i ii

Restore

oar

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Restore

oar

By

Oscar Jones

Destiny House Publishing, LLC Detroit, MI

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Restore the Roar

International Standard Book Number: 9781456353759

Unless otherwise stated, all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Scripture references that do

not have the Bible version noted are the author’s paraphrase.

Published by Destiny House Publishing, LLC

Detroit, MI Copyright 2011 Oscar Jones

Original printing 2011

Cover design and Publication Layout: Destiny House Publishing, LLC Editing: Destiny House Publishing, LLC

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

All rights reserved under International Copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

For information: www.destinyhousepublishing.com

P.O. Box 19774 Detroit, MI 48219, 888.890.9455

Destiny House

Publishing, LLC

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements/Dedications ……………..viii

Introduction ……………………………………....ix

Chapter 1

Why do lions roar? ...……………………………1

Chapter 2

What happened to the roar? .............................9

Chapter 3

His Pride………………………………………....19 Chapter 4

King of the Jungle………………………………29

Chapter 5

TheLion’s King ……………….………………..41

Chapter 6

Reclaiming My Roar……………………………49

vii

Acknowledgments/Dedication

I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my King, Ruler, Leader and the Restorer of my own roar. All glory and honor go to him. This journey of manhood is one for an entire lifetime. But, I have learned to celebrate every little victory along the way. So this book is one of those revelatory moments in the journey for me. I have many testimonies which I will share at a later time.

I give thanks to my wife and lioness, Prophetess Crystal Jones, who was my encourager and editor during this process.

I dedicate this book to my sons:

Jake Allen, Christopher Jones & Erik Dean

Also, I want to dedicate to all the men of Greater Works Family Ministries and those that are a part of Marriage for a Lifetime Ministries. And finally to my sons in the gospel:

Cleaver Davis, Terence Gary, Keith Grier, Anthony McCray, Adam White, Anthony Williams, Randy Winans, and Tony Winans,

viii

Introduction

Jesus Christ came to this earth for the specific job of restoring man to God. He has done everything he ever needed to do for this to happen. But like the Israelites, and many Christians before us, there are times when we forget what God has done for us. As men, we turn away from God. We tend to ignore his call on our lives, and forget that being a Christian is a lifestyle, not just a thing we do from time to time.

It’s only in Christ that our roar can be restored. It’s only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can grow in our knowledge of the things of God. And it’s only in Christ that we do not lack any thing pertaining to our roar and our families.

Psalm 80 is a prayer to God for restoration:

Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us. Restore us, Oh God; make your face shine upon us, thatwe may be saved.‖ In verse 7, ―Restore us, O God almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.‖ And again verse 19, ―Restore us, O God almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.‖

ix This is a real plea for God to restore us as men back to our original state. In the pages of this book, I hope you will find the answers needed to be restored and remain restored.

I hope to help men gain victory over sexual temptation, anger and many other sins that war against their image. My aim is to shed light on the areas of darkness in the souls of men. And cause them to see the need and importance of retaining their roar within their families, church and communities.

x

Chapter 1

WHY DO LIONS ROAR?

In the animal kingdom, the roar of the male lion is very pertinent. The roar signifies communication and instructions. The roar can indicate that it’s time to take cover, relax, or its time to fight. The roar communicates to the other lions in the pride to be on the alert for danger.

Roaring allows lions to communicate to one another in several different ways, and for several different reasons. The female lioness has a sound that is distinctive from the male. Her roar, while still quite powerful, is much quieter than the large male lions. The female lioness has the capability to call out for lost cubs, as well as communicating to pride mates to come and back them up in a fight. Pride mates will certainly stick together, and as a rule all of the females will protect cubs of the pride.

The male lion is the leader of his pride. It is his job to protect and watch over the territory of his pride. The male lion’s genetic future depends upon his remaining resident with his pride long enough for the cubs to survive. It is in his best interest to respond to intruders, every time. If he ignores a challenge once and new males supplant him in the pride, all the offspring will be killed. So, a resident male must keep ownership anddefend the pride’s honor by consistently challenging any intruders that disregard his roar.

In the same way, man’s roar is much like tha t of the lion. When we roar, it is communicating something and it can also serve as protection. We are to instruct our pride by leading them into the things of God.

We can relax and take refuge in the arms of Jesus. Jesus told us to take no thought for our lives. In other words, He’s got our backs. Lions watch out for each other, just like God watches out for us. So we must learn to relax and trust that God is going to take care of us. There are times that we must be willing to fight as a pride (family). We come together as one to fight the enemy of our soul who wants to destroy us and our families. So our roar must be clear enough so that every family member can hear and respond.

A man’s roar must be constant in order to properly lead his pride. He must pay attention to what is going on in his family. He must be aware of the temperament of his home. As we sound the alarm, it getsour families’ attention. We can’t be men that are silent in our homes. We must continue to roar until we awaken our family’s interest.

Nehemiah 4:14 Be not afraid of them remember the Lord which is great and terrible and fight for your brethren, your sons, your wives, your daughters and your houses.

