WEBVTT 00:00:02.060 --> 00:00:07.580 Hi there, welcome to NECF. We're excited to share 00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:10.679 today's message with you. Don't go anywhere, 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:14.500 stay with us till the end for some valuable resources 00:00:14.500 --> 00:00:18.339 to enrich your faith. Here's today's sermon. 00:00:24.300 --> 00:00:27.960 So today we're going to continue in the manifestation. 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:31.199 The kingdom of God. And we're going to be looking 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.780 at priesthood. Manifestation. The kingdom of 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:37.700 God. And we're going to be looking at priesthood. 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:47.399 Priesthood. Numbers chapter 18. Numbers chapter 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:53.799 18. Proverbs 1 to 7. Then the Lord said to Aaron, 00:00:54.020 --> 00:00:57.820 you and your sons and your father's house. with 00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:01.439 you shall bear the liberty related to the sanctuary, 00:01:01.799 --> 00:01:04.920 and you and your sons with you shall bear the 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:07.939 liberty associated with the priest. Also bring 00:01:07.939 --> 00:01:10.599 with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:13.519 the tribe of your father, that they may join 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:18.780 with you and serve you while you and your sons 00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:22.900 are before the tabernacle of goodness. They shall 00:01:22.900 --> 00:01:25.980 attend to your needs and all the needs of the 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:28.739 tabernacle. But they shall not come near the 00:01:28.739 --> 00:01:32.159 article of the sanctuary and the altar, lest 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:36.180 they die. They and you also. They shall be joined 00:01:36.180 --> 00:01:38.799 with you and attend to the need of the sabbatical 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:41.859 of meeting, for all the work of the sabbatical. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.439 But an outsider shall not come near to you. Praise 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:48.620 the Lord. And he said, You shall attend all the 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:50.760 duties of the sanctuaries and the duties of the 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:54.299 altar, and that there may be no more rods on 00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:57.260 the children of Israel. Praise the Lord. Verse 00:01:57.260 --> 00:02:00.719 6 now said, Behold, I myself have taken your 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:02.780 brethren, the Levites, from among the children 00:02:02.780 --> 00:02:06.959 of Israel. They are a gift to me, a gift to you 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.580 given by the Lord, to do the work of the tabernacle 00:02:10.580 --> 00:02:13.039 of meeting. Therefore you and your sons with 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:16.460 you shall attend to your priesthood for everything 00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:20.159 at the altar and behind the veil, and you shall 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:25.530 serve. And I give you priesthood. to you as a 00:02:25.530 --> 00:02:28.110 gift for service. And the outsider shall not 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:31.490 come near. Sorry, the outsider who comes near 00:02:31.490 --> 00:02:35.509 shall be put to death. Praise the Lord. Manifesting 00:02:35.509 --> 00:02:38.270 the kingdom of God. Praise the Lord. So we see 00:02:38.270 --> 00:02:42.449 here that God was giving Aaron and his sons the 00:02:42.449 --> 00:02:47.009 facts of the priesthood. He gave them to be people 00:02:47.009 --> 00:02:51.110 who would serve God in the sanctuary, in the 00:02:51.110 --> 00:02:54.669 tabernacle, in the altar. These are the people 00:02:54.669 --> 00:02:59.330 responsible to do the things of God, him and 00:02:59.330 --> 00:03:01.949 his sons and his brethren. They are particular 00:03:01.949 --> 00:03:05.250 people. They are not from the tribe of Judea. 00:03:05.250 --> 00:03:07.870 They are not from Manasseh. They are not from 00:03:07.870 --> 00:03:10.770 any other tribe in Israel, but particularly these 00:03:10.770 --> 00:03:14.610 people. This is who God has saddled the responsibility 00:03:14.610 --> 00:03:18.889 of taking care of the altar, of bringing sacrifices, 00:03:19.270 --> 00:03:23.280 of sacrificing to God and doing everything. related 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.599 to the altar. This is what God has restored on 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.620 them. Praise the Lord. They will serve the needs 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:33.340 of the sanctuary. They will perform the duties 00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:37.740 that is their real. And an outsider shall not 00:03:37.740 --> 00:03:41.500 come near what they do. And the outsider here 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:43.840 is not talking about somebody who is not of the 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:46.659 tribe of Israel. He's talking about a different 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:49.919 tribe. Somebody else from another tribe cannot 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.639 come and do the responsibilities. That they are 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.560 doing. Praise the Lord. They cannot come and 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:58.539 do this responsibility. If not, they are going 00:03:58.539 --> 00:04:01.860 to die as a result. The disobedience of that 00:04:01.860 --> 00:04:05.639 would mean that they are not going to be alive 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:09.759 anymore. So why did God commit this priesthood 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.580 to these people alone? Why did it? Is it God's 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:18.120 intended plan for his people that a tribe would 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:23.310 become a priest to him? Is it his intention from 00:04:23.310 --> 00:04:25.029 the beginning? Is that what God has ordained? 00:04:25.129 --> 00:04:27.389 Or is that what he has desired? Praise the Lord. 00:04:27.810 --> 00:04:30.870 So let's look at God's plan on signing priests. 00:04:31.129 --> 00:04:33.689 Were they particular people? Is he going to just 00:04:33.689 --> 00:04:36.629 be a tribe? Or is he going to be the whole nation? 00:04:36.930 --> 00:04:39.490 Or is he just going to be a man? Praise the Lord. 00:04:39.850 --> 00:04:44.250 Exodus chapter 19. So the children of Israel, 00:04:44.490 --> 00:04:48.769 having gone through Egypt, have come out and 00:04:48.769 --> 00:04:51.250 they have seen many... miraculous things that 00:04:51.250 --> 00:04:54.129 God has done. God has delivered them with a strong 00:04:54.129 --> 00:04:59.589 hand. God has defeated their enemies. They have 00:04:59.589 --> 00:05:02.250 seen the hand of God. They have been fed in the 00:05:02.250 --> 00:05:05.149 wilderness. They drank from the rock. They have 00:05:05.149 --> 00:05:09.449 eaten manna and God has fed them from food from 00:05:09.449 --> 00:05:12.350 on high. Their clothes were not worn out. They 00:05:12.350 --> 00:05:14.290 have seen the greatness of God. They have seen 00:05:14.290 --> 00:05:17.800 that which God has done for them. And so when 00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:22.560 we come to Exodus 18, from verse 3 to 6, it says, 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.879 then you shall be a special treasure to me above 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.139 all people. For all the earth is mine, and you 00:05:54.139 --> 00:05:58.920 shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:01.500 nation. These are the words which you shall speak 00:06:01.500 --> 00:06:04.939 to the children of Israel. Praise the Lord. So 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:07.100 the intention of God from the beginning was that 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:10.779 the entirety of Israel would become a nation 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:14.740 of priests. They would become a holy nation to 00:06:14.740 --> 00:06:18.019 God, a treasure to God. They will become a people 00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:23.420 that God treasures. Because he said this thing 00:06:23.420 --> 00:06:25.720 to them, not after something else has happened, 00:06:25.779 --> 00:06:27.759 a lot of things have gone wrong. But immediately 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:30.519 as they are coming out, God made it clear what 00:06:30.519 --> 00:06:32.920 his intention was for them. That they are going 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.160 to be a special people above every other person. 