Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus,
I’ve always been interested in the strange character named “Melchizedek” who first appears in Genesis 14:18-20, meeting with Abraham, and then seemingly disappears. The name or Order of “Melchizedek” appears twelve times in Scripture across ten verses found in Genesis, Psalms, and Hebrews. “Melchizedek” appears twice in the Old Testament and ten times in the Book of Hebrews, chapters 5-7. Intrigued for some time, I finally decided to do what II Timothy 2:15 commands us to do – “study to show myself approved before God, rightly dividing The Word of Truth.” What I’ve learned is very interesting. Most notably, we, as Believers, are heavily involved in the Order of Melchizedek.
Whether we realize it or not, a Believer is a king and priest after the Order of Melchizedek. The positions of authority and responsibility and the Order the positions belong to are bestowed upon Believers at salvation. As kings and priests after the Order of Melchizedek, Believers operate under the Kingly reign and Priestship of Jesus Christ, The King of The Kingdom of God and The Great High Priest, after the Order of Melchizedek, respectively. We find the commissioning of both parties’, Jesus Christ and Believers, to these roles in The Word of God.
Revelation 1:6
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His [Jesus] Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 6:20
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec.
Revelation 19:16
And He [Jesus] hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
The name Melchizedek combines the Hebrew “melek” (king) and “tsedeq” (righteousness) -thus, “King of Righteousness.” He of Genesis 14, Jesus preincarnate, is also called King of Salem, meaning “peace”, linking Him to both righteousness and peace.
So, what is the Order of Melchizedek? “Order” is the Hebrew word “seder,” which means “arrangement, sequence, or structure.” It implies a divine arrangement as in creation – Genesis 1, a priestly or ritual structure such as the Passover Seder, and a Spiritual hierarchy or lineage as in priestly succession. For instance, in Psalm 110:4, the phrase “after the Order of Melchizedek” can be interpreted as “in the manner of” or “according to the pattern of” suggesting a divinely appointed priesthood not based on genealogy but on Spiritual authority.
Now that we understand the Order of Melchizedek operates according to a manner or pattern, what is encompassed in the Order?
Kingship and Priesthood: Unlike the Levitical priests, Melchizedek was both King and Priest.
Eternal Priesthood: Hebrews 7:3 describes Melchizedek as “without father or mother, without genealogy,” symbolizing an eternal priesthood.
Divine Appointment: Not inherited by lineage (as with Aaron) but by God’s sovereign choice.
Spiritual Authority: This Order is typified by intercession, blessing, and communion (bread and wine). When Melchizedek met Abraham with bread and wine, in Genesis 14, He was foreshadowing Christ’s ministry to come.
How does this Order apply to us? We are kings and priests. We are part of the eternal priesthood being seated in Christ at the right hand of God. We are divinely appointed by God’s sovereign choice to offer us eternal life, and we accept, in Christ Jesus. Lastly, we are placed in this earth as kings and priests to intercede, to bless, and to bring the communion knowledge of Jesus’ body and blood, freely given, to all mankind.
As Believers in Christ Jesus, the dual identity of king and priest empowers us to rule and minister in the Spiritual realm. This Spiritual realm is The Kingdom of God. How should we, in our dual identity, operate in The Kingdom of God?
A. As Kings — Exercising Dominion and Authority
Kings rule by decrees and governance. In The Kingdom of God, this means:
Speaking with authority:
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” – Job 22:28
Walking in dominion:
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” – Genesis 1:28
Reigning in life:
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.)” – Romans 5:17
Exercising kingly authority means walking in dominion, speaking with power, and enforcing the will of God in the earth.
B. As Priests — Ministering to God and Interceding for Others
Priests have access to God’s presence and serve as intercessors:
Ministering to God:
“Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” – Psalm 141:2
Intercession:
“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” – Hebrews 7:25
Offering spiritual sacrifices:
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5
As priests, we worship, intercede, and minister reconciliation between God and man (2 Corinthians 5:18–20).