We have the honor of protecting our family at all costs. Men, we must learn how to protect our families. The male lion knows if he doesn’t fight for his family he will lose it. As the leaders of our prides, we, too, must cause our enemy to step back and respect our territory. The roar signals everyone to stop and pay attention.

Amos 3:3-4 Can two walk together except they be agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? The context of the verse is that, no, he will not. The lion’s roar brings fear to the lion’s prey, thus Amos 3:8 says, "The lion hath roared, who will not fear?" The roaring of the lion when he has prey causes fear in the victim and this fear makes escaping harder and thus aids the lion in capturing his prey.

"Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it" Isa 5:29.

Satan cannot stand in the roar of a Christian man and his wife, it strikes fear in his heart. Job 23:13 But he (God) is in the one mind and who can turn it. When there is one roar coming from a household, it certainly destroys the works of Satan in that home

HOW DOES MY IMAGE AFFECT MY ROAR?

Genesis 1:26-27 Let us make man in our image after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and female created he them. And God blessed them and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Man was given authority to rule the earth. Authority is the power or right to control, judge, or prohibit the actions of others. Also, it is such a power or right delegated especially from one person to another. We have the authority, control and rule given to us by God.

God wanted to express Himself through man. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) He was created by God to dwell upon the earth forever.

God constructed an image of himself with full authority and creative power and called it -man. God formed man and breathed into him the roar, which is the very essence of man. Man began to roar and set order in the earth. God told Adam that whatever you call every living beast, that’s what it shall be named. God wanted Adam to recognize his God-given authority.

Genesis 2:15 God gave Adam a job to do and the Lord took the man and put him into the garden to dress it and to keep it. God gave him a home. Man’s energy is devoted to tending to his pride. The word dress means to work, to serve, and keep. It means to put a hedge about or guard and protect. The male lion’s job is to protect and guard his family.

Adam didn’t roar when the intruder came into his garden. Consequently, he lost his relationship with God and his identity. When we don’t move in our authority, it diminishes our roar.

Satan has told us that our affirmation must come from other things (i.e. titles, job, etc.) but we must realize that true affirmation and acceptance come from God. When we receive affirmation and acceptance from God, we become a mighty weapon against the kingdom of darkness. God affirmed and accepted us from the beginning, when he looked at us and breathed the breath of life. He looked at his creation and said that it was very good. When we are affirmed and accepted, it keeps our roar alive. Ideally, we must offer that affirmation and acceptance to our families.

THREE TYPES OF ROAR

The roar of every man offers three areas of affirmation to his family. First, there is the roar of the protector. We are to get our example from Christ.

Jesus hides us in the shadow of his wings. He is our shield and our buckler.

Every man has an obligation to protect his family. He has a duty to cover them, stand up for them and defend them. He should look out for their best interest. He must protect his wife and children from all others. He must not look at his wife as his enemy.

Secondly, there is the roar of the provider, David said I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Every man should do his absolute best in making provision for his family. He should be willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that basic needs are met. He is equally responsible for his children that do not reside in his home (born out of wedlock or in another relationship). There may be lean times, but he must lead by faith, trusting God to be His source.

Thirdly, there is the roar of the priest or spiritual leader in the home. We must lead in spiritual matters. The most important part of a man’s roar is his prayer life and his worship of God. Men ought to always pray and not faint. We must intercede on the behalf of our families. We must oversee them in spirit, leading them in family devotions. We must offer Godly counsel. We must sanctify and cleanse our wives and children by our ―holy‖ words.

Chapter 2

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROAR?

God created the garden for man. these plans for man before man

He had all was ever created. However it was the duty of man to tend the garden. God gave Adam instructions about what to do and what not to do. Genesis 2:16,17 and the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden, thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. God gave Adam specific instructions. Unfortunately Adam did not follow them.

In the animal kingdom, the lion’s roar is his lifeline. If a lion doesn’t roar the entire pride will be in danger. God told Adam in the day that you eat, you will surely die. Adam ate and lost his roar. When Adam disobeyed God, man’s roar was immediately silenced. He had chosen to listen to another sound, the sound of the serpent. As a result, his image was diminished. This wasn’t a physical death, but a spiritual one. Satan had stolen his roar. He always twists God’s word, to snatch destiny from us.

Satan is afraid of your roar because it represents the life and breath of God. It is the authority given to us by

God. We can speak life to our wives, children, churches and every situation that hits our lives. We even have authority to overcome the enemy. St. John 10:10 says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to take from us the things that rightfully belong to us.

Man’s identity is one of his greatest weapons. When the devil steals identity from us, he misuses it for counterfeit purposes. He violates spiritual laws with our identity, trying to take from us our authority. And then he tells us we are not who God says that we are. We can find ourselves caught up in a web of sin, all because we gave ear to the enemy.

How does Satan keep us in such a valley of defeat? As men of God, we all have problems, but we tend to internalize them, most of the time. The Bible says that open confession is good for the soul. Unfortunately, we generally don’t confess our faults openly. So they leak out in other ways, usually through the spirit of anger.

