – his legacy was not the land, the riches, the cattle – it was the word of blessing that carried power, blessing and honor…for generations to come.

The blessing was not only a father’s right, it was his duty – his legacy was not the land, the riches, the cattle – it was the word of blessing that carried power, blessing and honor…for generations to come.

Paul the Apostle commended something very weighty to us as fathers in the first letter to the Corinthians;

“You have ten thousand instructors, but not many fathers.”

The core of this word from Paul is this…an instructor will give you what he knows, a father will give you who he is. From a friend you can get good advice, but from your father – you get his heart.

The words of an instructor will set boundaries – but the words of blessing from a father release the spirit of a man. It is the empowering word of a father that gives a man courage. When you bless your children you put into them the heart of a lion.

It is the empowering word of a father that gives a man courage.

The blessing always precedes fruitfulness. It is the moment the son or daughter embraces, “I can do this.” You and I live in the blessing the Father gave to his son in Matthew 3;

“Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased’”

We live today in the blessing of Christ – the pleasure of His Father. The Bible teaches us as fathers this key truth in Proverbs 18…

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit”

Everything grows or dies based on the atmosphere. An atmosphere of blessing will always produce life. The father provides the atmosphere in a family – that’s why ‘family’ in the original language is translated, “Fathers’ House”.

Everything grows or dies based on the atmosphere. An atmosphere of blessing will always produce life.

As a father, your words build an atmosphere of blessing or cursing in your family. Bless your family this week. If you’re able, physically place your hands on their heads and bless them. Pray the presence of God over their lives – bless them and empower them to succeed. Your blessing will give them the courage to walk through hell – and many of them will need that empowerment before this year is through.

Now, here’s your blessing from the Father God. We are blessed to be a blessing, because our Father in heaven has blessed us. Paul said it this way in his letter to the Ephesians Chapter 1;

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.