Remember the movie, The Passion of the Christ? It’s arguably one of the best depictions of Christ’s final hours. But it’s also one of the most gruesome.
From Jesus’ violent arrest to His flogging and death, almost every scene is marked by intense cruelty. So much so that journalists couldn’t comprehend it all. One wrote: “How much violence and bloodshed is necessary for the film to be authentic?”
The answer to that question? More! You see, prophesying of Christ’s death, Isaiah wrote that Jesus was so beaten, battered and bruised that He was beyond any resemblance of a man (Is. 52:14). Even as bloody as any depiction I’ve seen to date, Jesus is always recognizable as a man. Imagine the amounts of blood it would take to realize what Isaiah was describing.
The Power of Jesus’ Blood
Some of you might be tempted to click away right now, because blood makes us uncomfortable and uneasy. We wince when we see it because it often represents the most heinous crimes and disasters. But that’s the devil’s work. Jesus’ blood represents life. It represents sinlessness and purity, healing, deliverance and salvation. None of these would exist without Jesus’ blood. He had to be a pure, spotless lamb, sacrificed—shredded—on the altar of the earth in order to atone for your sins and my sins—once and for all.
But the blood of Jesus does more than cover and cleanse. It also speaks! The Bible assures, “Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, sprinkles His blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Heb. 12:24). This is an awesome image! It means that Christians have the ultimate force field protecting us, proactively countering Satan’s lies and then shouting back at him in our defense.
Activate Your Greatest Weapon
Here’s a declaration to activate your greatest weapon against Satan: “I am covered by the blood of Jesus!” Say it and see yourself now enveloped from head to toe with His DNA! Now, begin to hear it speak in your defense. If the devil taunts, “Bound,” the blood says, “Free!” If the devil fires, “Rejected,” the blood responds, “Accepted!” If the devil threatens, “Sick,” the blood proclaims, “Healed!” If the devil accuses, “Guilty,” the blood declares, “Forgiven!”
How incredible! Don’t settle for how little blood you can get away with. But see yourself positioned at the foot of the cross and say, “Pour it on, Jesus!” Be assured, the blood of Jesus is active and alive, and it silences Satan on your behalf. {eoa]
Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the #1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy’s attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.
