This is a two-part teaching series entitled The King and the Priest. In Part 1, we will discuss three promises that are released when the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, roars. Then we will examine the government of God, focusing on positional and experiential truth and how the life of King David pictures both truths. We'll examine King David's perseverance in the wilderness and how we can follow his example and contend for our destiny. Next week, in Part 2, we'll examine what it takes to demonstrate the kingly anointing and we'll continue to study King David's life and how he had the heart of a priest. Then before closing our final teaching we'll examine our hearts before the Lord concerning areas of purity and devotion to God.


I have a burning awareness that it's time for us to put away childish things so that we come to maturity and advance as kings and priests bearing the authority that the Lord intends for us to possess (1Cor. 13:11). I hear a loud roaring in the heavenlies from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ. He's roaring against His enemies, pushing them back, so that Christians will have greater freedom to rise up into their destiny as kings and priests. God's plan is that we march as a mighty army in these last days.

Before we discuss in greater depth the kingly, priestly anointing I want to invite you to join with me in prayer that we would soak up every ounce of revelation the Holy Spirit has for us in this two-part teaching.

Heavenly Father I thank you for what you are opening before us by your Spirit. I want to ask you right now for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to come upon us. I want to pray today for complete liberty in the Spirit in the church and in our lives, so that we're free to come into a deeper revelation concerning your plans and purposes for each of us as kings and priests. Please help us to be like sponges that soak up everything you want us to retain. In the name of Jesus I thank you for it. Amen.

 

THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ROARS

The other morning, early, about 1 a.m., I began to speak with the Holy Spirit. God, I'm going to go to bed and I would like to wake up in the morning with a Holy Spirit download of what you want me to do at the conference tonight. I want to sense in my heart the theme You want to release and the prophetic sense that goes hand and hand with it." When I closed my eyes, immediately I had a vision of Jesus Christ wearing scarlet-blue kingly robes that represented His authority, His royalty and His righteousness. I knew in my spirit that Jesus was clothed with great authority. I also saw a crown in His hand. As I looked at Him more closely, I realized He had the face of a lion, and in an instant, three revelations struck me. I thought: Oh, it's the Lion of a tribe of Judah. It's an increase in the level of authority. Oh Hallelujah, it's the kingly anointing! In this vision the Lion roared!

So I want to speak about three things that happen-prophetic promises-when the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars. [I believe there's going to come an impartation of an anointing for a release of the roar of the Lion of the tribe of Judah in our spirit today.]

1. When the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars it actually sets the captives free. In the spirit there is a release for those who sit in darkness to come forth into freedom in Christ. The prophet Hosea prophesied that Ephraim [symbolizing our prodigal sons and daughters (Hos. 11:8-9)] would walk after the Lord and follow His ways after the lion roars.
   
   ‘They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses,' says the Lord" (Hos. 11:10-11).
   
   When there is a release of the roar in Zion, not only is there a release of the captive sons and daughters, but there is actually a planting of destiny. They come and they dwell in the house of the Lord and there is a rooting that takes place when the lion roars. Wouldn't you like the Lion to roar over your family and just shake the darkness loose? I believe this roar is being released even today on behalf of the prodigals. So I want you to receive that as a prophetic promise.
    
   
   
2. When the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars there is a pronunciation of judgment on our enemies. The prophet Joel prophesied about a war when many nations would come to the valley of Jehoshaphat where God will sit to judge all the surrounding nations (Joel 3:12). Then he speaks about the Lord roaring from Zion against Israel's enemies, but the Lord will be a shelter for His people:
   
   The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel" (Joel 3:16).
   
   Yes, there is a judgment that comes against our enemies when the Lion roars from Zion, but we need to keep in mind that we'll find shelter in the time of judgment only when we're walking in humility with complete devotion to the Lord. I want to ask you to ponder this and prepare your hearts because at the close of next week's teaching we will discuss this further.
    
