A
number of Christians today are not experiencing victory in their Christian walk
because they have no faith in the blood of Jesus.
Romans
3:24-25 says, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus: 25
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood,
to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God.”
Your
total victory over Satan in this world is in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 12:11).
When Jesus shed His blood, He offered the only sacrifice required to provide
for all our needs in time and in all eternity.
The
precious blood of Jesus means everything before the throne of God. It is the
only means by which man can gain access to God the Father.
The
blood of Jesus demands God’s prompt attention. Every time the blood of Jesus is
honoured God moves. God always honours the blood of Jesus in order to honour
His Son.
The
blood of Jesus also means everything to Satan. Why? Satan and his demons know
that by the blood of Jesus, they have suffered everlasting defeat. There is
nothing the devil can do to reverse what the blood of Jesus has done to them.
That is why he does everything possible to keep you ignorant of what the blood
of Jesus has accomplished for us.
Without
knowing what the blood of Jesus has accomplished for us, you cannot put your
faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ can only be
developed by knowing what that blood has accomplished for us (Rom.
10:17).
So today, we want to look
at what that blood has accomplished for us: “THE BENEFITS OF THE BLOOD OF
JESUS CHRIST!”
What then has the blood of Jesus Christ accomplished for us?
1.
There is redemption through His blood of Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:14 says, “In
Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of
sins.”
Redemption carries the idea of “buying back” humanity,
as well as deliverance from enslavement to sin. This buying back could not be accomplished with
money or any other physical thing because the price was higher than anything on
earth could buy. Blood was the only price, as is understood in the breaking
of any blood covenant.
2.
There is justification of the sinner through the blood. Jesus’ blood brings justification to the
guilty.
Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, being now justified by
His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
One of the common tactics
of the devil involves accusation.
One of his ploys begins with, “And
you call yourself a Christian.” This
statement hurts, and the enemy knows how to guide it into the human mind with
pinpoint accuracy.
The problem with such
accusations is that more often than not, they are true. At this
point, God’s promise concerning forgiveness
through Jesus’ blood gives a person the ability to resist the enemy’s
accusations.
Once sin is dealt with through Christ, in a
very real sense, it is as if it never happened. It is gone forever, never to be acknowledged again.
3.
We have the forgiveness of sins through His blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood
compensates for all the wrong a person has ever done.
Ephesians 1:7 says, “In
whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of His grace.”
At first the cross seemed
a tragedy, but in the end it resulted in the ultimate good, the forgiveness of
sins. Sin is to miss the
mark. Iniquity is sin that has no restraint; you just keep on doing it. It is a
sin that you give in to whenever the temptation shows up. You just can’t stop.
It is passed on from you to the next generation. But the Good News is that the
blood of Jesus breaks the power of iniquity.
Isaiah
53:4-5 says, “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for
our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement
of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”
Scientifically,
it is know that if a venomous snake bites someone and perhaps runs away, they
get another of such a snake, extract the venom by pressing the fangs on a glass
container, and inject a certain fraction of it [ca 1/10 to 1/100th]
into a lamb. The lamb is the only animal that can be used, not the cow, goat
etc. for this purpose.
This
will produce antibodies in the lamb that will fight every enemy that wants to
hurt the lamb. The blood of the lamb with such antibodies is then injected into
the person bitten by that venomous snake. This will bring immediate healing to
that victim of the snake bite. When this enters the victim of the snake bite,
these antibodies will destroy the snake venom in the system of the victim. The
sooner he receives this treatment, the faster he will recover because if the
treatment is received promptly, the venom will have no chance to reach the
organs in the body of the victim not to talk of destroying them. This is what
the blood of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God did for us. The precious blood of
Jesus conquers the venomous power of sin.
In
Matthew 26:28 Jesus said, “For this is My blood of the New Testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all
things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no
remission (forgiveness of sin).”
Why
does forgiveness require the shedding of blood? There is no greater symbol of life
than blood because the Scriptures say that the life of the flesh is in the
blood. Blood keeps us alive. Sin kills you spiritually by separating you from
God. It takes life to pay for death. And that life is found only in the blood
of Jesus Christ.
Jesus
shed His blood, gave His life for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to
experience spiritual death - eternal separation from God. Jesus is the source
of life, not death. He gave His own life to pay our penalty for us so that we
might live. After shedding His blood for us, Christ rose from the grave and
proclaimed victory over sin and death.
In
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Jesus said as He rose from the grave, “O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is
sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
You see, sin leads to spiritual death.
That is to say that the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 says, “For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.”
