Pleading The Blood

Pleading The Blood

Exodus 12:13,14

If you grew up in Pentecostal circles as I did, chances are you heard , used or are still using the phrase “I plead the blood.” However, some people in the church world today don’t understand the phrase and ask, “What does it mean?”

The Passover in the Old Testament Scriptures is the focal point of understanding the power of the blood. All sacrifices that proceeded after words under the Mosaic system were founded on this principle: through the blood of animal sacrifice, there would be deliverance, protection, and a God-provided future. This awesome forecasting picture was fulfilled in the Person of Jesus.

Jesus had not even begun his ministry when, appearing before the waters of the Jordan River to be Baptised, it was John the Baptist who announced of Him: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Everyone present understood the implication of his words, but it was difficult for them to come to terms with the idea that the Messiah, who is the King, is also the sacrifice, who is the Lamb. John was raising a signal not only to that day but also to all history.

When we deal with the subject of the blood, we are not dealing with some gory residue of ancient human superstition. When we talk about the blood of Jesus, we are dealing with that which the Scriptures refer to as precious for its exceptional value to address man's sin, man's need for a savior, man's failure, and man's bondage. Its value is related to the immeasurable price of human liberty from the bondage of spiritual torment. The blood of Jesus is the central justified factor in all human order. So central is it that the Bible says Jesus's blood will be the theme of our praise forever.

The Concept

The concept of “pleading the blood” of Jesus has its roots in the Pentecostal tradition. It’s a tradition that is necessary and important to continue upholding today. The book, The Azusa Street Mission and Revival, contains stories where people came to receive prayer for healing. William J Seymour, a one eyed Black Man who was leading the Azusa Street revival, would “plead the blood” over the sick. They were healed and received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

When we talk about "Pleading" the blood of Jesus we are not talking about "begging" God to do something. “Pleading the blood” should not be considered a desperation exercise; God has not called us to come begging before Him. Many of us were raised in an environment where we heard the words, “Father God, keep them under the blood of Jesus.” Or, “Lord, we cover this situation with the blood of Jesus.” Even before we understood it, we believed in the power of the Blood, because we believed that Jesus is the Son of God, and that the Cross was the instrument of redemption which broke the power of hell.

Pleading the blood of Jesus is not some type of superstitious application of a magic formula of words. Rather, a spiritual dynamic is being applied. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ is greater than both the energy of our own humanity and that of our Adversary. The power that saves is also the power that releases, delivers, and neutralizes the demons of hell and the weaknesses of the flesh. The appropriation of the power of the Blood in tough situations is intended for every believer in Christ to know, to understand, and to make use of.

It’s important that we understand the reason for the words we use so they do not become formula, otherwise one of two things will happen. Either what we say will become a superstitious exercise in which we are depending on the words rather than on the understanding that gives the words their power; or some people will not use words related to the blood of Jesus because they don’t understand the spiritual dynamic, leaving them without a resource they need.

When we plead the Blood of Jesus. It is not a statement of unbelief or fear! Pleading the blood activates what happened through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. It is asking God to provide what Jesus’ blood has already purchased. It’s a statement of faith about what happened at Calvary.

The Origin - The Passover

Most of us are familiar with the story of Israel’s deliverance from the last plague of Egypt, in which the firstborn of every family was doomed to die. The Israelites were instructed by God to place the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and lintels, so that the plague of His judgment would “pass over” their houses: