Kings and Priests Partners for the Good of the Kingdom Part 1 Vision by Ps Larry Elliott World s Fair Partnership During the summer of 1904 an unlikely partnership was formed at the World s Fair St. Louis. The summer was unusually hot and people were searching the fair for something to help cool them off and Arnold Fornachou had just what they were looking for, ice cream. People lined up for what seemed like miles to get some of his cool and satisfying ice cream but there was one problem. Arnold was not prepared for the demand and ran out of paper bowls and was forced to wash a few porcelain bowls over and over again. The result was too few bowls and people were getting tired of waiting. Next to Arnold s ice cream booth was the booth of a pastry chef named, Ernest Hamwi and he was making a Persian wafer desert called zalabia. Ernest also had a problem, his pastry was not selling. He noticed the problem Arnold was having and took some warm zalabia and rolled it into a cone shape. He then went over and showed Arnold how the zalabia could hold a scoop of the ice cream. On that hot day during the World s Fair, the ice cream cone was born because a partnership was formed. Kings and Priests (Partners for the good of the Kingdom) what an interesting concept in today s modern World. Introduced in Genesis and is carried all the way through to Revelation by Jesus Himself and in many places in between. Understanding Kings and Priests has the potential to change your life forever, it gives our lives significance and liberates us to see that God is in every detail of our lives. Power in Partnership Exodus 17:8-16 NKJV Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; for he said, Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
Amalek: Dweller in a valley What is partnership? Partnership is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment towards an organized objective. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results Simply put, PARTNERSHIP is less me and more we. Anonymous For Partnership to SUCCEED it needs a VISION, without VISION there s no need to Partner. (Because you can just do it by yourself) VISION Proverbs 29:18 NKJV Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. Proverbs 29:18 KJV Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Perish the original text says: made naked or without covering The People (Its Corporate) it s not talking about individual vision (which has its place) but Revelation from God is the Vision for the People plural Proverbs 29:18 MSG If people can t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. 1. Partnership is formed around a common God Inspired Vision Proverbs 29:18 TPT When there is no clear prophetic vision, people quickly wander astray. But when you follow the revelation of the word, heaven s bliss fills your soul. We all need VISION for our lives, but not just having GOALS but God-Inspired Vision, because God-Inspired VISION keeps us grounded. 2. Vision: Gives us HOPE for the future and shows us where we are heading. VISION: Is Progressive insight into what God wants to accomplish in the World / our Community and Others through our lives. Vision is having Perception Perceive: The ability to see beyond what is seen in the physical or present, VISION IS as a light piercing through the darkness. TWEET: Just because it hasn t happened yet, doesn t mean it won t happen!
3. Vision: Keeps us IN our lane. Proverbs 29:18 says cast of restraint, Run around like wild horses Why is it important to STAY in your lane, so you can OBTAIN the prize, What PRIZE, the HIGH CALLING we have in Christ. I Corinthians 9:24 NKJV Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. For a Vision to be accomplished you need partnership and for partnership to be effective we can t just know where we are heading we must all know OUR ROLE or STAY IN YOUR LANE (CALLING) PRESSOUT 18 Isaiah 43:18-19 (4+3=7 / 2018 & 2019) STAYING in our LANE is Powerful and produces RESULTS. This BIBLICAL TRUTH helped us grow in my first church (under Ps Tony / Laurel s Vision) from 70 cells to 650 in just 5 years. A Friend got out of his LANE (or cast off restraint) 4. Vision keeps you PRESSING Forward towards God. (Focused) We all need the vision of God spoken into our lives, it keeps us on track keeps us focused and moving forward Philippians 3:12-16 KJV Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 5. Vision has PULLING Power Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations. None of you are randomly on earth at this time, none of us are here today by accident, He has ordained this moment for us Vision has pulling power (it goes ahead of you and pulls you towards the finish line) TODAY this next Scripture can change your life forever Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Wow THINKS God is not only thinking about you today, he wants you to know WHAT HE I don t really concern myself with what other people think about me, I know who I am, but am I really interested in what GOD THINKS ABOUT ME? What God thinks about us has substance, has reality, and has power. THOUGHTS: A design / a pattern or a Plan of action - PEACE: Wholeness, health, wealth, prosperity or reward and every kind of good. GOD IS NOT THINKING EVIL ABOUT YOU (He is not plotting your downfall, but rather PLANNING your COMEBACK) - God wants to give you HOPE and a FUTURE God sees us IN Christ, HE is excited about what you are going to become and do in his Kingdom. Good Fathers want their best for their Children, as our Heavenly FATHER HOW MUCH MORE then has He got planned for you. 6. VISION develops in our CALLING John 18:37 NKJV Pilate therefore said to Him, Are You a king then? Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth anyone who is of the truth hears My voice. SIX powerful words spoken: FOR THIS CAUSE I WAS BORN My Calling Followed by: For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. My Vision What has that got to do with me, everything, because we are born-again and saved for the same CAUSE The cause of the king and his kingdom 5 years from now no one cares who won the rugby 50 years no one will care how many cars or accolades you had But what will be is what is happening in God s Kingdom Let s dig deeper into this Biblical Concept of Kings and Priests We are Partners for the GOOD OF God s Kingdom. So just as Partnership needs VISION to Prosper and VISION COMES FROM OUR CALLING we must know that we are CALLED
You are CALLED 2 Timothy 1:8-9 NKJV Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, NOTICE: God has SAVED and CALLED US... Not just Pastors are called, we all have a calling, and it s a HOLY calling, if you are saved then you are called EVERY BELIEVER HAS A HEAVENLY CALLING I m not the pastor of this Church by accident, it wasn t a CHOICE its a CALLING. God had called us to work together as Kings and Priests to partner for the GOOD of his Kingdom You are not in this Church by accident We are CALLED to partner together for the CAUSE of CHRIST... Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.