Sin takes away life. So to pay for this
life that is taken away, it requires another life, because it takes life to pay
for life. The death you and I were supposed to die because of the original sin
we inherited from Adam, Jesus came and died for us. He paid the debt He did not
owe. He became our substitute. Jesus shed His blood. Why? Because the blood
signifies death, for the life of the flesh is in the blood. Jesus paid the
prize.
Hebrews 10:4 says, “For it is not possible for the
blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
Animal
sacrifices could not take away sins; they provided only a temporary way to deal
with sin until Jesus came to deal with sin permanently.
In
Leviticus 17:10-12 God said, “And I will turn against anyone,
whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among you, who eats or drinks blood
in any form. I will cut off such a person from the community, 11 for
the life of any creature is in its blood. I have given you the blood so you
can make atonement for your sins. It is the blood, representing life
that brings you atonement. 12 That is why I said to the Israelites:
‘You and the foreigners who live among you must never eat or drink blood.’”
How
does blood make atonement for sin?
When offered with the right attitude, the sacrifice and the blood shed from it
made forgiveness of sin possible. On the one hand, blood represented the
sinner’s life, infected by his sin and headed for death. On the other hand,
the blood represented the innocent life of the animal that was sacrificed in
place of the guilty person making the offering. The death of the animal
(of which the blood was proof) fulfilled the penalty of death. God
therefore granted forgiveness to the sinner. It is God who forgives based on
the faith of the person doing the sacrificing.
Hebrews
10:9-10 Jesus said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to
establish the second. 10 And what God wants is for us to be made holy
by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
Christ
came to offer His body on the cross for us as a sacrifice that is completely
acceptable to God. God’s new and living way for us to please Him is not by
keeping laws or even by abstaining from sin. It is by coming to Him in faith
to be forgiven, and then following Him in loving obedience.
Hebrews
10:14 says, “For by that one offering He perfected forever all those whom He is
making holy.”
We
have been made perfect, yet we are being made holy. Through His death and
resurrection, Christ, once for all, made His believers perfect in God’s sight.
At the same time, He is making them holy (progressively cleansed and set apart
for His special use) in their daily pilgrimage here. We should not be
surprised, ashamed, or shocked that we still need to grow. God is not finished
with us. We can encourage this growth process by deliberately applying
Scripture to all areas of our life, by accepting the discipline and guidance
Christ provides, and by giving Him control of our desires and goals.
4. There is sanctification through the blood.
Not only are we forgiven from sin, but
we are also sanctified through the blood of Christ.
“Wherefore
Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood,
suffered without the gate” (Heb.
13:12).
Sanctification means
“to be set apart,” and the application of Jesus’ blood sets a person apart as
God’s very own. God is calling His people to be holy as He is, because without
holiness, no one will see the Him (Heb. 12:14).
After we are forgiven of
our sins and able to enter into a new relationship with God, it makes sense
that God wants us to be in a new relationship with the sin that previously
condemned us as well. That is why he gives us the power, through the blood
of His Son, to be cleansed from our sinful behaviors.
5.
We make peace with God only through the blood of Jesus. Colossians 1:20 says, “And,
having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile
all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven.”
6.
The blood of Jesus purges our conscience from dead works. The blood of Jesus
Christ takes care of a defiled conscience.
Hebrews
9:14 says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?”
Through the blood of
Christ, Christians receive the cleansing of their consciences. Christ cleanses (purges) our consciences from acts
that lead to death!
How does He do it? By His
blood, because on the cross Jesus offered Himself unblemished to God! He
offered Himself, His unblemished, perfect life, as a sacrifice to God for us on
account of our sins. Therefore, He alone is able to cleanse your conscience
through His blood.
Even though all of your
mind has been corrupted by sin and seared as with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:2),
Christ can cleanse your conscience. We are able to live right lives and
think right thoughts once again in Christ. This is great news
for those who are burdened by a sinful past and corrupted consciences.
7.
By the blood of Jesus we have confidence to enter the holy place – His very
presence.
Mark 15:38 says, “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain
from the top to the bottom.”
This made the way for every child of God
to access the throne of God directly, and not through somebody else.
We can enter the holiest by the blood! Hebrews 10:19 says, “Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus…”
Why does God allow us to come into His presence only
by the blood of Jesus Christ? God
allows us to come into His presence only by the blood in order to
honour His Son.
8.
We overcome Satan by the blood of Jesus. There is total victory over Satan through the blood.
Revelation
12:11 says, “And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
9.
We have freedom from fear through the blood. Romans 8:15-18 says, “For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father...”
10.
