I remember lying on the floor of the Toronto Airport Church in 2007 crying out to God to impart to me whatever happened in that place.  This was my first time to Toronto since the revival broke out in 1994. I had been a prodigal until 2005 and did not experience the revival fires that burst there, but in my heart this was not going to stop me from obtaining the prize.

Lying there I went into an open vision. I saw myself as a priest within an orphanage. I was running down a hall and turned a corner where there were many orphans waiting to be loved and accepted. They jumped into my arms when they saw me.

 

It was a wonderful vision but I had no understanding of what it meant. I wasn’t familiar with what occurred in Toronto enough to understand that what I was seeing was the Father’s heart. I believe a big part of the renewal was the birthing of many fathers and mothers into the earth.

 

I have become a better father since that time.  My track record, if displayed, is appalling.  I abandoned my two daughters at a very early age. I wasn’t there for them at all.  My own addictions and demons kept me from really being there for them.  As a result our relationship is cold at best.

 

With my sons I have tried harder.  I didn’t know how to be a good dad to them, but I was determined to be there for them nevertheless.  Through time I have understood that fathering is about helping our children believe that they can.

 

Two summers ago, my son Joseph learned to ride his bike, with me running beside him shouting “You can do it.”  He didn’t think he could, but at one point as I was looking him in the eyes, he began to realize that he could.

 

I had a similar experience with my son Jonathan last summer.  I was teaching him to swim.  He kept saying to me, “I can’t do it.”  I kept telling him he could.  After hearing me say it many times, there was one time in particular that he looked me in the eyes as I was saying it and I knew that now he wasn’t just hearing it, but believing it.

 

I also had the same experience with my youngest son just this week.  He took his first 6 to 7 steps looking me in the eye and running toward me.  I kept saying “come on, come on” and he kept coming.

 

As a father I want to instill in the hearts of my children that they can do anything that they put their minds to do.  When I was young, my mother used to say this to me and I believed her.  I remember telling my mom one time that I wanted to be like Billy Graham.  I even remember the exact spot we were standing when it was said.  She looked me in the eye and said to me, “and you can do it.”  I knew she meant it.

 

As parents we want to unlock the limitations over the minds of our kids.  We want them to feel free to express themselves and to try to accomplish things they think they can’t accomplish.  I am not talking about forcing them to do something you want them to do.

 

The way I try to do this is that I come alongside of them to see what they are doing.  When they need to hear it, I tell them that they can, and they often do.

 

Now I pray for the fathers to rise up in the churches to do the same with their spiritual children, to look them in the eyes and say: “You can prophesy, you can heal the sick, you can cast out demons.” The Father will be pleased.