* Protection through the Blood

 

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  
1 John 1:7

 

The written Word of God must be balanced by the Spirit of God. The letter of the law will kill and bring death, but the Spirit brings life.   God has equipped us to be capable servants of the new covenant, not by authority of the written law which only brings death, but by the Spirit who brings life.

Fed through the Blood

Another purpose of the blood is to distribute the needed nutrients to all parts of the body. Because of what Jesus’ blood purchased for us, we also receive spiritual nutrients. God feeds us through the Word by quickening (making alive) the right word to us. If we have need of comfort, He will show us the Scriptures in His Word that bring comfort. And, because the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, He will bring that to our spirits. When we are submitted to Him, we will be fed the proper word so that we may grow in Him. If we are not submitted, we can become imbalanced in our spiritual lives. The same is true in the physical body. If diabetes is present, too much blood sugar is produced and the body suffers because of this condition.

“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”  2 Corinthians 3:6 

When we get out of balance, we become spiritually ill. We must continually rely on Jesus to bring us the truth and the life. In the spiritual as well as the natural, we must not only have the proper diet, but the proper exercise also. Just knowing the Word is not enough; we must apply the Word for it to work within us. Many people become spiritual gluttons as they listen to good teachings over and over, but they do not apply the truth to their own lives. We must use what we hear. We are instructed not only to be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

By applying the blood of Jesus to our lives, we shall have His life.

Protection Through the Blood

Protection is another benefit of the blood. This does not mean that if we chant “the blood of Jesus” repeatedly we will not be harmed. Some people have made a fetish of Jesus’ blood by pleading the blood over themselves, over their houses, and sprinkling the blood here and there. It is not the chanting of “the blood of Jesus” that brings protection, but rather faith in what the blood of Jesus has done for us. Expressions such as “the devil cannot cross the blood line” are futile unless one’s faith is in the protection secured by the blood Jesus shed on Calvary. It is what’s behind the blood, not the mere speaking of the blood that brings protection. Of course, we can voice our faith in Jesus’ blood, and as we do so there is power in those words. We should, however, understand that mere speaking is not sufficient unless our words are backed by real faith in Jesus Christ.

When God sent the plague to destroy the Egyptians because of their refusal to release Israel, He instructed His people to slay a lamb and place the blood on the upper and side doorposts of their houses, so that the death angel would not come into that house.

“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”  Exodus 12:13

Because they had faith in God and obeyed His command, all who were in those houses were spared.

Blood Covenant For Your Household

Today, our faith in the blood of Jesus can bring salvation to our households too. If we have unsaved loved ones, we must remember to claim their souls and believe for their salvation, just as the first Passover was followed in Egypt. It was “a lamb for a house.”  One member of that household sprinkled the blood on the door and all beneath the roof were safe, for God’s covenant was with them. That covenant is still good today.

Rahab is another beautiful instance of God saving an entire family by one woman’s faith. By faith, Rahab put out the scarlet thread, which is a type of the blood of Jesus, and saved all of her family 

Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.  Joshua 2:18

In the New Testament we also find an account of the Philippian jailer who cried out, …what must I do to be saved? Paul replied, 

. . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house  Acts 16:30-31

Our families are promised redemption if we believe. The angel promised Cornelius that Peter would tell him words whereby he and all his house should be saved.

“Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved”  Acts 11:14

What are the conditions we must meet in order to make this “Blood Covenant” effective for our loved ones?

®       First, we must consecrate our lives fully to God.

®       Then we must take the matter to God and put in a definite claim for the salvation of our kindred.

®       As we claim them, let the Spirit of God lead in how we are to pray for each of them.  Some are led “with strong crying and tears” (travail), others by fasting since it will break Satan’s hold. For some a steady faith applied for their souls will bring them into the kingdom. If we are claiming our children, remember we must first: 

 “…bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” Ephesians 6:4 

We must lay a good foundation by teaching them God’s Word.  If the children are grown and we have failed to do this because we were not walking in God’s light at the time, we need to repent and ask God in His mercy to save them. We should not allow Satan to condemn us after we have repented, but trust the Lord to redeem those lost years. He is able, no matter how deep in sin those rebellious children have become.

 ®       Next, we must leave our loved ones in the hands of God and trust Him to bring them in. We must not allow doubt and unbelief to plague us as we are trusting Jesus to bring them to salvation and deliverance. We must never fear that God will bring evil upon them to save them. Our prayers of mercy, forgiveness and protection will keep them safe until they respond to the Holy Spirit. 

 

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day”.  John 6:44

 

®       Another very important step is to pray Satan away from our loved ones. We must command the devil to release their hearts, minds, emotions and wills. We must exercise our spiritual authority over the enemy for their souls.

 

After we have done these things, then we must stand firm and believe God through “thick and thin” until they come to Him. Our faith will not fail as long as we look to God for the answer. If they seem to go farther away from God after we have claimed them, we must keep our eyes off them and firmly fixed on the God of the Covenant, believing and praising Him for their salvation.

We must trust the goodness of God to lead them to repentance. Never believe Satan’s lies that it might take a tragedy to get them to believe. Satan would like to destroy them with a tragedy so that they will never be saved. The work of the Holy Spirit and the goodness of God is what saves people, not death-ending tragedies. 

“Or despiseth thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  Romans 2:4

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