The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything you need to live a life of victory, including redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil. As Christians, we know about the blood, sing hymns about the blood, and remember it during Communion. But how many of us truly know how deep its power runs, and all that it has provided for us? Even more important— how many of us use it and apply it in our lives every day? From Genesis to Revelation, the words of the blood are kept before our eyes—a reminder of its importance and significance to God and to us. The sacrifices of Abel, Noah and Isaac, and the Passover lamb, and the giving of the Law all came to pass, but “not without blood” (Hebrews 9:7, NKJV). The blood symbolises cleansing and purification—the settling of a matter. God is love. And the greatest expression of His love towards us is the blood of Jesus. That love covers every need man has had or ever will have, and every time we apply the blood, we experience an outpouring of this love. It is love, through the blood, that has created a barrier between you and all the works of the devil. “Of all the glorious things that the blood means, this is one of the most glorious: His blood is the sign, the measure, yes, the impartation of His love.” —Andrew Murray Let’s elevate the blood of Jesus to the same place in our hearts that it has in God’s heart—and awaken in our spirits those powerful things the blood has procured for us.

The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything you need to live a life of victory, including redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil. 1. Redemption through the Blood of Jesus “We have redemption through His blood.” –Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV) You know the story. Satan came to Adam’s wife, Eve, in the form of a serpent and deceived her into disobeying God. Adam followed suit and did what Satan told him to do instead of obeying God. When he did that, he made Satan his lord. In bowing his knee to Satan, Adam turned over the authority that God had given him. He made Satan the illegitimate ruler of the earth. From that day on—everything changed. With one trespass, death was passed on to all men (Romans 5:12). The earth and everything in it was suddenly cursed and man was separated from God by sin. Sounds unfixable, right? But God had a plan. His plan of Redemption was the same as it was for Abel, Moses and Noah—it would be through the shedding of blood. Such great Redemption for all mankind, for eternity, could not be accomplished through the blood of just a goat or ram. Redemption of this magnitude required a much greater sacrifice—the blood of His Son—Jesus. The greatest thing the blood of Jesus accomplished was this—it washed all your sin away and made you clean and pure—white as snow. From the minute you receive Jesus as Lord of your life, God will not remember any past sin in your life. That’s how powerful the blood is! The best part? You don’t have to earn and pay for what has been provided on the Cross. In fact, you couldn’t earn it even if you tried. The best thing you can do is joyfully accept this free gift. In addition to being redeemed from sin, the blood also set us free from the curse of the law so that THE BLESSING of Abraham might come upon us in Christ (Galatians 3:13).

• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.