Read Exodus Chapter 11 and 12 before continuing this study.
The Passover reveals so much about the blood of Jesus. The scriptures make it clear that Jesus is our Passover lamb.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast -- as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. (NIV)
We too like the Israelites are instructed to keep the feast. This of course means keeping it in the spiritual sense. We no longer have to kill a lamb every year. Jesus, our Passover lamb has been crucified once and for all. Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world. He came in human form to earth once, towards the end of the ages, to offer up his life as a once for all sacrifice for our sins. We can now apply the blood, again and again and again without the need of another lamb sacrifice (Hebrews 11: 25-28)
Exodus 12 :1-2
Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. NKJV
Exodus 12: 3-4
Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: "On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man's need you shall make your count for the lamb.
The Israelites had to take a lamb. Small families were to share one. We as believers have to receive Jesus and also acknowledge the power of the blood (John 1:12) Small families sharing a lamb made it relatively easy for everyone to have access. Families sharing made sure that no family was burdened financially in purchasing the lamb.
The blood of Jesus cost us nothing. Jesus had paid for it all. The power of the blood is not dependent on your prayers. The secret of the power of the blood is the life of Jesus. Ours is to obey in faith.
Exodus 12: 5-6
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. NKJV
The lamb was without blemish. A picture of Christ (1 Peter : 18-19). It was kept for 4 days. Imagine what the Israelites must have been thinking during the days as these lambs were being kept. The reality of what they were about to do with the lamb must have dawned on them.
We too need to spend time meditating on the blood and let the reality of its power and authority dawn on our hearts. This is one of God's intentions in introducing the Lord's supper (1 Corinthians 11:25) We need to bring these things to remembrance. The level of authority made available to you by the blood of Jesus will depend on the amount of revelation you have in your heart. The more we meditate on the blood the more revelation we receive and the more of His power will be made available to us.
Just like it takes time to learn how to drive, so does it take meditation to receive revelation of the blood. Power and authority come with revelation. You don't declare the car faulty simply because you can't drive properly. Nor should we underestimate the power of the blood simply because we have not had a deep revelation of it.
Exodus 12:7 (also verse 13: 21-24)
And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
Verses 21 to 24 tells us of Moses repeating to the Israelites what God told him earlier in (verse 7). Here is an important picture of how we too can apply the blood of Jesus.
A bunch of hyssop (A shrub like plant, widely cultivated in Asia and ideal to use as a brush) was dipped in a basin of blood and smeared on the lintel and two door posts of the house. The Israelites were then under strict instructions not to leave the house.
The scriptures leave us in no doubt with regards to the fact that the born again believer's body is now the temple (or house) of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body. (NIV)
Ephesians 2:21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. (NIV)
We also, like the Israelites need to smear (apply or plead) the blood of Jesus to our house (i.e. body and soul)
What does it mean to plead the blood of Jesus?
The phrase "pleading the blood" is often used by Christians. Pleading the blood simply means applying the blood to our life and circumstances just like the Israelites applied it to their door posts and were protected from the destroyer. To plead means to contend physically with words. When we plead the blood of Jesus the blood contends and protects us from the power of darkness.
Pleading the blood is simply the taking hold of the authority and power available to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus has shed His blood and made it available for every believer to use. Our mouths play the same role as the bunch of hyssop the Israelites used. We are to use our mouths to apply the blood. Knowing about the blood is not sufficient, speaking about the power of the blood is also necessary. Speaking with our mouths is important in enforcing our victory (Romans 10:10).
We plead the blood by confessing the salvation and deliverance the blood has brought us.
Lets us use a simply illustration to drive home this point.
Imagine the world as a big court room.
God is the Judge sitting on the throne (Hebrews 12:23)
Jesus is your advocate, standing beside you to argue your case (1John 2:1) He reminds the Judge that He died and shed His blood for you.
The devil, satan, is your accuser bringing charges and even attacks against you (Revelation 12:10, Zechariah 3:1)
When an accusation is brought against a person in a law court the defendant, when innocent, can greatly increase His or her chances of being acquitted by producing a reliable witness.
Here lies the power of pleading the blood.
Although we were not physically there when Jesus died, His shed blood bears witness to the fact that He died, rose again and defeated the powers of darkness (Colossians 2: 15). All witnesses need to speak. Remember the blood is living and speaks (Hebrews 12: 24). When we actively plead (speak out) the blood into the negative circumstances and attacks satan brings against us, we are bringing a powerful witness to speak on our behalf (1 John 5:8).
Pleading or speaking the blood causes the blood of Jesus to speak out on our behalf and stops the attacks of satan. Any time you sense the hosts of darkness coming against you plead the blood of Jesus against them.
You can use whatever words the Holy Spirit lays on your heart to do this. A good example is below.
"Your forces of darkness attacking my home and life, I command you to stop in Jesus name. I hold the blood of Jesus against you. The blood of Jesus has defeated you. The blood of Jesus has set me free. The blood of Jesus avails for me. I plead the blood of Jesus over my home, my life and my family. I protect them from your attacks. I walk in the freedom Jesus' death has brought me. Amen"
Next > Power in the speaking blood