26/08/2019
ALTAR MINISTRY - RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRIESTHOOD
By Pastor David Ogbueli
(Priesthood Summit)
TEXT; Eccles 8v11, 1Timothy 6v3-5, Isaiah 59v16,Romans 16v17-18
*ALTAR MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH*
The following are the things you must ensure that they are accurate and in its rightful place ;
▪️PRAISE AND WORSHIP
▪️WORD
▪️GIVING MINISTRY
▪️CONSECRATION MINISTRY
▪️RECONCILIATION MINISTRY; this ministry is for the majority of those outside the church. This is soul wining and it also involves restoring the backslidden ones. The worst form of backslidden is the one that involves the HEART. This involves malice, unforgiveness, hatred etc.
There are some Christians who think they are fine and okay with God simply because they do not commit adultery and murder but they are guilty of the sins of the heart like ;
carrying offense, Unforgiveness, pride, etc. This kind of Christians need to be restored and grounded in the true word of God.
▪️ATONEMENT MINISTRY - this is interceding for the flock. Atonement (Intercession) is the reason why most Christians are still alive today.
when sentence against evil is not executed instantly, it tends to corrupt people and make them think that they are getting away with their sins.
📖 The Bible said;
" Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. "
~ Ecclesisataes 8v11
Justice is delivered when they are not thinking about it. They think they are fine because they didn't commit the big sins.
▪️MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT - involves allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through you and minister to others.
▪️MINISTRY TO THE BODY OF CHRIST - you share things that are edifying with the church. When you want to speak and minister , make sure that you use wholesome words and avoid using defiled words.
📖 The Bible said;
" Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. "
~ Titus 2v8
*THREE ORDER OF PRIESTHOOD*
There are three order of Priesthood that have been on the earth ;
▪️MELCHIZEDEK ORDER - this the shadow form of the future messianic order. From Moses to the coming of the Messiah is in shadow and all the way from Moses back to Adam is the Melchizedek order. This order points to the Messianic order.
In case you don't know, Shem is MELCHIZEDEK.
▪️LEVITICAL ORDER - it is like giving out a cheque.
▪️MESSIANIC ORDER - this is the Jesus order of priesthood. It's like picking and cashing the cheque issued in Levitical order to now have the real value. It practices what is in the Melchizedek order and applies its principles. This Messianic order is the biggest need in the Christiandom.
There is a science of Priesthood and there is an art of Priesthood.
After knowledge comes, God will not take some things likely because knowledge brings RESPONSIBILITY.
📖The Bible said ;
" If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, "
~ 1Timothy 6v3-4
You don't know God until you service the altar. Our ministry must lead people to the Lord.
If you want to be a priest you have to study and know what this ancient men has done. One authentic priest is more powerful than ten thousand Native doctors.
*THERE ARE 7 BOOKS THAT GUIDES YOU IN MINISTRY*
From Old testament we have ;
1. Exodus
2. Numbers
3. Leviticus
This are pastoral epistles. This books explain how to run ministry.
From New testament we have ;
4. Timothy
5. Titus
6. Hebrews
7. Act of the Apostles - this is priesthood in function. Teaches you how the pioneers of the gospel functioned and how you should do the same .
The book of Hebrews is the New testament version of Leviticus
While The book of Revelation is also the New testament version of the book of Daniel.
You have to study the book of Ezikiel if you are going to understand the roles of a priest and how they function.
You must learn to obey the instructions God has already given before expecting to receive and do the next instruction.
God does not give you instruction beyond your last instruction.
The greatest need we have today is the need for AUTHENTIC PRIESTHOOD.
📖 The Bible said;
" And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. "
~ Isaiah 59v16
If you have failed in becoming an authentic priest for God, humble yourself, repent and asks for the grace to serve faithfully and remain obedient.
Its only the authentic priest that God can use in a mighty way in this last days.
Let's read
Ezikiel 34v1 - 2 ;
" And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
*TEN RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PRIEST / PASTOR*
1. FEEDING THE SHEEP
You must make sure that the church(flocks) are being fed. Some people think that the pastor is in order only when the pastor is inspiring and motivating God's people.
📖 The Bible said;
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; "
~ 2Timothy 4v2 - 3
This pastor's responsibility involves
Preaching, Teaching, Prophesying, Rebuking, reproving and exhorting.
You must know that there is preaching, teaching and there is REPROVE and REBUKE.
To REPROVE means to reprimand someone. It means to rebuke, reproach, scold, admonish, remonstrate with, chastise, chide, upbraid, berate, take to task, pull up, castigate, lambasted etc.
