Recently, in warring prayer about a matter in which Satan appears to be gaining momentum, what came out of my core and made its way across my lips—over and over for what seemed several minutes—were these four words: “the blood of Jesus.”
In that interceding moment at my bathroom sink, I knew nothing more to say, nothing more for which to appeal. Only Jesus and His blood.
Throughout my growing-up years, I often heard my mother speak of the blood’s purpose, pray from a position of the blood's authority, and declare the reality of the blood’s power over the giant-sized narratives of our home, particularly, an unsaved, alcoholic spouse and a drug-addicted first-born son. During lengthy warring seasons, my mom even put red visuals throughout our house—on the stairwell, windows, door frames, and walls—as reminders to herself and the enemy, the diabolical deceiver, that the red brick home on W. 99th St was covered, roof to foundation, inside and outside, by the blood of the Lamb. More and more, as the years pass by, I am my mother’s daughter. The other day in my bathroom was such proof.
But after repetitiously asserting Jesus' blood in that needy moment, I heard the tempter’s taunting whisper:
“Is that all you’ve got?”
That’s it? No powerful Old Testament example? No encouraging New Testament promise? No emotional appeal from the Psalms?
“That’s all I’ve got,” I internally responded. “It’s enough.”
Yes, enough.
More than enough.
It’s the blood, submissively spilled on Calvary’s cross, that brought about my Savior’s death, that ripped the dividing veil through and through (Mark 15:38), and brings me, a wretched sinner saved by His grace, into right standing with the holiness of God (Romans 5:9). Through Jesus’ blood, I’ve been “made holy” (Hebrews 10:10). Furthermore, putting my faith in Christ and His sacrificial blood identifies me as His most beloved, treasured child (Galatians 3:26). And because I belong to Him, when the tempter temporarily touches me or mine with his contaminants he’s touching “the apple of [God’s] eye” (Zechariah 2:8). He might plunder for a time; still, the blood continuously announces that God Almighty, once and for all—“It is finished.” (John 19:30)—plundered and conquered him!
When that “ancient [foe]” (Revelation 12:10) gains momentum and relentlessly pushes and pounces, and my mind battles with fear, the blood bids me welcome and escorts me into the Holy of Holies to boldly petition (Hebrews 10:19) the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9), my all-wise, all-sovereign, all-knowing and all-powerful Heavenly Father. And through His intervention, the blood’s purifying, redeeming power brings glorious reversals into Earth-plagued realities.
Yes, the blood, willingly offered up for humanity’s cursed dilemma, is sufficient for all that could war against me and mine in this fractured, temporary life: sin, sickness, deception, decay, and death.
Oh, glorify the name of Jesus for the “wonder-working power” of His blood!
And when the Servant Savior—the One who’s “called Faithful and True,” the “KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORD,” whose “name is the Word of God”—returns one day to make all things right by ridding this world of all that went wrong after Creation, John’s Revelation declares that He will be “dressed in a robe dipped in blood” (19:11-16).
So, yes, fear tempter, THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
That’s all I’ve got. And all I need.
Merry Christmas!! What a gift of God you just shared in that devotion. We are so blessed to be covered by the blood! What a visual. We love y’all!!