   
   
3. When the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars there is a call and stirring of violence and war. The prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning this when he says that the Lord will come down and fight for Mt. Zion and for its hill:
   
   For thus the Lord has spoken to me as a Lion roars and a young lion over his prey when a multitude of shepherds is summoned against him he will not be afraid of their voice nor be disturbed by their noise. So the Lord of hosts will come down to fight for Mt. Zion and for its hill" (Is. 31:4).
   
   

This passage of Scripture speaks of aggression and stirs within us a response to the call for the mighty warriors to rise up. In the natural, when the lion roars, the prey is frozen with fear so the lioness can go in and take the prey. Let's get a revelation about this because it's a strategy in warfare. The roar of the lion paralyzes and causes fear and dread in the enemy's camp so that we, the lioness, (the church and the bride of Christ) can take our prey. God is going to release in our spirit an increase in the level of authority in aggressive spiritual warfare that will immobilize the enemy's plans.

 

THE NEVER-ENDING INCREASE OF GOD'S GOVERNMENT

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about a never-ending increase! He said, Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end ...." (Is. 9:7a). As well Isaiah said that the government of God rests upon His shoulders (v.6). God bears the burden of shouldering this immense responsibility of governing, but He invites us to co-labor with Him in the administration of His government in the earth and He gives us a kingly, priestly anointing to carry this through.

The government of God is coming and it's already happening, all at the same time! This means that positional truth (coming) is connecting to experiential truth (happening). Likewise, when we receive by faith the truth of what the Bible says about us and the supernatural provision available to fully serve the Lord-that's positional truth. Our faith at this point causes action. [Faith without works is dead (Jm. 2:17.] And so when we act on and grown in what the Bible says about us and how we can fully serve the Lord-that's experiential truth. Both positional and experiential truth work simultaneously. In fact, there is a principle here. Our destinies are established in the heavenlies already (positional), but we must contend for our destinies and cooperate with God to bring them into existence in our everyday lives (experiential).

The prophet Isaiah connects the never-ending increase of God's government with the throne of David (v. 7b), so let's take a look at King David's life. He experienced many circumstances that are great examples of positional and experiential truth.

 

TRUE KINGS RECEIVE TRAINING IN THE WILDERNESS

God chose David to be the king of Israel when he was just a young man (1 Sam.16:1-13). Here's how he was identified. The Lord told Samuel the prophet to go to the house of Jesse because He had selected one of Jesse's sons to be King over Israel. And so Samuel did as he was told. But the seven sons who came before him, even though each one looked like a possible contender; they didn't have the goods and were eliminated by the Lord. So Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more children. He must have been relieved to learn there was one son left, the youngest, who wasn't at home. And so the remaining son, David, was summoned from tending the sheep. Immediately when Samuel laid his eyes on David the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is the one" (1 Sam. 16:12). The positional truth lies here-the prophet poured the oil on David and he was anointed as King, long before he experienced the full manifestation of living as a king.

David was chosen called by God. In the midst of all his brothers, there was favor. The Bible also says, The Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward" (1 Sam. 16:13). He was the King of Israel because the ministry of God came to him. However, after being anointed King, David finds himself thrust into several life and death experiences (1 Sam. 17-19). And he encounters great favor with King Saul for a season, but this favor changes into deadly disfavor to the point that David becomes an outlaw. He's forced to run like a dog into the wilderness, hiding in the caves and strongholds of Adullum. While he's hiding out in the caves 400 disgruntled guys come to his side (1 Sam. 22:2). They're all distressed and in debt. These guys are angry; bitter in soul." They came to David when he was having a difficult time.

You know, when hard times come, we find out who are friends are. David's new friends weren't attracted to his posh home and financial prosperity! At this point in David's life, his great wealth was his reputation-a bold warrior and a man of great character. He single handedly slew Goliath (1 Sam.17) and he didn't retaliate when Saul tried to kill him (1 Sam. 19:10). These disgruntled guys saw something emerging in David that marked him as a great leader and this drew them to his side. Yes, they were angry outcasts who were somewhat bitter, but they had discernment. They knew a good leader when they saw one.

