Economic Empowerment Part 5: Kings & Priests Series

VISION - PRIESTS

PROVISION - KINGS

* You will function as one or the other

* All the time (private life)

* But only in the office of one (church)

ƒ{ If you are not receiving a paycheck for full-time employment from your church, then you are a king.

o I would love to be a king -- here's why

„X I want to have a King's blessing

o Kings would love to be a Priest -- here's why

„X He wants money going into good soil

o They fight against each other

ƒ{ In the church we have under-developed kingship and over-developed priesthood

ƒ{ Churches are filled with unfulfilled kings

ƒ{ There has been a subtle pressure placed upon people in the church to become priests

ƒ{ There will always be a handful of priests and an abundance of kings

ƒ{ Because God set the pattern in the Old Testament

„X 12 tribes

* 1 tribe of priests, Levi

* 11 were tribes of Kings

THE MISTAKES

THE MANDATES

THE MODEL

1. THE MISTAKES

o I didn't teach Nick, Berrit, Lindsey about Kings & Priests

2 Samuel 11:1

ƒ{ Here is a king who didn't act like a king

ƒ{ David was supposed to go to war

ƒ{ War to get spoils -- possess land -- possessions

1 Samuel 13:1-14 / Deuteronomy 20:1-4

ƒ{ Saul was trying to do the job of a priest -- and lost his kingdom because of it

ƒ{ Often evil kings didn't lose their kingdom

ƒ{ Manasseh

o Built sexual organs in the temple

o Witches & warlocks in leadership

o Erected and worshipped the God of Molech -- burned babies

o Sawed Isaiah in half

o Philistine dragged him, left him for dead

o He repented and got his kingdom back

o David trying to recapture the Ark

ƒ{ Uzza tries to steady it and is killed

ƒ{ David a king is trying to do the work of a priest

ƒ{ He later sends the tribe of Levi (priest) to get the Ark

o We have inactive kings because

o They either haven't heard of or accepted their mandate

1. Lack of respect between the two

2. Pastors are viewed

ƒ{ As power hungry

ƒ{ Or wimps

ƒ{ Or no dead church vision

2. THE MANDATE

1. The primary responsibility of the priest is to provide the vision

Helen Keller, when asked:

"Is there anything in life worse than being blind?"

Answered, "Yes, having eyesight and no vision."

ƒ{ Vision has power

ƒ{ Vision gives:

A. Direction

* Abraham

* Genesis 12 -- Region

* Genesis 22 -- Place

B. Motivation

C. Energy

D. Tenacity

ƒ{ 5 years

E. Priorities

F. Solves problems

ƒ{ Where there is no vision people perish

ƒ{ Vision = stay in your lane

ƒ{ Vision is what keeps us on course

2. The primary responsibility of the king is to provide the provision for the vision

* If you're full of vision and have no provision you're going nowhere!

* We can see in our world many kings with great provision who don't have a priest keeping their provision in the right lane

EXAMPLE: Hollywood Tom Cruise - Scientology

Sports Investing in wrong things

Business Wasting money

Newest toys

3. THE MODEL

ƒ{ Not the TV evangelist raising money

ƒ{ There isn't a covenant relationship to support the request

2 Kings 2:1-15

* Elisha had potential for greatness

* But he's plowing a field

* Until Elijah places mantel -- vision on him

ƒ{ If you can't allow someone to put a demand on your life

ƒ{ You will never go to a higher level

ƒ{ We always want to equalize or minimize

4 Places Elisha Follows Elijah

1. Gilgal (verse 2)

* The place of sacrifice

o Divine relationship will require sacrifice

* Fruitfulness sometimes come from discomfort

* Ask a lady giving birth

* When you want what's in someone you start at Gilgal

* Their term

EXAMPLE: Pastor Barnett

2. Bethel

* House of God or House of Prayer

* If we are to have a divine relationship it must be covered in prayer

EXAMPLE: Joe Woodmansee asking us to pray for his business

* Elisha poured water on Elijah's hands

* Prayer will refresh your relationship

* I should pray for your business

* You should pray for my vision

EXAMPLE: Prayer Card

3. Jericho

* Walls of protection

* Protect your divine relationships

* Protect your priest

* Protect your king

* Elijah knew where he was going (vision)

* If Elisha didn't protect him

* Neither of them would get there!

* I will protect you

o Prayer

o Honor

o Respect

o Trust

o Stewardship

* I won't exploit our relationship for personal things

Galatians 6:6 The Law of Reciprocity

4. Jordan