Every time, we operate in anger it stills our roar. When we yell at our wives and/or children, it is usually a sign of something lacking. When we withdraw our affection and attention from those we love most or cooperate with things that are harmful to our family, it is a sign that something is lost. These behaviors will keepa man’s roar from ever being recovered. If a man never recovers his identity, his destiny is forever altered. This is able to happen because men internalize. As a result, we are deceived into thinking that we are not who God says we are.

There is a popular analogy I think is very effective. If I were to hand you a crisp, new $100 bill, would you want it? Would you find value in it? One hundred dollars would come in handy, right now! But would you still want it if I dropped it in a mud puddle, wadded it up, or sneezed on it––or would you view it as garbage? I don’t know about you, but I’d still want it––it’s still worth one hundred dollars! Its value hasn’t changed because it has ―taken a beating‖ or is ―dirty.‖ In the same way, men of God who have been through a lot of hurt and ―garbage‖ or are ―dirty‖ are still valuable to God. They are not garbage to Him. He loves man. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. How much more so since we have chosen to walk with him. We just have to get that through our heads. We all make mistakes and go through difficult times, but thankfully for those of us who follow Christ, God looks at us and sees us as pure and spotless. He loves us more than we can imagine, with an unfailing love!

Too often, Godly men have lost their way or been tricked by the enemy. They feel as if they have no value. They wander further away from God because they have believed the lies of the enemy. They believe that they have lost identity, purpose, and value.

Identity theft makes it difficult to focus on purpose. Concentration is misplaced. And you concentrate on changing whatever identity you perceive you have to the way we want others to perceive us. This change is not spiritual, but fleshly in nature; because it is based upon perception and not reality. Whena man’s identity is restored in the spirit it is genuine and enduring.

A man’s r oar is locked in who he is. A lion’s roar is distinctly different from the others in his pack. The roar separates one pride from another.

When men are silent, the thief is able to come in, divide, and conquer. When that happens, we are ineffective for the Kingdom. Our job is to help others see their value in Christ. That’s how we build the kingdom. So if a man’s roar has been silenced, he only identifies himself by what he does. If I messed up, I am a mess. If I told a lie, I am a liar. If I fall into fornication, I am a fornicator. And the list goes on. Therefore it is hard for us to believe what God says about us.

If a man tells a lie, that doesn’t make him a liar. He is only a liar if he shows no remorse or repentance, and he continues lying. The Bible says there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. God does not condemn him to be a liar forever. He became a curse for us all to be free. Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life. As He is truth, so are we truth. We are in Him and He is in us.

A confiscated roar limits a man in how far he can excel. Without a vision, the people perish. Many men are lockedin a world that they don’t like, all because their roar’s been stolen. A man becomes limited in relationships, because he will be consistently reminded of his inadequacies. Men work hard to avoid the very appearance of failure. So, we settle for good at the expense of excellence. We can go some places we just can’t plan on going too far. There are things wecan’t do. We become disabled; all because wecan’t roar anymore. There is freedom in the roar. A roaring man knows his identity and purpose, operates in integrity, and relates well to God and his family.

When a roar is lost, it is because either a man has lost his identity and/or has fallen into sin. This affects his relationships with God and his family.

The Word tells us in Romans 8:17 that I am a child of God and if I am a child of God than I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. I Peter 2:9 says that we are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood and a holy nation, and a peculiar or (special) people that we should show forth the praises of Him who called us of darkness into His marvelous light.

Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me. The prophet Isaiah said that no weapon that was formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that riseth against me in judgment would be condemned because this is my heritage.

Understand the Word of God tell us who we are; it restores the roar of our identity, if we can only operate by faith. Whose report will you believe?

It’s funny because ― technically” a person’s identity can NEVER be stolen. Think about it. If someone were to ―steal‖ your identity, it doesn’t change who you are. You are still the same person. They’ve only stolen those things that tell who you are and what authority you have. In the physical world, that may be a birth certificate, driver’s license, or credit card. In the spiritual realm that is our sin-free or justified nature. We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. It frees us to roar. It frees us to live.

If we have fallen off into sin, it means our perception is off. We are the same strong mighty men of valor. We just don’t see ourselves in the same light. We have got to regain our bearings and understand that we are defined by who we are not what we’ve done or by things we own. Every man needs to understand that he is hisFather’s child. He is created in God’s image. He is forgiven. He still possesses full authority. He is running in purpose. God says, we are the head and not the tail; above only and not

beneath. We are blessed both in the city and the field. Through Christ, we are able to run through a troop and leap over a wall. There is nothing too hard for our God and because we are in Him and He is in us, there is nothing too hard for any of us.

We must aggressively engage in the protection of our identities. than mere men. nothing more. A Who are we? We are more

The word ―mere‖ means mere man is ordinary. He doesn’t understand the spiritual warfare that is going on around him. He is unaware and unalert. The male lion is always aware of the possibilities of another lion threatening his pride. He doesn’t go to sleep on his post. He is ready to defend his territory.

Judges 6:16 And the Lord said unto Gideon, surely, I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. God told Gideon that He would be with him. God had to encourage Gideon in his identity before he could give him his assignment.