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:39.379 That the nation will see them and know that truly 00:06:39.379 --> 00:06:42.959 this is the people of God. Praise the Lord. This 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.680 is the people of God. And he says to them that 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:47.819 if they will obey his voice, if they will hear 00:06:47.819 --> 00:06:49.920 him, if they will believe the thing that he's 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:52.560 saying, they are going to be a treasure to him. 00:06:52.819 --> 00:06:56.120 They are going to be a nation, a holy nation, 00:06:56.300 --> 00:07:00.279 and a kingdom of Christ. Praise the Lord. So 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:03.540 Manasseh is supposed to be a kingdom of Christ. 00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:06.220 Judah is supposed to be a kingdom of Christ. 00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:09.420 They were supposed to be, they're supposed to 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:12.279 be a kingdom of Christ too, where God dwells. 00:07:12.420 --> 00:07:15.660 Praise the Lord. So in other sense, God was seeking 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:19.300 a relationship with everybody. Praise the Lord. 00:07:19.420 --> 00:07:22.699 God was seeking a relationship with every one 00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:24.980 of them. He didn't just want Levites. He didn't 00:07:24.980 --> 00:07:28.839 just want the tribe that Aaron came from or Moses 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.680 came from to be these people who will stand before 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:34.360 him perpetually. But it should be that people 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:38.300 of every tribe or the tribe of Israel will become 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:42.279 a nation of priests. A holy nation to be with 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:46.000 special people. to priests. But then why did 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.300 we see that he then gave instructions to Lubach? 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:53.519 Why did he particularly then speak to Aaron and 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:57.759 his brethren consigning priests to him? He wanted 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.160 them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:02.259 That was his intention from the beginning. So 00:08:02.259 --> 00:08:05.379 he made it clear to them, I want to have a relationship 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:08.639 with you. I want to have an interaction with 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:10.839 you. I want to have fellowship with you. That's 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:14.100 my intention. I didn't just want one person or 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:17.000 Moses to just come before me. I want everybody 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:20.120 to come before me. I want everybody to hear my 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:22.480 voice. I want everybody to understand my ways. 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:25.699 I want everybody to see the things that I will 00:08:25.699 --> 00:08:29.019 show to them. Praise the Lord. So God's original 00:08:29.019 --> 00:08:32.720 plan was for his people to be a kingdom of Christ, 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:36.460 to be a people of Christ and an only nation to 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:43.000 him. But then we see, so... We see, and a good 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:45.480 example of that we can see from also Genesis, 00:08:45.659 --> 00:08:48.879 where this type of priesthood that God was seeking 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:52.500 to have with these people came about. Genesis 00:08:52.500 --> 00:09:05.860 chapter 14, verse 18. Then Meshizedek, king of 00:09:05.860 --> 00:09:10.379 Salem, brought out bread and wine, and he was 00:09:10.379 --> 00:09:14.940 a priest. of the Most High. And he blessed him 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:18.059 and said, blessed the Abraham of the Most High, 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:22.080 possessor of heaven and earth. Praise the Lord. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:27.179 He said, blessed be God Most High who delivered 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:30.419 your enemies into your hand and has given and 00:09:30.419 --> 00:09:33.399 he gave him a sight of all. Praise the Lord. 00:09:33.700 --> 00:09:37.759 So we see also that this king was an example 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.889 of what God was intending. for his people to 00:09:40.889 --> 00:09:43.429 become like. He said he's a priest of the most 00:09:43.429 --> 00:09:46.690 high. Praise the Lord. He was royalty. He was 00:09:46.690 --> 00:09:49.990 a special person, right? But also somebody who 00:09:49.990 --> 00:09:53.210 has the ability to perform the duties of a priest. 00:09:53.830 --> 00:09:56.350 Praise the Lord. So he was not just somebody 00:09:56.350 --> 00:09:59.629 who was going to take instruction from the priest 00:09:59.629 --> 00:10:02.590 and then do as a king or execute. But he was 00:10:02.590 --> 00:10:05.230 somebody who knows the intention of God and has 00:10:05.230 --> 00:10:08.330 the power to execute. Praise the Lord. He was 00:10:08.330 --> 00:10:11.070 somebody who knows. The intention of God. He 00:10:11.070 --> 00:10:14.049 knows the things to do. He knows what God demands 00:10:14.049 --> 00:10:18.070 from these people. And so he also has the power 00:10:18.070 --> 00:10:20.669 to execute because he's royal. Praise the Lord. 00:10:22.710 --> 00:10:26.269 So we see example of that. The king of Salem, 00:10:26.470 --> 00:10:32.169 right? He's described as a chief ruler, right? 00:10:32.230 --> 00:10:36.610 Somebody who is a principal officer to execute 00:10:36.610 --> 00:10:40.549 the things of God. Praise the Lord. So we see 00:10:40.549 --> 00:10:44.350 that this priest has the ability to bless the 00:10:44.350 --> 00:10:47.710 people, right? He has the strength to bless Abraham. 00:10:48.070 --> 00:10:51.450 He blessed him because he has royal power. He 00:10:51.450 --> 00:10:55.169 can give blessing. Praise the Lord. So God's 00:10:55.169 --> 00:10:58.450 intention was to make them a nation of priests. 00:10:58.690 --> 00:11:01.809 So why didn't that happen? Why is it that we 00:11:01.809 --> 00:11:04.889 now see that it was Levi that he was talking 00:11:04.889 --> 00:11:19.159 to? Exodus 23. So Exodus chapter 20, we see that 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:22.279 the children of Israel have gathered underneath 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:25.419 the mountain and God was going to give them instruction. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:28.740 God came to have this fellowship. Praise the 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:31.620 Lord. Remember, we read 19, where God declares 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:34.580 His intention consigning what He wanted. He wanted 00:11:34.580 --> 00:11:36.919 them to be a kingdom of peace. He wanted them 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:42.220 to be a holy nation, a treasure to Him. So in 00:11:42.220 --> 00:11:44.820 verse 20 now, we see that they have come to have 00:11:44.820 --> 00:11:46.860 this fellowship. They have come to interact with 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:49.919 this God. They have come to start the thing that 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:53.720 God intended for them. Praise the Lord. And so 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.840 God then begins to speak. And then from verse 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.879 19, sorry, from verse 18, we begin to see. He 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:06.379 said, Exodus 20, from verse 19, from verse 18. 