The Need for Prophetic Priests (MM)

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. - 1 Corinthians 14:3

One of my favorite verses is Malachi 2:7:

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.

In Christ, all Christians are priests of God and serve in His presence. In His presence He instructs us in His ways, reveals His nature and character, and imparts Himself to, and through, us.

As priests we are His ambassadors, sent into the world to share the Good News that He has revealed to us. As Spirit-taught, Spirit-led, prophetic priests, we are to preserve this message as it was originally given by Jesus Himself and courageously share it with the world.

As messengers of the LORD Almighty our lips are to preserve knowledge, and, if men should seek instruction from our lips, it is our responsibility to accurately and consistently speak as those taught and led by the Spirit of God. True ambassadors do not express their own opinions but only those of the One that sent them. The result is that people are strengthened, encouraged and comforted by God.

Let’s take this one step further. To prophecy means to speak forth as inspired by the Spirit of God. This means we’re not limited to just the Gospel; we are to speak forth as messengers of God in any way He chooses. For example, the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself in words of wisdom, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits, etc. He will give utterance through us before kings and princes. He will inspire unschooled men and women to speak with a clarity and wisdom that is not merely the result of study or knowledge. He chooses the so-called foolish to confound the wise.

The other day I was asked how people sitting around a table in Washington state could grasp world politics better than those in Washington, DC. I mentioned it was absolutely possible, but the timing didn’t permit me to take it further. (I did mention that those in the Beltway tend to have a very myopic view of life and see through a very narrow set of lenses.) But I would have loved to open the discussion to the wisdom available to Spirit-taught, Spirit-inspired, prophetic priests of God.

In addition to God’s Word, every morning I read an array of news sources that give me a wide view of local, national and world events. I read a long list of commentators on both sides of the social, political and religious fences. I study the latest intelligence web sites. In addition, throughout the week I’m also reading various books on many different subjects. Why? Let me assure you it’s not to “get smart” (the world is full of really smart people): I’m constantly asking the Holy Spirit for His insights. I want to know what God is thinking and I want to know His heart. The bottom line is that I need His discernment to see things the way He sees them, not the way the world sees and interprets them. I do this for my own edification, of course, but also to have an answer for anyone that seeks my opinion and insight. I want to respond prophetically, not just from my own mind.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

This is how we become spiritually discerning priests of God. As a nation (and sadly, as Christians) we’ve been told what and how to think but spiritual people must refuse to go that direction; our opinions are to be formed in and by the Spirit of God. Subsequently, they will almost always be in direct opposition to the opinions of the world. Because of this you will have to die some new deaths.

It’s aggravating to share spiritually discerned insights with those who rely solely on their own intelligence or rely on others to form their opinions. This is where we must learn to share the truth in love and, at the same time, learn not to throw pearls before swine. This may sound judgmental but it’s not. It takes discernment to know not only what to say but when to say it. Not everyone is ready to hear you.

The world desperately needs to hear from God and the church is the chosen instrument to bring His Good News and wisdom to their ears. They don’t need the opinions of men; they need insight directly from God. They need the truth and to know The Truth.

Never be ashamed of the Gospel and never cease to learn as much as you can about just about everything. Abraham Lincoln studied everything he could possibly study; he felt he was derelict in God’s sight if he didn’t. Here are some of his insights:

“I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come.”

“The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.”

“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.”

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”

You stand in good company when you strive to learn everything you can about God and His creation. Consider that by constantly learning by the Spirit of God you fulfill the commandment to love your God and you love your fellow man by strengthening, encouraging and comforting him.