Gideon had been beaten down by life and his identity stolen. He had to live in a cave. But God spoke to him to rescue his pride. When we believe what God says about us, it causes our roar to regain its volume. We begin to see what God sees. We are able to receive the instruction needed. Our roar regains its purpose and meaning. When there is purpose, it will create vision. We will begin to see the value of our roar, and will protect it at all costs.

Chapter 3 HIS PRIDE

According to The Lion’s Roar: More Than Just Hot Air by Jon Grinnell, as a rule, wild cats spend mostly their entire lives on their own—but not lions. Lions live most of their lives in family groups called prides. A pride may include as many as seven adult males and many more females and cubs—up to 40 lions in all.

The lionesses, or female lions, of a pride are usually related to each other. They generally stay with a pride their entire lives. Males do not stay their entire lives. But they may remain for several years. In time, they leave to join a new pride, or other males drive them off. Young males that leave a pride may spend a few years wandering together until they are strong enough to lead their own pride.

A pride’s territory usually covers around 80 square miles (210 square kilometers). A pride chooses its territory based on the availability of two things: prey and water. Lions mark their territory by urinating on trees and shrubs around its border. The scent of these markings tells other lions to keep out.

What a lion does depends mostly on whether it is a male or a female. The adult males are responsible for defending the pride’s territory against intruders. If the male lions are to remain the leaders of the pride, they must be able to drive off other groups of males that try to take over. Large males will often drive away hyenas, jackals, or other animals that wander into their territory, too.

While male lions defend the territory, females do most of the hunting. In order for a pride to survive, its lionesses must be skilled hunters. But both males and females guard any leftovers from a kill. And they both spend up to 20 hours a day resting or sleeping. The pride must stick together. There is such an order within this group.

But what about a man’s pride? Why is there such a disintegration of the human family structure? We have to examine the leader. A man’s pride can get in the way of his pride (family). Self-righteousness, insecurity, perfectionism, arrogance, selfishness, and the spirit of anger are all sins rooted in pride that can destroy a family.

The fall of Satan was his pride (arrogance). In Isaiah 14:12-14, Satan talks about how he will exalt his throne above God. How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer, Son of the Morning? How art thou cut down to the ground which did weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the side of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most High.

Can you see the motives of Satan? He is seeking to take the place of God in our lives. Satan uses the spirit of pride in man’s heart to get back at God. When man fell into sin, he gave up God’s image and picked up a false image, from the enemy. The lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life all come from Satan. So, pride became a stronghold in the lives of men. All sin has it root in pride. Man has struggled with the wrong pride from the beginning, and it will continue until we accept what Jesus said, ―It is finished!‖

Pride will cause a man to mistreat his wife, causing a dissention to arise between him and God. Man’s pride has gotten in the way of many blessings from God. 1Peter 3: 7 Likewise, ye husband, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life ; that your prayers be not hindered.

Unless we are willing to lose our pride (esteem of one’s self), we will lose our pride (family). Pride comes before a fall. Many marriages and families have been broken because we are unwilling to submit ourselves to one another. After God, our family must come first.

As we examine our lives, we must look for areas where pride (self-importance) is most evident.

trouble?

What areas are you having the most That’s where we must start looking to

restore our roar. Satan has been successful stealing from us our roar in that situation. We have lost communication, the oneness that is needed to win in that particular area. We must make sure that wedon’t allow pride to silence our roar.Without our ―God-given‖ roar we won’t be able to communicate or give instruction to our pride.

Pride can be deceptive. Many of us can be prideful without even opening our mouths. We use passive aggressive behavior to get our way. A passive-aggressive nature appears to agree with the requests of others. The passiveaggressive personality may even seem enthusiastic. However, he won't perform a requested action on time or in a useful way, and may even work against it. In other words, he uses nonverbal behavior to express anger or resentment that he can't express verbally. An example is showing up very late to a family gathering that he didn't really want to attend and then making up excuses for his lateness that deflects attention from the real reason he was late. Theaverage man isn’t confrontational, so he may use this approach to get his way. It is very harmful to the family.

Pride comes in many different forms, so we must be able to recognize it for what it is. The spirit of insecurity, another offshoot of pride, is a problem for some men. This spirit is one of the reasons men never regain their roar.

As stated earlier, the pride is a social unit. There is no room for an insecure lion within the pride, especially the male. It is especially essential as men of God that we guard against the spirit of insecurity.

We are dependent on each other for our physical and emotional survival. We want to be accepted and appreciated by others around us so we can feel a sense of worth in our family. It is this need for acceptance and appreciation that forms our pride. So, we must ask ourselves these questions as we get the victory over insecurity. Do you give enough positive feedback to people in your home or work environment so they don't have to guess what you think of them or where they stand in your eyes? Do you purposely withhold praise or some relevant information so you can show your "power" to reward and punish those over whom you have control? Do you change your "tactics" to keep people guessing what you think or where you stand on an issue of relevance to others at home or at work? Do you play games to catch people off-guard or off-balance? Are you someone who keeps to yourself (the "strong silent" type), and does not communicate with his pride (family)? We need to examine ourselves daily to make sure we aren’t operating in insecurity.

