Priest, Ambassadors and So Much More

“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 ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation….” Exodus 19:5

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love Him?” James 2:5

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation: to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

All of the scriptures listed above indicate to us what God has named us and the purpose for which we have been so named: holy priests, a holy nation, ambassadors of reconciliation, heirs rich in faith, witnesses of the kingdom, preachers of the gospel of the kingdom, and healers among the people. What people? The people of the world. Those who are not yet heirs of the kingdom of God as we are. Those who cannot even yet see the kingdom of God, for blinders cover their eyes and their ears are closed to the good news.

I’d like to look a little further into the titles God has given to us, to better understand what duties might apply to those having these titles and how those duties relate to prayer, specifically. It does appear as though we wear many caps in the kingdom of God. Let’s see what the responsibilities are of each:

Kingdom of priests: A kingdom of people (priests) who have been granted access into the very presence of God, as the priest in the temple had access to the “holy of holies” that housed the presence of God, all so that we may serve God and serve our fellowman, interceding with sacrificial prayers on behalf of those who are perishing around us. “A holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:5 “Every priest is ordained for men in things pertaining to God.” Hebrews 5:1

A holy nation: We are the “called out ones”, separated unto God, forsaking all that the temporal things the world offers in exchange for the eternal kingdom of God to which we are heirs; the things we pray and ask for are not temporal or carnal in nature, but spiritual and eternal. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16)

Ambassadors of reconciliation: We are to be stewards of the grace of God, ministers of reconciliation, demonstrating to all around us the love, mercy and grace of God in order to draw men to God through Jesus Christ, who resides within us; by our prayers drawing down the blessing of God’s grace towards men, so that the salvation of God’s love may be accomplished in men.

Heirs rich in faith: If we are beneficiaries to a rich man’s will, then when he dies we are instantly rich, whether we have the money in hand or not. Well, Jesus, the Testator of the Last Will and Testament of the Kingdom of God here on earth, died, and we instantly have at our disposal all the things of the kingdom of God, they have been given to us, the heirs. And, until that kingdom is physically delivered to us, all we need is faith to access everything in the kingdom. “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

Witnesses of the kingdom: Salt to the earth, and a light in the darkness, a demonstration of the power of God, a demonstration of the love of God in “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

Preachers of the gospel of the kingdom: Speaking the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek…” (Isaiah 61:1a)

Healers: Moved by the same compassion that moved Jesus to heal the multitudes, because He “lives” within us, we have been sent forth with “power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (Matthew 10:1)…”and as ye go, preach, saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8) “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15)

These are just a few of the caps we put on as we pray for one another and for all in the world. It’s amazing all that Jesus can do through us, and through our prayers. These are some of the WHY of prayer. Next we’ll look at the HOW TO of prayer.