Pleading The Blood

PLEADING THE BLOOD

Rev. 5:9; 12:11

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. “Now class,” she said, “if I stood on my head, the blood would run into it and I would turn red in the face, right?” “Yes ma’am,” the class murmured.

2. “Then why is it, when I am standing upright in the ordinary position, that my blood doesn’t rush into my feet?” A little fellow shouted, “Cause your feet aren’t empty!”

B. THESIS & TITLE

1. If you talk to old-timers about spiritual warfare, you’ll inevitably hear one of them use the expression, to “Plead the Blood.” This phrase means to speak of the blood in prayer to God, to claim it as a protective shield against the enemy, or even as an offensive weapon against spiritual forces.

2. So we’re going to look at 4 things: 1). How the Blood saves, 2). How it turns back the forces of evil, 3). How it averts God’s wrath & opens Heaven, and 4). How it’s an Offensive weapon to overcome the enemy.

3. This message, “Pleading the Blood,” shows 4 powers of the Blood of Christ:

I. THE BLOOD SAVES YOUR SOUL FROM SIN/ HELL

A. FORGIVENESS ONLY THROUGH THE BLOOD

1. First of all, notice the vast worth & importance of the Blood of Jesus! Sin separates us from God – Isa. 59:2. Sin is a stain for which there is no stain-remover, except the Blood! Hebrews 9:22 tells us, “...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

2. That’s why preachers have talked about the “bloodline” or representations of the Blood of Jesus, down through history.

3. When Adam & Eve sinned, animals were slain (their blood shed) so that they might be ‘clothed.’ Abel offered lambs for atoning sacrifice. So did Noah, Abraham, Job, and all the other patriarchs, because showed them the truth, a life in exchange for a life. That’s the basis of the sacrificial system. This is also common in humanity; for us to live, we must consume the life of some other plant or animal.

B. BOUGHT BACK BY THE BLOOD

1. Peter pointed out that we were NOT redeemed “with perishable things such as silver or gold...but with the precious blood of Christ” 1 Pet. 1:18-19. Christians are a blood-bought people!

2. In Heaven the angels (Book of Revelation) praised Christ as, “You were slain, and with your blood you PURCHASED for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” Rev. 5:9.

3. How many know that we owe a great debt? (The Song), “He paid a debt He did not owe!” The blood of Jesus is the most valuable substance in the universe!

4. WHAT ARE THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS IN THE WORLD? (Business Insider Mag., 9/22/14) plus others:

a. Gold $27,000/pound

b. Diamonds $29 Million/pound

c. Da Vinci Painting $450 Million (Salvator Mundi)

d. Element Californium $12 Billion/pound

e. Anti-matter $45,000 Trillion/pound

5. BUT NONE OF THOSE WOULD AVAIL TO PURCHASE YOUR SALVATION! They’re of little or no worth to God. But the blood of Jesus is the most precious commodity in the Universe; one drop of it could redeem the entire human race!

6. The Blood of Jesus is a form of currency; It has purchasing power; it alone was worth enough to pay the sin-debt of the entire world!

C. ILLUSTRATION

1. There was a “parliament of religions,” held in Chicago many years ago, where practically every known religion was represented. During one session, Dr. Joseph Cook, of Boston, rose and said: “Gentlemen, there is a woman with a great sorrow. Bloodstains are on her hands, and nothing she has tried will remove them. The blood is that of murder. She has been driven to desperation in her distress. Is there anything in your religion that will remove her sin and give her peace?”

2. The representatives of the foreign religions sat silent, for with that sin none could offer her hope. Dr. Cook then cried out, “Apostle John, can you tell this woman how to get rid of her awful sin?” He waited, as if listening, & then said, “Listen. John speaks: ’The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from ALL sins’ (I John 1:7).”

3. In the face of human need, only the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the answer of sin, not because it was overlooked, but because it was paid for! [Frederick A. Tatford]

II. THE BLOOD TURNS BACK THE FORCES OF EVIL

A. PROTECTION IN EGYPT

1. When God allowed Egypt to experience the 10 plagues, Ps. 78:49 says it was actually a “band of destroying angels.” God removed His protection from Egypt, because of their sin. It culminated in the death of the firstborn.

2. Moses called this angel of death “the destroyer” (Ex. 12:23), using the Heb. word “shawkhath” which means “decay, ruin.” I believe these weren’t good angels, but fallen angels, due to their nature as destroyers.