Understand that self-pity is pride. It is easy for us to see boasting as pride. But self-pity is not as clear. Self-pity is pride’s response to reverse circumstances. Boasting is pride manifested in success and accomplishment. Self-pity is pride expressed in suffering. Boasting says, ―I deserve honor and regard because I have achieved so much.‖ Self-pity says, ―I deserve honor and regardbecause I have been through so much.‖ Boasting is the applause of pride when things are good. Self-pity is the applause of pride when things are bad.

Often people don’t see self-pity as pride because it appears to be needy. However, this neediness arises from an injured ego. It appears as if selfpity is the opposite of pride. But self-pity is not a sense of unworthiness, but a sense of ―unrecognized‖ worthiness. When a man is lost in self-pity, he does not want others to view him as helpless. The essence or pride of self-pity says, ―I deserve more than this.‖ Or ―This shouldn’t have happened to me‖. And that line of reasoning is extremely dangerous. It takes us down a path of accusing God. That’s where Satan wants to be in our lives. He is the accuser of the brethren and also the accuser of God. So when things don’t go your way, he brings a charge against God, the Creator of the Universe. We must silence him or he will silence our roar. We must be vigilant in dealing with areas of pride that show up in our life.So let’s go back to God as He helps us to recognize the pride (self-glory) in our lives.

Chapter 4

KING OF THE JUNGLE

"And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an Holy nation" (Ex. 19:6). God is informing Israel they were to be above all nations chosen by him to lead.

Every born again believer is both a king and priest. A king has authority, and a priest has access.

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

ISA 61:6 And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

1PT 2:5 And you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a Holy Priesthood.

1 PT 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

REV 5:10(KJV) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall

reign on the earth.

And hath made us unto our God kings and priests unto God and His Father… Christ has made believers, kings and priests to God, his Father. As kings, we overcome the world, mortify sin, govern our own spirits, resist Satan, prevail with God in prayer, and will judge the world.

We have overcome the world (1John 5:4) For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. As kings, we have overcome the desires and passions of the world. It doesn’t mean we aren’t tempted. It means we are learning how to overcome. The scripture says even our faith. It is faith in the King of kings that allows us to overcome.

We may be easily angered and tempted in an area, but it is the faith in God’s word about that particular sin that causes us to overcome. So as kings, we learn to overcome things that hinder our walk and relationships. We have full authority over every enemy, even our own flesh. And full access to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are beckoned to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in the time of need.

Roman 8:12,13 Therefore, brethren we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if we live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The word, mortify means to put to death. The words of a king can mean life and death to a person. In the book of Esther, the queen knew that if she went into the presence of the king without being invited, it could mean death for her. A king has the power of life and death in his mouth. We should be putting to death the deeds of the flesh in our life by the words we speak. Every time we speak victory and faith about ourselves in an area, it helps us to mortify it.

If a man is dealing with a spirit of lust, that spirit will make him feel like less than a king, because he will become a servant to that spirit. He is in bondage. As men of God, the Lord has set us at liberty. So we must speak words of life and make sure our environment is conducive to killing sin. We have the power to live after God. We are king over our flesh. We are empowered to make our flesh submit.

A king understands the authority he has, so he is careful in how he uses it. In 1Cor 9:27 says, But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway. I learn to buffet my flesh so it does not get out of control. As king, my words and actions can change people lives. So, I don’t allow my decisions to be made according to my emotions.

It is so easy to offer grace to ourselves, yet expect others to abide by the law. In other words, we are often harder on others than we are on ourselves. It should be the reverse. We must be stern against our flesh.

It is in our untamed nature to hide in our thoughts and actions, when we can. But as king it is imperative that we learn to submit to God and one another. James 4:7 says submit yourself therefore to God resist the devil and he will flee from you. We must submit to the King of kings in order to operate effectively as king. Satan will only recognize the God in your life. Those areas that we submit to God will the areas Satan will flee. If God is not present in other areas, Satan will not flee. So we must submit our total beings in order for God to be Lord.

Sometimes there are areas that men hold back from their wives. This will disallow the couple from ever becoming one. Eventually, those hidden areas will become a source of strife in his marriage, because Satan will have access to them. It may be his finances or relationships with the opposite sex. It may be how he chooses to raise the children. Whatever the area, as king, he should strive to become one in that area with his queen.

Men have been given the authority as king to rule his domain. Every king has a kingdom. He is the king of his home. Therefore his attitude should be one of a victor and conqueror. He is not to rule with an iron fist, but a loving heart. The King of kings is his example. All headship or leadership must be done by love. God draws us to himself with loving kindness. Every wise king will do the same with his family.

As king, a man must have confidence in his God. This confidence must be seen by his family. This will keep his level of respect in the place it should be. A king always keeps a cool head in times of stress and pressure. He understands that his temperament affects the whole family.

Satan will try to wear us out, through trials and temptation. Nevertheless the king must stay calmthrough prayer and confidence in God’s word. Remember champions never quit and success is always our goal. So as king, we will always win through Christ who strengthens us.