How many of us have heard great things about our destiny, too, just like King David? Big God. Big stuff. Big dreams. How long Lord? When Lord?" Some of us have been waiting for many years for the fulfillment of what we know the Lord has purposed for our lives. And we're having an experience like David had after he was anointed as king. It appears that he received everything from God to fulfill the call on his life, but for years he didn't have the full manifestation of ruling the kingdom yet. David was in training and adversity was having its perfect work; he wasn't rebelling against it. David was proving to be a true king, one trained in the wilderness-experiential truth.

 

THE WILDERNESS BRINGS WARFARE

David's wilderness experience was pretty rough. He was probably thinking: I don't look like a king and I don't feel like a king. What kind of kingdom is this? But he begins to take the rejects and trains their hands for war in the wilderness. He's an outcast; like a dog on the run. Saul wants to kill him. He's thinking: How am I ever going to get from point A to point B? How am I ever going to be King? Life goes on like that for a few more years! He experiences a lot of warfare in the wilderness.

We see in Psalm 63 the intensity of wilderness-warfare. O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water" (v. 1). Seeking God early, being thirsty for His presence when it's dry, not giving up when all outward signs seem to indicate defeat; this describes wilderness-warfare. There isn't a hint of revival; no special meetings and no sense of the presence of God.

Do you know what water is in the Bible? Water is the Holy Ghost. I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water" (Is. 41:18). Devils don't like the water and they leave us alone when we get wet in the Holy Ghost! They like the dry places. Remember the story of the demoniac guy who lived in the country of the Gerasenes. The head demon that possessed him asked Jesus if he and all the other demons could be sent into the pigs rather than being sent out of the country (Mk. 5:12). Jesus allowed this because He knew that when the hoard entered the pigs, they would rush down the hill into the sea, into the water, the very place demons hate. One day they will be in the LAKE of fire!

 

THERE'S GRACE IN THE WILDERNESS

Not only is Jesus an expert when it comes to dealing with demons, He provides for us in the wilderness when it's dry and there's no water. ...I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert" (Is. 43:19). Did you know that sometimes a river isn't just flowing with water; it's flowing with grace? If we'll receive grace, God will pour it on us like a river of blessing: Thus says the Lord, ‘The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness-Israel, when it went to find its rest'" (Jer. 31:2).

Sometimes when we're in the wilderness it's tempting to rebel and throw in the towel. Even when God comes and makes us an offer of grace, we just don't like it at all! We don't want grace in the wilderness. We want OUT of there, like YESTERDAY! David's lifestyle proves that he received a big dose of grace from the Holy Spirit. His attitude can be ours as we take a look at what his thought-life was probably like: I've got these 400 outcasts around me. God, I'm so hungry for You! God, I'm so hungry for Your glory! I'm so hungry for Your power! Even in a dry and thirsty land where there's no water. I'm going to dig diligently! I am not going to let up or shut up! I'm not going give up in this wilderness!

 

PERSEVERANCE PROVES OUR CHARACTER

David persevered in the wilderness. This proved his character and pictures what Paul the apostle taught when he said: And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope" (Rm. 5:3,4). When God saw David's character maturing steadily, producing great fruit, He decided to do some pruning. and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit" (Jn. 15:2b). And so after a long season of pruning-fighting, training his men and running from Saul-David is led by the Lord to Hebron (2 Sam. 2:1) where he is anointed King over the house of Judah (2 Sam. 2:4) and then later he's anointed King over Israel (2 Sam. 5:3).

It's in Hebron where David begins to experience more of the manifestation of the kingly anointing. It's like God is saying: I'm trusting you with more in this next season. Now you're going to go from the wilderness with trained men, rather than discontented bums and outcasts. You trained their hands for war! You were faithful. I am going to bring an increase of authority upon your life and it's going to intensify in Hebron.