00:12:06.940 --> 00:12:09.879 He said, when the people saw the thunder and 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:13.299 the lightning, And they heard the trumpet and 00:12:13.299 --> 00:12:15.899 saw the mountain in smoke. They trembled with 00:12:15.899 --> 00:12:19.940 fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:26.100 Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But 00:12:26.100 --> 00:12:32.080 do not have God speak to us or we will die. Praise 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:35.340 the Lord. So we have seen that God has desired 00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:37.600 that these people should come. And when they 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:39.580 came, they started making a different confession. 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.519 When they had the voice of God or when they came 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:46.620 to God, they started to have a different, they 00:12:46.620 --> 00:12:50.620 started making different choices. So in a sense, 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.679 they didn't want to have this interaction. They 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:55.500 didn't want to have this relationship. They wanted 00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:58.299 somebody to be between them and God, somebody 00:12:58.299 --> 00:13:00.559 who they would listen to because they didn't 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:04.299 want to hear God for themselves, but somebody 00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:06.759 who would mediate for them. And that's what Moses 00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:10.250 was for them. Let him hear and speak to us. Praise 00:13:10.250 --> 00:13:12.289 the Lord. And say, for we will die. But God had 00:13:12.289 --> 00:13:14.529 called them to the mountain, or God had called 00:13:14.529 --> 00:13:17.909 them to come underneath the mountain, know that 00:13:17.909 --> 00:13:19.389 they were not going to die. Praise the Lord. 00:13:19.789 --> 00:13:23.409 So there was, God's intention was clear, but 00:13:23.409 --> 00:13:25.850 the people decided this is what they want to 00:13:25.850 --> 00:13:28.230 do. We don't want to have this interaction with 00:13:28.230 --> 00:13:31.289 you. We don't want to have this type of relationship 00:13:31.289 --> 00:13:34.009 with you. So God desired a fellowship from them, 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:37.289 but then they desired something else. They refused, 00:13:37.509 --> 00:13:40.809 we saw in the studies that we did. They refused 00:13:40.809 --> 00:13:44.389 the proposal of God to have a fellowship with 00:13:44.389 --> 00:13:47.309 them. They refused the proposal to have that 00:13:47.309 --> 00:13:51.210 fellowship with them. We saw that in the gospel 00:13:51.210 --> 00:13:55.809 in Deuteronomy. They refused this invitation 00:13:55.809 --> 00:13:58.809 to have fellowship. That's why we see then that 00:13:58.809 --> 00:14:02.870 the children of Aaron and his brothers have now 00:14:02.870 --> 00:14:05.850 taken the responsibility to be ministers, to 00:14:05.850 --> 00:14:08.870 be people. who would carry out the responsibilities 00:14:08.870 --> 00:14:12.009 of God. Praise the Lord. So this is too much 00:14:12.009 --> 00:14:14.690 for them, what they have seen. It's so thunder, 00:14:14.909 --> 00:14:17.169 it's so lightning. It was much for them. It was 00:14:17.169 --> 00:14:20.009 something that they cannot bear anymore. So they 00:14:20.009 --> 00:14:22.070 appointed Moses. They said to Moses, you speak 00:14:22.070 --> 00:14:25.649 to us and we'll listen to you. Become our mediator. 00:14:25.669 --> 00:14:29.710 Become that person who will stand between us 00:14:29.710 --> 00:14:32.269 and God. Praise the Lord. And I imagine that, 00:14:32.389 --> 00:14:34.610 and according to the studies that we have done, 00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:36.980 We know that the people that have stayed with 00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:39.539 God or the people that stay with God are people 00:14:39.539 --> 00:14:43.559 that become like God. Praise the Lord. People 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.159 that stay with God are people that become like 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:50.460 God. We saw that in Matthew chapter 18, right? 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:58.759 Where because of the revelation of Christ, Peter 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:02.049 knew who he was. Praise the Lord. So the people 00:15:02.049 --> 00:15:04.149 that stay more with God, the people that interact 00:15:04.149 --> 00:15:06.830 more with God, are people that become more like 00:15:06.830 --> 00:15:11.210 God. So if you're somebody who has decided that 00:15:11.210 --> 00:15:13.129 you want to be studying the Word of the Lord, 00:15:13.250 --> 00:15:15.409 if you're somebody who has decided that you want 00:15:15.409 --> 00:15:17.789 to be praying, you want to seek the face of God, 00:15:18.029 --> 00:15:20.309 the more you become like God. If you're somebody 00:15:20.309 --> 00:15:22.690 who decides that somebody else should speak on 00:15:22.690 --> 00:15:25.169 behalf of God to you, you will never grow. Praise 00:15:25.169 --> 00:15:26.990 the Lord. You will not know the intention of 00:15:26.990 --> 00:15:30.629 God. Because Moses went to the mountain. Praise 00:15:30.629 --> 00:15:32.750 the Lord. Remember how he's experienced, how 00:15:32.750 --> 00:15:36.570 he started his own. He saw a burning bush, right? 00:15:36.649 --> 00:15:39.990 He was scared at first, but he received an invitation 00:15:39.990 --> 00:15:42.850 and he accepted it. And since then, he has gone 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:45.149 and he has interacted with God. How is it that 00:15:45.149 --> 00:15:48.429 he hasn't refused that? So it wasn't too much 00:15:48.429 --> 00:15:51.570 for Moses. So it's not too much for anybody who 00:15:51.570 --> 00:15:54.169 stays with the Lord. It's not too much for anybody 00:15:54.169 --> 00:15:58.090 who stays in the place. A fellowship with God. 00:15:58.169 --> 00:15:59.830 Because they will know that God is not trying 00:15:59.830 --> 00:16:01.409 to kill them. Because they will know that God 00:16:01.409 --> 00:16:04.350 has good plans for them. Because they will know 00:16:04.350 --> 00:16:09.409 that in this fellowship would make me the thing 00:16:09.409 --> 00:16:13.029 that God expects me to be. Praise the Lord. So 00:16:13.029 --> 00:16:15.950 they appointed Moses to be a mediator, to be 00:16:15.950 --> 00:16:18.970 somebody who would be between them and God. So 00:16:18.970 --> 00:16:22.070 then we see that then the Levite were appointed. 00:16:22.350 --> 00:16:26.350 Moses also is on the tribe. of Levi. So, we see 00:16:26.350 --> 00:16:28.750 that the Levi then were appointed to negate to 00:16:28.750 --> 00:16:31.850 the people who would perform or who would be 00:16:31.850 --> 00:16:34.629 ministers of God because they have given that 00:16:34.629 --> 00:16:37.649 responsibility to Moses and God respected their 00:16:37.649 --> 00:16:40.490 decision. We saw from our studies, right, that 00:16:40.490 --> 00:16:42.850 God respected the decision they have made. So, 00:16:42.889 --> 00:16:45.409 they gave the Levi to serve at the altar. I will 00:16:45.409 --> 00:16:47.669 begin to see some of the services that they render. 00:16:48.090 --> 00:16:51.429 Some of the services that a priest renders. Deuteronomy 00:16:51.429 --> 00:16:54.500 chapter 20. Deuteronomy chapter 20, verses 1 00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:57.360 to 4. He said, When you go out to battle against 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:00.200 your enemies and see horses and chariots and 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:03.600 people more numerous than you, do not be afraid 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:07.099 of them, for the Lord is with you, who brought 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:10.420 you up from the land of Egypt. So it shall be, 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:13.859 when you are on the verge of battle, that the 00:17:13.859 --> 00:17:15.859 priest shall approach and speak to the people, 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:19.119 and he shall say to them, Hear, O Israel, today 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.359 you are on the verge of battle with your enemy. 