Testimonies
Module 3a-Pastor Niki Lauder
Why I included this testimony:
1. I saw how she changed from a nobody to a somebody.
2. She accepted a father’s love.
3. She is humbly successful in ministry.
What I learned from this testimony:
1. To experience the father heart.
2. To change.
3. To accept discipline.
I want to tell you about my dad and the man in my life.
God is my Dad and number 1 in my life. I worship Him and Him alone. He is the one who provides, comforts and assists me and gives me hope. I believe He will never leave me. God knows my hearts desires and provides what I need. I know about Him and experience God. I see how He stretches out His arms and say: “Come sit by me, tell me what is the matter? That’s good Niki. No, not like that, do that different!” I am not perfect, but God does not care for me only when I prepare at home or when I run errands. And if I do not want to do it, He does not write me off or insult me. God loves me unconditionally.
Many of you do not experience that. Why? That is because the father figure was not modeled at home. In stead of loving you, your father has pushed you away. He was always too tired, too busy or never had time for you. At times you needed guts to show him love, but to him it meant nothing and he pushed you away again.
I experienced it too. In times of need my dad was not around. He never even shared in my joy and happiness. My mother had to be both mother and father. Everyone knows that that is impossible and I did not want that.
At age 21, I adopted pastor Hennie Bester as my spiritual father. I decided that I wanted to be a spiritual woman and realized that I needed God’s character. Because God is a father figure to me, I believe it will be necessary for a man, not a woman, to work on my character. Though my dad did not, pastor Hennie Bester, who is a godly man and has the character of God, can! He will give that to me and want me to have that.
Since I submitted to a spiritual father, the following have happened in my life:
1. My emotions used to be out of control and not in submission to God’s Spirit. I believe that more and more each day I am being controlled by God’s Spirit, and not my emotions.
2. I could never accept discipline, but now I can submit under authority.
3. I used to fail financially, but today I even have a little spending money and money to give away.
4. I could never influence anyone, now I have followers.
5. I could not experience, receive or accept God, but, because I could receive from a spiritual father, I now have God’s blessing on my life.
I can reach my dreams. All the pain in me has gone. God restored me. My spiritual father is not going to give me his inheritance, but Jesus as a role model here on earth. I look up to him!
He is not going to take care of you physically, but spiritually. Work on your dream, get a spiritual father and become a spiritual woman!
Questions
Module 3a-N.Lauder:
5. What do you like and dislike of this testimony?
_______________________________________________
6. Reflect what info you can use to better your life and relationships.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please read further to assist you with your answers & reflections!
Testimonies
Module 3a- Pastor Lambert Bester
(Pastor Hennie Lambert Bester's son)
Why I included this testimony:
1. He is a physical, but more importantly a spiritual son of a spiritual father.
2. He is humble beyond measure.
3. He is a prayer-warrior.
What I learned from this testimony:
1. To trust in a spiritual father.
2. To not only be a son, but to become a spiritual father to others as well.
3. To understand the protection you have by being part of a family.
I am proud to have a father that lives by Godly principles and whose actions speak louder than words. I have the privilege to see a spiritual father and the things he speaks about; he actually does at home, at work and in the natural. This is an inspiration to me. A spiritual father is someone who knows what is best for your life, he gives you covering. It does not matter what happens if you disappoint people or mess up, a spiritual father stands by you and supports you in everything.
A spiritual father is someone who lives by biblical principles and sold out for God's vision/works, a spiritual father must be an example, because he leads and cares for the plenty-full, but makes time for the individual, he has a great influence. This motivates me to be like that one day and to be the same to work toward the same level of maturity and love and care for people.
Most fathers insure that their children's physical lives are healthy and maintained and well looked after. I have a father that looks after me physically, but also spiritually and that wants the best for me, not from him but from God.
A spiritual father is someone that disciplines, guides, builds character, show clear direction, and helps you to develop a kingdom mentality.
If you take what is said to you by a spiritual father you are almost 100 % sure of success. Sometimes it is difficult to stand under a spiritual father and to do what is expected of you, but when you want to make a difference and be a success and work for God it is essential to follow a spiritual leader.
Questions
Module 3a-L. Bester:
7. What do you like and dislike of this testimony?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Reflect what info you can use to better your life and relationships.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please read further to assist you with your answers & reflections!
Testimonies
Module 3a-Pastor Rodney Abrahams
(This was a recorded message from Rodney to me)
Why I included this testimony:
1. I saw him change from a non-responsive person to an active people’s person.
2. I experience God’s love in everything he does.
3. He truly desires to be a son and a father.
What I learned from this testimony:
1. A son will always become better than the father, because both form part of character-building and team-up overcoming tests and trials.
2. A father-son relationship is based on love, faith and trust.
3. Honour your father with all that is within you, then God will honour you without measure.
Hi David, this is Rodney's interpretation of father-son relationship in the house, especially with us in Dunamis.
