The Drop of blood

I see in my mind's eye, a drop of the blood of Jesus dripping onto the forehead of our spiritual bodies. Then how it penetrates to our physical bodies until the whole person is covered and purified, washed and protected with and by the blood of the Lamb.

This is how I envision spiritually applying the blood of Jesus when I start thinking of covering someone with the blood of Jesus through prayer.

I started thinking about this topic of pleading the blood after feeling prompted to read again about the account of how the Israelites protected their 1st born children during the plagues in Egypt by covering the doorposts with the blood of a pure lamb.

But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. 

When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. 

(Exodus 12:13).

Then Retha McPherson started talking about it again in her newsletters on spiritual warfare/protection (Retha McPherson Ministries)

It was also the topic the pastor ended the sermon with at a church service I attended this Sunday - pleading the blood of Jesus over a person by putting your hand on their forehead and praying.

When we think of blood, we think of red... of stains.  It isn't logical to think that washing with blood can make you clean. Spiritually though, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us.

They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

(Revelation 7:14b)

As that old hymn says: ♪♫ There is power in the blood! ♪♫

God, Your will be done on earth

So yesterday evening a friend who has cancer asks for my prayer support because her faith is running on empty a bit.  I "happen" upon Greg Anderson who wrote a book called "Cancer and the Lord's Prayer".  


Greg and his wife Linda responded to the following question in an interview on the Kyria website

Your book talks about the Lord's Prayer. What role did that play?

Greg: One clause that's often overlooked is, "Thy will be done." A lot of people pray, "Lord, help me. Heal me. Take the cancer away." But there comes a spiritual maturity that says, "Lord, above all, make known to me your will. And I will do whatever possible to make that my life." I didn't say take away the cancer. I said, "Use the cancer." I didn't say, "Perform a miracle," I said, "Lord, help me reveal your will."

Linda: When we started to concentrate on that during Greg's cancer, God started to move emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

(You can read the rest of the article here: 30 days to live)


So I go read the Lord's prayer again in the Bible (Matthew 6) and it lists a reference to 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

 “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from You alone, for You rule over everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and at Your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Then I "happen" upon a website of Pieter van Rooyen called Business Unusual (Banking on God)

He lists a prayer on his website under the following heading:
If you are desperate for miracles in your Life, Health, Family, Finances or Business please pray this prayer out loud:

“Lord Jesus I come to You today to give You all praise and glory for who You are. I declare You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Lord You alone reign over the universe. I thank you that you love me so much that you even created me into your image (Gen1:26-27) and that you have given me authority here on earth over all things, except man (Gen1:28). Lord you taught us to pray: “…let Your kingdom come, [here] on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). Lord I declare that in heaven there is abundance in every area of my life. In heaven there is no sickness and no diseases, in heaven my family are well, happy and are all serving you, in heaven there is no lack of finances and in heaven my business is prosperous! Lord You call me an ambassador (2 Cor 5:20) of the Kingdom of Heaven, You call me a son (child) of the Most High (2 Cor 6:18) and an heir to Your throne (Gal 4:7). As a born again citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, I declare I have authority (Gen. 1:28) over every area of my life and I plead Lord that Your kingdom come in my (life/health/family/ finances/business), as it is in heaven. Lord I ask that You protect me and that You put a hedge around (Job 1:10) me and my (life/health/family/ finances/business). I declare greater miracles (John 14:12) in my life and receive it now by faith only. I ask this in the name of Jesus, AMEN.”

Take a new look at the Lord's prayer. Don't say it just as a ritual but let it come alive as you talk to God.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and glory, forever.

Amen!

Praying is YOUR responsibility

Now don't get me wrong, if someone asks for prayer support, of course you pray with them.  At other times, God will even lead you to pray for someone who may never even know that you prayed for them.


What I am talking about here is people who say " I don't know how to pray", or "God doesn't listen to my prayers, so please will you pray FOR me." (The implication is "I am not going to pray for this myself", and "your prayers carry more power than mine")


You don't get saved because someone else believes in Jesus Christ on your behalf. God gives us free will to choose to believe in Him.  Expecting someone else to do your praying work for you, well, ultimately that's not going to work either.


God is not a genie in a bottle - there to grant your every wish while you couldn't be bothered to talk to Him. He is your God, who also longs to be a close and intimate friend.  He wants you to get to know Him, love Him, trust Him, spend time just breathing in His presence ... as you reach out to Him, pour out your heart to Him, believe in His goodness, rest in Him, you will find your trust in Him growing.


This is not going to happen if you continually ask others to pray for you while you go on your merry way.


Start believing that God is who He says He is: LOVE
Start doing what He says: forgive, bless and pray for your enemies; have faith


It's God who answers the prayer and it's got nothing to do with any "special powers" the person praying may appear to have.  He is available to all who seek Him.  The death and resurrection of Jesus gave us all direct access to the Father.  Believe it!


My prayer today is that all of us will grow closer to Him, reach out to Him, receive His love peace guidance and yes, even miracles!
Thank you, Jesus
Amen.


2 Corinthians 1:24 (New Living Translation)
But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.