00:17:36.630 --> 00:17:39.730 So this is the thing that the people are missing, 00:17:39.849 --> 00:17:43.569 right? Because a minister or somebody who is 00:17:43.569 --> 00:17:46.650 a priest is somebody who is saddled with that 00:17:46.650 --> 00:17:50.549 responsibility to give assurance, to tell the 00:17:50.549 --> 00:17:54.579 people. of the promises of God, to remind them. 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:57.420 So when there's trouble, the priest comes and 00:17:57.420 --> 00:18:00.180 he tells them that God is with you. How does 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:02.740 he know that God is with them? Because he has 00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:05.720 been with the Lord. He has been in the service 00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:08.220 of the Lord. So the priest will come and encourage 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:11.299 them. The Lord is with you. So the priest speaks 00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:13.799 to the people. They speak life to the people. 00:18:13.859 --> 00:18:16.119 When there's fear, they come and they speak to 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:18.680 them so that they are encouraged. They strengthen 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:21.410 the people. It reminds the people of the presence 00:18:21.410 --> 00:18:24.930 of God. That God is not far from them. Praise 00:18:24.930 --> 00:18:27.390 the Lord. That God is not far away from them. 00:18:27.529 --> 00:18:30.990 That their troubles are not too big for God. 00:18:31.630 --> 00:18:35.329 That the thing that they're facing is not above 00:18:35.329 --> 00:18:39.430 God. He said, God is with you to save you. Praise 00:18:39.430 --> 00:18:42.369 the Lord. God is with you to save you. So these 00:18:42.369 --> 00:18:45.289 are the duties of what a priest does. He's there 00:18:45.289 --> 00:18:47.430 to strengthen the people. He's there to give 00:18:47.430 --> 00:18:50.690 them assurance. of the promises of God. He's 00:18:50.690 --> 00:18:53.569 there to encourage them. Praise the Lord. We 00:18:53.569 --> 00:18:59.769 see also in Malachi, Malachi 2, verse 7. Praise 00:18:59.769 --> 00:19:10.750 the Lord. So the priest also is somebody who 00:19:10.750 --> 00:19:14.509 keeps knowledge. He keeps knowledge. The people 00:19:14.509 --> 00:19:19.359 come to him to seek for... The Lord. You see, 00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:22.039 he's a messenger of the Lord. So the priest speaks 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.559 the word of the Lord. Praise the Lord. The priest 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:28.039 speaks the word of the Lord. A messenger of the 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:32.640 Lord. He speaks the counsel of God to the people. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.039 He's a messenger of God. So the original plan 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:39.720 of God is that his people become a kingdom of 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:43.160 priests. Praise the Lord. So when they go to 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:45.519 battle, they will not need somebody else to come 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:48.220 and tell them. The presence of the Lord is with 00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:50.200 you. They will know that the presence of the 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:53.400 Lord is with them because they have been in fellowship 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:55.420 with this God. Praise the Lord. So that they 00:19:55.420 --> 00:19:59.759 will not need somebody to monitor them. Oh, did 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.579 I do this wrong? Or did I not do that wrong? 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.140 Because they know because they have been in fellowship 00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:07.400 with the Lord. His intention is for them that 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:09.920 they are well aware of the things that He has 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.279 desired. Not that somebody else will come and 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:14.180 tell them. If that person didn't say it, they 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:17.059 will do something else. Praise the Lord. So they'll 00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:19.420 therefore need somebody to keep chasing after 00:20:19.420 --> 00:20:21.839 them, to keep running after them, to keep telling 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:23.700 them, that thing is wrong, this is wrong, because 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:26.700 they have no idea. Praise the Lord. So his intention 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:29.380 is that all of them know, all of them have fellowship, 00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:33.220 all of them have interaction with him. Praise 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:36.799 the Lord. We see also that David, although he's 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.460 not from the tribe of Levi, he did minister. 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:44.119 Praise the Lord. So if the plan of God was not 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:47.009 that the people should... be a kingdom of priests, 00:20:47.049 --> 00:20:48.549 then something would have happened to David. 00:20:49.470 --> 00:20:53.569 He gave, he did sacrifices to the Lord. We see 00:20:53.569 --> 00:21:00.849 in 2 Samuel 6, verse 12 to 20. 2 Samuel 6. We're 00:21:00.849 --> 00:21:06.109 going to read verse 13 and 17. 2 Samuel 6, verse 00:21:06.109 --> 00:21:12.430 12 to 20. We're going to read verse 13. So it 00:21:12.430 --> 00:21:14.750 was when those who bear the ark of the Lord had... 00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:24.400 So they brought the ark of the Lord and set it 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:27.400 in the place of the tabernacle that David had 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:31.700 erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings 00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:34.160 and peace offerings before the Lord. And when 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:36.819 David had finished offering burnt offerings and 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:38.779 peace offerings, he blessed the people in the 00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:57.220 name of the Lord of hosts. So we see here that 00:21:57.220 --> 00:22:01.500 David, as a king, he did this sacrifice. He did 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:05.180 the work of a priest. So we see that that is 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:06.960 the intention of God. Because if that is not 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.299 the intention of God consigning them, something 00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:12.740 would have happened with him. Praise the Lord. 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:16.839 So let's see this priesthood in the New Covenant. 00:22:17.700 --> 00:22:22.200 This priesthood in the New Covenant. So as we 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:26.240 saw, the king of Salem had come, right? Who was 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:29.359 somebody that was greater than the tribe of Levi 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:31.900 or somebody who was greater than Aaron. And he 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:36.799 came in the order of a royal priesthood. He came 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:39.880 because he was a king and a priest. Somebody 00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:42.589 who was greater than what Aaron was. Because 00:22:42.589 --> 00:22:45.549 Aaron was just a priest. But we see that Jesus 00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:50.509 served or came as a greater high priest. We see 00:22:50.509 --> 00:22:53.890 that in Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6 00:22:53.890 --> 00:23:00.569 verse 20. So Jesus served as a greater high priest. 