By Chijioke Nwauche
(Sunday 8th June, 2008)
[For a printable version click here.]
Exodus 12 vs 13b “And when I see the blood I will pass over you …”
QUOTABLE QUOTES
Romans 8 vs 2 “For the law of the Spirit of life (contained in the blood) in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death”.
THINGS THAT WILL HELP US WALK IN THE SPIRIT CONTD.
When you see a Christian brother we know do as something contrary we exclaim; how can such a brother do so and so. We are shocked because he has done something which is out of tune with what is expected of him as a child of God. The reason is this; though he is said to be in the spirit (A born again believer) he has not walked in the Spirit; but has walked in the flesh. (This is also what is responsible for some (not all) painful experiences we go through; you may wonder, but how can this happen to a Christian? The reason could be that the hedge (covering of God’s protection) has been broken. The Christian though being in the Spirit (the place of safety and blessing) has walked in a way that has opened the door for the devils attack. The people of God must not only come up to the realm of the Spirit. The devil is coming up against us in the Spirit i.e. being born again but he must walk by the Spirit. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath; because he knoweth that he hath a short time (Rev. 12 vs 12). We cannot succeed if we fight him from the realm of the carnal. The wickedness we see all around us is motivated by spiritual wickedness; spirits have meticulously planned and orchestrated these things. We obtain that victory by fighting in the spiritual realm. The people of must be ready. We must not only be in the spirit but we must walk in the Spirit. Today we continue our study on the things that can assist us walk in the Spirit.
THE BLOOD
Exodus 12 vs 13 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses when ye are: and when I see the blood I will pass over you and the plaque shall not be upon you, when I smite the land of Egypt”.
We will discuss the reality of the blood of Jesus today. The important thing the Israelites had was the blood. What was it, we ask ourselves that was in the blood that was able to bring such great deliverance to the Israelites in Egypt? God told the Israelites to put the blood on the lintel of their houses and that blood would prevent the angel of death from taking their lives. The blood was given to them as a token. A brother once said “the devil has no authority to cross the blood line”. The blood was given to them as a token (a signal, flag, beacon, monument, omen, mark, evidence, ensign).
A token is a sign or mark that marks you out as belonging to something. So the blood was like a signal, a flag upon the houses of the children of Israel showing that they belonged to God. It identified all those who used it as God’s property.
We know that blood is a vehicle (container) for life. A man without physical blood is dead. The blood is that which carries life. The scripture says the life of the flesh is in the blood (…….).
So the blood is a token, a sign in the spirit that shows that this one belongs to God. It’s like a passport that shows which country you belong to. It marks you out. When you are a Christian, there is a sign in the heavens that marks you out as belonging to God. The blood is a covering we can and must believe in. One of the greatest weapons, foundations or reality we have; is the reality of the blood of Jesus. In the realm of the spirit the blood gives a covering. When the devil comes against you and sees the blood (the spiritual sign, emblem, glory of Jesus Christ) as a token upon your house (soul), he immediately recognizes the stamp of ownership of our God upon you. Do we believe this? Then why do we fear brethren? It is not easy to fear when we are not threatened. If armed robbers begin to shoot outside your gate, when bullets are flying here and there or if any other adversity comes against you, you must continue to believe and trust in the ability of the blood to provide a covering for you. Be encouraged, the angel of the Lord encamped around all those that have received the blood. Do not believe the devil when he tells you that these are not different, he knows that you are different. You have the blood. The Spirit knows that you are covered by the blood. Our greatest challenge is to be aware and not to doubt the security that we have in the sealing of the blood. May we be awaken to this spiritual reality.
We must come to the point when we truly know that the blood can protect us. If a man points a gun at you, do not be moved because he can only harm you if the Lord permits. If necessary, the Lord will raise a legion of angels to deliver you (Matthew 26 vs 53). The blood takes you out of the reach of the devil. There is a blood line brethren that the devil cannot cross. He cannot touch you. We must be as confident as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who under the threat of death simply responded Daniel 3 vs 16 – 18
16 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter”.
17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand o king”
18 “But if not, be it known unto thee, o king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up”. They were confident of the covering of God over them.
