Pleading the Blood

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Q:  Can the blood of Jesus be used to rebuke the Devil?
 

A: A popular teaching emphasizes the pleading of the blood as a way to access the power of God in several ways. Certainly, there is power in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is by His blood that we are saved and our sins are forgiven. We who were far off are made nigh by the blood (Ephesians 2:13).

Reminding the Father of the shed blood of the Son when we are struggling with guilt is both permissible and effective.

Ephesians 1:7 states, " In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

It is through the blood that our sins are forgiven. When we are overcome with guilt, we need to go back to the cleansing power of the blood. That is our only plea--as in a courtroom plea. In that sense, we can and should plead the blood.

However, pleading the blood has often taken on a meaning that goes far beyond biblical teaching. It has become a magic charm that is used in a supernatural way. This is never taught in scripture and can have serious implications. It brings us back into bondage with supernatural enchantments and magic charms. This happened to the Christians of the Middle Ages and they were soon mixing superstitions and magic with their Christianity.

Galatians 4:9 says, "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?"

The Bible tells us how to fight the Devil and we need to stay with biblical teaching. Let me point out two things. First, we are to resist him. That is, we are to resist his temptations with the help of the Lord.

James 4:7 states, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

In this verse you will see that resistance is the opposite of submission. To resist is to refuse to submit, yield, or give in to. If we will resist, they Lord will help us and the devil will flee.

According to 1Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

We must believe and practice this.

Second, we are not to rebuke the devil in our own power, but only declare the Lord's rebuke on him. Consider the following passage: 

Jude 1:8-9 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 

Michael is the strongest angel. Yet, when rebuking the Devil he did not rebuke him in his own power. He simply said, The Lord rebuke thee. He did not invoke the blood of Christ and neither should we. That is a step toward superstition. If we ever get into a situation where we need to rebuke the devil, Jude gives the biblical teaching about how to do it. I hope this helps.

Till He comes,

Pastor David Reagan
 

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