The Blood Series

 6. It Grants Us Victory:

Today we will look at how the victory by the Blood has been wrongly understood.

Rev 12:11 states that, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” The verse clearly says that the saints were able to overcome satan by the blood. There is a controversial doctrine being presented around where people are told that they can apply or plead the Blood on anything they wish, for example:

a) Applying the blood on a demon possessed or oppressed individual to deliver them.

b) Applying the blood on a person, or property as a means of protection.

Somehow this doctrine has an uncanny resemblance to the way holy water is used. I have personally fallen under this teaching for a while and then the Lord taught me on it. In the Old Testament the blood of the sacrificed animals were considered sacred after the animal had been consecrated to be sacrificed. Now the blood was considered Holy (an antecedent to the Blood of Christ), this blood was applied only on specific places for ceremonial purposes. A deeper study will reveal that everything in these ceremonies had prophetic undertones. The blood was never used indiscriminately as and when and wherever the priest wished.  Each and every ceremony was done as per the dictates of God. Therefore, how we can use the shed Blood of Christ as a common thing today. The Blood has its place only in the plan and purpose of God which has already been accomplished on the cross of Calvary, when Jesus shed it for the sole purpose of redemption. Since, this work has been completed and no more sacrifices will be ever made, is it safe to say that the Blood is no longer in use. The answer should be simple as 1+1=2.

                        The verse in Rev 12:11 basically states that we can overcome satan by the Blood of Christ because of what it accomplished when it was shed. However, what we do have to use liberally is the word of our testimony. What does our faith entreat us to declare? The words of faith that spring forth from our hearts, based on what we believe Christ did for us when He purchased us, then cleansed us and elevated us to sit in the heavenly places in Christ; this is what enables the faithful to stand. We can overcome satan because Jesus overcame Him and in Him and through Him alone we have this victory. If I were to claim that I overcame satan by the Blood and by the word of my testimony, it is to elevate myself to a superhero status. Because I overcame satan!!! Let’s not kid ourselves. The Archangel Michael dared not bring a charge against satan but rather asked the Lord to rebuke him in Jude 1:9. The Bible never said to fight satan neither does it say to take authority over him. I understand the misconception with the verses where Jesus givies us power over serpents and scorpions, and the power to cast out unclean spirits. It is true that these powers have been given but casting out demons and unclean spirits does not mean that we have been granted power over satan. Only person who can defeat satan is God Himself, and it is this reason why the actual defeat and condemnation of satan does not occur until after the Millennial Reign of Christ way, way down in Rev 20:7-10. Again the problem is wrong teaching, causing confusion.

                I have heard so many prayers by men of God wherein they keep binding satan. No sooner the prayer is finished and the man goes home that the problems resurface. Guess the binding chains were pretty short or weak. Many are they who fall for this teaching and try to engage the forces of darkness without knowing what they are up against and this has caused many to fall…some even from the faith. Then what kind of victory is then portrayed in Rev 12:11, the answer is in the verse itself.

“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.”

They overcame satan though they died! It is not a physical victory but a victory of their faith, which was strong enough to stand for the Lord even when faced with death. These faithful people are martyrs who were killed during the Tribulation Period. My dear brothers and sisters it is easy to stand before people and praying and claiming victory over satan and his forces. It is another thing to die for the Lord. Which do you consider to be true victory. Their victory was by the Blood of the Lamb and their Testimony of it, which they held on till the end.  All the Apostles died as martyrs except John. They who were once afraid for their lives were ready to give it up rather than deny the Lord. What made them stand? Our Lord as I mentioned in the last lesson intercedes on our behalf. It is He who enables us to stand. We cannot stand on our own. Our true convictions of what the Lord has done and spoken to us is the ultimate testimony. Do we believe or not is the question. None can and should claim that they can, for only the hour will sift the truly faithful from the not.