How do I get the blood
You receive the blood at the point when you become born again. The blood is the very life of God that comes to your soul and quickens you (makes you aware, conscious) of the Spirit of God. An unbeliever cannot understand the things of God. He is not aware, because he does not have the blood. It is the quickening or the understanding or the consciousness which the blood gives you that enables you to respond to God. It is only a believer that can “plead the blood of Jesus”. Chanting the blood, the blood, the blood meaninglessly is not good enough. The blood is in you, even before the evil comes. It is the very life of God in and upon you. The blood was shed for an atonement (covered over) for your soul.
So when you say I am covered by the blood, it means the very life of Jesus Christ covers you. Who then can harm you if you are encompassed (covered) by Jesus Christ. Rev. 12 vs 7 ( )
There is a war going on in our emotions, minds (heaven). Sometimes you get confused, the devil bombards your mind with thoughts, just to bring you down to the place of fear and doubt. When this happens remember you have a weapon that is guaranteed to bring you the victory. The blood is a sure means of victory over danger.
Rev. 12 vs 10 “Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down; which accused them before our God day and night”.
Vs 11b “And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb (the life, light and glory i.e. all the things that God has put into the blood) and by the word of their testimony…”.
Point to Note
The blood is not a talisman, which you just chant. It is a seal, a covering of protection. It shields you. You must believe from your heart, that the blood speaks and prevails. Remember it will only be effective if you are walking in the Spirit (in that case you are under the covering of the blood). God may be merciful and decide to in a particular instance respond to anyone who cries out to him; but there is need to come under the blood’s covering.
Conclusion
May the Lord open the eyes of our understanding to know that the blood is an effectual covering which speaks for us. It speaks to: covering you, to placate or appease on your behalf, to cleanse, to disannul (cancel) to forgive, to pacify, to pardon, to purge you of sin, and to make reconciliation for you. The blood continually speaks good things on your behalf in the heavens, your home, at work, wherever you go. Oh what glory!!!
We have a blood covenant with God. Anyone who touches us, touches Him. Why should we fear? When fear comes, turn your heart to God and plead the blood. May we know the things that are freely given to us to deliver us from eminent destruction.
God is restoring strength to His own. The people of God are beginning to know that when the enemy comes, the Spirit of God shall raise up a standard against him (provided they are walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh). Let us walk in this reality brethren. The blood has brought us into a covenant relationship with Jehovah, The most high God. Hallelujah.
IT PAYS TO REMEMBER…
BE YE DWELLERS IN HEAVEN
Every day we wake up to a new reality. The reality of knowing more of who we are, what God is doing and what God is saying. For so long we have known this experience of the flesh. The time has come for us to know a new experience in God; the experience of walking in the Spirit. It is the time when the potentials of men will be fully displayed as: A habitation of God. Man is the house designed by God.
Rev. 18 vs 20 “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her”. Heaven, refers to people who walk in the spirit. God is making heaven a reality, populating it with men, building a new heaven and a new earth.
Rev. 12 vs 12 “therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”. The earth speaks of the realm of carnality and the seas speaks of the multitude of unsaved people. God wants us to leave the experience of the sea (the unbelieving life) and that of the earth (the level that is a step higher than the natural carnal man i.e. the born again experience, being in the spirit). God is asking His people to come up (to be dwellers of heaven; to walk in the Spirit, not being in the flesh).
We must not be content with being visitors to heaven. God’s concern is not “your church or my church” or any denomination for that matter. He is concerned with those who are going up to heaven. Not going up in the sense of the rapture doctrine of “we will fly away” but in the sense that you will have men who like Jesus will walk this earth, though they are engaged in the daily activities of our time. Men who are carpenters, businessmen, house wives, teachers etc but whose being (mind, thoughts, will, emotions) are in heaven.
John 17 vs 15 “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but thou shouldest keep them from the evil”.
There is power brethren in the working of God to bring these things to a reality in our experience. God is raising up people who will be called the army of the Lord, a people who will come into the fullness of the Spirit. A people who dwell in heaven.
Jesus (the word of God made flesh) walked this earth eating and drinking like us and He walked in the Spirit. Who are you following? And what are your ambitions. We should be looking to follow Jesus Christ the lamb and follow Him whithersoever he goeth.