I think first of all, that relating to pastor Hennie, I'm not a son yet, I'm getting there, because I'm not referred to as a son. The tests for me have not yet been completed, and I'm not referred to as a son yet.
I think this is something that takes a lot of time; you have to learn to trust one another. Pastor Hennie is beyond trust; he has proven himself time and time again that he is a father. He's not perfect, what makes him a father is that he was a son in the house and he has become a father over many. I think as pastor Hennie stands in the church now; his desire is to build in sons the characteristics of a father, so that sons will become fathers to others. It's a process that will continually grow, it speaks of a relationship of trust, honesty and loyalty that goes beyond a normal relationship that you would have between an employee and an employer. It speaks about a relationship deep in the spiritual realm, where the father knows the son's future and works towards the son's future. Obviously concerning us God's given pastor Hennie a vision and he has taken up that vision, it's in his heart, and it's up to the sons to catch the heart of the father's vision so that it will continue.
It's something that speaks of a deep relationship and anointing that is placed upon the sons to complete the tasks given to the father. So pastor Hennie has got a vision and he is investing in people who will then become sons through the tests, the trials, the tribulations, the character building and eventually be named a son in the house. There are many sons and daughters in his house, but none that, it speaks about being sold-out; the same way that Isaac was sold-out for Abraham. Isaac had no idea what Abraham was doing, but he just trusted the father blindly. And it has to get to the point were we trust pastor Hennie blindly, knowing exactly who he is even though we don't always see what he's doing or know what He's always doing or understand what he is always doing.
I think this takes a lot of time and a person will come in and trust in pastor Hennie, but it gets to a place where the person needs to get very, very close to the father. You're in the house, you see everything that the father does, and you take it up.
I think the son should always do better than the father, because it should be the father's intention, if he's a man of integrity, for your child to do better than yourself. That speaks of giving it away and saying: “Yes, I want to give everything to my child, that he becomes better than me.” That speaks of a proper heart of a father, and that's how pastor Hennie is. He wants his children to do better, and it should be his children's intention to do better. Not to prove themselves better than the fathers, but to do it out of a natural progression of character building, of being tested. Where the son is able to do better faster, because he has less hassles to go through, or should be protected from. You know a father goes through so many trails and tribulations. He protects the child from that; he gives him insight where he doesn't have to go through certain tests. He goes through other tests, so that more can be accomplished in a shorter time with more wisdom. I think a child obviously he has to have a lot of wisdom that the father should impart.
A child should always do better than the father if the father gives him everything to help him to accomplish that task. At this stage pastor Hennie has a vision, and because it is so big we should constantly be near him so that we can hear what is on his heart. When the vision changes, when God starts to change the vision, and gives different strategies and different directions, the sons will automatically change with the father.
It should not be an issue; it should almost be something that is anticipated with the children, or with his true sons and daughters. It's something that should be anticipated even though pastor Hennie doesn't even say that the vision is changing, the children can pick it up. The true sons and daughters will pick it up and say: “Yes, something is happening! What's happening? Let me be a step ahead to let me see where, when and how I can be there to support the father. Because the children always carry the wood for the father, the father should just go and follow God! It is the children's task to lighten the load on the father, whereas it's the father's task to build in the character of the children. It's the same way that Jesus knew everything that God was doing end he was obedient even unto death, where he said: “Lord, if you can take this cup from me, then do it! But not my will, but yours be done.” So even though he did not want to do it, even though Jesus didn't want to do it, he did it anyway and because of that he received the reward. Something that we should know and understand is that God has got a better future for us. Than what we have for ourselves.
So we should trust in God and not worry about our own understanding, but worry about what God wants and just focus on what the father wants, then it will be easier for us to change. If we worry about our own needs, then we will never be a son or a daughter in the house. It speaks about giving up you and both parties give of themselves, so it is a very deep relationship.
Pastor Hennie is a father in the church. He spoke on Saturday of closing down the church. A true son would go with him. Even if Pst. Hennie didn't close down the church, if he had to leave and go and start a new church and Dunamis still had to go on, the truth behind the matter is that Dunamis is Pst. Hennie. Without Pst. Hennie, Dunamis wouldn't be around. Therefore a son would follow Pst. Hennie where he goes and do what he does. That way the father - son - relationship remains. Some people get the misconception, saying you've got to grow up in the church. That is not the church. The church is the father-son-relationship, is built on a relationship of love, faith and hope. All those things play a role in the relationship between a father and a son. It speaks of desires, it speaks of great things and obviously the potential is there for great things to happen in a father-son-relationship that you wouldn't normally get, that this is my pastor and I'm an employee in the church, where the person just comes to the church.