We were created to lead, so we must allow God to bring out those powerful qualities we possess. Every man of God has the capacity to lead. He must discover what God has imparted in himself. God has called him a king; therefore as he submits to the King of all kings, he will find himself a great leader, a man of integrity and balance. He is also trustworthy. He is a man of his word just as God is a god of His Word. He will not waffle and he has his family’s trust. When a man recognizes the king within, he will see that great leader that God created and he will live by what he preaches.

Judges 6:16 And the Lord said to Gideon, surely I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. God told Gideon that your roar will destroy a whole army. God restoredGideon’s roar. He reminded Gideon who he was. When we believe the Lord concerning ourselves, it restores our confidence and our roar. God told Gideon that he would be with him. God is saying the same things to us. The King of king is with us as men and we cannot waver.

We are more than mere men. The word mere means nothing more. We are called to be more than ordinary. A mere man doesn’t know what is going on around him. But, the king understands what going on in his kingdom at all times. He must watch over and protect his pride. The king in us must be attentive at all times.

When a man enters the Kingdom of God, he not only becomes a king, but the Bible says he becomes a priest, with full access and authority. Our access is the key to becoming the leader that God desires for us. We can intercede on behalf of our wives and families.

As priest, it is our job to go to God on behalf of those assigned to us. Even though we all can come boldly to his throne, sometimes we have to go on behalf of a son, daughter, or spouse. We can also intercede for situations that may occur in the lives of those in our family. He said that we can come boldly to the throne and receive whatever we need in the time of trouble.

The roar of the kingly priest is a prophetic roar. The king has the ability to prophesy to his pride (family). That prophetic roar will give direction and instruction to his family as they move forward in God. I believe God will use that prophetic roar to give fresh revelation and impart vision to our families. God will reveal direction and instruction.

The king can develop times of family devotion and family meetings. They will create a bond within the family unit as he roars prophetically into the lives of his family. Speak life in the hearts of your children and your wife. Your roar can be a roar of healing to those that hear it.

Every true king must enter into his private devotion with the King. It is in those times that God gives volume to his roar. All ministry comes out of that private devotion. It is in those times, that God gives us the direction and encouragement we need to go forward for our families. As king, you must be a man of devotion. A king has passion, an intensity filled with energy and a readiness to act when needed. He is ready at all times to defend his kingdom.

There are things that may happen in our lives which become giants in our mind. We must actively cast down imaginations and fight against those areas that try to keep us bound.

The king has a desire to perfect himself for the benefit of others. When he is on top, he looks to get things straight, so hewon’t be a reproach to his pride (family). He has a desire to protect his family, neighborhood, nation and world. A king looks at what is just and honest for his pride. He lives to his greatest potential by being true to himself. He is honest and loyal. Integrity is his calling card. He has a willingness to stand up for what is right, even when everyone is against him. He has a sense of duty, greater than his own needs.

A king’s roar is the outpour of his kingship. Find your kingship and you will find your roar.

Chapter 5

THE LION’S KING

God is the King of every king. He is our maker, the loving Father that created us. He is King of the universe. The Bible says that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. He created us to rule and become earthly kings.

In the beginning, there was a hostile takeover and the enemy stole our kingship. But thanks be unto God who has given us the victory in Christ Jesus. Jesus has restored to us our ability to walk as kings again. There is a condition, we must realize who is the real King is and submit to Him.

Satan tries to make us think we can rule without Christ. So sometimes, our headship has been done by control and manipulation. We try to walk into kingship under our own authority. In any country where there is a king, an ordinary citizen cannot just claim ownership to the throne. He must be born into the royal family in order to become king. Jesus told us that we must be born again. We must be born into the family of God to claim ownership to kingship. You cannot automatically assume kingship because you feel like it. It is a right and an inheritance given to those who are born into the royal family.

Accepting Jesus and making Him King of your life, gives you the right to become a king. When we enter into relationship with Him, then our manhood becomes authentic. We can truly love our wives and children in his fear. The fear of the Lord is basic to life. It is an awe and respect for God and His kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not meat or drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Having a fear for God will cause you to have the right perspective for your family. The Fear of the Lord will cause righteousness to spring out of you. You will treat your family right and walk in integrity.

The Fear of the Lord means "to stand in awe of God". The word awe is defined as having an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, produced by that which is grand, extremely powerful, or the like: to inspire fear or reverence; to stand in wonder of.

We are to worship God and to revere and honor Him and to treat Him with respect, obedience, and awe. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

We do not have to be held hostage to the fear that causes us to be afraid of God! We want to live our lives to please Him. We agree with Him that He is worthy of worship, praise, honor, and glory. That is the real meaning of "Fearing God"

- allowing Him position as God, Lord and Master of our lives.

Our roar is linked to our fear, because the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil. This will cause our roar to have a distinct sound. There is a roar of a lion that strikes fear in the heart of the enemy. When we roar at the sin in our lives, it causes us to look at God with reverence and fear. The King of kings is our sovereign ruler. Our roar is connected to this King.

To have righteous indignation about sin in our life, will help us to maintain a proper roar. Some people depart from evil based on the fact that they are afraid of the judgment that it might bring. Some may depart because of self righteousness sake, thinking they are better than other persons. They make the outside clean but they are full of deceit and sin.

