I AM A KING AND PRIEST

“And has made us KINGS and PRIESTS to His God and Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” – Revelation 1:6

In Christ, I AM A KING AND PRIEST: “And has made us KINGS and PRIESTS to His God and Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev.1:6). As priests, we have been brought near by the blood of Christ, to minister in holy things and enter into that which is within the veil. As kings under our Sovereign King of kings, we are to reign on earth: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev.5:10). We are to REIGN IN LIFE and rule in Dominion, by Righteousness: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Rom.5:17).

The book of Revelation unveils Jesus Christ as all in all, with the Holy Spirit presenting a peep behind the scenes of the glorified Christ in heaven and how He will complete God's plans and purposes for humankind. He is revealed as “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth” (v.5). He is “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession” (Heb.3:1). He is the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec (Heb.5:6,10; 6:20). He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.19:16). These are the two ministries of Jesus in eternity at the throne. He rules as King, He intercedes as Priest. In turn, all who trust in His finished work at Calvary, He makes “kings and priests” (v.6). King and Priest were two distinct roles in the Old Testament; but the New Testament unveils the identity of believers as kings and priests unto God.

Based on the redemptive work of Christ, we are set apart as a spiritual Kingdom of Priests: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pet.2:9). The moment we made Jesus Christ Lord of our lives, we were called and catapulted into the priesthood of consecrated living, hallowed service, and faithful intercession. As royal priests we are His heavenly people, sanctified to offer our souls and bodies as spiritual and living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto Him, which is our honourable service to our Lord and Saviour (Rom.12:1-2). Fulfilling both roles of Kings and Priests will ensure a strong and maximally effective Church.

The perpetual position of every true believer is to stand to worship and minister before the Lord. Through Intercession, we take hold together with Him, to bring His will to pass on behalf of others; inferring knowing His will and purpose concerning whoever or whatever we’re praying about. Some Christians hold the erroneous belief that intercession is for certain hyper-spiritual Christians. Every believer has an obligation of intercession: “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph.6:18). We use our God-given dominion to alter the course of events and cause changes in the earth – in our lives, families, and communities (1Tim.2:1-3).

Another common error is to assume that ordained pastors (or ministers) are the only ones expected to function as priests that are primarily responsible for the work of the ministry. The truth is: the five-fold ministry gifts are given by the Lord of His Church, to equip all believers to do the work of the ministry, so that the Body of Christ can be edified or built up (Eph.4:11-12). Believers are to be equipped as ‘kings’ to use their gifts and talents to impact their secular mission fields – communities, businesses, and workplaces.

He who has made us kings and priests is “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (v.8). To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen!