Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
On Memorial Day, in the United States, we honor the US military personnel who have died in service to our country. They gave their lives so that we might have freedom. That is also what Jesus Christ came to do for all humanity. He shed His blood and gave His life so that we could be set free from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13).
We have salvation because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. There is power in the blood of Jesus, which provides everything we need to live an abundant and victorious life, including:
1) Redemption
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7
In general, redemption means regaining or restoring something that was lost. It is the act of saving in exchange for a payment.
In the Biblical sense, God’s love sent Jesus to the cross to die for the sins of all humanity to reconcile and redeem us to Himself. Jesus paid the price or penalty for our sins as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice. The remission or cancellation of our sins requires the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). The sacrifices of bulls and goats performed under the law could not take away sins, but only Jesus Christ, who died once and for all (Hebrews 10:1-10). In God’s eyes, blood is a symbol of life.
‘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.’ Leviticus 17:11
Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant (John 19:30), and He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, made possible by His blood, with God forever (Matthew 26:28).
2) Fellowship with God
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19
Jesus’ blood paid the price so that we could have access to God, enter the Holy of Holies, and have a relationship with Him (Hebrews 10:19-23).
Only the forgiveness purchased at the cross can heal and restore us to God, enabling us to have fellowship with Him. We are reconciled to God and have peace and fellowship with Him through the blood of Jesus. His blood gives us access to God’s presence.
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:19-20
3) Protection
‘Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.’ Exodus 12:13
God is serious about the blood and instituted the Passover when He brought the children of Israel out from Pharaoh and the bondage of Egypt. They were to kill a male lamb without blemish, put some blood on the two doorposts and lintel of their houses, roast the lamb in the fire, and eat it in haste, ready to leave. The blood was a sign for them on the houses so that when the Lord sees the blood, He will pass over them, and the plague will not be on them to destroy them when He strikes the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14, 23). Jesus did the same with His blood, which protects us from now into eternity.
Passover represented the work of the cross as a type and foreshadowed Jesus Christ. Jesus, who was put to death during Passover, became our Passover when He shed His blood on the cross (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sins (John 1:29), slain before the world’s foundation (Revelation 13:8).
4) Authority to overcome the devil
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Revelation 12:10-11
5) Healing
Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (pains); yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (Words in parentheses indicate their Hebrew meanings.)
We are healed because Jesus paid the price. The blood of Jesus also provides cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7), justification – to declare righteous (Romans 5:9), and sanctification – to set apart, make holy (Hebrews 13:12).
Everything Jesus suffered on the cross represents something He took upon Himself for us. Jesus was both scourged and crucified. It was all part of God’s plan, and the scourging was necessary, for by His stripes, we were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Jesus’s blood flowed freely from His body for our deliverance from every disease, as well as physical, mental, and emotional affliction. God allowed all those stripes to fall on His Son’s body so that our bodies and souls wouldn’t be afflicted by sickness and disease. He took the scourging as full payment.[1]
Jesus provided healing for the whole man through the passion and finished work of the cross, through His sacrifice, death, burial, and resurrection. He was betrayed, accused, mocked, and spit upon. The blood of Jesus streamed from every part of His body to make us whole from head to toe!
Christ has redeemed us from the law’s curse, having become a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Jesus’ blood has the power to save, redeem, heal, protect, continually cleanse us, and give us God’s favor. The blood of Jesus reversed every part of the curse, i.e., sickness and disease, poverty and lack, addiction, and any bondage, etc. These things don’t have any legal right to be there any longer because of what Jesus did at the cross.
The cross was a legal transaction in the spirit realm and a righteous altar. When we trust in the name of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior, we enter into the ruling that was given in our favor from the Courts of Heaven at the cross.
This ruling encompasses forgiveness of all sin, healing for our spirit, soul, and body, and access to heaven and its heavenly places. We have the power and authority to act on behalf of the government of heaven as sons and daughters of God. Remember, we are seated in Christ at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We also have protection from evil spirits and demonic influences (Luke 10:19; Colossians 1:13; Psalm 34:7; 91:9-13).
However, there’s a difference between what is legal and what is experientially ours. Our adversary, the devil, tries to keep us from what is legally ours. Not every born-again believer has appropriated what Christ redeemed for us. What Jesus did on the cross must be appropriated by faith. We must have faith in the blood of Jesus!
Every time we release His blood over our lives, we experience His love and His victory! The blood of Jesus overcame the enemy and covers everything. We can enforce that victory in our lives and life situations by applying the power of the blood of Jesus to any condition for healing, deliverance, provision, protection, etc. Our requests to Father God, Our Righteous Judge, must align with His Word to activate our victory in Jesus.
Because Jesus is alive and His blood is eternal, it speaks on our behalf (Hebrews 12:24). When we plead the blood, we become actively involved in releasing it.
Pleading the blood may sound like begging, but it isn’t. It refers to a legal term, such as a lawyer presenting his case before a judge (with evidence and facts to support it). In that same way, we can plead our case to our Heavenly Father and Righteous Judge in the Courts of Heaven.
Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted. Isaiah 43:26
The Courts of Heaven exist in the unseen heavenly realm and are one way to pray and approach God (Daniel 7:9-10; Luke 18:1-8; Hebrews 4:16). In the Courts of Heaven, believers have access to God, the righteous and sovereign Judge, through prayer, petition, and intercession led by the Holy Spirit.
