This is the skeleton of a message I gave in late September, 2007.
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There are three anointings, or callings- Priest, Prophet, King. Ive been struggling to express a vision of the interrelationship of different roles within the body of Christ, but the five-fold paradigm, the motivational gifts, and other ways of delineating these things just weren't working for me. It seems that the Old Covenant priest/prophet/king anointings fell right into place however.
I believe there must be a mutual submission of one member to another in the Church. When one role operates in the present timing of God, the other roles flow with it. Then, when God switches gears, the others must change focus. Even within our own lives, we have to react and download the heavenly blueprint in different ways, as situations arise.
- The priestly anointing concerns itself with traditions and practices of regular religious life. -Pray every day, read your Bible, give into the offering, remember the widows and orphans, good disciplined stuff.
- The priestly anointing's weaknesses include a tendency to 'regulate'. "Regulation- A law, rule, or other order prescribed by authority, esp. to regulate conduct."
- Under this condition people go through the motions with their bodies and minds, but not their hearts. Their hearts are unengaged. Worship becomes rote. Devotion becomes ritual. Expectancy dies.
- Tension in a relationip is good, a source of excitement. Certainty that God is good, but what's He going to do with us, or to us, today? Too much of the priest will kill that.
What's the prophetic look like?
In the upper room, the priest role was in control. They webeing obedient to the command of Jesus to stay in Jerusalem and wait--when SUDDENLY-- the prophetic swept in, and the prestly ways went out the window immediately. The prophetic rose up and spilled out into the streets, and a generation was impacted.
- The priest, prophet and king are being called to submit to one another. We must have agreement. Psl 133 tells us that agreement is paramount, and a condition of the commanded blessing. Interesting that God uses the picture of Aaron, the high priest under the law.
- We must have grace with one another as we enter new realms- walk in love, assuming the best of each other. Walk in patience, understanding one another. Esteeming others better. Admire others who make mistakes, because they're walking on water- while we're still sitting in the boat. The judgment must stop, and the fear of offending each other must stop.
King's anointing
In Revelation 2, Jesus brings up the doctrine of the Nicolaitans- a false separation of the secular and sacred, or of the clergy and laity. Unless you're in 'full time ministry', unless you have a bible college degree, blah blah blah. The pharisees asked Jesus "by what authority do you do these things?" He responded by confronting their refusal to recognize John the Baptist as a man empowered by heaven. They refused to answer because of their bondage to political expediency, their source of authority, while Jesus and John, being empowered and validated directly by God, were free to see the truth. (owned!)
Personal authority, the power of co-creation- the operational principle of a King.
- (1 Sam 10:7) Samuel, after anoiting Saul to be king, says to him "Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. " He basically was giving Saul a mandate act like a King. God would back him up, as he did whatever he felt like.
- (Psl 115:16) The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
- (Acts 15:25-28) It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 28For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Acknowledge God in everything you do. As you go forward in life, do whatever you feel like, followyour passion, after submitting your ways to God. If you're not running from Him, He'll let you know if you need any specific instructions.
- Kings take territory by acquiring influence in the high places of societal control, not just within the church. They can do things that priests and prophets cannot.
