He Hath Made Us Priests: The Call to Intercede and Sacrifice

If we’re going to talk about what it means to be kings in Christ—leaders in the fight—then we must also talk about what it means to be priests.

Because the truth is: you cannot rightly lead as a king if you do not bow as a priest.

Revelation 1:6 says:

“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

—Revelation 1:6

Not just kings. Priests.

Not just leaders in battle. Intercessors at the altar.

And this—this forgotten identity of priesthood—is a burning need in today’s church, in today’s homes, and in the hearts of Christian men.

We are good at charging forward. We’re good at acting. But have we remembered that the first and most sacred role of the priest was not to fight, but to stand between God and the people in intercession and sacrifice?

The Work of the Biblical Priest

In the Old Testament, the role of the priest was heavy with spiritual responsibility.

• He offered sacrifices for the sins of the people.

• He went into the holy place on their behalf.

• He bore the names of the tribes of Israel on his garments as he approached God.

• He was called to be set apart from the common man—not to elevate himself, but to serve.

And most critically: he made intercession.

When God’s judgment hovered over the people, it was the priest who stood in the gap. When the people sinned, it was the priest who offered the sacrifice. When the day of atonement came, it was the priest who entered behind the veil, carrying blood not for his own sake alone, but for all those who were counting on him.

Christ: Our High Priest

And all of this—every ceremony, every sprinkle of blood, every lifting of hands—pointed to Christ.

He is not only our conquering King—He is our great High Priest.

“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

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 7:24–25

Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice—Himself.

And now? He ever liveth to make intercession for us.

Do you see it?

The One who conquered death did so not just with a sword, but with a sacrifice.

And we, who are made kings and priests in His name, are called to follow His example.

Job: The Fatherly Intercessor

Consider Job—not a priest by Levitical office, but certainly one in practice.

“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.”

—Job 1:5

He didn’t wait for his children to confess.

He didn’t wait for a crisis.

He rose early and offered sacrifices continually—just in case his sons had sinned in their hearts.

He covered them in the smoke of sacrifice.

He stood between them and judgment.

He pleaded silently, and sacrificed faithfully.

And that’s what real spiritual headship looks like.

The Modern Call: Men as Intercessors and Sacrificers

Men, hear this clearly:

You are not just called to fight battles around your family.

You are called to fall on your face before God for your family.

You are to stand in the gap in intercessory prayer for your wife, your children, your church, and your community.

To lift their names up before the throne every day—not just when things go wrong.

To pray not just for their protection, but for their sanctification.

To go to the altar in the Spirit, even if they never see it.

This is what it means to be a priest in the home.

You are the spiritual watchman on the wall—not just looking for invaders, but petitioning Heaven that the walls hold, that the hearts within stay soft, that grace flows in and evil stays out.

And this work? This intercessory life?

It will cost you.

Priesthood Requires Sacrifice

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice…”

—Romans 12:1

The altar of intercession is soaked in sacrifice.

Time. Comfort. Ego. Plans. Self.

You can’t serve at the altar while clinging to your own ambition. You can’t offer prayers of intercession when your prayers are all about your own desires. You can’t pour yourself out for your family if you’re constantly reserving part of yourself for your own indulgence.

This is the Sell Your Cloak mindset again in full view.

“…sell your garment, and buy one.”

—Luke 22:36

The cloak of comfort. The cloak of ease. The cloak of passivity.

It’s got to go.

Because when you answer the priestly call, you carry the burdens of others.

You lose sleep interceding.

You give up your time.

You rearrange your life.

You carry their names before the throne. And you do it daily.

Why? Because Christ did it for you. And still does.

The Pouring Out

So here’s the question:

Are you poured out for God in the service of your family?

Or are you keeping something back in the vessel for yourself?

Are you praying over your children’s future spouses?

Are you crying out for your wife’s joy in Christ, not just her well-being?

Are you interceding for your pastor, your brothers, your church, your city?

Are you sacrificing self for the sake of their growth?

Or are you still guarding the part of yourself that wants comfort, convenience, and control?

The priesthood of the believer—especially the man—isn’t soft. It’s not sentimental. It’s sacred. And it’s weighty.

But it’s what we were made for.

He has made us priests.

Let us act like it.

Conclusion: The Watchman Priest

In the Old Testament, priests worked in the Temple.

But today? Your home is the altar.

Your living room is the holy place.

Your kitchen table is the place of fellowship.

Your child’s bedroom is the battleground for their soul.

Your prayers are the sacrifices.

Your fasting is the incense.

Your tears are the water poured out in offering.

And you are the watchman at the wall.

So what are you willing to sacrifice?

What comforts will you give up?

What parts of yourself are you willing to crucify?

Because this world does not need men who sit in spiritual castles. It needs priests who stand at the altar daily, crying out to Heaven for the people they love and lead.

Kings lead the fight.

Priests bear the weight.

You were made for both.

So rise, man of God.

Bow low in prayer.

Offer yourself.

And don’t keep anything back.

He hath made us priests.

Let us serve like it.