We are in a teaching on a new and better covenant, and in this we need to understand the priesthood of Jesus Christ. We have a High Priest that covers us, who allows us to come out and do what we do in the church. A priest oversees the work of the temple. There are three significant things concerning the priesthood of Jesus Christ.
First, we must realize we were chosen before the foundation of the world. In other words, when we talk about how we found the Lord, we need to understand that He has never been lost. The Bible says He is omnipresent, that means He is everywhere at the same time. How then could God be lost when He is everywhere at the same time? What happened was you had a personal epiphany, I like to call it, and you realized that you needed a greater relationship with God Almighty.
Next, according to Revelation 13:8, not only were you chosen before the foundation of the world, but Jesus is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. So long before Adam and Eve, like we say when we marry people in one of the marriage vows—long before the tempter had touched the world or they ate of the forbidden fruit—long before the devil got into existence, got in the tree and tempted them to eat from the tree, guess what happened? God had already made a way of escape. He knew we were going to mess up long before we messed up. Like the Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” God is not mad at you. He might not like everything you do, but He is not mad at you. For years, people had you thinking God was a mean old man sitting on a throne waiting to send you to hell. As a matter of fact, when you started discerning and learning what the will of God is for your life, this becomes clear. Real faith begins where the will of God is known and understood. When I start understanding and learning what Jesus and done and who Jesus is, that is what makes it personal.
Jesus is our High Priest. His Priesthood is superior to all priesthoods. When we get into Hebrews, it gets a little thick because of all of the stuff God has in this—the Book of Hebrews. I don’t believe in just running by a scripture because the Bible says that man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. That means that just one word, even an “and,” a comma, a “to,” or a semicolon has significance when it comes to the Word of God. You do not read the Bible like you read a novel or the newspaper because this is a life-giving source. He says, “My words are Spirit, and they give life.” “This is the Word of Life,” so whenever I am receiving the Word, there is prosperity in the Word. There is health in the Word; there is healing in the Word, whatever I need is in the Word of God. For the most part, people just want to reserve the things of God for church when God is concerned about every area of your life.
Look at Deuteronomy 29:9. “Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” God is concerned about every little detail of your life. But God is not intrusive. Sometimes your parents can be intrusive. We are going to come in your room. You aren’t going to lock any doors in my house. When you get a house, then I will knock when I come over. Being natural parents, we get a little investigative and it is good that you do. But God does not intrude upon your life. He says things to you like, “He that will, let him come.” “Submit yourself to the hand of the Almighty God.” God is not out here trying to force you to do His will. He is not out here trying to force you to hear His voice, to walk with Him, but as we yield to the Holy Spirit, we receive His leadership. I am telling you, this stuff is not just for church. It is for my whole life.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” God is concerned about my whole life. God is going to add into my life. He has to be priority, and He says that everything I need will be added to my life. Joshua 1:6-8 “ Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