 

KEEP CONTENDING FOR YOUR DESTINY!

Do you know what Hebron is? Hebron means the city of four and seat of association." Even to this day, Hebron is a city struggling with a lot of spiritual warfare. Historically, when the 12 spies went into Canaan they eventually came into the Negev region to Hebron where the descendants of Anak lived: Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai whose father was Anakim (Nu. 13:22). Anak means to choke, strangle and struggle with death. Ahiman means to block or hinder. Sheshai means to whiten or white wash. These sons were giants in the land. After the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, when they finally came into their inheritance under Joshua's leadership, Caleb asked for Hebron as his inheritance. Caleb said that with the Lord's help he would drive out the giants, the sons of Anakim. And he did just that! (Jos. 15:14). Caleb was 85 years old then and as strong as an ox! Throughout the Scriptures we see the children of Israel having to deal with demonic powers similar to the ones in Anakim's three sons.

Just like King David had to persevere through the caves and wilderness and overcome different giants, so do we. God will use all the difficulties He allows in our lives as resistance to build our spiritual muscles. When the enemy tries to choke us to death and hinder us from moving ahead; when he tries to white wash everything so we just settle for less; we need to rise up and fight back with God's strategy! We need to contend for our destinies.

When the enemy tries to white wash something, it's like our vision isn't clear and we don't see things on the outside as they really are. [Think about the Pharisees and the white washed tombs (Mt. 23:27)]. To white wash means: settle for it; it looks good; take your lot in life, or grin and bear it! This description points to complacency Christianity" that just lies down and says, I'm not going to get involved. I know they're dying over there from war, famine and disease, but it doesn't concern me. Oh, God I want you to bless those hungry children, but we better turn the channel quickly because I don't want to see that." We got this complacent, settle for, aw it's out there and it doesn't affect me so that's good enough, mentality.

Listen! There's got to be a manifestation of aggression. There has to be a rising up. There's got to be this spiritual violence. The violent take it by force (Mt. 11:12). We need to change our mindset: I'm going to press in and I'm going to set the standard! I'm going to get a breakthrough! When it's hard and dry I'm going to worship and cry out to God all the more. When the blessing isn't manifesting and the oil isn't here, You are still worthy Lord! I will keep contending for my destiny!

In my own life, after preaching on the streets four hours a day anointed and called as an evangelist, I had dreams of stadiums filled with hungry people-a stadium mindset. But it all began by preaching in the skateboard parks as a new Christian when I had been saved just two months. I preached in the coffee shops and McDonalds. I also went outside into the parks to preach and I took teams into the streets every week to give away cokes and hotdogs.

When I was a new Christian a prophet had a word of knowledge for me: Todd, you're going to do crusades and reach the kind of people that Billy Graham reached. You're going to see stadiums." Later, I began to receive visitations of the Lord concerning miracles, healings and crusades in stadiums. Today, outside of North America, we do crusades where we'll reach a quarter of a million people in five days. I asked God for a million souls this year!

My whole attitude can be summed up like this: I'm going to serve God! I'm going to be a radical, extravagant lover of God!" I had a vision from God when I was a new believer concerning what Fresh Fire Ministries would look like. But after receiving the vision I found myself on a journey through the wilderness. I was in the ditches-the coffee shops, down town in the inner city of Vancouver with the prostitutes and drug addicts ministering. No one knew me. I hadn't been to Bible school, only saved four years. But I knew a big God that could do big stuff and I had big dreams even while I experienced the dry places.

David was in the wilderness; all true kings need to go there. Later, when God promoted David by sending him to Hebron, he would experience even more of the pruning process so that he could bear much fruit as the king of Israel. It was like the Lord said to David, I am going to increase your metron. You passed the test! Go to Hebron!" There, in that place, David would rise even higher as a trusted leader, contending for his kingly anointing. Next week in Part 2 we'll examine other areas of David's training that contributed to the establishment of his kingly, priestly anointing.