Part 2 (2/2)

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which G.o.d gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pa.s.s; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of G.o.d, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD.

Under the New Covenant, when we confess our sins, the blood of Jesus actually washes away, remits, or cleanses our sins. Thank G.o.d, we've been washed from our sins in His own blood! (For further study of this subject, see Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin's minibook ent.i.tled, Three Big Words.) People ask, ”Do you understand how that takes place?” No, and you don't either. But I'm rejoicing in it anyway and enjoying the reality of it!

Blood Washed

Jesus washed our sins with His own blood. After our sins were washed in His blood, then as born-again Christians we are made kings and priests unto our G.o.d.

REVELATION 1:5,6.

5 ... Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us KINGS and PRIESTS unto G.o.d and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

In the Book of Revelation, the Bible tells us that a special millennial reign is coming upon the earth, and that we will reign with Jesus for a thousand years (Rev. 20:7). However, we are already made kings and priests unto G.o.d now in this life.

REVELATION 5:10.

10 And hast made us unto our G.o.d KINGS and PRIESTS: and we shall reign on the earth.

Romans 5:17 tells us that we already reign and rule in this life as kings and priests.

ROMANS 5:17.

17 For if by one man's offence death [that refers to spiritual death] reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall REIGN IN LIFE by one, Jesus Christ.

When shall we reign? In the sweet by and by? No! In this life! Another translation reads, ”We shall reign as KINGS in life by one, Christ Jesus.”

G.o.d is still anointing priests and He's still anointing kings. G.o.d has anointed you and me - the Body of Christ - to rule and reign as kings and priests unto our G.o.d! G.o.d also anoints some people to stand in the fivefold ministry, but He has anointed every one of us to preach or to witness about Him.

Every Believer Is Anointed To Be a Priest Unto G.o.d

A priest is a go-between - a man or a woman who speaks to G.o.d on behalf of others. You don't pray the prayer of intercession for yourself. When you are walking in your rights and privileges in Christ, you know that you can go into the Presence of G.o.d. The Word of G.o.d says that we are to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). An intercessor is one who intercedes on behalf of unbelievers - those who have no rights or privileges to go into the Presence of G.o.d for themselves. Some might wonder about praying for other Christians. Isn't that intercession? No, that is supplication. We are exhorted in Scripture to exercise both intercession and supplication.

G.o.d has anointed every Christian to be a priest.

The Bible doesn't say that only a few in the Body of Christ are made priests unto our G.o.d, or that only a few Christians are made kings. No, it says, ”... Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, ” and He ”. .. hath made us kings and priests...” (Rev. 1:5,6). Also, the Bible doesn't say that He is going to make us kings and priests, but that He has already made us kings and priests unto our G.o.d.

G.o.d is still anointing His people! He is still anointing kings and priests! G.o.d has anointed His people to be priests. A priest speaks to G.o.d on behalf of other people. Some people say, ”G.o.d has called me to be an intercessor!” But G.o.d has called every one of us to be intercessors. He didn't just call you. Intercession is not a special calling. Every Christian is supposed to offer intercession and supplication. Some Christians may not have entered into it yet, but they are supposed to. Some have responded more readily to the Holy Spirit than others have, but G.o.d has anointed every one of us to be priests unto our G.o.d.

The devil thrives on ignorance, and because some people don't know what the Bible says about being priests unto our G.o.d, when they do begin to enter into prayer and the anointing comes, then they get lifted up in pride and they think, I'm somebody! I'm special because I operate in the anointing!

That's exactly what the devil wants them to think. That's the same way Lucifer sinned. He was lifted up in pride thinking, I'm special. He said, ”. .. I will exalt my throne above the stars of G.o.d... 7 will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:13,14). He was lifted up in spiritual pride.

But G.o.d has anointed all of His people to be priests unto their G.o.d. Instead of thinking they're ”special” when they pray, people should just say, ”Praise G.o.d, we're all anointed to be priests; let's just get after it and pray!”

However, often it seems people - especially those who are not rooted and grounded in the Word of G.o.d - tend to get an elevated opinion of themselves and they think they have a special ”ministry” or ”calling” no one else in the Body of Christ has. They get lifted up in pride and get off into error, thinking they're a special ”cla.s.s” of people, and that no one else in the Body of Christ is like them.

Let's see what the Bible says about the whole Body of Christ being priests unto our G.o.d.

1 PETER 2:5,9.

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, AN HOLY PRIESTHOOD [That's all of us - the whole Body of Christ!] to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to G.o.d by Jesus Christ....

9 But ye are a chosen generation, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the PRAISES of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

We are all special in the Body of Christ! You see how people can get off into wrong thinking. We are all called to be kings and priests unto our G.o.d! Certain ones may be taking advantage of what belongs to them more than others, but our inheritance as kings and priests belongs to all believers.

Another error many Christians have fallen into is that because they think they have a special ”calling” or ”ministry” to be an intercessor, then they think they've got to perform and work something up in the flesh when they pray. Instead of praying in line with the Word of G.o.d, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit and praying by the unction and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they try to perform and work up something in the flesh, and they get off into error. People need to pray in line with the Word of G.o.d and by the anointing and unction of the Holy Spirit.

If people do not put the Word of G.o.d first - if they do not pray in line with the Word of G.o.d - they can go off following what they call the ”spirit” apart from the Word of G.o.d and be misled. You can't follow the Spirit apart from the Word of G.o.d because the Spirit and the Word agree (for additional teaching on this subject, see Brother Hagin's book, The Art of Intercession).

Every Christian is to be a priest! The Bible says, ”... ye [the whole Body of Christ] are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

That verse is talking about every one of us in the Body of Christ - not just a few especially ”chosen” ones. Every one of us, if we are born again, have been called out of darkness into light, not just a few. You can readily see the error of thinking that only a few special members of the Body of Christ are part of this royal priesthood. Some people may not be taking advantage of it, but every one of us is a part of that royal priesthood! G.o.d is still anointing priests!

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