Then, there are those who try to do it so they won’t go to hell. Without a proper fear of the Lord, we will be afraid of God. Being afraid of God will only last for a season, because it can’t produce a love for Christ nor your family.

In Exodus 20 Moses said to the people, ―Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." The fear of God will provoke us to walk in obedience. It is a motivator against retaining sin in our lives. We must acknowledge that to have the fear of God is a positive phrase. However, notice the reaction from the Israelites when God appeared at Mount Sinai: Ex 20:21 "The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was."

The Israelites were staying a distance from Mount Sinai, because they were afraid of God. When we allow distance to come between us and God, it will cause us to see God differently. Our roar isn’t as loud and we become unsure about our ability to follow God. However, we must be like Moses who went where God was. We need to develop a hunger for God. Then we will not be afraid of God. The fear of God was with him as it must be in us. This is the difference between a God-fearer and one who is not. The God fearer will want to be where God is. He is attracted to God, while the other keeps his/her distance from God. Let’s stay close to God as he is the source of our roar.

Heb 12:28-29 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire".

Here we discover what the fear of the Lord really means. Too often we take our own salvation for granted and slip back in attitudes and sins of our past. We don't do it intentionally. It just happens gradually, without us ever noticing it. Before we know it, we are just like the sinner.

What happened? Just like the Israelites, we took our deliverance for granted and started to long for that bondage again. We did not have the fear of the Lord with us. The fear of the Lord involves avoiding hurting God at any cost. It involves being aware of the terrible consequences our actions can have and avoid doing anything that is not according to God's will.

To really understand God's will, let’s look at a parallel to married life. In fact the Bible encourages us to do so. Often times the Bible compares our relationship with Jesus with His relationship to the church. Jesus is the bridegroom. We are the bride. John 3:29 reads, the bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

Just like a bride loves the bridegroom and vice versa, we love the Lord as well. Mark 12:29-30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. Pure love includes a godly fear: a fear to not harm your loved ones.

What if we had this type of fear toward our spouses, where husbands and wives did everything within their power to avoid hurting their beloved partner? If we would take the time to think of possible consequences our actions would have, and avoid thoughts and conduct that would have a negative impact on our partners, wouldn't the divorce rate be almost none existent? At the least it would be drastically reduced in the Christian world.

The same is true with our love towards our kind Savior. If our love is pure, it must include fear from possibly hurting our Savior. That fear avoids actions that may lead and make us estranged from our beloved Jesus. No falling away is possible, if we keep the fear of the Lord with us. This is why the fear of the Lord is so important to all of us! It is a God-consciousness. It is a motivator to be in the center of God’s will because we could not imagine hurting God and facing a possible eternal separation from Him by being willfully disobedient.

The fear of the Lord is a personal lifestyleresponse to God and His Word. It is our response to His matchless grace by developing an intimate, loving and personal relationship with Him. We all must prayerfully consider the impact that the fear of the Lord will have in our lives. We ought to pray to be filled with the fear of the Lord. It will keep us from sin and from breaking our relationship with the Lord.

As we walk in the fear of God, the Greater King will be formed in us. We are not kings without the kings’ King.

Praise be to God for saving a wreck like me! Thank you, Jesus. I love you and I fear hurting you and possibly becoming estranged from you. Fill me with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. Cause me to shadow you. Let my meat be to do the will of the Father.

Chapter 6

RECLAIM YOUR ROAR

In order for a man’s roar to be restored, he must be willing to loose the hold that the spirit of pride has over his life. God is ready to restore our roar in righteousness and holiness. We must understand that God wants to take us back to our original blessed state.

He wants to restore the roar, so we can live out our predetermined destiny. Jesus came to forgive us of our sins and to fully restore to us all that was lost in the garden. He also wants to bring man back to his dwelling place which can only be found in the presence of God.

Our God has given us the ability to come back to him where He can breathe into us. He wants to breathe wisdom, knowledge and courage back into us. God wills to restore us to the level that we are willing to relinquish the sin in our lives. Those areas of our life that are still under crisis are the areas where pride is probably still ruling. Ask yourself, ―What has pride taken from you? What areas of your life has your roar been silenced?‖

For many of us, our roar was surrendered when we decided we weren’t going to feel anymore. Hurt made that decision for us. Whether we were hurt as a child or an adult, we made up in our minds that we weren’t going to let anyone else get that close to us.We didn’t understand that when we shut others off from ourselves, we shut ourselves out from God. He can no longer breathe into us. We lose our voice. The roar is hushed.

The walls we erect around ourselves keep the healing balm of Jesus from reaching our hearts. The process of slow death begins.

God is ready to restore, revive, and refresh, but we must make up our minds that we are going to get rid of the pride that is halting our roar. James 4:6-7 Wherefore God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The strength of a man’s roar is in submission to His God. He must also learn to submit to others. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Eph 5:21)

Jesus said, "For even I didn't come to be served, but to serve others and give My life as a ransom for many. The secret to greatness in the kingdom of God and your home is not how many servants you have, but what kind of a servant you are. Do you serve your wife? If you do, do you do it with a great attitude? If we are truly submitted to our God, then we will understand how to serve our wives. Christ is the greatest example. His bride is flawed. She doesn’t always obey. Nevertheless, He loves her fully and without condition; even to the point of death.