00:23:00.750 --> 00:23:04.269 Hebrews chapter 6 verse 20. Where the four runners 00:23:04.269 --> 00:23:08.509 have entered for us. Even Jesus having become 00:23:08.509 --> 00:23:11.559 high priest forever according to the order. of 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:15.079 Melchizedek. Praise the Lord. So he served a 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:18.319 greater purpose as a greater high priest that 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:21.180 will be reconciled to God. So he mediated between 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:24.220 us and God. Praise the Lord. And that mediation 00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:28.859 was not one that he would make us continually 00:23:28.859 --> 00:23:33.140 need, but he would have, he sought that he came 00:23:33.140 --> 00:23:35.559 to create or to bring back that relationship 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:38.970 or the original plan of God. So Jesus, the work 00:23:38.970 --> 00:23:41.809 of Jesus, or the priesthood of Jesus, eclipses 00:23:41.809 --> 00:23:45.029 the Aaron's priesthood. Praise the Lord. So the 00:23:45.029 --> 00:23:48.849 work of Jesus has brought us, as we saw in John 00:23:48.849 --> 00:23:51.789 chapter 3, right? He has brought us the dominion 00:23:51.789 --> 00:23:54.769 of God, right? It has brought us the royal power 00:23:54.769 --> 00:23:57.769 of God. It has brought us the forgiveness of 00:23:57.769 --> 00:24:01.549 sin. It has brought us the power of righteousness. 00:24:02.269 --> 00:24:05.450 Praise the Lord. The ability to be reconciled 00:24:05.450 --> 00:24:08.779 to God. to be one with him, to be one spirit 00:24:08.779 --> 00:24:12.079 with him. He has brought us to the kingdom of 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:15.099 God. Praise the Lord. So this is what Christ 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:19.759 has done for us. In John chapter 3, we see that 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:23.220 we're able, because of the work of Christ, we're 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:26.640 able to experience the kingdom of God. We're 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:29.240 able to see the kingdom of God. We're able to 00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.779 see the power of God. We're able to see the salvation 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:34.660 of God because of the work that Christ has done. 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:38.960 In John chapter 3. Proverbs 3 to 8. Right? We're 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:41.759 able to see that the work of Christ has brought 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:46.819 us the ability to experience the kingdom of God. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:51.259 Praise the Lord. So did Israel's failure stop 00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:54.000 God's plan? Did their failure or their refusal 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:57.440 to His proposal of fellowship stop the intention 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:01.359 of God? Praise the Lord. No. Because of what 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.799 Christ has done. Because of what Christ has done, 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:08.680 we're able to be To be brought back to that original 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:12.319 intention of God. That is to be a nation of priests. 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:14.819 To be a royal priesthood. To be a treasured people. 00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:18.980 To be a holy nation. 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:22.640 4 to 5. Come to him as to a living stone rejected 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:26.380 indeed by men and chosen by God and precious. 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:30.160 You also as living stone are built up a spiritual 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.900 house, a holy priesthood to offer up. spiritual 00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:38.359 sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus. Praise 00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:40.799 the Lord. So because of what Christ has done, 00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:44.759 we're able to offer a spiritual sacrifice. We're 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:47.859 able to offer a spiritual sacrifice through him 00:25:47.859 --> 00:25:51.240 that is acceptable to God. So the failure of 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:54.019 Israel or the failure of the people of Israel 00:25:54.019 --> 00:25:57.420 has not, didn't stop the intention of God. Did 00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:59.500 not stop the intention of God because of what 00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:04.960 Christ has done on the cross. Verse 9. He said, 00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:09.680 but you are a choosing generation, a royal priesthood, 00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:14.599 a holy nation, his own special people, that you 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:17.500 may proclaim the praises of he who called you 00:26:17.500 --> 00:26:20.240 out of darkness into his marvelous light. Verse 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:25.299 10. Who once were not a people, but now the people 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:29.140 of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have 00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:32.319 obtained mercy. Praise the Lord. So the original 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:35.980 plan and intention of God did not stop because 00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:40.140 Israel had seen or Israel had refused to accept 00:26:40.140 --> 00:26:43.660 the invitation of fellowship. Praise the Lord. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:49.039 Because of Christ, that initial arrangement is 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:51.339 still present. Because of Christ, that initial 00:26:51.339 --> 00:26:54.160 intention of God is possible for the children 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:56.839 of God. Praise the Lord. Because he said the 00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:59.769 same thing that he was saying to them. that there 00:26:59.769 --> 00:27:02.210 will be a people that are a treasure to him. 00:27:02.309 --> 00:27:04.549 And he says, you are a special people. So that 00:27:04.549 --> 00:27:06.509 has not stopped the intention of God. Revelation 00:27:06.509 --> 00:27:09.630 chapter 5, verses 9 to 10. But he sang a song 00:27:09.630 --> 00:27:12.549 saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and 00:27:12.549 --> 00:27:15.670 to open its seal. For you were slain and have 00:27:15.670 --> 00:27:18.990 redeemed us to God by your blood out of every 00:27:18.990 --> 00:27:23.250 tribe and tongues and people and nation. He said, 00:27:23.289 --> 00:27:25.930 you have made us kings and priests to our God 00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:29.440 and we shall reign on yet. Praise the Lord. See, 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:31.619 he has called us. Can we go back to the previous 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:34.460 verse? He said he has redeemed us by his blood. 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:37.940 It's out of every tribe, right? Out of every 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:41.900 nation. So you see, there's no longer limitation. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:45.960 It's not just the children of Levi. It's not 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:50.660 just them that have that access to God. Out of 00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:53.640 every tongue and every nation and out of every 00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:56.960 people, you see, he has made us king and priest 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:00.829 to our God. Praise the Lord. He has made us. 00:28:01.470 --> 00:28:06.630 So this is not, this speaks of an identity. Praise 00:28:06.630 --> 00:28:09.490 the Lord. This speaks of an identity. He has 00:28:09.490 --> 00:28:14.089 made us kings and priests to our God. Praise 00:28:14.089 --> 00:28:17.269 the Lord. He has made us royalty to our God and 00:28:17.269 --> 00:28:21.089 we shall reign on the earth. So in the sacrifice 00:28:21.089 --> 00:28:23.829 and in the things that Christ has done, every 00:28:23.829 --> 00:28:26.210 of God's people have received this polytheism. 