FEATURE ARTICLE

Rev. Nelson IlunoFriday, September 2, 2016
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Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

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LASSA FEVER

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read a story in a book that when Lily Pinneo, a missionary nurse, was in West Africa, she contracted a deadly disease called Lassa fever. After Lily was flown to New York for medical treatment, her temperature soared to 107F. To reduce the fever, doctors packed her in ice and fed her intravenously. The fever subsided. After 9 weeks, she had lost 28 pounds and most of her hair. Yet somehow, she survived. In a laboratory, Dr. Casals carefully isolated and analyzed the Lassa virus. But he too fell ill from his exposure to the disease. At the time, no known treatment was effective. Fortunately, Nurse Pinneo was convalescing and had built up antibodies to the dreaded disease. She donated blood plasma to Dr. Casals and he recovered too. Her blood saved his life.

All of us are infected with the fatal disease of sin (Romans 6: 23). There is only one cure. It resides in the cleansing power of Jesus Christ's shed blood. Paul wrote, "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him: (Romans 5: 9). The righteous wrath of God against transgression has been fully satisfied through Jesus' death in our place. All we need do is repent, recognize Him as our Saviour, and receive the spiritual cure for sin. "Come now, and let us reason together saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they be red crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1: 18). There is no sin that is beyond the redemption through the blood of Jesus at the cross of Calvary. One finds peace and rest of mind by understanding that his sins are forgiven by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary, because where there is no shedding of blood there is no remission for sins. You can cast all your worries and anxiety on Jesus; it is part of your redemption right because all those troubles have been exchanged for peace through His death.

The price of our freedom from sin was paid by Jesus' blood. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when face with death" (Rev. 12: 11). What a manifold weapon and victory the blood of Jesus has provided for all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a unique place which is given to the blood from the beginning to the end of God's revelation of himself to man, as recorded in the Bible. A popular Jewish saying recognized by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews (9: 22), was "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." The biblical term "blood of Christ" designates in the New Testament the atoning death of Christ. Atonement refers to the basis and process by which man become at one with God. Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood "shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matt. 26: 28, Lk. 22: 20, 1 Cor. 11: 23-26). The life is in the blood, as is often declared by Moses; the life of the sacrifice was taken, and the blood offered to God, as a representative and substitute for the offered (Lev. 17: 11). In his book, The Blood, Benny Hinn asserts that "God gave a revelation of the blood covenant to the first man and woman when He sacrificed animals to atone for their sin and clothed them with skins that may have been wet with blood (Gen. 3: 21)."

Apostle Peter writes, "For you know that it was not with the perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your father, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (when he suffered and died for us on the cross" (1 Peter 1: 18, 19). Benny Hinn said, "Every day in prayer I thank God for the work of the cross and the blood of Jesus Christ. Because the blood was shed there for our sins, the Holy Spirit came, and today we can know and experience God's anointing on our lives and work." There is salvation through the blood of Christ for you who have been enslaved by sin. Sin is so strong that it can frustrate your life, but the blood of Jesus is much more empowered to wash away all sins. No one can deal with the problem of sin except through the power of the blood of Christ. That is why there is no true salvation without Jesus Christ. Without blood there could be no access by sinful man to a Holy God. The benefit in the blood of Jesus comes from on high. One drop of blood of Jesus set the whole world free. The blood made the salvation of mankind possible. The blood of Jesus sets us free from sin and sorrows. The only legal tender heaven recognizes is the blood of Jesus. There is absolute power in the blood of Jesus. Prophecies, prayers and preaching are inadequate without the blood.

With the blood of Jesus your life can have meaning. Miracles and healing can be your testimony through the blood of Jesus. There is no doubt about the mysteries and reality of the blood. The highest act in the Temple worship is the sprinkling of the blood. Blood is the centre and reason of all worship. The way to fellowship with God is through the blood of Jesus alone. There is no relationship with God without the blood. You can not be in a blood covenant relationship with God and remain the person you used to be. The reality of the blood makes us partakers of Jesus' divine nature. "If we must overcome, it must be by the anointing, the Word of God and the Blood of our covenant. These are the three principal forces that dominate, and guarantee victory, on the earth. This is the witness of God that He has testified of His Son; this is what He is standing by and it is His evidence. Nothing can escape the dominating authority of the Spirit, the Water and the Blood."

