“The Authority in the Blood”

The New International Version Chapter 26

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

“The Authority in the Blood”

Text: Matthew 26:26-30

Introduction: The blood that Jesus shed for me

Way back on Calvary, The blood that gives me strength, From day to day, It will never lose its power

It reaches to the highest mountain, It flows to the lowest valley, The blood that gives me strength

From day to day, It will never lose its power. “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” is a song penned by Andrae Crouch and the lyrics are amazingly true.

The life of Jesus is forever in His blood. When we partake of His blood in Holy Communion, we are remembering and celebrating what Jesus has done for us and is doing for us by the sacrifice of His shed blood.

What are the benefits of the Blood?

The blood of Jesus is eternal. Within it is the very life of God. What is divine is full of purpose, and the blood of Jesus is no different. The precious blood of the Lamb, which was shed for the atonement of our sins, brings about more than just the cleansing of sins – though the cleansing of sins is magnificent all its own.

We can receive all of the benefits of the blood by faith, for faith is how we enter the New Covenant with God. Just as Abraham entered into a covenant with God by faith, so we also enter into a new covenant with God by faith.

Protection

The acknowledgment of the Passover has its origins on the night when the angel of death visited the land of Egypt. Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release the Jewish people, God’s chosen and called nation, from slavery. Because of the stubbornness of Pharaoh, death came upon the first-born son of every household in Egypt.

However, God provided special protection for His people. God instructed the Israelites to place blood around the doors of their homes. When the angel of death saw the blood of the lamb, it would pass over the household, leaving the first born and everyone in the home unharmed. This doesn’t mean that nothing bad will ever happen in your life. It simply means that nothing outside of God’s will can touch you when you walk in obedience, or covered by the blood.

Healing

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. – Isaiah 53:5

My debt is paid, once and for all

“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28)

I am spared from God’s wrath

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. “ (Romans 5:9)

Why is it given to us?

Because of Christ's shed blood, God is able to forgive us of sins because He took our punishment. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Hebrews 13:12 tells us that “Jesus also suffered…in order to sanctify the people through His own blood.” It makes sense that God wants us to be in a new relationship with the sin that previously condemned us. That is why He gives us the power, through the blood of His Son, to be cleansed from our sinful behaviors.

Jesus’ blood is our ticket to boldly enter God’s presence. Hebrews 10:19-22 says, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

How should this authority be used?

We have been given authority in Christ as children of God. According to Jesus and the teaching of the Bible, we have been given authority to carry out the purposes of God in advancing His Kingdom, healing the sick, and defeating the works of Satan and the powers of darkness. The chief barrier and influence hindering our experience of freedom is the power of sin manifest in its various forms as well as our enemy the devil. Because Satan is at work, it requires the greater all surpassing power of Christ manifest through us to render powerless the various influences of Satan. To continue the work of Jesus and to express His will on earth, you must go beyond simply believing to ACTING on the authority you have been given by Jesus.

Authority as characterized in the New Testament and expressed in the ministries of Jesus and His disciples is, the ability, right, or power to do something. This ability or power is derived from another person or source and is given to someone for a particular purpose. God has freely given believers the power to do a work for Him. Why aren’t we acting within the authority of the blood. I submit to you today that there are a number of reason believers experience a lack of power to do the work or ministry we are commissioned to do, The number one reason is, we have to be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. “Ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you” When we have really given our lives to Christ, the Spirit of God should become the leader of our thoughts and actions. Only when we are led by the Spirit will we act within the authority of the blood of Jesus. In short we have to allow the Holy Spirit to empower and use us to complete the mission that God has assigned us to do.

Closing: In essence we, like a peace officer, wear the badge of Christ’s authority and bear the force of His Kingdom as we exercise authority in His Name to establish His peaceful and righteous rule and accomplish His Will. Like and officer’s uniform and protective gear, we bear His image and likeness representing our King and His Kingdom, carry His Spirit within us, and clothe ourselves in His protective armor. We also bear the weapons of His Word and pray in the power of the Holy Spirit while exercising His authority and power to force the opposing powers into compliance with His will so that order is established and His peace and righteousness prevail.