A good pastor tells you what you NEED to hear and not what you WANT to hear.
Some ministers are more interested in FAME and PROMOTING themselves.
The kingdom is against self promotion and exaltation instead it teaches self abasement. God lifts you when you abase and humble yourself.
If you are not feeding God's children and you are getting financial remuneration there is a big curse on you.
Feeding the flock is what comes first and should be your first priority before remuneration.
FLEECING THE SHEEP is the number one thing that brings curse on the pastor. God frowns when you are collecting money from people without adding any value to them.
Feeding the flock comes first and receiving comes after.
📖 The Bible said;
" Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken,
neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. "
~ Ezikiel 34v3-4
*10 RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PASTOR*
1. Feeding the sheep
2. Praying and ministering to them
3. Healing the sick
4. Strengthening the weak
5. Binding up the broken - the emotional sick ones. You minister and bind up the broken ones like people suffering from Rejection, Sense of guilt, Depression, Timidity, No confidence and No faith in themselves.
6. Restoring the backslidden
7. Winning the lost
8. Uniting the sheep (God's people)
A genuine man of God Unites the sheep with the Shepherd.
In dominion city, We raise our own pastor's and don't hire them.
When a work is built people will come from different places and in most cases there is nothing you can do about it.
9. Protection of the flock - you protect them from the wolves. You rather lose the wolf than the sheep.
Read Ezikiel 34v4
📖 The Bible said;
" For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. "
~ Acts 20v29 - 30
One of the laws of ministry is that you don't steal sheep so that when you win new people the kingdom would have grown.
You don't build anything that will have longevity by STEALING.
Anybody thinking about longevity will not mess with FOUNDATION.
📖 The Bible said;
" Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; Jeremiah "
~ Jeremiah 22v13
The Bible also made it clear that ;
" Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother."
~ Deuteronomy 22v1
The oxen stands for the ministers and the sheep, flock or ox stands for the members.
📖 The Bible said;
"For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. "
~ 1Corinthians 9v9 - 10
You can't give to a GUEST MINISTER what you have not given to your PASTOR.
Honour your father, The Bible said you can't live long if you don't honour your source.
" Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;" ~Ephesians 6v2
You must be a good STEWARD because If you are mismanaging what God has given to you, God will take it from you and give it to another person.
📖 The Bible said;
"And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. "
~ Ezikiel 34v5 - 6.
God is concerned and passionate about the welfare of His sheep. You must be concerned too.
10. A good Pastor organises a system of followup for those members that are falling off.
📖 The Bible said;
" As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock;
neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. Ezekiel"
~ Ezikiel 34v8 - 11
When spiritual leadership fails, God steps in. God is jealous over His flock. You don't own the flock God owns them and you are only a steward whose responsibility is to look after them.
God said;
" As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel".
~ Ezekiel 34v12 - 14
If you have members that are scattered, go and find them now.
A church is a sheep fold and the Shepherd is the pastor who looks after the sheep.
▪️ church discipline - you must learn to nurture, bind up and discipline the sheep.
God said ;
" I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. "
~ Ezikiel 34v16 - 17.
▪️ Conflict resolution in the church.
You have to resolve issues with everyone that is scattering the church, causing division and problems.
You don't go to church and destroy it when you leave. God will deal with you.
📖 The Bible warned that you ;
"... mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. "
~ Romans 16v17 - 18
No matter how good a Shepherd is, the sheep still have a choice.
▪️Capacity building - train the flocks on how to win souls, plant churches and live a victorious Christian life.
God said that ;
" And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. "
Ezikiel 34v19 - 23
Let's go to the next topic;
12 THINGS THAT BRINGS CURSE ON THE PASTOR
1. Not feeding the sheep with the word of the Lord.
2. Ruling the sheep with force - oppressing the people you are supposed to lead. You are supposed to use servant leadership model and not oppressive model.
3. Scatters the sheep - scatters the church and is not touched by what people are going through. A pastor unites God's flock and does not scatter them. You need to ask God to give you a Shepherd's heart; Compassion for people.
📖 The Bible said;
" And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. "~ Ezikiel 34v5
4. Not restoring the lost ones
5. Not healing the sick
6. Not strengthening the weak
7. Not protecting them from wolves
8. Not binding the broken hearted
9. Not dealing with the rebellious ones
10. Fleecing the flock.
Do not outgrow your usefulness in the ministry, God can replace you.
📖 The Bible said;
" Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. "
~ Jeremiah 23v1 - 3
*Let Us Pray*
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