Encouragement

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THE BLOOD OF THE PASSOVER LAMB

"The animals you choose must be year old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast."

The first Passover may be a familiar story to many of us. It was given by God to the people of Israel through Moses, when they were preparing to flee from the land of Egypt, where they had lived for four hundred years. When the blood of the Passover lamb was applied upon the sides and tops of the doors of the people of Israel, the angel of death passed over their homes, and the first born of Israel were spared while the sons of Egypt were taken. The Passover lamb was symbolic of the precious lamb of God who would one day be slain for the sins of the world. Those who came under the power of His blood were not only spared from eternal death, but passed over from judgement to forgiveness, from sin to holiness and new life. While we do not need to sacrifice a lamb any more, because Christ the lamb of God has been sacrificed for all humanity, Passover is very significant for us today, as we focus on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, during this season of remembrance. Here are some threads of Truth to keep in mind.

1) The sacrificial animal had to be a young male lamb or goat without defect. Only the holy Son of God could be a pure enough lamb and sufficient sacrifice to be offered for the sins of all mankind for all time.

2) The people were asked to take care of the animals and keep them in their homes from the tenth to the fourteenth day of the month. I believe that although each family took care of its Passover lamb knowing that the animal was soon to be sacrificed, it is possible that it became almost like a pet in the home, played with by the children, and tended by the adults. As the days passed and the day of the sacrifice came closer, the thought of slaughtering the family pet was probably quite painful. It truly became a sacrifice. It must have been hard for the family to watch a knife raised to slay the little lamb, but its blood smeared on their doors brought life. Jesus the beloved Son of God laid down His life for all humanity. His friends knew Him, fellowshipped with Him, and loved Him. But they had to let Him go to the cross. The Father's heart was wrenched as the Son He loves was nailed to the cross - but it was His sacrifice - His eternal blood was poured out to set us free. His life was a free gift to us, but it was a costly sacrifice.

3) The Lamb was slaughtered at twilight and its blood applied to the tops and sides of the doors of the houses. This is when the light is fading, and we cannot see very clearly. We may be standing in the darkness, overcome by our own struggles and defeats. But when we apply the blood of Jesus upon our lives, we are covered, we are cleansed, we can walk in newness of life! Hallelujah!

4) The meat of the lamb had to be eaten with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. It is a cause for rejoicing when someone prays the prayer of salvation and receives forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ. But we have to also partake of the lamb, by consciously turning away from every sin, and identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have to eat of the Lamb - consume everything He stands for, body, spirit and soul. Sometimes this is accompanied by the bitterness of persecution. The life of discipleship is not always sweet, but we do not travel this path alone - He has promised never to leave or forsake us, and to be with us even through the floods and the fires we may have to face!

Yeast was significant of the old life in Egypt, when various forms of idol worship and other sins crept into the life of the child of God. When we partake of the Lamb, and apply His blood to our lives, we turn towards a new direction. It is a new life without the yeast of sin which can ferment and grow to take over our lives.

5) The Passover lamb had to be roasted over a fire, fixed to a wooden spit. Instead of burning in the fires of hell, we have received freedom and eternal life because our Supreme Passover Lamb was nailed to a wooden cross and took the fiery wrath of God on our behalf!

Friend, as we meditate on the Passover sacrifice, I believe God is speaking to us today. The lamb was slain on our behalf! We do not have to live in defeat or darkness or uncertainty any more. Jesus the Lamb of God asks us to apply His atonement blood upon the door frames of our lives and our homes. He calls us to receive the protection of the blood upon our families and generations. There is no sin the blood cannot cleanse. There is no curse the blood cannot wipe out. There is no power of darkness that can withstand the power of the Blood! Stand up today and apply the blood of Jesus upon your home and family, upon your place of work, upon your street and your city. Every person or place which "partakes" of the lamb (belongs to Jesus) has the right to the covering of the Blood. And we can apply the blood of the Lamb on the others, claiming them in faith!

If you have been struggling with sickness, the blood of Jesus is yours today. Begin to apply His atonement blood daily upon every symptom and every root cause. He has already paid the price for your healing and it is through the precious cost of His blood. You will begin to see the transformation. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and His blood is upon your life.

The people of Israel were asked to apply the blood upon the doors to their houses, and we can apply it not only to our physical homes, but also to our families. Apply the blood upon your children and claim them for the Kingdom; apply it upon your spouse and your marriage and other relationships. Plead the Blood over your work and your finances, and everything that concerns you. You will begin to see the power of the blood of Jesus as you claim your victory and walk in faith.

As we rise up to claim the blood of Jesus and apply it to our lives, we are covered from the spirits of darkness who now have to pass over our lives, our houses, our work, our finances and our relationships. We refuse to allow the angel of death to come in and wreak havoc in our lives any more! We refuse to allow the thief to steal, kill and destroy from us any further! We are under the power of the Blood!

Precious people, when Jesus hung on the cross at Calvary over two thousand years ago, He cried out "It is finished". Reach up and receive with both hands what Jesus has already done for you. His blood is your claim to victory. His blood is your covering and protection. The precious and perfect Lamb of God was slain for you! May you walk in victory and in power because of the precious, living blood of Jesus!

Minoli Haththotuwa, March 22 2010
www.wingslikeeagles.info

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