In the rest of this Part I message, we’ll look in more detail at exercising dominion and authority as kings. The verses cited will not be exhaustive to the attribute. There are many more verses that can be referenced.
1. Understand Our Identity as a King
Before we can exercise authority, we must know who we are in Christ Jesus.
Revelation 1:6 – “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father…”
Romans 5:17 – “…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”
We are not spiritual beggars – we are kings with legal standing to reign in life, not just in Heaven, but here and now.
2. Speak with Authority – Decree and Declare
Kings rule by their words. In The Kingdom, our words carry Spiritual power when aligned with God’s Word.
Job 22:28 – “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
How to Speak as a king:
• Declare God’s promises over our life.
• Speak life, healing, provision, and victory.
• Refuse to speak fear, doubt, or defeat.
• Use Scripture as our legal basis for decrees.
3. Enforce the Will of God on Earth
As kings, we are ambassadors of Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:20), sent to enforce the laws, culture, and will of The Kingdom of God on earth.
Matthew 6:10 – “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.”
This is not a passive prayer – it’s a mandate to establish Kingdom order in our home, church, business, and community.
How to Enforce Kingdom Authority:
• Speak The Word of God boldly over situations.
• Bind and loose spiritual realities (bind demonic spirits and loose or charge ministering spirits):
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” – Matthew 16:19
• Confront injustice and darkness with Truth and righteousness.
• Declare prophetic insight and direction as led by The Holy Spirit.
4. Rule Through Righteousness and Wisdom
Kingly authority is not about domination – it’s about righteous leadership and wise stewardship.
• Proverbs 8:15–16 – “By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By Me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.”
• Isaiah 32:1 – “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.”
This means we must:
• Walk in integrity and holiness.
• Make decisions based on God’s wisdom.
• Lead with love, justice, and mercy.
5. Steward Resources for Kingdom Purposes
Kings manage wealth and resources for the benefit of their domain. In The Kingdom of God, this means using what God entrusts to us for His purposes.
• Deuteronomy 8:18 – “But thou shalt remember The LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
• Proverbs 13:22 – “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”
As kings, we must:
• Build and expand The Kingdom through wise investments.
• Fund Kingdom initiatives — churches, missions, outreach.
• Break poverty mindsets and teach covenant prosperity.
6. Govern with Boldness and Faith
Kingly authority requires boldness rooted in faith, not fear.
• 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
• Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
We exercise authority by:
• Standing firm in trials.
• Refusing to be intimidated by circumstances.
• Declaring victory even before we see it.
7. Operate in Unity with Priestly Function
Our kingly authority is balanced by our priestly role — intimacy with God, intercession, and Spiritual discernment.
• Zechariah 6:13 – “Even He [Jesus] shall build the temple of The LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between Them both.”
This means:
• Our authority flows from our relationship with God.
• We rule best when we’ve been in His presence.
• We must minister to God before ministering for God.
Practical Steps to Exercise Kingly Authority
1. Daily Decrees – Speak God’s promises over our life, family, finances, and ministry.
2. Prophetic Insight – Seek The Holy Spirit’s guidance before making decisions.
3. Spiritual Warfare – Bind demonic activity and loose Kingdom realities.
4. Kingdom Stewardship – Manage our time, money, and influence for God’s glory.
5. Leadership – Lead others with wisdom, justice, and love.
6. Bold Faith – Step out in faith, knowing Heaven backs our authority.
In closing, just as exercising kingly authority involves ruling and decreeing, exercising priestly authority involves ministering to God, interceding for others, and operating in spiritual intimacy and discernment. As priests after the Order of Melchizedek, we have direct access to God and the responsibility to represent both Heaven and earth in Spiritual matters. In next week’s message, we’ll examine our priestly role in greater detail.
Much love in Christ Jesus,
Larry