We have healing and divine health. Deuteronomy 7:6, 15 God said, “…15
And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the
evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon
all them that hate thee.”
Isaiah
53:4-5 says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for
our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
“….Himself
took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:17).
“Who
His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead
to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye WERE healed”
(1 Pet. 2:24).
11.
We have divine protection through the blood of Jesus Christ. “For ye are
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).
2
Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from
henceforth thou shalt have wars.”
12. There is divine
provision in the blood. As a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve to
God’s instruction, they were driven out from the Garden of Eden, and
could no longer eat of the tree of life (Gen.
3:22-24).
Being
driven out from the Garden of Eden means being separated from the provisions
of God. We can see that due to their disobedience, Adam and Eve, were
driven out of His presence and were therefore disconnected from His
provisions. Jesus went to the Cross to reconnect us to these blessings -
the blessing of total prosperity.
Jesus became poor for our sake so that we can become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that, though He was rich [blessed], yet for your sakes He became
poor [impoverished, cursed], that ye through His poverty might be rich [be
in abundance].”
“And
God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having
all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).
Apostle Paul said, “But my God shall supply all
your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
When God says ALL,
He means ALL; He means 100% - your healing, finances, etc.
13. There is peace that passes
all understanding in the blood. In one way or another,
everyone is looking for peace.
Jesus’ blood
brings peace to troubled hearts.
At Jesus’ birth, the
heavenly host promised peace to men. The Scriptures declare that genuine and
lasting peace is only available through Jesus’ blood: “Having made peace
through the blood of His cross…” (Col. 1:20).
“Grace
and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of
Jesus our Lord…” (2 Pet. 1:2-3).
“Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (focused,
fixed) on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isa. 26:3).
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you,
My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).
“…7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).
You have the peace of God
even in the midst of a storm because you know that the Lord is with you and no
matter what, He will cause all things to work together for your good (Rom.
8:28).
14. There is life
(eternal life) in the blood. “For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
15. There is cleansing through the blood. Jesus’
blood keeps a person free from sin. Few
things in life are as troubling as the constant reminder and condemnation
resulting from sin.
“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…9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:7-9).
And I said unto him, “Sir,
thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14).
16. There is reconciliation through the blood. “For
if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Rom. 5:10).
“But
now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the
blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13).
The blood of Jesus Christ is necessary for
reconciliation with God the Father. The Scriptures teach that Jesus’s blood is literally there to re-establish
(reconcile) our relationship with God the Father.
17. New Life with God the Father was made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus brings us near to God.
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But NOW in
Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of
Christ” (Eph. 2:12-13).
18. The blood of Jesus brings us acceptance. You are accepted
by God only because of the blood of Jesus. “To the praise of the glory of His
grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6).
19. The blood of Jesus
grants us access into the Presence of the Almighty God. You have access
into His presence just in only one way – the BOJ.
“By
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2).
“For
through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph. 2:18).
“In
whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Eph. 3:12).
20. Through the blood we have access to the
blessings of God. The blood of
Jesus is the only means by which you can access the blessings of God.
God
will always honour the blood of Jesus in order to honour His Son, Jesus
Christ.
21. Rescued out of a
sinful way of life. Being ransomed from futile ways is another benefit
Christians have through the blood of Jesus.
“…you
were ransomed (rescued) from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,
not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious
blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
We are rescued from a
life lived devoid of meaning and are brought into a relationship with God and
the ability to live in his will and with purpose.
Compared to the precious
blood of Jesus Christ, the most valuable things of this earth (like silver and
gold) are reduced to meaningless, perishable things.
That is because the blood
of Jesus gives Christians salvation of their souls, forgiveness from sins,
access to God, victory over the enemy, and the power to live with a clear
conscience, something that the gold and silver items in the Old Testament
temple could never do.
To fully experience the power in the blood of Jesus,
you have to appropriate it to yourself. To
appropriate something means to take that thing for your own use.
To appropriate something
means to take that thing for your own use. You must learn how to use the blood
of Jesus in your everyday life.
How can I appropriate the blood of Jesus? For
instance, you say, “I believe I receive divine health, restful sleep, peace,
long life, deliverance, financial overflow through the blood of Jesus, in
Jesus’ name.” I believe I receive my children saved and serving God
through the blood of Jesus, in Jesus’ name. I believe I receive
promotion, open doors through the blood of Jesus, in Jesus’ name.
What a wealth of benefits
we have through the blood of Jesus!
I therefore,
encourage you to rise up and begin to use the blood of Jesus Christ in your
everyday life from today.
Watch
out for the next edition of the Good News from the pulpit.
- Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor) 28.04.2017
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