The Father Factor
The sermon “The Father Factor” delivers a powerful message centered on the divine principle of individual leadership, personal capacity, and the foundational role required of men, rooted in the scripture where God seeks “a man who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land” (Ezekiel 22:30). This truth is presented as both applicable to fathers on Father’s Day and as a genderless truth relevant to all who are called to stand and lead.
The Divine Strategy: The Power of One Man
A central theme of leadership, as demonstrated by God, is the preference for starting plans with a single person, not a committee, board, or team. God’s creation, the salvation of the world through the flood (Noah), and the establishment of the nation of Israel all began out of one man.
Recognizing the Calling
When an individual is truly “the one” God is using, they often do not know they are gifted; their gift is simply natural to them. It takes time to realize that what feels natural internally appears as a unique gift or talent to others.
God intends for this individual calling to result in something built in the earth that extends beyond oneself and outlives the builder.
The Danger of Selfishness
To achieve this greatness, selfishness is identified as the cancer of greatness. People who focus only on themselves will never achieve true greatness, or if they do, they risk losing it, as God desires greatness to flow through the individual, not merely to them.
God is actively seeking singular figures—one David, one Joshua, one Ezekiel, one Deborah, one Mary—to accomplish His will. If God has chosen someone to do a task, He will equip them and use them, regardless of whether they have the capital, friendships, fear, or uncertainty.
On Hell’s Hit List
Because God intends to use these chosen individuals in a unique and powerful way, they are immediately placed on the hit list of hell. The enemy often attempts to break, hurt, or destroy them before they recognize the special calling God has placed within them. Therefore, those called should not expect everything to go right initially; the journey may start rough because the enemy knew they were special before they did.
The Essential Role: Standing in the Gap
The scriptural mandate to “stand in the gap” means filling in a missing piece; it does not require the individual to be the entire structure (the wall, the gate, the foundation, the roof, etc.). God merely requires their presence to make up the difference in the home, relationship, career, or community.
The Foundation and Pillars
The man (or leader) is called to be the foundation, not the decoration, of the house. Foundations are critical but often go unrecognized or ignored; people drive past a neighborhood celebrating the exterior without appreciating the cement underneath.
This foundational role requires men to hold things up, often with their mouth shut and their lips glued together, faithfully enduring. Nobody appreciates a foundation until a flood, storm, or crisis comes. When trials hit, the quality of the foundation determines whether the structure (the life, family, or institution) can still stand. Fathers are specifically called to be pillars of righteousness who stand even when they face disagreement, being ignored, or feeling unappreciated.
Leaders must operate with the internal resolve that they are assigned by God rather than seeking acknowledgment from the people they serve. If recognition is withheld by those they serve, God promises to raise up appreciation and harvest from elsewhere, sometimes giving houses they didn’t build or vineyards they didn’t sow. It is crucial to know one’s identity and worth independently of external accolades or recognition.