Overcoming the devil by the blood of Jesus
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Rev. 12:11, KJVWrong perception about spiritual warfare
"This is a spiritual warfare, brother," said to me one day Vardan, my Armenian friend in a contemplating way after sharing with him some of my issues (frequent diseases, fears, failures, disappointments etc.).
"A what..?" I asked in slight confusion. "What kind of spiritual warfare?"
The paradox is that at that time I had already been a believer and church preacher for about 9(!) years. It took me some years (actually many years) to start understanding what spiritual warfare was. Still learning about it today, but from a totally different position — from a position of conqueror and victor in Jesus Christ (Rom 8:37, KJV). I had to pay a price for this delayed understanding... for not fully understanding the principles of spiritual warfare, but YOU can avoid many troubles and be blessed today by learning to understand and apply the blood of Jesus in your own spiritual battles.
But what does "Overcome the devil by the blood of Jesus" mean?
Overcoming the devil by the blood of Jesus is a powerful biblical remedy against the devils's war actions on God's people. Many Christians think (like myself 4 years ago) that born-again people don't need to fight the devil because God will protect them somehow by default. Well, the truth is that God wants His children to be knowledgeable about the real spiritual war between Satan and God's people and learn to act/fight according to His divine prescriptions. This is one of the reasons we have a Bible. To know some things and act on them.
However, the subject of spiritual warfare has been brought relatively recently into the scene of Christian discussions and study. Don't ask me why – just start thinking about it anew as the Lords addresses to those "who have ears to listen":
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Rev. 12:11, KJVAll born-again Christians know that Jesus defeated the devil. But not all know that every Christian is expected to defeat the devil as prescribed by the Lord.
Three things to do while applying the blood of Jesus
Overcoming the devil by the blood of Jesus may have multiple meanings, but I would like to share 3 things:
- Acknowledge as deep as possible the benefits of the glorious sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the Cross!
- At the Cross, Jesus paid the price for all your sins and consequences of your sins: alienation, disease, blame, anxiousness, depression etc. (see Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27 and 28). Jesus suffered in your place, bore your penalty, your diseases and weaknesses so that you don't need to bear them any longer (Mathew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5). He redeemed you personally as well as all believers from God's wrath and transferred you into the Kingdom of light (Col. 1:13). This is true! The Bible proves this. This is so powerful! However, this needs to be understood!
Now what?
Now that you understand this, you suddenly realize that because of what Jesus did on the Cross, God the Father doesn't have anything against you. On the contrary, the Lord wants a relationship with you and He is there for you to help. Just ask for it! But you need to really believe this truth as a result of your repentance. Walk in it. Immerse in it. The spiritual realm is accessible only "by faith". Faith is essential! So, think about the power of the blood of Jesus often! Believe it with all your heart! If you find it hard to believe, remind yourself about His great love for you (John 3:16) and then decide to believe it! Yes, decide to believe! And you will see that your mind will soon obey!
- Actively claim the power of the blood of Jesus!
- Claiming is a very new thing for me too. But has proven so effective. Claiming a God's promise (in this case overcoming the devil) is an active manifestation of faith. You simply claim ("the word of your testimony") what God told you to claim in His Word. It is your right, your privilege as a child of God. How do you do it? By believing in your heart + proclaiming it with your mouth (Rom 10:9-10) + living it out as your reality (2 Cort 4:13). Say to yourself "It is written, hence it's true", "God's reality is more real than my reality". You need to decide to trust Him and learn to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cort 5:7). This is what honors God. This is what brings victory!
- Dedicate time to study everything the Bible says about spiritual warfare.
- Like a well-trained soldier, you may want to advance in your fighting skills and learn to use all God's weapons in your spiritual battles. God's instructions for spiritual warfare in the Bible is quite diverse. It ranges from simple asking the Lord for protection (The Lord's prayer), to more specific instructions: "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power", "Put on the full armor of God", "Stand firm" (Eph. 6) , "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7) etc.
Find those verses in your daily Bible reading! Write those verses on your walls, notes etc. Memorize them. Recite them often. Remind your mind and heart that this is the everlasting Word of God. It is God's Word. And very soon you will see that: God's Word works. It has always worked. It will always work. Just trust Him in accordance with His word. He never fails His promises. Never.
Be blessed by these truths, my friend! Be renewed in your mind! Be free! Be healed! Be encouraged. In Jesus Name receive your blessing now!
Ruslan Stanga
pastor, Ben-Zion Church
Chisinau, Moldova
