Blood is a powerful thing. It is the vehicle of life. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell of our bodies, distributing life through its flow. When the blood stops, life stops. Only blood can hold back death.
When God created man, He covered him with His glory and filled man's veins with physical lifeblood. Adam and Eve dwelt in a Garden that was filled with life. There was no death, no sin, no corruption. Their disobedience to God changed all that and opened the door to death. God's glory left them and they stood naked and spiritually dead. They tried to cover their sin with leaves, but only God knew how to properly hold back death. He sacrificed animals and covered Adam and Eve with the skins. That was the first time blood was shed on man's behalf. God did it with His own hands.
When Cain slew his brother Abel, God said that the voice of Abel's blood cried out. Blood has a voice. It speaks out against death.
When the plague of death to all firstborns was pronounced upon Egypt, God instructed Moses to sacrifice a lamb and place the blood on the door posts of his house. The blood held back the spirit of death and caused it to pass over without entering. Every home in Egypt that had lamb's blood over the door was spared from death.
When God established the Law through Moses for the nation of Israel, he instructed them to sacrifice animals so that the blood would hold back the effects of sin, namely death. Animal blood was not powerful enough to eradicate sin, but it covered for a time.
Through all of this, God was preparing the way for a better sacrifice. When the time was right, God sent His own Son into the world for the purpose of shedding His own blood, so that death could be defeated. Jesus was born to bleed for us, born to die for us. He understood all of this full well and went willingly to the slaughter. He shed His blood as a sacrificial lamb. When we accept that sacrifice it is as though we are placing His blood on the doorposts of our own life, so that death may not enter. We are restored to spiritual life with our Heavenly Father. We are given everlasting life in His courts. Our physical bodies are quickened and have the potential for supernatural health, if we truly have faith in the power of the blood.
When Jesus shed His blood at Calvary, pouring it out onto God's Mercy Seat, we were given a holy restraining order against sin, death, sickness, satan and all demonic oppression.
There is no physical blood on our doors that keeps death and destruction from entering our lives. Because we don't have blood that we can see, we often forget to enforce the restraining order. But, if there is blood in our faith, we have the power to stand against the enemy and forbid him to pass.
As I prepare to celebrate my precious Lord's resurrection tomorrow, I am grateful for and mindful of His shed blood. That blood still covers the Mercy Seat. The restraining order still stands in effect. It is up to us to enforce it. It is according to the measure of our faith.
Lord, I believe in the power of your shed blood. Please, help my unbelief.
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Notes on the drawing: "Passover" by Carol Ann Welch, ink & colored pencil on paper, 11"x14", copyright 2002.
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