By Chijioke Nwauche
(Sunday 15th June, 2008)
[For a printable version click here.]
Exodus 12 vs 13 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you 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”.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
The blood of Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith. We are born again because the blood was available to bring us into covenant relationship with God. Thank God for the power in the blood of Jesus.
FUNCTIONS OF THE BLOOD
1) Forgiveness:
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6 vs 23). If there is sin and the penalty of death is to be forgiven, then somebody must die and shed his blood. Heb. 9 vs 22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission”. This is why God brought His son to die for all those that will accept this sacrifice. For those who accept this offering (sacrifice of Himself) the blood is available to atone (cover, erase, cancel, dis-annul) for their sin. Lev. 17 vs 11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul”. John 1 vs 29b “Behold the lamb of God (Jesus) which taketh away the sins of the world”. It is the blood that takes away the sin and permits forgiveness.
2) To quicken (make alive):
When Jesus died on the cross, His blood was released. When you come in contact with the blood it causes you (spiritually speaking) to be raised to a higher dimension (or energy level); to where Jesus is seated in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers. The blood brings life to the soul; the very life of God contained in the blood is released and you become quickened and strengthened by the blood, because the power of God that is in the blood is released upon your heart (soul).
3) Speaks on your behalf:
There are different kinds of blood, the blood of bulls, goats, man etc. Every blood speaks. Even the blood of Abel spoke asking for vengeance. The blood of Jesus also speaks, advocating (pleading on your behalf) for you. When calamity comes, the blood will speak for you.
Heb. 12 vs 24b “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel”. There is a ministry of the blood that continues to speak, it works and is working in us until we come to the point of complete deliverance, (until we come to that estate (point) of being perfect).
4) To cleanse from sin:
1 John 1 vs 7b “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”. Brethren because the blood is available you can overcome sin. As long as you walk in the light (walking in the spirit) the cleansing action of the blood of Jesus Christ continues. It is a permanent reality. You reject this cleansing action of the blood only when you break fellowship with God (walk in the flesh). When you sin (transgress) repent quickly and plead the blood; the speaking of the blood will immediately restore you back to fellowship and the covering of the blood over you will be restored (1 John 1 vs 8 ).
5) For covering (protection):
In the Old Testament, the children of Israelwere given cities of refuge (Numbers 35). These cities were scattered all over Israel and were to be a refuge for all those who sinned by mistake. Once a person took refuge in any of these cities, no one had the right to do him harm until the high priest of that city dies. In our day the city of refuge is the house of God and Jesus Christ is the high priest. (Jesus Christ is alive for evermore). The devil has been given a perpetual injunction (has been restrained) not to tamper with or harm you, as long as you are covered by the blood and you remain under its covering.
6) For deliverance:
Blood defileth the land, and the blood that has been shed is crying out for vengeance. Much blood has been shed over the land over the years due to the wickedness of men against their fellow man. Men are in bondage because of these speakings. Praise God, as children of God the blood of Jesus speaks or advocates or pacifies any demand made upon us. Jesus has paid the prize. The devil therefore has no authority to demand any service from us. We have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness. We are free because the blood of Jesus is able to cancel every other demand from every spirit, every principality, every besetting sin or covenant, taken knowingly or unknowingly.
We must have the understanding of the authority we have in Christ. Jesus died in our place, so we can stand and say “The Lord rebuke you satan”. What we are saying in other words is; “satan, the blood of Jesus speaks for me, so every sin has been forgiven, therefore I stand righteous before all, and by that authority and as one who is righteous I command you to flee”.
Brethren there is no enchantment or divination against you. Why? Because the blood of Jesus has been shed for you. The price has been paid. That besetting sin cannot continue to hold you in its grip. Why? The blood of Jesus has been shed for you. So rebuke the demons; and continue to rebuke, until you see them no more.
Brethren let us be at peace, the price has been paid. We believe God. We will cease from our labour and walk and live by the Spirit. Daily our Christ-like nature is being quickened, strengthened and nourished. We are growing from grace to grace until we come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Jesus Christ came that he might make us like him. This is the prize of the high calling: to be like Jesus, to express the glory of God. This is possible brethren for the blood has been shed for you.
IT PAYS TO REMEMBER…
THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY SHALL PERISH PSALM 1 VS 6B
We are in such a time that ungodliness seems to be attractive to the flesh. If we look at how the ungodly go around flouting themselves and taking pride and pleasure in the things they do, if we are not careful, our feet may slip. God doesn’t want us to marvel with admiration at ungodliness, he desires to encourage us to righteousness by drawing our attention to Psalm 1.
Through this Psalm, God lets us know that the way, of the ungodly shall perish, we also receive the understanding that the end of the ungodly will be like that of ‘chaff’, which the wind bloweth away.
God looks at the lot of the ungodly and seeing how bleak and terrible their future is; He sees their end and declares “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly”. As we compare this characteristic (life style) of the ungodly and that of the godly, we cannot help but agree with God that indeed “the godly is blessed”.
The counsel of the ungodly
V1 The ungodly have their own counsel which is contrary to the counsel of God. They have their own ideas, philosophies and the way they see or go about things.
When the ungodly man wants to do something; he does not consider what God thinks about his actions, he does not seek advice from the people of God, nor does he look to the scriptures for direction. He assumes he has all the answers. Unfortunately, for them because their counsels run contrary to God, they will not be able to stand in the “day of judgment”. Judgment is going on now and will come to its fullness. The ungodly will fall when the wind of judgment comes but praise God the godly who walk in the counsel of God will stand.
V2 On the contrary the godly delight in and meditate on the law (counsel) of the Lord. In the day as they go about their daily activities their hearts are considering what pleases God. They always ask, is what I am doing in line with what God wants me to do? Even in the night time the godly will only allow thoughts that are in line with the word of god to dwell on his mind and any contrary thoughts that arise would be rebuked in the name of Jesus. Even when things seem gloomy and unpleasant, the godly will align himself and take his stand with the way of the Lord.
The way of sinners:
The ungodly also have their own manner of doing their things. Our way (the way of the godly) is not the way of sinners and the way of sinners is not the way of the Lord no matter how fashionable, scientific or intellectual this way may seem. We cannot go and stand in their way. The Bible says the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of man. The way of sinners is what is going to bring them to judgment. We may not have what the ungodly have but we are blessed because God is not looking at the physical but the spiritual. May we not desire their way.
The scorners:
The ungodly are scornful. They despise the things of God. They make a ridicule of Christianity and the people and things of God. They are irreverent (lacking respect for God). If you fear and honour God, setting your heart to hear God and follow Him, blessed are you indeed.
THE WAY OF THE BELIEVER:
The believer avoids the things that the ungodly does. As a result he is blessed, He will flourish (be fruitful) even in the time of judgment, he will not experience drought (dryness, lack of joy, sorrows). Both spiritually and physically everything he does prospers (v3).
The believer will be delivered in the time of judgment. He will stand in the congregation of the righteousness.
May we be encouraged to stay in the way of the godly. At times we are intimidated because our opinion (our way, our stand) runs contrary to the opinions of the majority. Trust God. Your way may not be popular but it is the way of God. Your way may not bring you any glory at all but let us be satisfied that the Lord knows your way. The way of the ungodly will surely perish in the day of judgment.
… Bro. I. Urias