00:28:26.670 --> 00:28:29.690 to be kings and priests on the earth. Praise 00:28:29.690 --> 00:28:33.690 the Lord. Because of what Christ has done, we 00:28:33.690 --> 00:28:36.750 have received this calling. This is not if I 00:28:36.750 --> 00:28:39.670 accept it or I reject it. Praise the Lord. As 00:28:39.670 --> 00:28:41.829 long as you are in Christ, this is a calling 00:28:41.829 --> 00:28:44.569 that is upon your life, to be king and priest 00:28:44.569 --> 00:28:47.410 on the earth. Praise the Lord. So God's initial 00:28:47.410 --> 00:28:50.470 plan was fulfilled in Christ. You are now royal 00:28:50.470 --> 00:28:53.609 Christians. It's the people that now can serve 00:28:53.609 --> 00:28:57.839 and manifest. The power of God. The presence 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:00.980 of God. Praise the Lord. We can serve and manifest. 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:04.339 We can serve and execute. Below the intention 00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:07.380 of God, we can execute. Praise the Lord. We have 00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:10.119 the power to execute. We have the power to execute 00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:14.259 the will of God on the earth. We have the power 00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:17.640 to be a blessing to people. Just like Mashiach 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:20.339 said, to bless people. To say you are blessed. 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:23.079 Because we have that power to bless. To teach 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:26.240 people the word. We saw the duties and the roles 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:28.079 of priests. He said that they keep knowledge. 00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:30.180 Praise the Lord. They give instructions to the 00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:33.400 people. We have that power to teach. We have 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:36.140 the ability to teach. We have the ability to 00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:38.519 bless people on the earth. To remind people of 00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:42.000 the promises of God. Praise the Lord. To remind 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:45.079 people of the promises of God. To strengthen 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:48.019 those who are weak. Praise the Lord. To strengthen 00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:50.799 those who are weak. To preach the gospel to the 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:53.619 lost. Praise the Lord. To preach the gospel. 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:01.180 So this is the thing that we have in Christ. 00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:04.079 He has made us kings and priests on the earth 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:06.980 because of what Christ has done. Praise the Lord. 00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:10.720 So his original intention of fellowship has been 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:13.160 restored. Praise the Lord. His original intention 00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:16.500 of promise has been restored in Christ. We have 00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:18.839 the ability to fellowship. We have the ability 00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:22.059 to approach his throne of grace. Praise the Lord. 00:30:23.150 --> 00:30:25.650 There will no longer be fear. There will no longer 00:30:25.650 --> 00:30:27.710 be, oh, we heard the sound of thunder and we 00:30:27.710 --> 00:30:30.329 are afraid. There is a strength now to approach, 00:30:30.609 --> 00:30:34.210 to stand before him. Praise the Lord. To speak 00:30:34.210 --> 00:30:37.069 with him, to fellowship with him. We are a royal 00:30:37.069 --> 00:30:41.670 Christian. He said a chosen generation. And a 00:30:41.670 --> 00:30:44.329 lot of us know the song. We are a chosen generation. 00:30:45.109 --> 00:30:49.269 We run with it. And we dance with it. And we 00:30:49.269 --> 00:30:52.700 move around with it. But sometimes we like the 00:30:52.700 --> 00:30:56.460 idea of being special. We're not actually acting 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:59.259 specially. We like the idea of, oh, I'm not part 00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:02.140 of these people. There is a higher calling. There 00:31:02.140 --> 00:31:04.119 is a higher something. There is a higher dimension 00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:08.220 to my life. But then, we don't know how to then 00:31:08.220 --> 00:31:11.920 execute this higher dimension in our day -to 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:14.240 -day life. Praise the Lord. He said, you're a 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:16.779 chosen generation. A people that are set apart. 00:31:17.059 --> 00:31:20.579 A people that once did not know God, but now... 00:31:20.779 --> 00:31:23.440 have obtained mercy. A people that understand 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:26.240 the intention of God. Praise the Lord. A people 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:29.099 that understand the intention of God. We're royal 00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:33.740 priesthood not because we are singular. Right? 00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:36.839 We're royal priesthood because it is who we are 00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:40.400 and the manifestation should be clear. Praise 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:42.940 the Lord. The manifestation should be clear. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:45.980 So what is stopping us from fulfilling these 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:48.920 realities? These things that we have said. And 00:31:48.920 --> 00:31:50.960 he said he has made us kings and priests from 00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:55.259 yet. To execute his judgment, to execute his 00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:58.960 intention. Praise the Lord. To serve, to bring 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:01.079 deliverance to people, to be a blessing. God 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:05.740 is stopping us from this fellowship. So God wants 00:32:05.740 --> 00:32:08.579 us, he wants this fellowship from us. Praise 00:32:08.579 --> 00:32:11.700 the Lord. He has made us. So we shouldn't refuse 00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:15.079 this fellowship by how we behave or how we live 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:17.900 our lives. Praise the Lord. We shouldn't refuse 00:32:17.900 --> 00:32:21.059 this fellowship of the Father. It's a fellowship 00:32:21.059 --> 00:32:23.940 with the Father. John chapter 1, verse 1 to 4. 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:29.920 John chapter 1. Sorry, 1 John chapter 1. So that 00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:32.539 which was from the beginning, which we have had, 00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:35.660 which we have seen with our own eyes, which we 00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:39.319 have looked upon, our hands have handled, consigning 00:32:39.319 --> 00:32:42.680 the word of life. The life was manifest and we 00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:45.170 have seen it and bore witness. and declare to 00:32:45.170 --> 00:32:47.869 you that eternal life, which was with the Father 00:32:47.869 --> 00:32:50.750 and was manifest to us, that which we have seen 00:32:50.750 --> 00:32:55.329 and had, we declare to you, that you also may 00:32:55.329 --> 00:32:59.170 have fellowship with us. And truly, our fellowship 00:32:59.170 --> 00:33:02.009 is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 00:33:02.250 --> 00:33:04.970 And these things I write to you, that your joy 00:33:04.970 --> 00:33:09.369 might be full. Praise the Lord. It's a true fellowship, 00:33:09.490 --> 00:33:13.500 it's that we have fellowship with God. and Jesus 00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:17.640 Christ. Through fellowship is that we have fellowship 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:20.700 with God and with Jesus Christ. So we're just 00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:24.619 going to look at mediators. So as the people 00:33:24.619 --> 00:33:28.420 refused the proposal of God, they made Moses 00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:33.160 the mediator between them and God. So somebody 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:36.279 who would speak on their behalf. Somebody who 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:39.660 is in the middle to say what their intention 00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:43.759 is. what the plan of God is and declare it to 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:46.319 them. Praise the Lord. So somebody will speak 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:48.819 to God, conciling them. But because of what Christ 00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:51.700 has done, we are able to speak to the Father. 