Because of Jesus’ blood and the finished work of the cross, we have access to the Courts of heaven, as Jesus made a pathway for us when He ascended to heaven in His glorified physical body (Hebrews 10:19-20). Therefore, we step in by faith to present our case by petitioning the Courts of Heaven to move on our behalf and bring deliverance to us and our circumstances.[2]
“No weapon made will prevail against you. In court, you will refute every accusation. The servants of ADONAI inherit all this; the reward for their righteousness is from me,” says ADONAI. Isaiah 54:17 CJB
We trust the blood covenant the Father made with His Son, Jesus. When we plead the blood of Jesus in faith, we are not just saying words; we are applying the power and authority He has given us to the situations in our lives and to others as well. When we plead the blood, we are going against Satan and his works. When we plead the blood of Jesus, it is an expression of our faith in the protective power of His blood.[3]
The Courts of Heaven release a verdict in our favor because of the blood of Jesus. We don’t have to apply the blood to our doorpost as they did in Old Testament times during Passover, but we can speak and confess the blood, just as we do when we confess and speak the promises of God over our lives, bringing us Christ’s victory.
We can also plead the blood of Jesus over our body parts, asking the Lord to cleanse them, then anoint and consecrate them with anointing oil to set them apart for His service and use.
I go before the throne of grace daily, and I plead the blood of Jesus over my husband and me, our marriage, health, finances, ministry, home, and family. When I go out, I release the glory of the Lord, and I plead the blood of Jesus over any building, house, or airplane I enter, establishing peace and for my protection. The Holy Spirit also previously instructed me to plead the blood of Jesus around the perimeter of my house to establish a bloodline that the enemy cannot cross. I take Holy Communion most days for healing, and health, and to remind the devil of the victory Christ won for me through His sacrifice on the cross.
Taking Holy Communion
The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat,; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Invitation to Salvation
When you receive Jesus into your heart as your Savior, He will change you. Forgiveness is available to all at the cross; come as you are! It is the starting place to receive all He is and wants to give you: eternal life and abundant life now!
If you want to experience God’s love and have peace with Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can pray this suggested prayer aloud. You can also pray in your own words. Remember, it is not words or prayer alone that will save you. Prayer is a way to reach out to the Lord, and it must be done in faith (completely trusting in Him alone to save you). He gives us His faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 12:3; Hebrews 12:2).
Christ will save you when you ask Him, believing that He will. Faith is not a feeling; it is simply believing God, taking Him at His Word, and receiving His gift of salvation. You can also receive the gift of baptism with the Spirit simultaneously, which Jesus promised to give believers. It is power from on high to be His witnesses and activates the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues (John 1:32-34; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).[4]
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’” (Acts 2:38-39)
Prayer for Salvation and Baptism with the Holy Spirit (To be prayed out loud)
Heavenly Father,
Your Word says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. I ask You to forgive me for my sins. I repent, turn from them, and turn to You. I am calling on You and asking Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life. I believe Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, and He is alive today. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me the Holy Spirit to live inside me. I ask Jesus to baptize me with the Holy Spirit and fill me with Your healing power. I now belong to You. Help me live for You and obey You all the days of my life.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Now is the time for us as born-again believers to activate the blood of Jesus so it can manifest in our lives. If you would like to do this, I invite you to speak these declarations out loud in the Courts of Heaven. These will give you examples of how to plead the blood of Jesus over your lives and situations.
It is important to begin with thanksgiving, then ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything you need to repent of. Be specific when the Holy Spirit brings something to mind. It is Jesus’ blood that cleanses us when we repent.
Then bring a specific need before Him. Remind Him of His will as it is written in the Word, which is our testimony and evidence, when you mention your exact need. Then plead the blood of Jesus over it.
Heavenly Father, Righteous Judge, I enter into the Heavenly Courts by faith because Jesus made a way. I thank You for His life and blood.
I repent for all my sins and unrighteousness. Thank You that 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I am under God’s grace because Romans 5:20 says that where sin abounds, grace superabounds over it.
Because Jesus disarmed principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it according to Colossians 2:15, I plead the blood of Jesus over every principality, power, ruler of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places assigned against the purposes of God for my life, my family, my church, my city, and my nation.
I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, casting down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 10:5.
I plead the blood of Jesus over my conscience. I ask the blood of Christ to cleanse my conscience from dead works according to Hebrews 9:14.
I plead the blood of Jesus over my feet. Blood of Christ, wash and cleanse my feet and remove every defiled thing, remove the past so that I can walk forward. I turn my feet to the righteous path God created for me according to my book written in heaven (Psalm 139:16).
We ask You, Father God, to carry out and enforce Your will through Your warring angels. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.
[1] Dr. Bree Keyton, Stripes, Nails, Thorns, and The Blood (USA: Black Forest Press, 2003).
[2] Robert Henderson, Petitioning the Courts of Heaven (Shippensburg: Destiny Image Publishers, 2020).
[3] Dr. Glenn Arekion. The Blood of Favor (Italy: Destiny Image® Europe, 2006).
[4] Alexis Carucci, Jesus The Healer ( Kindle Direct Publishing, 2024).
Living the Abundant Life 