Throughout Scripture, priesthood is a sacred office—a divine connection between heaven and earth. The priesthood carries immense power, not just in worship but in wielding spiritual authority that sustains kingship and divine influence over nations. The Kingdom of Darkness has always sought to corrupt this priesthood. Why? Because once priesthood is compromised, kingship crumbles, and with it, a man’s dominion mandate in destiny and purpose on earth. Whenever God wants to build something sustainable on earth, He builds a priesthood to sustain it. This is one of the Strategies of the Kingdom of Heaven and I can’t wait to venture into it soon.
Priesthood sustains kingship. That is why when you start priesthood, it takes long before you are given kingship. In priesthood, you CANNOT do whatever you want. God will not even give you the desires of your heart because they may still be selfish. When you start priesthood, Heaven will not take you seriously until you are completely purged of not just evil but the human approach to God things. Certain approaches we use are not necessarily evil but they may be carnal (human) and God will not tolerate that for long as you journey in your priesthood. The closer you are to the Most Holy Place, the more reverent you become because you can’t just do what you want.
Eli’s Sons
The story of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, serves as a poignant illustration of the corruption of priesthood through dishonorable behaviour. In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, these men are described as worthless priests who disregarded the offerings brought to God and exploited their positions for personal gain. We cannot determine the time and season of judgement beforehand or foreknow when God’s long rope of forbearance will be exhausted for His Wrath to be released. The fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation is all that is left when priesthood is corrupted.
This account shows how those in authority can corrupt their priesthood, which not only affects them but also leads others astray. This especially happens when the set time of their judgement has not come and it looks as if God approves of their evil. God’s judgment on Eli’s household came nonetheless, culminating in the death of Hophni and Phinehas and the capture of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4:10-11). Their story serves as a stark reminder that corruption in the priesthood can have devastating consequences for both the individuals involved and the entire community of faith.
Strange Fire & Strange Women
In Leviticus 10:1-2, we encounter the tragic account of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who offered “strange fire” before the Lord, contrary to His command. Their actions led to their immediate death as God’s judgment consumed them. The term “strange fire” signifies unauthorized worship—a deviation from God’s prescribed way of approaching Him.
This highlights another tactic of the enemy: perverting worship. The Kingdom of Darkness seeks to introduce elements into worship that are not aligned with God’s directives, leading to false practices and ultimately spiritual death. Just as Nadab and Abihu’s desire to “innovate” in their worship led to catastrophic consequences, so too can modern churches be tempted to alter biblical standards in an attempt to appear more appealing or relevant to the world. Such perversion dilutes the sanctity of worship and undermines the effectiveness of the priesthood. We don’t have a world to impress; we have a God to please.
In 1 Kings 11, Solomon, who was given unparalleled wisdom and wealth by God, fell into priestly corruption by allowing idolatry to creep into his heart. Although he built the temple for God, his heart was eventually turned away by strange women, leading him to build altars to false gods. This strategy of mixing true worship with false worship can lead to devastating consequences. Just as Solomon compromised by introducing idol worship into Israel, the enemy seeks to corrupt today’s church by mixing biblical truth with false teachings, materialism, and self-centered forms of worship. When the altar is compromised, the scepter is weakened, and kingship loses its divine authority. Solomon’s reign began gloriously but ended in division due to the corruption of his priesthood.
Achan (Joshua 7)
Achan’s sin in Joshua 7 illustrates how one person’s disobedience can have dire consequences for the entire community. After the Israelites captured Jericho, Achan took forbidden items from the spoils, directly violating God’s command. His hidden sin led to Israel’s defeat at Ai, resulting in the loss of lives and setbacks in their conquest of the Promised Land. This is what I made mention of last week. It’s not that the Holy Spirit is not all-Powerful; the accursed cannot dwell with the incorruptible. “What concord has Christ with Belial?”.
Achan’s actions demonstrate how individual corruption within the priesthood can lead to collective consequences. The Kingdom of Darkness thrives on secrecy and hidden sin, encouraging believers to believe their actions affect only themselves. However, Scripture reveals that we are all interconnected in the Body of Christ. The enemy seeks to exploit this truth by leading individuals into sin, knowing it can ripple through the church and affect the larger community. This is why Peter was hard on Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8, and Ananias and Sapphira fell down dead. The Holy Antivirus killed the virus before it could spread. Galatians 5:9 warns us that “a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole dough.”
Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5)
In the New Testament, we see the swift judgment of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Their sin? They lied about the money they received from selling their property. This act was a direct challenge to the integrity of the early church community. While their lie might seem minor, it was a significant breach of trust within the body of believers, highlighting the importance of honesty and integrity in the priesthood.
God’s swift judgment on Ananias and Sapphira is a warning: the closer we get to God, the less He tolerates compromise. As God raises the church to new levels of authority, He will not tolerate the corruption of priesthood through dishonesty and hidden sin. To whom much is given, much is expected. As a pattern, all the first people to try to corrupt the new season of priesthood God had established died; Aaron’s sons, Achan, Ananias and Sapphira etc. died in order to purge the priesthood of the people from the corruption they were trying to introduce into it. It’s just like a healthy body rejecting a virus.
God’s call to holiness and integrity in priesthood has never changed. As believers, we must guard our priesthood with vigilance. We must walk in humility, obedience, and purity, resisting all forms of corruption that the enemy offers. The deeper we go on our walk with God, the more we must recognize that our actions carry weight in the spiritual realm. Once we fully consecrate ourselves and engage our priesthood in purity and holiness, we will see God. The Glory of God will come down to stay. Before the manifest glory came, we could fornicate on Saturday and lead worship on Sunday. Once the Glory comes, even the cherubim who protects the Glory of God with jealousy will be the first to strike you down.
The thing about the priesthood of God is that any introduction by the kingdom of darkness or the wisdom of man is a virus. The reason why Heaven contains the fullness of God’s Glory is because everything runs according to His Lordship. The earth must follow suit to sustain His Glory. In priesthood, there is no such thing as a small sin. Let us rise as a holy priesthood, guarding the altars of our hearts and our churches, so that the Kingdom of Darkness has no foothold in our lives and ministries. As we maintain the sanctity of our priesthood, we empower our kingship, ensuring that we fulfill our divine purpose on earth. So help us God 🙏
So help us God, Amen🙏.
Amen🙏🏾