00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:55.279 Praise the Lord. We are able to speak to the 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:57.920 Father. We are able to speak to the Father. We 00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:01.920 can now approach the throne of grace where we 00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:07.130 can speak with God. Hebrews 4, verse 14. It's 00:34:07.130 --> 00:34:12.769 a saying then that we have a great high priest 00:34:12.769 --> 00:34:17.130 who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the 00:34:17.130 --> 00:34:20.090 Son of God. Let us hold fast to our confession. 00:34:20.250 --> 00:34:22.510 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize 00:34:22.510 --> 00:34:26.050 with our witness, but was at all points tempted 00:34:26.050 --> 00:34:29.010 as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore 00:34:29.010 --> 00:34:32.489 come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may 00:34:32.489 --> 00:34:36.559 obtain mercy and find grace. and find grace to 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:40.119 help in times of need. Praise the Lord. So we 00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:43.380 are able to come to God. We are able to come 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:47.280 to God because of what Christ has done. So the 00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:50.719 mediation of what Christ has done for us allows 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:56.280 us to come to God. The mediation of Moses did 00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:59.480 not allow the people to come to God. Praise the 00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:01.500 Lord. There was a block. There was something 00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:04.050 that was blocking. them from having fellowship. 00:35:04.289 --> 00:35:06.710 But the mediation of what Christ has done is 00:35:06.710 --> 00:35:10.050 that we can now come boldly to God because of 00:35:10.050 --> 00:35:12.150 what he has done. So it therefore means that 00:35:12.150 --> 00:35:14.389 we can hear God for ourselves. Praise the Lord. 00:35:14.510 --> 00:35:16.730 It therefore means that we can hear God for ourselves. 00:35:17.010 --> 00:35:19.250 It therefore means that the intention of God 00:35:19.250 --> 00:35:24.389 is that your pastor teaches you the word, shows 00:35:24.389 --> 00:35:27.570 you the things of God, but he should not be your 00:35:27.570 --> 00:35:32.170 mediator. Praise the Lord. He should not be The 00:35:32.170 --> 00:35:34.210 one that hears God for you. Praise the Lord. 00:35:34.929 --> 00:35:38.210 God intends that at some point, with understanding, 00:35:38.429 --> 00:35:41.730 you are able to hear Him. You are able to fellowship 00:35:41.730 --> 00:35:44.690 with Him. Praise the Lord. You are able to fellowship 00:35:44.690 --> 00:35:47.690 with Him. That you are able to come to Him. There 00:35:47.690 --> 00:35:49.289 are some people that only know what their pastor 00:35:49.289 --> 00:35:52.170 says. My pastor said this, my pastor said that, 00:35:52.170 --> 00:35:54.050 my pastor said that. But there is no fellowship. 00:35:54.650 --> 00:35:56.849 You don't know what God says concerning your 00:35:56.849 --> 00:35:58.670 life. You don't know what God says concerning 00:35:58.670 --> 00:36:01.250 your situation. You don't understand. the things 00:36:01.250 --> 00:36:04.010 of God, because you have refused to fellowship. 00:36:04.309 --> 00:36:06.650 You have refused to take advantage of that which 00:36:06.650 --> 00:36:10.550 has already been given to you. He has made us 00:36:10.550 --> 00:36:14.170 kings and priests. So are God to reign on the 00:36:14.170 --> 00:36:16.090 earth. Because you have refused to take advantage 00:36:16.090 --> 00:36:20.409 of fellowship, you will always seek to hear God 00:36:20.409 --> 00:36:24.630 from your pastor, or from a brother, or from 00:36:24.630 --> 00:36:26.489 somebody who sees you on the road and says, hey 00:36:26.489 --> 00:36:30.619 you, I see this, I see that. Baby, you don't 00:36:30.619 --> 00:36:32.800 fall on your knees and start crying. Praise the 00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:39.280 Lord. I remember some time, some years ago, when 00:36:39.280 --> 00:36:41.820 they are giving the word, I'd be asking, is that 00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:44.880 not a word for me? Why is it that somebody here, 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:47.260 they're giving word to this person, that person? 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:49.880 How is it that somebody is not giving me nothing? 00:36:50.199 --> 00:36:52.400 And a few occasions, I do receive the word, but 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:55.260 why is it that it's only this person that receives 00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:57.840 the word? They are praying and they pass the 00:36:57.840 --> 00:37:00.250 CIA. This is what God is saying concerning your 00:37:00.250 --> 00:37:03.289 life. I'm going through a lot. Pastor, hear something 00:37:03.289 --> 00:37:08.429 for me. Praise the Lord. But that's not the intention 00:37:08.429 --> 00:37:11.909 of God. God intends that you hear Him for yourself. 00:37:12.190 --> 00:37:14.389 That you are the person that hears Him for yourself. 00:37:14.630 --> 00:37:16.570 It means that you take the responsibility of 00:37:16.570 --> 00:37:18.929 fellowship. You take the responsibility of fellowship. 00:37:19.489 --> 00:37:22.170 That you see that something is going on, you 00:37:22.170 --> 00:37:25.349 pray about it. Praise the Lord. You pray about 00:37:25.349 --> 00:37:28.119 it. There is a strength that comes from corporate 00:37:28.119 --> 00:37:30.639 prayers, right? We're able to pray from now, 00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:35.019 from morning till evening, most of the time because 00:37:35.019 --> 00:37:38.280 we are here all together. Praise the Lord. But 00:37:38.280 --> 00:37:41.000 God wants you to hear Him for yourself. He wants 00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:45.380 a one -on -one interaction with you, that you 00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:48.179 also know Him, that you know how to pray concerning 00:37:48.179 --> 00:37:51.750 your situation. Praise the Lord. That you know 00:37:51.750 --> 00:37:54.110 how to pray concerning your situation. That you 00:37:54.110 --> 00:37:56.170 know how to pray concerning your situation. When 00:37:56.170 --> 00:37:58.550 you see that something is going on in your environment, 00:37:58.829 --> 00:38:01.469 you pray about it. You study the word of the 00:38:01.469 --> 00:38:03.969 Lord about it. Because in doing that, you will 00:38:03.969 --> 00:38:07.389 be able to execute His plan and purposes on the 00:38:07.389 --> 00:38:09.969 earth. That you will be a priest to your family. 00:38:10.869 --> 00:38:13.289 Praise the Lord. That you will be a priest to 00:38:13.289 --> 00:38:15.349 your family. Some of us, if our parents know 00:38:15.349 --> 00:38:18.949 what some of us know now, our life maybe will 00:38:18.949 --> 00:38:22.070 be far better. We have not gone through the levels 00:38:22.070 --> 00:38:24.289 that we are born through because they committed 00:38:24.289 --> 00:38:27.269 us to pastor. You teach my type. Praise the Lord. 00:38:27.730 --> 00:38:30.230 Or they committed us to schools. Schools teach 00:38:30.230 --> 00:38:33.510 my children this, teach them that. We don't know 00:38:33.510 --> 00:38:35.989 the teachers are going through a lot. Praise 00:38:35.989 --> 00:38:38.989 the Lord. And they have many other children that 00:38:38.989 --> 00:38:41.250 they will take care of. Right? You don't pay 00:38:41.250 --> 00:38:44.070 attention to them. So that you be a priest in 00:38:44.070 --> 00:38:47.449 your family. Praise the Lord. That you be a priest 00:38:47.449 --> 00:38:50.530 in your family. You're the one that hears God. 00:38:51.050 --> 00:38:54.309 If you are not yet hearing, you are hearing. 