When we embrace a servant’s heart, we become far more powerful. Our problem, so many times with having a servant’s attitude is that we somehow feel that our rights will be violated. It hurts our ego. But here's the thing: You aren't less of a person. He created you to be a servant. But you become more like God. Youdon’t lose anything. In fact, you gain. Jesus said with loving kindness have I drawn you. That’s how we draw our families to God and to ourselves. If we allow pride to fester, we will never come into the fullness of God’s blessings for our lives. Jesus said, he that is greatest, must be a servant. Greatness is found in being a servant to all.

The male lion serve his pride. He serves them through acts of protection, even though he is the king of the beasts. God has called us to greatness, but not at the expense of our families. As we walk with the Lord, he shows us acts of kindness, generosity, and participation we need to render to our families. Following Christ requires that we look for those opportunities to serve with no strings attached.

Many of us were raised in homes where we didn’t see our fathers serve our mothers. So, this concept of serving our families may seem foreign to us. We may even see it as weakness. This skewed perception causes the generational curse to continue.

Jesus serves His bride. The whole idea of servanthood is one of maturity. Immaturity will not allow a man to grasp such a profound concept. Some men never mature to that level in their homes. They were taught that a woman was supposed to serve her husband. And that was the end of the lesson. However, we are to serve one another. Ephesians 5:21 says that we are to submit ourselves to each other. We can never do this in the flesh. Spiritual things cannot be perceived by the fleshly or carnal mind. It requires that we first submit to Christ.

Our society has sort of frowned on men openly serving or submitting to their wives. So we have fought to maintain a certain image; howbeit carnal.

True men of God have a heart for the things of God. We are willing to put away immature, fleshly ideas for the cause of Christ. It is our aim to be more like Christ. So we must lay our pride on the altar, so that Christ can be formed in us. Maturity embraces servanthood. And servanthood is a significant part of the journey of manhood.

Understand I am not talking about being weak, jelly-backedmen who can’t make a decision. I am talking about taking the lead in your home through love and service. Christ leads us in the same way. Jesus came to serve and not to be served, he went about doing good. He is our leader. In fact, He is the strongest example of a leader ever found on the earth.

As we mature, our roar gains volume. We must go about doing good for our family. What is the good that I can do for my family on a daily basis? I serve my wife, by letting her know on a daily basis how much I love her. I can encourage her, spend time with her, listen to her, support her, and care for her. I serve my children by, showing interest in their worlds, being present at their games and school events, offer words of hope and blessing. Remember, the essence of maturity is becoming a servant. A man with a servant’s heart will never lose his roar again.

While maturity is not measured by service will always follow maturity. does not guarantee that maturity is present. But service, Service where there is maturity, service will always be present. How do I move from immaturity to maturity? How do I make sure my roar is back? 1Cor 14:20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature [be grown up].

To assist you in measuring your maturity, let me give 12 marks of Spiritual Maturity:

1. We must base our lives and decisions on our personal relationship with the Lord and His Word, reflecting a Godly character.

2. We must lovingly lead our homes toward God and holiness (giving and receiving Godly counsel).

3. We must put our wives and children above all others, protecting them, providing for them and being a Godly example to them.

4. We must be men who are bold in worship, fervent in intercession, consistent in fasting and study of the Word.

5. We must not adopt a self-righteous attitude toward others.

6. We should assist the Church with acts of love and concern toward everyone. Love includes patience and understanding..

7. We must be men of faith, not trusting in our own hands. Maturity is confident in God’s providence.

8. We must be effective stewards of God’s resources always rendering back to Him the tithe and the offering; and properly managing the rest. This is a measure of our faith.

9. We should not blame every problem on the devil. Most problems come from ourselves. Maturity takes responsibility.

10. We should respect all authority. We should not sever human relationships just because there is a conflict with our leaders or those in civil authority.

11. We must be men not afraid or too prideful to seek help when needed. In a multitude of counselors there is safety (Prov 11:14, 12:15).

12. We should press for the good while not evaluating life solely on present conditions. Manyof society’s standards, both modern day and ancient, are not God's standards. This is increasingly true as these last days wind down.

We must come into a revelation of the purpose of Christ to restore the original purpose of God for our existence. God has placed an irrevocable value upon us. He has set us at the highest position possible. We must be vigilant as God continue the work in us in restoring our roar.

I hope the words in these pages have encouraged you to purpose. I trust that God will restore the roar in every man who has lost his roar. I pray that he will turn up the volume and fine tune the roar of others. I am confident that we will complete the work that He has begun in all of us. We must eat the word every day, even the Word that we don’t like. We must move from the milky word for babes to the meat of men. We must spend time with the Lord and let him show us who we really are– great and mighty men called to lead. Agree with Him. So kings arise. Roar long and roar loud, offering love and protection to your families at all costs.

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