Headship and Responsibility (2 of 5)

Mike Connell

Father, I thank You for these men that acknowledge their need, they've acknowledge their need of You Lord. Today I'm asking for the power of Your spirit to come on them, to raise them as godly men; that Lord, You will dispossess the demon powers that have hindered them, and held them down; and that they will arise with great strength and vigour in their families. Help them to recognise and put right what was wrong. Help them to love their wives and children, humble themselves, that they might Lord be lifted up by You.

I just wonder right now, how many others in the church today, and as I've been speaking you're aware that your heart has been hurt and broken, because in your family men have failed. Men have failed to lead, or men have been abusive in their leadership, and it's left a deep wound inside your life. You say God, I need You to help me to forgive and release these things so I can take my right place. Why don't you just stand right now, just do it right now. It could just be women, it'll also be men, men that have been abandoned by their dads, and men that have been abused by their dads, women that have been abandoned, and women that have been abused. Could be many. It's one of the most difficult things for a man to lead, is because he's been under an abusive leader himself, controlling, self-centred man; or a passive, self-centred, self-absorbed man, who won't take responsibility. What a tragedy. What a tremendous hurt and heartache in the family. Father, I'm asking for each of these ones today, for the anointing and the power and the love of Your spirit to come around them, to heal and restore and to raise them up. Father, I ask that the grace of God to forgive would come around our life, that they could move past their hurts, and into a place of accepting Lord, their role.

Just while our eyes are closed and heads are bowed, those of you standing, just keep your eyes closed. I'd like others in the church to go to the ones who are standing. I'd like you just to pray for them, encourage them, bless them. Put your arm around them. Some of them have tremendous pain and hurt. Let's just believe that God will come and help them. Tremendous pain when fathers do not do what they're supposed to do. Just come, put your arm round him, say: I'm with you brother.

Now Father, in Jesus' name, we break the power of abusive words. We break the power of critical words, that found fault. We break the power of violence and hatred. We break the power of abandonment. We break the hold of those things that have locked up the hearts of these men and women. Father, we release Your love. We release Your anointing. Father, I pray Your spirit would touch the family, every man, every woman and stand up in a new role.