By the Blood of the Lamb
Saturday, January 12, 2019
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Rev. 12:11, NIV.
The way our blood fights the body's enemies offers a wonderful object lesson in how Christ's blood enables us to overcome sin. Every day we encounter hundreds of germs that could make us sick or even kill us. Yet usually we are unaware of them.
What happens inside the body when it is invaded by these tiny enemies? As soon as the body detects an invading object, or pathogen, the body makes what is known as antibodies. They are protein molecules in the blood that fight the pathogen. The next time the same pathogen invades the body, special types of cells known as memory cells detect the infectious agent and quickly act to help the body form the exact antibodies needed to fight the enemy.
At birth a baby receives antibodies from its mother through the placenta and her milk. For the first few months of life the baby actually has resistance to or immunity from the diseases its mother has had even though the child hasn't had the diseases itself. The baby is safe from every pathogen the mother has successfully battled.
In the same way, when we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ we receive power to overcome all sin. Jesus was exposed to all sin for us, so we may overcome through faith in Him. The Bible tells us: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Heb. 4:15, NIV).
Jesus took on every sin for us. Imagine if a mother could allow herself to be exposed to every physical disease in the world in order to pass on immunity to her children! Even the most loving mother has never done that. Yet Jesus risked it all so that we could overcome!
Help me to trust You, Lord Jesus, and the power of Your blood to forgive my past sins and give me the ability to overcome current temptations.
The way our blood fights the body's enemies offers a wonderful object lesson in how Christ's blood enables us to overcome sin. Every day we encounter hundreds of germs that could make us sick or even kill us. Yet usually we are unaware of them.
What happens inside the body when it is invaded by these tiny enemies? As soon as the body detects an invading object, or pathogen, the body makes what is known as antibodies. They are protein molecules in the blood that fight the pathogen. The next time the same pathogen invades the body, special types of cells known as memory cells detect the infectious agent and quickly act to help the body form the exact antibodies needed to fight the enemy.
At birth a baby receives antibodies from its mother through the placenta and her milk. For the first few months of life the baby actually has resistance to or immunity from the diseases its mother has had even though the child hasn't had the diseases itself. The baby is safe from every pathogen the mother has successfully battled.
In the same way, when we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ we receive power to overcome all sin. Jesus was exposed to all sin for us, so we may overcome through faith in Him. The Bible tells us: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Heb. 4:15, NIV).
Jesus took on every sin for us. Imagine if a mother could allow herself to be exposed to every physical disease in the world in order to pass on immunity to her children! Even the most loving mother has never done that. Yet Jesus risked it all so that we could overcome!
Help me to trust You, Lord Jesus, and the power of Your blood to forgive my past sins and give me the ability to overcome current temptations.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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