Power of the Blood of Jesus – Volume 01
Message Summary by AFT Team
Everything in Christian life is based on the blood of Jesus. We wouldn’t be here worshipping God; the church would not exist without the blood of Christ, because the apostle Paul calls the church as ‘the church that has been purchased with God’s own blood’. An unbelievably high price had to paid for sin. Only God could afford to pay that price. Everything that belongs to us is ours because He paid the price for redemption that no other man could.Redemption does not mean only the forgiveness of sin. Sin brought all kinds of evil into man’s life. When the sin problem is addressed, goodness return to man’s life and with it comes all blessing. So redemption, apart from forgiveness of sin, brings reconciliation, cleansing, sanctification, union with God and victory over Satan. Redemption replaces sin with righteousness, sickness with healing, poverty with prosperity, rejection with acceptance, and shame with glory.
To learn about the blood of Jesus, we have to start with the Old Testament. The old covenant and the new covenant are not mutually exclusive. The new promises of the old covenant that we live under are inclusive of the promises of the old covenant. The new covenant contains the old covenant and more. Paul says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law so that we may receive the blessing of Abraham and the Holy Spirit. By the blood of Jesus, we not only receive the blessing of Abraham, but we receive more – we receive the Holy Spirit, who to Abraham was only a promise; to us, reality.
To understand how the blood has power, let us consider three questions and their answers
What is it that gives power to the blood of Jesus?
What has the blood of Jesus done?
What can the blood of Jesus do for us today?
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What is it that gives power to the blood of Jesus?
To answer this question, let us read one of the most important verses in the Bible concerning the blood.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” – Leviticus 17:11
Let’s explore in detail the first part of the verse – For the life of the flesh is in the blood.
1. THE VALUE AND THE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS
The Value of the Blood of Jesus
Why does the Bible say, ‘life is in the blood’? In Genesis 2:7 we read the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Let us explore the three statements.
– God made man’s body from the dust of the ground. The body is made of blood, flesh and bones.
– God breathed into man the breath of life – this is the making of the spirit of man. God is spirit, and man being made in God’s image is also spirit; man is a spirit living in a body. The spirit has intuition, communion and conscience.
– And man became a living soul – the soul comes into existence when the blood starts to flow in the body. Man, who is spirit living in a body, became a living soul the moment the blood began to flow in his veins. The soul refers to his personality, his individuality. The soul has intellect, emotions and will.
The life of the flesh is in the blood – the blood that runs in our body contains our physical life. The blood is the carrier of life. It is the same for Jesus; when He lived on this earth, His life was contained in His blood. And it was God’s own life; his earthly body contained the life of God the son. The blood of Jesus contained God’s life. His blood did not originate from his parents. If it had, it would not have been able to sanctify or deliver anyone for it would have been tainted with sin nature that his parents were born with. Paul says in his letter to the church of Ephesus – ‘the church of God which He purchased with His own blood’. This means that the blood of Jesus was God’s own blood, not that of His parents.
Blood is considered sacred because it is the carrier of life. Leviticus 17:12 says Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood’. While the blood in itself is sacred, because it sustains and carries life, there is a difference in value between the blood of animals, of man and of Jesus. We read in Leviticus chapter 4 that the blood of different animals was considered of different values. If a priest sinned, he would have to sacrifice a big bullock. If a leader among the Israelite sinned, he could just sacrifice a goat. And if a common man sinned, all he needed to offer was a little lamb.
Now, consider the value of the blood of man. Man is made in the likeness and image of God, and breath of God caused the blood to flow in his life; therefore no man’s blood should be shed. Murder is sinful. The blood of man is valued higher than the blood of an animal.
Now, consider the value of the blood of Jesus. To get an idea, let us look at the instance of the dedication of the temple by king Solomon. It was an opulent building. It is estimated that king David alone had donated about 500 million dollars worth. He had stored gold and silver that he did not even have time to count. King Solomon sacrificed 1,20,000 sheep and 20,000 oxen to dedicate the temple. Why did he do this and why does the Bible record it? Is it merely to show that King Solomon lived in great luxury? Is it to say that the opulence and the grandeur of the temple building could appease God? Is it to show that a sacrifice of 120,000 sheep and 20,000 oxen could accomplish the atonement for our sins? Or is it to say that the blood of Jesus is only as valuable as can be equated to 120,000 sheep and 20,000 oxen? No! The point is that even as great, rich and powerful as Solomon was, with everything that he could do, even if he sacrificed 120,000 sheep and 20,000 oxen, it cannot equal the blood of Jesus.
The Temple was built, now people were going worship there, but how do you go to God, how do you worship Him, how do you have a relationship with Him? You can build a Temple, but what’s the use of it if you cannot know God, you cannot you cannot talk and fellowship with God? How do you come to God? How do you approach His presence? A great price has to be paid, a great sacrifice is needed. Because sin is a barrier between man and God; sin stops man from entering in to the presence of God. Sin makes man unacceptable to God. What can take away our sin? What can take us into the presence of God? What can unite us with God and make us one with God? What can reconcile us with God so that we can live in His presence? What can bring us back to God? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What is value of blood of Jesus? It cannot be really estimated. What can you compare it with? You can compare it with nothing. That is why it is called precious, it is inestimable precious. It is so precious because it is the blood of God Himself.
