Imitate The Father

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Imitate The Father

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. Ephesians 5:1

In a dream I had many years ago, God the Holy Spirit gave me insight into Ephesians 5:1  that taught me the important Kingdom Principle of Imitating the Father.

In the dream I saw many children, sons and daughters, with their fathers. My attention was drawn specifically to a father and his son. The father led his son by the hand. The father was constantly aware of the fact that wherever he went and whatever he did, his son was watching him, imitating his every move, learning from him,  and doing his best to be just like his father. 

The son, clinging tightly to his father's hand, looked often at his dad with admiration and love in his eyes as they talked, walked and worked together. Whatever the father did, the son did, too. When the father respectfully greeted another father and his child, the son did so, too. The mannerisms, style, attitude and body movements the father employed as he went about his work were faithfully, meticulously and lovingly imitated by the son. Whatever dad did, his son did, too. In fact, as I looked around I saw that every child, girl and boy, in my dream, imitated their fathers. 

Jesus Imitated His Father As A Dear Child of God 

Jesus imitated His Father, too. He lovingly, with utmost care and with deep respect  did all He saw His Father do. Jesus did not imitate His Father  because He was afraid of repercussions, or out of the fear that He would make His Father angry and thus lose His love, respect and approval, nor did He do it to receive applause from people. Rather, all that Jesus did showed us the Father and His love for us, His creation. Jesus loved, admired  and trusted His Father completely. He knew His Father's heart and He perfectly displayed to those who paid attention the holiness, the majesty and the goodness of God.

Imitating God Is An Act of Love 

We know Jesus imitated The Father because He told us so!

 Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."   John 5:19 

Jesu  told us the reason why He imitated His Father so faithfully and so meticulously in what He said and did:

For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.  John 5:20

And that is how God wants us to live: Aware of His great and tender love for us; that He loves us as much as He loves Jesus. God teaches us to Imitate Him just as His Beloved Son did in all He thought, said and did so that people would marvel at the goodness of God displayed through our lives. 

When we Imitate the Father, as Jesus did, then we will live as Jesus did: loving God and others even as we love ourselves; going about doing good; seeking to do the will of God in our lives at all times; healing those oppressed by the devil; doing all that we do to the glory of God the Father, and thus we will be a sweet-smelling, pleasing savour to the Lord. 

Imitating The Father Is An Act of Obedience 

Imitating the Father  is a Kingdom Principle to live by.

Imitating the Father  will help us to grow and mature in spiritual things.

Imitating the Father, a.k.a Doing what we see the Father do and saying what we hear the Father say in His Word will keep us from the deception and trickery of the enemy.

Imitating our Father in Heaven means we will not have time to mimic the doubt, unbelief, fear, anxiety, and doom and gloom opinions, words and actions of this world.

Imitating the Father will keep us from buying into, being led astray by and being tossed to and fro by the legalistic and empty winds of the false doctrines and traditions of men which are contrary to the ways of God, and which they use to deceive people making them, as Jesus said to the Pharisees, 'two-fold more the children of hell than themselves!' (Matthew 23:15).

Imitating the Father  is the ultimate act of obedience, showing the world that God cares for people and that He only has good in His heart toward all. 

So, Imitate The Father! 

I woke up from that dream with a song on my heart given to me by the Holy Spirit. The tune is quite catchy and upbeat and it gets the feet tapping! The lyrics are plain and simple, easy to remember, as I go about my day or if I am challenged by a situation, or having to face a storm. The words of the song remind me to stop for a moment and reflect on what the Father would do, and not to just act impulsively. Here are the words to my Holy Spirit inspired song:

Imitate The Father! 

You know that it's best! 

Imitate The Father. 

You know that it's best. 

Imitate The Father-

You know that it's best. 

Imitate... oh Imitate... Imitate the Father! 

See! I told you! Simple, easy and, I have found, very effective at the right times! 

We know that Imitating the Father is the best thing we can do in our lives. [Note we'll, I did not say 'Irritate the Father,' but rather, 'Imitate the Father!'] Imitating God is living with wisdom, vision, confidence, a sure hope and a blessed assurance that you can be successful in this life! Imitating the Father could mean salvation, freedom and deliverance for others through your words and actions, So why not do what the Word says to do from this moment on- Imitate the Father as dear children of God. You know that it's best! 

Meaghan Spies © 2022