✝️Covenant Priesthood Discipleship Holiness and Spiritual Warfare

Key Points - Summary is in next section below

• The term "Christian" appears only three times in the New Testament, first mentioned in Acts 11:26 where disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
• Being a Christian requires believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for sins and rose from the dead, while being a disciple involves following Jesus and living out his teachings daily.
• Jesus outlined three specific requirements for discipleship in Luke 14:27 and Matthew 16:24: deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him.
• Discipleship involves bearing a cross according to God's purpose for each individual, with higher ministry positions requiring greater crosses and consecration.
• God's kingdom operates on principles of sacrifice, covenant, and obedience rather than education, business success, or worldly achievements.
• Making a covenant with God through sacrifice attracts God and the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to move the hand of God and operate in priesthood.
• Psalm 50:5 specifies that God gathers "those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice," indicating the importance of sacrificial commitment.
• Every believer is called first to be a priest before any other ministry role, as priesthood is foundational to effective pastoral, teaching, or evangelistic work.
• Establishing a daily altar or prayer place in the home is essential for covenant relationship with God, with the Holy Spirit serving as the supervising spirit over that altar.
• Pastor Burns shared his personal testimony of making a year-long covenant with God that resulted in no sickness, spiritual attacks being overcome, and Jesus appearing to him visually.
• Romans 12:1 calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, which is holy, acceptable to God, and represents reasonable service.
• Holiness requires separation from unclean things, with God consistently dealing with sin issues in believers' lives because of his love for them.
• Believers must not conform to this world's patterns, as the world has corrupting power that can cause damage to families and children.
• Operating as a priest through covenant and sacrifice enables believers to receive divine warnings about family members and to command demonic forces to cease their operations.

Summary

Difference Between Christians and Disciples

• Pastor Burns explained that in New Testament times (AD 44-60s), the terms "Christian" and "disciple" meant the same thing, but today they have different meanings

• Christians are defined as those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, accept His death on the cross for sins, and His resurrection from the dead
• Disciples go beyond belief to actively follow Jesus and seek to live out His teachings in daily life
• Being a disciple requires commitment to following Christ and obeying His commands, not just accepting Him as Savior

Biblical Usage of Christian vs Disciple

• The term "Christian" appears only three times in the New Testament, first in Acts 11:26 where disciples were called Christians first in Antioch

• King Agrippa challenged Apostle Paul about converting him in Acts 26:28 as the second occurrence
• The third mention appears in 1 Peter 4:16 regarding suffering as a Christian without shame
• The word "disciple" appears 261 times in the New Testament, with 230 times in the Gospels and 28 times in Acts

Requirements for Discipleship According to Jesus

• Luke 14:27 states that whoever does not bear his cross and come after Jesus cannot be His disciple

• Matthew 16:24 outlines three specific requirements for discipleship - denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following Jesus
• Each person has a specific cross to bear according to God's purpose for their life
• Higher positions in ministry require bearing bigger crosses and higher consecration levels

The Problem of Self and Flesh

• Self acts as a god and is full of flesh, which cannot be used on God's platform

• God's kingdom operates differently from worldly systems and doesn't care about education, business success, or other worldly achievements
• God's kingdom deals with sacrifice, covenant, and obedience as the primary factors that move believers forward with God
• Denying self requires making a covenant, which attracts God and the Holy Spirit

Establishing Daily Altar and Prayer Commitment

• Believers must establish a daily altar in their homes as a place of covenant meeting with God

• Consistency in prayer commitment attracts God's attention and presence, not sporadic three-day efforts
• God rewards faithful covenant-keepers with supernatural encounters, including personal appearances of Jesus
• Pastor Burns shared his experience of making a year-long covenant with God, meeting daily for prayer, which resulted in divine encounters and protection from sickness

Living Sacrifice and Holiness Requirements

• Romans 12:1 calls believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God as reasonable service

• Holiness requires separation from unclean things and dealing with sin issues in believers' lives
• God continuously works on sin problems because He loves believers and knows sin brings destruction
• The sacrifice of the body, including control of the five senses, represents the highest sacrifice believers can offer to God

Spiritual Warfare and Demonic Resistance

• Consecrated priests can receive divine warnings about dangers facing their children or family members through dreams and visions

• Demons will not leave situations voluntarily but must be forced out through spiritual pressure and warfare
• Priests who make sacrificial covenants can command demons to cease their operations and plans against families
• Consistent prayer and covenant commitment gives believers authority to stop demonic attacks and plots

Next Steps

• Believers should establish daily altar time and make covenant commitments with God through sacrifice and consistent prayer

• They must work on denying self and dealing with sin issues to walk in holiness and priestly authority
• The focus should be on developing discipleship beyond mere Christian belief to active following and obedience to Christ's commands

Spiritual Warfare and Demonic Resistance

• Consecrated priests can receive divine warnings about dangers facing their children or family members through dreams and visions

• Demons will not leave situations voluntarily but must be forced out through spiritual pressure and warfare
• Priests who make sacrificial covenants can command demons to cease their operations and plans against families
• Consistent prayer and covenant commitment gives believers authority to stop demonic attacks and plots