The Faith Factor
Part 6 : Power of the Blood to Overcome
As I prayed and studied to get ready for this message, the LORD taught me so much in regards to the title in itself. HE pointed out to me how such little things can grow into something much larger. How some things in people’s lives can be small to start with, and seem quite insignificant . . . yet, left un-dealt with, these small and insignificant things can grow into catastrophic, even deadly things to us both physically and spiritually!
And I know that there are even those times, that some of us tend to take something that really is small and insignificant, and really take it to some rather unhealthy levels, as panic and anxiety set in.
It is my prayer, that this message, will be of a huge benefit for someone out there that may be struggling with some things.
So . . . before I get to the scripture text, allow me to share a short story with you about a worrisome clock.
This clock had been around for many years, and had faithfully woken up his owner in time when needed. This clock performed his job above and beyond what could ever be expected of him.
Through all the times of getting slapped around in the early morning, to the winding up and setting of the alarm at night . . . this clock remained faithful.
After many years of service, the clock began to worry about the fact that he might be losing time, and his inside mechanics might be wearing down.
It got to such a point of concern, that the clock decided to see a Clock Doctor over his situation, because he had suffered a nervous breakdown. The older clock told the doctor everything about when he was first bought, to all the times he had taken a few early morning beatings, while waking up his owner.
He finally confided within the Clock Doctor, and told him what he was truly worried about . . . the fact that he might be starting to lose time, and his owner would get rid of him because of it.
The very wise Clock Doctor looked at the older clock and asked him a very serious question:
"How many tics are there in a single year?"
"That’s easy," the older clock said, "for there are thirty million, seven hundred fifty eight thousand, four hundred!"
"Really?" asked the Clock Doctor. "Are you sure?"
"Without any shadow of a doubt!" the older clock said with confidence.
"And how many of these tics do you handle all at once?"
"Why one of course . . . is not that the norm?"
"Then that is the way you should be approaching life, as you should take each tic, one at a time. Don’t be jumping ahead to see what the other’s are doing, just take one at a time and everything will work out fine!"
The wisdom of the Clock Doctor sent a revelation to the older clock, and he returned to his owner, a stronger and better clock, having more confidence, that all he needed do was take things one at a time.
This story was designed to show all of you, that you should never give place to stress or anxiety in you lifetime . . . just simply take things one at a time and deal with them accordingly. Too many of us allow the stress and anxieties of life to pile up so much on us, that we put such pressures on ourselves to perform, that we can’t even get out of our own driveway.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO BE!
IN THIS MANNER, HE CAN HAVE CONTROL!
HE CAN LEAD YOU INTO SIN!
HE CAN PUT YOU IN WORSE SITUATIONS IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL!
HE KNOWS, THE MORE STRESS PROBLEMS AND ANXIETY HE PUTS ON YOU, THE LESS YOU ARE TO RUN TO GOD FOR HELP, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THAT AGE OLD EXCUSE . . .
"I just don’t have the time!"
IF YOUR LIFE IS THAT STRUNG OUT AND BUSY, THEN YOU NEED TO STOP AND TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, BEFORE THE DEVIL REALLY GETS A GRIP ON YOU!
I guess you can say that this message is going to more deal with those of you that feel stressed out. And that would be better than 90% of us all!
The scripture I want to start with is in Revelations 12:11:
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
These wonderful and endearing words of scripture carry such a powerful meaning for our lives, yet how many of us are looking to see it?
The first thing I want you to understand in why "blood" is so powerful.
FIRST OF ALL . . . I want you to look at your own physical make up. Take a close look at your arms . . . your legs . . . and all of that which makes up your body. What an awesome piece of artwork each and every one of us are, as GOD created us one by one, and putting HIS own signature on us.
When GOD created you, HE knew what HE was doing! HE had a specific plan for your life, that HE actually designed and wrote out way before you were even born!
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,"
(Jeremiah 1:5)
Every time I think of the craftsmanship, that GOD put into making my own make up . . . I am never ceased to be both astonished and amazed!
The way each and every part of your body works together as a unit. The way each and every organ serves a specific and original purpose . . . without it, there are complications . . . some small, others rather large.
Allow me to share some ideas of examples for you . . .
Many people in life suffer serious injury. Some have lost parts of their body because of it, and yet still live useful and productive lives because of it.
Get this now . . . if you were to lose only the last toe on either foot, you would have to learn to walk all over again, all because that ONE toe supports your entire weight!
People have had numerous surgeries with the removal of certain organs such as the appendix . . . This little organ is a mystery, as it has no proven function. It is located at the first branch of the intestine, and it looks like a worm or a tube. Even though it doesn't appear to do anything, it does get inflamed, which is called appendicitis.
What complications have some people suffered because of the removal of this organ? Some have suffered death because it was not treated in time!
Some have had their spleen removed for various reasons.
The spleen does several important jobs. It serves as a reservoir for certain blood components, especially white blood cells that help fight infection and platelets that are necessary for clotting. The spleen also filters small particles from the blood, like bits and pieces of worn out red blood cells. After scavenging these particles from the blood the spleen recycles the components. The spleen also captures bacterial invaders in the blood and then the immune system within the spleen begins its attack upon them. In childhood the spleen also plays a role in forming new blood cells, but this is not so in adults. The important jobs done by the spleen can be taken over, in part, by other organs. Therefore, the spleen is not essential.
