Message #1 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"Intercession - Our Privilege"

by Kaye Johns

That’s not the way we usually think of ourselves, is it? And yet the Bible assures us that we are priests. In 1 Peter we’re told, "...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood...a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God...." [1 Peter 2:5,9]

Peter was addressing the church. As children of God we are all priests and Christ is our great High Priest [Hebrews 4:14], our "priest forever" [Hebrews 5:6], Who "always lives to intercede." [Hebrews 7:25]

We are priests with Christ. In the Old Testament, the role of priests was to make sacrifices for the sins of the people and to intercede and pronounce blessings on their behalf. Christ gave Himself as the final sacrifice for all sin, so now neither He nor we have to make sacrifices for sin. [Hebrews 7:26-27] His role, and ours, as priests in His royal priesthood, is one of intercession--our highest privilege.

God’s desire is for us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. [Romans 8:29] It is in acting as priests, bringing others’ needs before God, that we are most like our Savior, our Intercessor who has had, since His ascension, the continuing responsibility for interceding on our behalf [Romans 8:34].

Pray with me now -- Father, help us to recognize and appreciate the tremendous privilege of intercession, in Jesus’ name, amen.

ã 1999 PrayerPower Ministries, P.O. Box 1368, Dallas, TX 75380-1368, 1-800-949-PRAY.
May be copied for personal or church use; please include PrayerPower name, address and phone on copies.