The Power of the Blood of Jesus
How powerful is the blood of Jesus? – As powerful as God Himself. In our physical life, we are as healthy as our blood is. And for Jesus, it was God’s blood that flowed in His veins, so it was as powerful as God. And since it’s the blood of God that flowed in the veins of Jesus that was shed to atone for my sins, the atonement is complete and excellent. It washes white as snow; it washes away the stain of sin, it washes such that there is not even one spot or one imperfection. He can present you perfect before God through His blood.
The blood of Jesus is as valuable as it is powerful. Neither its value nor its power can be estimated. It can work wonders. It is so powerful that it can take a sinner plunged deep in sin, stained with evil habits and wickedness, cleanse him and turn him into a saint.
2. GOD’S INTENTION TO PROVIDE THE BLOOD OF JESUS FOR THE ATONEMENT OF SINS
Let’s explore the second part of the verse – I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
God intended that the blood of Jesus flow as an atonement for the sins of humankind.
God send Jesus to the earth in a human body for a very special purpose – so that He may pour His pure, innocent, sinless, perfect, precious blood on the Cross of Calvary as atonement for sins. When we think of bloodshed, we immediately think of death, because when blood is shed death occurs. When we think of death, as Christians we think of sin because we know that the wages of sin is death. So since bloodshed means death, and death means that there has been sin, God gave the blood of Jesus on the altar as the payment or the price or punishment for sin.
And all the sacrifices of Old Testament times pointed to that ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. All the sacrifices of Old Testament put together cannot save a man from sin’s punishment. They were all demonstrative of the value, power and the atoning virtue of the blood of Jesus. The Passover, where the blood of about 1,50,000 lamb were shed and the blood was smeared on the doorposts and the lintels, was but a foreshadow of the death of Jesus on the Cross. It offered protection from death. The lamb died instead of a person. In a similar incident, Rahab and her family were saved from death and destruction by a scarlet rope, symbolic of the blood of Jesus.
Christians often complain about how they are weak and sinful. If they understood the power of the blood to cleanse them continually, they will not be weak and faltering. If you explore the power of the blood of Jesus, your complaints about your weakness and diffidence will fade away, and your victories will increase; because you can now experience of the full power of the blood of Jesus.
If you feel that you are weak in your spiritual life, you feel like you are sinning constantly, you feel like you are failing constantly, learn about and understand the power of the blood of Jesus. When you understand and appropriate it for yourself, faith rises in your heart and you can experience the power of the blood of Jesus.
What has the blood done?
It is necessary to know what the blood has accomplished in order to understand what it can do for you.
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead – that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. – Hebrews 13:20, 21.
1. THE BLOOD OF JESUS OPENED THE GRAVE
The blood of Jesus opened the grave and raised Him up from the dead.
Let’s delve deeper into this part of the verse – God brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant. There was an everlasting covenant. Before the world was created there was a covenant between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God the Father envisioned the salvation of man and planned it; the Son would come as a Saviour, die on the Cross, shed His blood, and make atonement. If He did that, then God would do His part; He would raise Him up on the third day. And then the good news would be preached, and Holy Spirit would draw people to believe in it and the follow it. This is the agreement that was made in the eternity past. That is why Jesus said in the garden of Gethsemane, ‘Let your will be done’; He died according to the plan. He fulfilled His part of the covenant. When He accomplished that, God fulfilled His part of the covenant and raised Him back from the dead.
2. THE BLOOD OF JESUS OPENED HEAVEN
The blood of Jesus opened heaven and enabled Him to enter the presence of God.
Hebrews 9:12 – Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. What Jesus has done is remarkable. In the Old Testament times, the high-priest entered a man-made earthly tabernacle, sprinkled the blood of bulls and goats, and entered a man-made mercy seat, once a year. But Jesus, our real high-priest, made Himself the sacrifice, entered in to the very presence of God and presented His sinless blood as an atonement for the sins of humankind, once and for all.
What can the blood of Jesus do for you today?
1.THE BLOOD OF JESUS RAISES YOU UP FROM THE DEPTHS OF SIN AND FAILURE
Let’s look at this part of the verse – May the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead – make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ.
In simple words, it means – May everything turn out well with you; may you live a meaningful life, successful life, doing the will of God and accomplish all what God has planned and purposed for you. The blood of Jesus that raised Him up from the grave will also take us who are down and out in the dumps, defeated, laid down with problems and raise us up. God, though His covenant blood, will raise us up from the dust heaps, from the depths of sin and failure. The blood of Jesus can take a person of failure and turn his life completely around.
2. THE BLOOD OF JESUS ENABLES YOU TO ENTER BOLDLY INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD
The blood of Jesus that opened the heavens for Him, opens it up for us also. The blood of Jesus that not only raised Him from the dead but also took Him back to all the glory at the right hand of the Father, will also raise you up with Him and seat you together with Him in the Heavenly places and place everything under your feet, so that you can have the glory and honour that was given to man in the beginning when God created man. The Holy of Holies is not closed anymore; we can enter and approach the throne of grace. We enter God’s very presence with thanksgiving in our heart. We boldly enter the presence of God through the blood of Jesus, not by the noise we make or the tears we shed.
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Increase your knowledge from the Bible about the blood of Jesus. When you increase your knowledge, your faith grows. And when your faith grows, you can claim the power of the precious blood of Jesus and live a victorious life.
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