There is awesome and indescribable power in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is the fastest guarantee of divine intervention and victory. The blood of Jesus gives you quick, on-the-spot deliverance from fear, defeat and all kinds of demonic oppressions. Victory is guaranteed only through the blood of Jesus Christ. The critical blow to Satan came when the Lamb, Jesus Christ, shed his blood for our sins. The victory is won by sacrifice, Christ's death in our place to pay the penalty for our sin. "So the precious blood of Christ carries on its blessed work without ceasing in the soul of the believer, who by faith appropriates it."

Truly, there is something about the blood of Jesus that defeats the devil any day any time. Every time you plead the blood of Jesus, you make the devil uncomfortable. The enemy is silenced when the blood is mentioned. It is supernatural provision for human victory over every satanic opposition. No creature has the ability to face the devil except with the blood of Jesus Christ.

With the blood of Jesus you can escape death. You need the blood of Jesus for your survival. "The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt" (Ex. 12: 13). The only weapon that can ward off death is the blood of Jesus. Without the blood of Jesus, you are doomed for destruction. There are marks of blood of Jesus upon every redeemed hearts. The absence of the blood indicates where you belong.

The presence of the blood is the surest guarantee of victory and life everlasting. The only accredited, certified and approved instrument for protection is the blood of Jesus. There is mighty power in the blood of Jesus Christ. As we face the battle with Satan, we should not fear it or try to escape from it, but we should loyally serve Christ, who alone brings victory. The blood of Christ is available at all times to save a willing heart. We have many benefits when we embrace the blood of Christ. Hear what Andrew Murray says:

All that Scripture teaches of sin and death, of the Incarnation and the love of Christ, of heaven opened and the Spirit poured out, of the new covenant blessings, of a perfect conscience and a clean heart and access to God and power to serve Him, of personal attachment to Jesus, and of the joy of eternity, all that Scripture teaches on these has its root and its fruit in this alone: the precious blood of Christ, the blood of the eternal covenant.

There is no gain saying that the blood of Jesus is powerful as reflected in His work on the cross. The blood of Jesus is efficacious, and gives credence to the redemptive work on the cross. One of the joyful and greatest things which the blood of Jesus did for mankind is indeed to make a sinner pure, holy and acceptable before God. Hear what Steinhofer says:

One drop of that blood, sprinkled out of the sanctuary on the heart, changes the whole heart, perfects the conscience, sanctifies the soul, makes the garments clean and white, so that we are meet for fellowship with God, ready and able to live in His love. Such a heart, sprinkled and cleansed with the blood of Jesus, is now fitted for all the graces of the now covenant, all the heavenly gifts, all the holy operations of divine love, all the spiritual blessings of the heavenly places.

There is no doubt about our sure victory through the only active, powerful and victorious blood of Christ. It is the blood of victory. The blood of Jesus gives life to the dying, strength to the weak, and protection to the helpless. This blood is available at all times. The blood of Jesus secures victory for all Christians. Mention the blood of Jesus and you would notice that the devil would run away. "The blood covenant is the surest guarantee of divine intervention and victory." Only those redeemed has access to the blood of Christ. If you are not into this blood covenant relationship with Christ you have no access to this blood in the times of trouble. "According to God's word, the blood off the Lamb is our only source of escape." Have you been washed in the blood of Christ? Have you been sealed with the mark of Christ? The greatest pain to the devil is to see you redeemed with the blood.

The blood of Christ causes devil's defeat. "Comprehend the power in the blood available to you, and you will know you can be strong for the Lord, that nothing can defeat you." Have it at the back of your mind that you will have to fight the devil, but not in self; fight him in the power of the blood and the Holy Spirit. Faith in the blood brings Jesus to your side anytime you need him. The evidence of the power in the blood of Jesus is much more in faith than mere shouting. Appropriate the power in the blood of Jesus through faith in him. Your victory is guaranteed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

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