Being a Priest and the Power of Prayer

via TJC

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB1995 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

As men, we have many roles, and many responsibilities.  A husband needs to love with the passion Jesus has for the church; as Father he needs to provide. In every case, his fruits, what he does, is measured more that just the words he speaks.  Doing over talking.

As Kingdom men, one of the roles we take on is priest for our family, and in that role we are the intercessory prayer warrior for our family, friends and others in need.

I  must admit I had a very dirty filter on the role of “priest”.  Half a century of not knowing Jesus followed by reading scripture cover to cover without context, my image of a priest was a man, grounded in rules, rituals and regulations; chanting with bells and smells.  I leaned into Jeremiah 23:11-32 where God goes after priests that have dealt treacherously by leading people astray with false teachings and focusing on worldly concerns rather than God’s word.  The reality is, when the veil was torn top to bottom (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), we all became a  priest, which is a religious leader, a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. I will build on this…. deities can be “little g” gods, or properly be deity, singular, Big G God. 

How do we communicate to a deities?  Jesus provided a prayer template in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 the Lords Prayer as a template.  The focus today will be “Thy will be done”.

Having no foundation for prayer except the rote memorization of the Lord’s Prayer and saying a blessing over dinner, I had no idea how to pray privately much less audibly to my family, and no way I was going to pray out loud in public.  Just what was I going to say?

Consider this:  PRAY

P = praise   Start of thanking God with passion and conviction.  Think of it this way, if you wake up tomorrow and the only things you have are what you thanked God for today, what would you have?

R = repent   Do not think of the “turn or burn” fire and brimstone sermon, repent means to turn away from sin and seek a better path.  We live in filth, like working in a coal mine of sin.  Clear your mind, calm down

A = ask   This part of prayer is to focus on the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  He is not a genie with a magic lamp, our asks must be “as earth as it is in heaven”.  Work to improve your heart and ask for the opportunity for faithfulness to use the gifts and skills to His glory vs. ‘get this new job’.  Ask for peace knowing He is sovereign and has the ability to heal.  Avoid the laundry list, turn each request into a Fruit of the Spirit. 

Y = yield James 1:19 Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.  Pause.  Eyes to see Him in everything in your life, ears to hear Him in every word and interaction, mind to know Him through scripture, heart to love Him in appreciation of His company, and open hands to server Him. 

Your DBO – Doing over Talking. 

As a priest what deity does your family see you worship?  In the last seven days, which have you had in your hand more?  A remote for the TV, a phone for media, or a Bible to get closer to God? 

Prayer, out loud and proud?  Have you wrapped your arms around your child and prayed out loud giving thanks to God for His provision of allowing you the privilege of being their Father, or has it only been yelling from the stands at their sports event. 

Consider all of this, do your own research, strive to improve your demonstrated leadership and audible prayer life.  It is what you do next that matters