(Doctor Shari Maxwell; M.D.)
I can see and understand what Dr. Maxwell is saying . . . but I disagree with here last statement . . . "Therefore, the spleen is not essential." If it were not essential . . . why did GOD put it there? Some medical scientist belief heart trouble has developed in some people because they had their spleen removed . . .
It is also noted that people that have had their spleen removed are at higher risks for a stroke, because the blood cannot develop the needed clots to stop someone from bleeding to death. That is why these same people MUST tell any doctor taking care of them, that their spleen was removed.
The point I am trying to make to you is that YOUR body is unique in it’s own particular make up, and had GOD’S fingerprint on it.
THE SECOND THING . . . to note is how EVERY organ and EVERY limb of your body, desperately depends on the way your body distributes the blood through out your system!
The main blood worker is your heart.
Although your heart is hollow, it isn't empty. In an average adult, about 5 quarts (4.7 liters) of blood flow through the heart each minute. The main job of your heart is to pump that blood, which is full of oxygen and nutrients, through your entire body. Your organs (like your brain, kidneys, and liver) will stop working if they don't get oxygen and nutrients from blood.
In essence, the heart is the "Main Control Center" of your life. Your heart is that single muscle, which pumps the blood that powers your life. It may surprise you to know, but judging by medical standards of today, if the heart’s strength were to measured, it would have the capacity of lifting a locomotive engine off it’s tracks and lifted several feet into the air!
NOW THAT IS IMPRESSIVE!
Thus with the heart, in conjunction with the blood, we live.
If we had no blood in our veins, we would have no life. Our life is completely and totally dependant on our blood system.
Now some of you are probably wondering why the health lesson . . . and the reason is simple . . . I want you to understand that you are unique, first of all, and that the power of blood is more than you can ever imagine!
Let’s look at our scriptural text again . . .
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Notice those first few words . . . "And they overcame him".
When you think of "overcoming" something . . . what do you suppose that means?
For starters . . . to overcome means to succeed in dealing with a problem. Maybe you can even look at it in the terms of not taking a defeat, rather you took the victory, as you overcame the odds.
This is the power that JESUS gave us through HIS resurrection. The power to overcome the snares of the devil, and the trials he throws our way. Because JESUS shed HIS precious blood on Calvary’s Cross, we have victory over the devil and all his evil ways!
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,"
None of us like it when ever the devil throws things at us! None of us like it when he puts obstacles in our path. Like I mentioned earlier, many of us tend to get really stressed out, and have anxiety attacks over those things he does.
WE ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER OVER US UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GIVE IT TO HIM, BY GIVING IN TO HIM!
If you don’t give in to him . . . how is he going to affect you?
HE CAN’T!
You see . . . the power of JESUS’ shed blood completely destroys the devil and every thing he attempts! It puts the devil at a COMPLETE and TOTAL stand still, when he approaches the blood line of JESUS. Why?
BECAUSE SATAN CANNOT CROSS THE BLOOD LINE OF JESUS!
I’m confused, Reverend Sam . . . if Satan cannot cross the blood line . . . why do we have all these trials and such with some of them creating heartaches?
The trials are created by the devil to draw you away from GOD. The devil knows the further he can get you away from GOD, the further you will get away from JESUS blood line. If you fall into sin because of these trials the devil sends you, there is where your heartache starts . . . because . . .
YOU MADE A CONSCIENCE DECISION TO SIN! AND WHEN YOU DID IT . . . YOU WERE THE ONE THAT CROSSED OVER THE BLOOD LINE, AND INTO THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND!
Many of you know the story of Moses, and many of you have more than likely seen the movie : THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
If you will recall . . . Joshua was walking down the streets, and putting lamb’s blood over the top and on both sides of the doorways, so as the "death angel" would pass those people by. Have you ever wondered why there was no blood put on the floor? Simple . . .
NO ONE . . . AND I MEAN NO ONE WALKS ON THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD!
And all of you that are the true sons and daughters of GOD, have the blood of JESUS over you in your life!
It is this blood that has cleansed and purified you before GOD, and given you a new lease on life through JESUS CHRIST!
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,"
(Acts 2:38)
This blood has the power to forgive! For JESUS gave HIS life, by HIS choice, so that you and I could have that eternal life with the FATHER in heaven!
Yes, there will be those times we will have to endure . . . and it is those times we should be leaning on the everlasting arms of JESUS!
My friends . . . there is no other name above the name of JESUS!
Through HIS grace and HIS love, GOD sent HIM to us, so that we could have that relationship restored with the FATHER.
Just as the blood flows through your veins today . . The blood flowed through the veins of JESUS then . . .
JESUS was 100% man and 100% GOD . . . the man side had it’s struggles, and yet the GOD side "overcame" those struggles, and gave JESUS the strength HE needed to do what needed to be done . .
Through HIS mighty name . . . you can also overcome those struggles and trials that the devil has sent your way.
That awesome and wonderful resurrection power all starts with the blood of JESUS, and lives within each and every one of us, as we have the authority through faith to rebuke the devil.
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
(John 14:13)
The power of JESUS blood is there for all of us to know . . . do you know it?
I love you guys!
Reverend Sam