00:38:55.010 --> 00:38:57.570 Praise the Lord. God, there is a crisis you are 00:38:57.570 --> 00:39:00.489 looking for, which is important with you, by 00:39:00.489 --> 00:39:03.730 the way. But you also know how to pray. Praise 00:39:03.730 --> 00:39:05.889 the Lord. And we saw prayers the other time. 00:39:05.929 --> 00:39:07.429 And we said that the first thing that prayer 00:39:07.429 --> 00:39:11.949 does is that it helps you, you as a person. Your 00:39:11.949 --> 00:39:14.070 challenges used to come and go. If you think 00:39:14.070 --> 00:39:17.369 about it, they come and they go. The biggest 00:39:17.369 --> 00:39:20.599 one you have faced, Right? It has come and it 00:39:20.599 --> 00:39:22.860 left you. Praise the Lord. But you were still 00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:25.400 there. So it changes you. No matter how difficult 00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:27.940 the challenge is, it's that you take the time 00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:31.320 to have fellowship. You take the time to seek 00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:33.659 the face of God. Because in that, you are able 00:39:33.659 --> 00:39:37.579 to execute the plans of God concerning your life. 00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:41.079 Praise the Lord. You are able to hear the plans 00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:45.019 of God concerning your life. So the people feared 00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:47.849 because... He saw thunder and lightning. The 00:39:47.849 --> 00:39:50.570 more you fellowship with God, the more fear will 00:39:50.570 --> 00:39:53.110 go away. Praise the Lord. The more fear will 00:39:53.110 --> 00:39:57.809 go away. I remember one time, the house I was 00:39:57.809 --> 00:40:02.849 staying, there was a problem. Somebody was, I 00:40:02.849 --> 00:40:04.329 don't know whether he was sick or he was seeing 00:40:04.329 --> 00:40:06.829 something. He was in his room. He seemed to be 00:40:06.829 --> 00:40:09.010 seeing things. Praise the Lord. And he was panting 00:40:09.010 --> 00:40:11.309 too much. They called everybody. Everybody was 00:40:11.309 --> 00:40:13.369 running. All of that. They came and called me 00:40:13.369 --> 00:40:15.570 downstairs. I came up. I said, what's going on? 00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:17.840 I saw somebody in the room. Logically, I was 00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:19.960 asking you, how did you come to this room and 00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:22.440 somebody started having problems? What happened 00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:24.900 between them? But I saw the guy. He was really 00:40:24.900 --> 00:40:27.840 going. He was not breathing properly. So many 00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:30.400 things were happening, right? And he was seeing 00:40:30.400 --> 00:40:32.179 things. I don't know what he was seeing, but 00:40:32.179 --> 00:40:34.260 he was seeing things and moving around, right? 00:40:34.739 --> 00:40:36.960 The first thing that will enter my head is, I've 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:39.179 seen this movie before. You have watched it in 00:40:39.179 --> 00:40:41.619 Nigeria, right? And you see that somebody is 00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:44.059 seeing things. Praise the Lord. So I thought 00:40:44.059 --> 00:40:46.519 about it, thought about it. They fear, what can 00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:49.519 I do? I started to pray, right? I start to pray. 00:40:49.559 --> 00:40:51.920 I start to pray. I start to pray. And I prayed 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:53.619 and prayed and prayed and prayed. We needed to 00:40:53.619 --> 00:40:55.260 take him to the hospital. How frightening it 00:40:55.260 --> 00:40:57.760 was that the people don't want to help. They 00:40:57.760 --> 00:41:00.480 were like, that is in that building. I called 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:02.300 him. I said, look, this person is not breathing 00:41:02.300 --> 00:41:04.599 properly. We need to take him downstairs. But 00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:06.659 the situation was looking like, if you touch 00:41:06.659 --> 00:41:08.380 this guy, maybe what is following you will follow 00:41:08.380 --> 00:41:10.559 you. Right? So they didn't want to come at all. 00:41:10.619 --> 00:41:12.380 Like, there were boys there. They didn't want 00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:14.570 to come. And this guy was like me. We need to 00:41:14.570 --> 00:41:17.849 take him downstairs. Right? It was ladies that 00:41:17.849 --> 00:41:21.409 helped carry him down. Praise the Lord. It was 00:41:21.409 --> 00:41:23.190 the ladies in that house that helped carry him 00:41:23.190 --> 00:41:26.590 down to the car. Right? He did. They had to take 00:41:26.590 --> 00:41:30.510 him to Nigeria, but he was fine. Praise the Lord. 00:41:30.550 --> 00:41:32.610 At the end of the day. So, there's so many things 00:41:32.610 --> 00:41:35.789 that will come and will happen. You will not 00:41:35.789 --> 00:41:38.869 understand it. Right? You will even, you would 00:41:38.869 --> 00:41:42.449 fear about it. But when you know that, what else 00:41:42.449 --> 00:41:44.289 do I know? I'm not a doctor. There's nothing 00:41:44.289 --> 00:41:46.889 that I know. I cannot diagnose anything. I just 00:41:46.889 --> 00:41:49.650 have to pray. Praise the Lord. I just have to 00:41:49.650 --> 00:41:51.969 pray because that is what I understand. That 00:41:51.969 --> 00:41:54.550 is what I know. Praise the Lord. That is what 00:41:54.550 --> 00:41:57.050 I know. And there's so many people they could 00:41:57.050 --> 00:41:59.369 have called. There's so many people they have 00:41:59.369 --> 00:42:02.889 called, right, that refuse to go there. So the 00:42:02.889 --> 00:42:05.650 more we fellowship with God, the more fear will 00:42:05.650 --> 00:42:08.030 go away. The more you fellowship with God, the 00:42:08.030 --> 00:42:10.289 more fear will go away. The more you know God, 00:42:10.329 --> 00:42:12.929 the revelation of God is the revelation of you. 00:42:13.289 --> 00:42:15.369 You find yourself in God. We saw that in Matthew 00:42:15.369 --> 00:42:20.750 16 -19. And then to the people that are priests, 00:42:21.010 --> 00:42:24.010 he says that their portion is the Lord. In Numbers 00:42:24.010 --> 00:42:28.389 18 -20, he says that God is their portion. Praise 00:42:28.389 --> 00:42:30.510 the Lord. It means that God will take care of 00:42:30.510 --> 00:42:33.409 them. The people that work in that office, that 00:42:33.409 --> 00:42:36.389 God takes care of them. That God is their portion. 00:42:36.550 --> 00:42:38.889 He takes care of them. So what is stopping you 00:42:38.889 --> 00:42:42.710 from manifesting? Your priest, what is stopping 00:42:42.710 --> 00:42:46.489 you from manifesting that which is given to you? 00:42:46.570 --> 00:42:49.150 Is it fear? Is it your lack of fellowship? There's 00:42:49.150 --> 00:42:52.530 very little that we will be able to do or somebody 00:42:52.530 --> 00:42:55.070 can be able to do for you, even in terms of prayer 00:42:55.070 --> 00:42:58.269 and all of that. But if you learn how to fellowship, 00:42:58.489 --> 00:43:01.949 you will discover that as somebody is saying, 00:43:02.050 --> 00:43:04.170 there's a problem here, you'll be hearing, for 00:43:04.170 --> 00:43:07.030 me, this is what God is saying. I've had this 00:43:07.030 --> 00:43:09.570 thing clearly because you have prayed. Praise 00:43:09.570 --> 00:43:13.320 the Lord. You have prayed. You have prayed. There's 00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:16.260 some issues in your life that I'm sure you know 00:43:16.260 --> 00:43:19.579 that God has not revealed it to any pastor. And 00:43:19.579 --> 00:43:21.920 you know. Because he's telling you that you have 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:24.639 to deal with it. You have to pray. You have to 00:43:24.639 --> 00:43:27.699 study. You have to seek my face concerning this 00:43:27.699 --> 00:43:31.079 issue. You need to stand up and begin to act 00:43:31.079 --> 00:43:33.960 like that which you have. Praise the Lord. So 00:43:33.960 --> 00:43:37.639 our priesthood is restored in Christ. A kingdom 00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:42.039 of priests to serve. our God, to execute His 00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:44.940 judgment on the earth, in our lives and the people 00:43:44.940 --> 00:43:47.840 that are around us. Praise the Lord. Let's just 00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:49.619 open our mouth and just begin to bless the name 00:43:49.619 --> 00:44:11.710 of the Lord. If today's message was a blessing, 00:44:11.909 --> 00:44:16.150 share it with a friend. Till next time, be blessed.