MOTHER'S DAY MESSAGE BY: Rev. Allen Farley

MOTHERS DAY MESSAGE  

   May 8, 2011

By: Rev. Allen Farley

Happy Mothers’ Day!  We are here this morning to honor you Godly mothers, spiritual __ natural __ or both.  I listened for a word from the Lord and this is what He said.

“For mothers who are called by My Name, I love you and will bless you and will help you.  Great will be your reward for I have placed upon you a high honor and a great responsibility.  And that is to bring forth and nurture to maturity men and women: 1) Who I have created in My own image and in My likeness; 2) Who I knew and approved of even before I formed them in the womb; 3) Of whom I have plans for and thoughts toward of good and not evil; 4) And who I uniquely formed for a purpose.  My heart’s desire is that they love Me and draw near to Me __ and walk with Me __ and learn of Me to become the salt of the earth and the shining lights that will usher in My Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.”

MY MOTHER

I will begin this by speaking of the mother I have known best __ my own mother who went home to heaven last year at the age of 92.  I was blessed with a mother and father who loved me.  She was a living illustration of a virtuous woman.  She had high moral standards and lived according to them every day.  She was a faithful wife who loved her husband, my father, for the 54 years they were married.  As a daughter, she honored her father and mother.  (I saw this first hand because her parents, my grandparents, lived across the street from us.)  Considering the example that my mother set, I’m reminded of a truth that I believe __ “Your children will not do everything you say, but you can expect them to eventually do what they see you do”.

She introduced me to the Lord and made sure I was instructed in the Word.  When I was very young she started me regularly attending Sunday school at the Seventh Street Methodist Church in Temple, Texas.  As a result of that, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at 13 during a revival at that church.  Though I did not seriously start serving the Lord until 20 years later, I can say that Proverbs 22:6 was in action:  Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

She also introduced me to the Holy Ghost in an unexpected way.  She told me that when I was a baby, we lived in an apartment in an old house within walking distance from where my father worked.  At that time, he often had to work late and on hot evenings my mother would sit by the open window and hold me in order to get some cooler air.  Across the street was a very active church which also had its windows open.  My mother later told me this church was known to shout and dance and sing praises to the Lord.  The Holy Ghost was moving among those “holy rollers”.  I know my little spirit must have taken that in.  So, here I am today in this place.  “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old ……. “

She taught me the difference between right and wrong.  When I did wrong, the judgment was sure and the punishment swift.  I don’t how she did it, but she instilled in me a conscience.  When I did something wrong that she did not know about, I was very uneasy until I confessed it to her.

She emphasized doing well in school and always provided a quiet and peaceful environment at home when I was to do my homework and study for tests.  She encouraged work and saving.  By 13, I had my first job where I first worked for someone else and got paid.  From an early age I had a deep appreciation of how hard my father had to work to provide for his family.

My mother prayed for me all her life and probably up to the day she died.  I needed it every step of the way.  James 5:16:  The effective and fervent prayer of a righteous “mother” accomplishes much.  Prayer is a life time occupation for a parent.  It does not matter the age of your child (from pre-born to 60).  It does not matter what your child’s present circumstances are __ struggling or succeeding.  The enemy is out to destroy them because God’s plan for their lives is a threat to the kingdom of darkness. 

MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS

A Godly mother’s spoken words are powerful and can bring light to many generations.  Luke 1:38:  And Mary said, ‘Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it to me according to your Word.  My favorite quote of Mary’s was at the wedding party in John 2:5:  His (Jesus’) mother said to the servants, ‘whatsoever He said to you, do it!’   These words are still marching orders for all of us today and our children should be taught the same.

Perhaps the unrecorded words of Mary would be very interesting.  READ Luke 2:41-52.  Vincent Valentine said he often wondered how Mary responded to Jesus’ comment which sounded a bit “cheeky” for a 12 year old.  We don’t know what she said to Jesus, but we do know that we did not hear from him for another 17 years.

A MOTHER’S BATTLE

These are dangerous times for our children.  Jesus said that His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.  And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him for they know not his voice (John 10:4-5).  Today, there are many strangers out there calling our children.  These strangers may be ungodly friends or teachers or professors.  The strangers may be in music, the movies, or websites.  There are all kinds of subtle and not so subtle snares to capture our children.  Your child may be a 45 year old world-renowned surgeon or a famous evangelist or a teenager or young adult in bondage or headed the wrong way.  It doesn’t matter, there are strangers trying to separate them from God because God’s purpose for them is a threat to the kingdom of darkness!

It is a spiritual battlefield and countless numbers of righteous mothers are worrying.  It is time to stop worrying and start fighting.  There is no victory without a battle.  But it is a spiritual battle and it will be won “not by power, not by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord”.