A son will always go out of his way to do more for his father, than what is expected of him. A son also gives up his own life, his own desires for the desires of the father that is how it should be. The same way Jesus gave up His desires, he gave up his comforts to see his father's vision and his father's will come to pass. I think, all those characteristics put together, it's a matter of a life and death situation where this can take place, a son needs to learn to die for his own things and live for his father's things. And in doing that the son will take on the things, the desire, the vision of the father and will keep them established Then, when the father goes away, dies, passes away, whatever, the son will have that understanding in his heart and it will be almost like a habit and he will be able to pass it on and he will be able to raise up sons. One father can rise up many sons and many fathers can obviously rise up many sons. So many sons again rise up many fathers in that respect, as they become fathers they've got lots of sons. The son should always become a father as well, in that opportunity presented by the way we work in the church. It's a life-long thing, it will continue unto death.
A true son will never ever leave his father's side until his father sends him. Even in our church, if there is people that become missionaries and there's true sons in the house, they will fulfill the role. Their ministries will be submitted under the covering of the senior pastor, under that father's vision. Should I be sent out for example, I'm not there to minister my ministry, I'm there to minister under the covering and for the sake of the senior pastor, of Pst. Hennie, that when he sends me out, I'm there to fulfill his role. I'm not there to mention my name, I'm there to mention the name of Dunamis and senior Pst. Hennie. If my name is mentioned then I'm doing for myself and it shouldn't be like that. It's always an honour to serve someone else and let his or her name be great. That shows of humility, which also takes away the obstacle of pride. You know, when you're building someone else's vision there's very little opportunity for you to suffer from pride, trying to build it in. You will always have pride, yes, but it will always be for the senior man, wanting him to do well and when he does well, your heart is connected to him and you say: “Yes, thank you, Lord, that this man can go on to great heights.” The only time that thing changes is when you're able to build in sons and the sons give the father honour. The persons must never give themselves honour, it comes from the sons, and true honour comes from the sons. True honour establishes the father through the sons and that way the person that does well will have many sons.
The Bible speaks of in Proverbs about the true blessing and true blessing is to have spiritual grand children. So that you see your grand children honouring your sons and in turn you are honoured. I think that must be the greatest honour for a true apostle, father, pastor to see that take place.
The other thing that also needs to be discussed is obviously love. Because of all of this there is a great amount of love for one another. I know I spoke about unto death, but also speak about the son protecting the honour of the father at all costs, so that the father can continue on to do great things and become great. This should also take place in a normal environment, even in a true father-son-relationship, if a father knows this and a son knows this, that family is protected so much, that there will be nothing that will be able to come between that family and that family will be able to go on to great heights.
I think if you look at that type of relationship where that is established in the world, the greatest honour, or the greatest commitment, believe it or not, it is in the mafia where they honour each other unto death. I don't know of any other organization that does it with such honour is where they actually honour the head of that particular clan unto death that they will die so that that person can live on. I think they have a bit of an understanding about what it means about honour, to honour the father. So there's also that aspect that one can take into account. Obviously it is bad, because the result is obviously ungodly, but there's nothing that can come or should come between a real father and son-relationship.
Also, I think that, according to the Bible, a true father should be a good husband and have a good wife so that the son can feel protected, the son will always have protection under the covering of the father and it's a nurturing environment, something that continually grows and continually is nurtured, it's a growing thing, it's a changing thing. As the father develops, as the father grows, so the son also grows.
If the father does not grow the son will stop growing and will stagnate and then will obviously, that will stop taking place, there's also that danger that that can happen where the father goes to a point and stops growing.
That must also be quite a difficult situation in a normal environment, so the son needs to truly understand the spiritual consequences of trusting a father, because you can't just leave one father and go to another father, that will take years to be established, because that trust can be broken and that's why it takes a lot of prayer, it takes a lot of commitment, it takes a lot of understanding, so that all of this can take place.
Obviously it is not a perfect thing, but it can be done to a point where it honours God and it should be done to a point where it honours God and I believe that it is happening where it is not just based on being perfect, the father is never perfect, the son is never perfect, but what is perfect is that the characteristics are built and put into place, where the son can truly honour the father and produce children, more children than what the father was able to produce, that there's far more offspring (if you could put it that way) in the church environment. This will happen until Jesus comes again, when the father and the son relationship, obviously Elijah had that anointing where Elisha followed Elijah and that anointing is coming back to the church, not just to Dunamis, but also to a lot of churches.
It is necessary for the father-son-relationship to take place, but that can only happen when it will have that trust, because that trust is a blessing, where there's unity between the father and the son there's a blessing, God commands it. And if the son truly gives over to the advancement of his life and put his life in the father's hand then God will bless it. It's up to God to allow that to take place so that good things can happen
Questions
Module 3a-R.Abrahams:
9. What do you like and dislike of this testimony?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Reflect what info you can use to better your life and relationships.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please read further to assist you with your answers & reflections!
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