No gift God has given us is more important than the blood of Jesus Christ. Yet many Christians do not fully comprehend the power of the blood. What’s worse is that many churches – even whole denominations – have stopped preaching and singing about the blood and its power.
How about you? Do you understand the significance of the blood?

The Powerful Blood
The Bible tells us many powerful things that the blood of Jesus does when applied.
When you apply the blood, it:

Provides forgiveness of your sins. “The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22, NIV)

Gives you life. “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53)

Brings you close to God. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

Cleanses your conscience. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)

Gives you boldness to approach God. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus…” (Hebrews 10:19)

Sanctifies you. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” (Hebrews 13:12)

Cleanses you. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Heals you. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NIV)

Enables you to overcome the devil and his works. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12:11, NIV)

Blood is Important

Blood is so important to God that it is mentioned in the Bible around 700 times. David referred to the “incorruptible” blood. Peter spoke of the “precious” blood, and John wrote of the “overcoming” power of the blood.

We’re told in Leviticus 17:11 that, “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” This is true in both spiritual and physical realms.

Your natural blood supplies life-giving oxygen and nutrients to every cell in your body. If the flow of blood were to be cut off from an area of your body, that part would begin to die. Spiritually speaking, any part of your life that is cut off from the blood of Jesus is dead or dying.

Your blood also carries away wastes and toxins from your cells. Spiritually, without the blood of Jesus, your life would be filled with filth just like the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27. Thank God for the blood of Jesus that removes the dirt of sin from our daily lives!

God also equipped your body with white blood cells that fight off sickness. Any time bacteria or viruses try to get in, your white cells start destroying the invaders. When your natural blood is healthy, you are protected from disease; and when you are spiritually healthy, there isn’t anything the devil can bring against you that the blood of Jesus isn’t sufficient to overcome. There truly is life in the blood!

Shed and Sprinkled Blood

At the Last Supper, when Jesus held up the cup of wine, He said, “…This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). The blood of Jesus is so significant that this scripture is used every time we receive communion. Still, most Christians know only about the blood being shed and not about it being applied.

In Exodus 12:22, the Israelites were commanded to kill a lamb and dip a branch of hyssop (a common herb) into its blood. They were then to sprinkle the blood on the lintel and side-posts of their front doors. That night, as the death angel came, he passed over every door where he saw the blood on the doorposts. Everyone whose doorposts had no blood lost their firstborn; those with the blood were spared.

If an Israelite had left the blood in the basin instead of applying it, the death angel would have struck their home. Killing the lamb would have done them no good. The shedding of blood was not enough – the blood only had saved them when it was taken out of the basin and applied!

God Looks at the Blood

It’s important to note that God’s protection wasn’t dependent on the zeal of the Israelites or their good works. He wasn’t looking at the degree of their morality or even their devotional habits. God was looking only at the blood, and He is still looking only at the blood!
Throughout the Old Testament, it was the blood of sacrificed animals that had the power to atone or make amends for wrong doing. We read about this in Leviticus 17:11, where it says: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”

However, in the New Testament, Jesus said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28, NIV). Even though there is nothing any person can do to compensate for their sins, many keep trying to make up for the things they’ve done. It may be something big or small: an addiction, an affair, an abortion, an angry outburst, an unforgiving heart – but the blood of Jesus is the only thing that can bring about the forgiveness you and I need.

In 1 John 1:7-9 we’re told, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we admit our sins to God, the blood of Jesus provides complete forgiveness and cleansing.

Without the blood of Jesus, we are defenseless against the devil and his works. Yes, it’s good to have zeal and do good works. It’s good to have a high degree of morality and a strong devotional life. But none of those things alone can cleanse, heal, or protect you. When it comes to your forgiveness and cleansing, your healing, protection, and deliverance, God is still looking at the blood!

Applying the Blood

Just as the blood had to be sprinkled on the doorposts, you also must apply the blood of Jesus. It was already shed for you, but it becomes powerful in your life when you apply it.

Under the old covenant, the blood of animals was applied by sprinkling with the hyssop. Under the new covenant, we apply the blood of Jesus with our words. “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

You apply the blood of Jesus when you say, “the blood of Jesus was shed on the cross for me.”

You can apply the blood of Jesus to receive healing (Isaiah 53:5). You can apply it to protect your household (Exodus 12:13). It can be applied to cover your children and their circumstances (Job 1:5). You can apply the blood to anything you have authority over or influence upon. And whatever you apply the blood of Jesus to becomes redeemed by Christ, and Satan cannot touch it.

Know this: the blood of Jesus will never lose its power, but it will only make a difference in your life when you apply it.

There is power in the blood of Jesus Christ!

(All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.)