OUR PRIESTLY MINISTRY

You know how the Bible calls Jesus the “King of kings and Lord of lords”, let me ask you a question - Who are the kings He is King over and who are the lords that He is Lord over?? Read with me this WONDERFUL scripture . . .

Rev 5:9-10 (KJV)

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and PRIESTS: and we shall reign on the earth.

TODAY, I am led to teach you how YOU are a PRIEST, and YOU HAVE A PRIESTLY MINISTRY ! ! !

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What does a priest DO?

A PRIEST represents God to MAN, and MAN to God . . .

Take Melchizedek for example . . .

Gen 14:18-20 (NIV)

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

We - AS PRIESTS - are to speak to men on God’s behalf and urge them to be reconciled to God ...

We - AS PRIESTS - are to speak to God on men’s behalf (intercede) and ask for forgiveness for them . . .

HAVE a PROBLEM with that?? Perhaps you’ve never seen that taught in the Bible before:

I Jn 5:16-17 (NIV)

16 If anyone sees his brother commit A SIN THAT DOES NOT LEAD TO DEATH, he should PRAY AND GOD WILL GIVE HIM LIFE. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.

17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

Asking God to forgive sin in those we are witnessing to keeps them open to hearing the Gospel. (There is one other thing we need to pray over those we are witnessing to - Break Satan’s blindness from their minds so that they can SEE the glorious Light of the Gospel . . .

2 Cor 4:3-4 (KJV)

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.)

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There IS an UNFORGIVABLE SIN, and you DON’T pray for THAT, and I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS :)

What is the ONE thing that sends a person to hell? NOT receiving Jesus !

John 1:12 (KJV)

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Since we know that THAT is the ONLY UNFORGIVABLE SIN, lets follow the Bible scriptures in kind of a reverse order to see how THAT can be considered the “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”.

Luke 12:10 (KJV)

10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against THE HOLY GHOST IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN.

WHAT IS THE BLASPHEMY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ... WHAT MAKES IT NOT FORGIVABLE ... HAVE YOU COMMITTED IT ?? (GOOD QUESTION, EH?)

I believe that ULTIMATELY, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the same thing as the REJECTION of JESUS.

(It can only be one sin as the next scripture shows ..

John 16:8-11 (KJV)

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of SIN, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of SIN, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.)

Why is “not believing on Jesus” the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”?

. . . BECAUSE it is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict us and convince us of the NEED for a savior AND to teach us about Jesus ! !

John 16:12-15 (KJV)

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for HE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for HE SHALL RECEIVE OF MINE, AND SHALL SHEW IT UNTO YOU.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

THEREFORE, to reject the WORK of the Holy Spirit (which is to show us Jesus) is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit AND the unforgivable sin. (I don’t believe YOU have committed that - otherwise you wouldn’t have ANY conviction about it .. the Holy Spirit would be GONE - and He’s not) :)

SO, PRIESTS ... TAKE YOUR PLACE. Represent God to MAN by your life and words ... also represent man to God by praying these things for him and interceding on his/her behalf ! !