Daddy Issues - Part 8

Sep 24, 2022

Daddy Issues Part 8: Spiritual Maturity (Cont’d)

We were created for fruitfulness.

Genesis 1:28 Be fruitful and multiply

Matthew 28:18-19 Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…

He redeemed our mandate. We can now be fruitful and multiply spiritually and naturally.

John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Fruitfulness requires maturity.

Maturity requires time, experience, and growth. Monte isn’t mature. He can’t be fruitful or multiply yet. Thank God. He eats, sleeps, makes a mess that we have to clean up, plays with his toys, and demands we watch Sing 2 for the 37th time.

His whole outlook on life is summed up in 2 words: mine & no. He’s selfish. He’s immature. He is where he is supposed to be.

Can you imagine changing the diaper of a fully functional 30-year-old? It’s not a pretty picture.

The problem is that Jesus is looking for some disciples to feed His sheep and all He hears is MINE! He is looking for disciples to GO! But all He hears is NO!

Immaturity = Selfishness, Maturity = Love

John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

We got kicked out of the Garden because we were proud and selfish and cost the Savior His lifeblood to redeem us. He now stands at the door and knocks and brings an invitation to grow up in the grace and love of God.

Daddy Issues - Series Main Text
Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

1 John 2:12-14 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

He mentions three groups. It has to do with spiritual maturity not age. 40-year-old children.

He mentions: Children, Fathers (parents), & Young Men (adolescents)

Children: Starting Place. Immaturity. Unfruitful
Sins have been forgiven in the Name of Jesus
Know the Father

Know God as Savior: sins are forgiven, not going to hell
Know God as a father (authoritarian, provider, protector, savior)
What

Fathers (Parents): Goal, Maturity, Fruitful, Pours into the next generation
Know him who is from the beginning
Know him who is from the beginning

Know him who is from the beginning (2x)
Know His nature, essence, heart and mind
Why

Psalm 103:7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. (NKJV)
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. (NLT)

Young Men (Adolescents): Because this is where most of us are
Overcome the evil one
you are strong
the word of God lives in you,
you have overcome the evil one.
Learning the word
Spiritual Warfare
Growing in strength and authority

Adolescents Have the ability physically to be fruitful, but not the maturity in their character. Requires guidance, experience, and wisdom. Must learn appropriate intimacy. Sex drive is going crazy.

Spiritually – can receive, and conceive, but lack the maturity and discipline to carry to term and endure birthing pains.
Learn appropriate intimacy – instead of just seeking the thrill and the climax of emotion and experience, we seek His presence. Not just revelation, but to truly know His heart and mind.

Becoming spiritually mature is all about knowing God intimately and growing in His love. Why?

1 John 4:8 God is love

Matthew 7:23 I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!

Know (Greek – Ginosko): To come to know, knowledge by experience and or intimacy

1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1 John 2:5-6 But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.

1 John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commands.

If you are only concerned with being fed, rather than looking how you can feed others
If you refuse to grow in the word and to take it seriously
If you do not engage in spiritual warfare, and leave it to you spouse or pastors
You are a spiritual child.

Jesus loves you but you have some growing up to do

Adolescents are sexually reproductive, but not mentally, emotionally, mentally, financially, spiritually mature.

Restoration of Peter

John 21:15 Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

Parenthood is supposed to be reserved for mature. Maturity and security is supposed to be the foundation upon we build the lives of our children and legacy.

Babies raising babies, sperm doners and incubators rather than fathers and mothers.
Fornication vs. Legitimate Intimacy w/ Spouse
Idolatry vs. Intimacy with God

We must grow through seasons and stages to reach maturity.
We start off in bondage to our selfishness
God Delivers us and gives us revelation so we can repent – change our minds and behavior
Then we go into a wilderness to walk it out
When we let the wilderness have its work, we begin to grow and mature
We are then prepared for the next season or assignment – to declare the Lord – to be a voice

We can then be fruitful God’s way, have Kingdom dominion that honors God and builds legacy.

Spiritually mature are fruitful and walk in their authority as a mother / father for the benefit of sons and daughters. They are legacy, inheritance and next-generation minded.

Immature people are selfish. It’s all about them.

We must not allow ourselves to remain children and become spiritual babies trying to raise spiritual babies.

We must also go to God when others have hurt us or when we experience trauma so that we don’t birth or reproduce brokenness and disfunction.

Response:
Repent of our selfishness, sin and idols
Ask God to heal our hurts and trauma
Face the wilderness with humility, faith, and obedience – and do it again tomorrow
Bear fruit for the benefit of others.