So how does one win the battle by His Spirit?  Galatians 5:25:  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  It is one thing to be filled with the Spirit, but we should also be led by the Spirit.  Galatians 5:16 says, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.   Part of that “flesh” is carnal thinking __ trying to solve problems by worldly methods __ or by your own reasoning __ or bring in fear and worry rather than faith.  To walk in the Spirit requires being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  In short, to be sensitive we must:  1) Yield to the Holy Spirit (Draw near to me and I will draw near to you).  2) Be open to Him.  That’s where we go from revelation to revelation.  God never let anyone down.  He’s our answer.  Being open means willing to do anything He says to do.  3)  Be holy.  Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.  4) Be patient and steadfast.  Be still and know I am God.  My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.  5) Be at peace.  Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.

The Holy Spirit is all powerful and all knowing.  And he loves your child even more than you do.  He is God.  In John 16, Jesus said that He (The Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth and He will show you things to come.  So, in this spiritual battle for your children, the Holy Spirit will show you how to pray.  He gives you revelation from the Word.  Allow the Holy Spirit to make the decisions in what you should do (then do it promptly) or not do (i.e., let go and let God) in the situation.  (You will know when it is His decision because you will have total peace about it.)  He will remind you (Praise God!) that Christ redeemed your children from the curse of the law (READ Dt. 28:32) regarding your children.  He can show you the evil spirit(s) controlling your child and lead you in binding those spirits.  

He will show you what to confess and call into being from the Word. 

For example:

 From Isaiah 55:11:  I declare that every Word of God that my child has ever heard and will hear will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which He sent it into his/her heart.

 From Psalm 37:25:  I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the seed of the righteous begging bread.

From Isaiah 44:3:  I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground:  I will pour My Spirit upon your seed, and My blessing upon your offspring.

From Isaiah 49:25:  Thus says the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered:  for I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save (rescue) your children.         

 From Isaiah 54:13:  All your children shall be taught by the Lord; and great shall be the peace of your children.

From Jeremiah 31:16-17:  Thus says Lord; ‘Refrain your eyes from weeping, and your eyes from tears:  for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.  And there is hope in your end, says Lord that your children shall come again to their own border.       

When we walk in the Spirit, He will produce in us the fruit of the Spirit.  Galatians 5:22-23:  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (self control).  Now these are not only preserving virtues, but they are powerful spiritual weapons.  They are a different kind of lifestyle, one that attracts others by its light in contrast to the darkness of the world.  Live this lifestyle in your home and it will become a bit like living in heaven right here on earth.

I call it “Nine Point Power”.  Here is why they are essential weapons in winning the battle.

LOVE never fails according to the Word of God.  God is love and He is all powerful.

JOY of the Lord is our strength, according to the Word.  Our deep confidence who God is and what He has promised to do brings great encouragement and courage essential to win the battle.

PEACE brings calmness to the heart and mind in the midst of adversity. Paralyzing fear is not given place.

LONGSUFFERING enables us to stand strong, to be immovable, and never quit.  It is patience and without patience, faith is dead.

GENTLENESS enables us to be soft-spoken (Proverbs 15:1:  A soft answer turns away wrath) and even-tempered.  T.R. had a foreign policy of speaking softly and carrying a big stick.  Our “big stick” is the power and authority of God __ and the will to use as the Holy Spirit directs.

GOODNESS, per Romans 12:20-21, will overcome evil and heap coals of fire on the head of the enemy.

FAITH will move mountains (Mark 11:22-23), It is the opposite of fear which spells defeat.  We cannot please God without faith.  And God is not moved by need, but by faith.

MEEKNESS is not weakness, but the opposite of pride and haughtiness which God hates.  Pride goes before the fall __ so it is self-destructive.

TEMPERENCE is self-control necessary to not give in to the temptations and empty threats of the enemy which will result in sure defeat.  Self-control is essential to consistently be Spirit-led rather than circumstance-led or emotions-led or reason-led, all of which are of the flesh. 

Listen, often you will just have to turn your child over to the Lord and then your job will be, through determination and dedication, to submit to the Holy Spirit, listen to Him, and do and say only what He tells you to do and say.  Remember what Mary said, “Whatsoever He said to you, do it”.

Let me pray for you:

 Father, I thank You that Your Word is true.  I believe in my heart that the Word of God prevails over every child represented by these Godly mothers who love you and are called by Your Name.

Father, I take Your Word which says that You will pour out Your Spirit upon their offspring and Your blessings on their descendants.  I take Your Word that says that You will contend with him that contends with these precious mothers and You will rescue and save their children.  I confess that You, O Lord, give Your angels charge over their children to go with them and defend them.

Lord, I now ask that You release your faith to these mothers to be led by your Spirit and to know Your voice.  I confess that they will make the right decisions at the right time because Your Spirit will lead them day by day.