For some people, a claim that God has spoken through a dream seems naïve. And yet, the Bible reports many instances where God spoke through dreams.

Dreams in the Bible

At times God spoke through a dream to warn a person (Genesis 20:3 and 6) or to give encouragement to a person (Genesis 28:12-15).

Sometimes the dream seems to be symbolic of something, like Joseph’s brothers bowing down to him as sheaves of grain (Genesis 37:6-7).  At other times, the meaning of the dream is straight forward, without symbolism, like when an angel of the Lord told Joseph that Mary would give birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21).

And sometimes within a dream God directly spoke to the person having the dream (1 Kings 3:5), whereas at other times God clearly used the dream (or “spoke through” the dream), even though God isn’t a “character” that spoke in the dream (consider again, Joseph’s dream of Genesis 37:6-7).

But does God still speak through dreams?

Someone might protest that, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The implication here is that God used to speak through dreams, but that God doesn’t speak that way any longer now that God has spoken through Jesus. Some people would add that God definitely doesn’t speak that way now that we have the Bible—even though this is clearly not what the Bible is saying here.

The problem with the above protest is that God did still speak to people in many ways after Jesus ascended to heaven (e.g., Acts 10:19 and 13:2). Moreover, the Bible itself promises that after Pentecost, God would give dreams to people—”In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).

So, yes, the Bible supports the idea that God still speaks through dreams today.

“ The Bible itself promises that after Pentecost, God would give dreams to people.

How often does God speak through dreams?

While the Bible does record dreams from God, it doesn’t include that many dreams. So I’m not sure that it happens on a regular basis.

I do not think every dream is from God. In fact, I dream regularly (almost every night!), and yet I can only think of one other time that I thought I had a dream from God.

I was preparing to speak at a church. The pastor had asked if I wanted to lead communion that Sunday since I was going to be the guest speaker. I don’t remember if we decided they would do communion another Sunday or if he was going to lead it. Either way, I ended up having a dream with me leading communion, and I took it as direction from God that I should lead communion.

I went, I preached, I led communion. Nothing miraculous happened—not that I expected it to. I’m still not certain the dream was from God, but I figure it probably was—I had a sense that it was. I likely prayed about it too.

How do I know I had a dream from God?

What about last night’s dream? I’m not certain it was from God either. But I woke up thinking it likely was. In this case, it was not something I had been thinking about recently and it seemed to come somewhat out of nowhere.

God doesn’t promise that when he speaks through a dream, it will be an out-of-this-world-crazy dream. It will not will always be obvious when God speaks to us in a dream, just like it isn’t always obvious when God is speaking to us in general.

Consider, for example, when Samuel was a boy—God literally spoke to him with an audible voice, and yet Samuel thought it must have been Eli the priest (1 Samuel 3). It wasn’t obvious to Samuel that God was speaking to him.

I am convinced that God speaks through dreams more often that most North American Christians think. The Bible states explicitly that we won’t always be aware of it:

For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak …” (Job 33:14-18)

What about discernment?

I certainly affirm that if we think a dream might have come from God, then we should submit that to a process of discernment. Jeremiah’s warning about some false prophets should give us caution:

I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?” (Jeremiah 23:25-26).

So, just as I wrote in my book Simply Spirit-Filled, we should test anything we believe we are hearing from God, including, of course, against the teaching of the Scripture.

And this discernment might involve more than just you. For example, Paul once had a vision at night (perhaps a dream) where he saw “a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us’” (Acts 16:9). Afterward we don’t see Paul proclaiming what this meant for him and his fellow-travelers. Instead, we see that the group of them concluded “that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10).

Side note—I find it interesting that the Bible doesn’t record Paul ever meeting this man (perhaps the vision was more symbolic or directional rather than foretelling the future).

Dream away

If God does speak through dreams sometimes, and it seems clear from the Bible that God does, then we should be open to discerning when God might have spoken through a dream, rather than living in practice as though it never happens. Unfortunately, the latter is probably the default position for many Christians, including even many Pentecostals and charismatics—well, at least in North America.

You might also be interested in these posts:

• Myth #1: “Prophecy is all About the Future”
• 5 Surprises About “the Anointing” in the New Testament
• There is Power in the Tongue, but Not for Declarations and Decrees

Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author/editor of six books, including Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College & Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

The post When God Speaks Through Dreams… appeared first on Andrew K. Gabriel.

You can take a look at the lyrics here.

Here is another song that many people will love to listen to over and over again…even though some aspects of it seem biblically problematic.

What’s on our Hearts

I get it. The song “Plead the Blood” connects with our hearts. Chris Davenport, Brandon Lake, and Cody Carnes express our desires, fears, and longings to the Lord.

The song is a plea for the well-being of “my children,” “my family,” “my future,” and “my body.” And in the midst of a crazy world (yikes!), it’s also a plea for “our schools” and “our cities” (too bad for the rural towns… ha ha… you will have to write your own songs).

I care about these things too. And, frankly, I believe God will receive the song as a prayer for these things, even if there might be some theological issues in the song. But that doesn’t mean we should overlook these issues.

But There’s so Much Good!

To complicate things, the song plays a dirty little trick (I’m exaggerating) by adding in some lyrics from an old hymn. This will move the hearts of those who have been around the church for decades, and perhaps convince them of the song’s worth.

The song includes lyrics from “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus.”

I recognize and celebrate that we “who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Praise the Lord! And the hymn speaks of the blood of Jesus just like the Bible does—within the context of our salvation. That is, Jesus’ blood washes “away my sin,” “makes me whole again,” atones for our sin, and, therefore, give me “hope and peace” for “my future.”

These aspects of the old hymn and the new “Plead the Blood” song are great.

Similar to the old hymn, “Plead the Blood,” correctly recognizes that in Christ’s blood, “my freedom’s been purchased in full” (verse 3). Good work, Chris Davenport, Brandon Lake, and Cody Carnes! (I think maybe just Davenport wrote the song.)

At Least They’re Not Applying the Blood

Another thing that the song “Plead the Blood” has going for it is that it isn’t trying to “apply the blood” of Jesus. As I’ve written previously, the Bible doesn’t teach that we can do anything with the blood of Jesus, like “apply” it. Instead, it is only God who does anything with the blood of Jesus. So it is wishful thinking to suggest we can “apply the blood” of Jesus.

And at least the song “Plead the Blood” doesn’t go there.

Good Pleading?

This might surprise you, but the idea of “pleading the blood” of Jesus is no where in the Bible. Not even in the King James Version … or The Passion Translation.

Nevertheless, “pleading the blood” could be okay at times. Unlike applying the blood, pleading the blood doesn’t necessarily suggest that we are attempting to do something with Jesus’ blood.

In addition, it could make biblical sense to “plead the blood” if we speak of the blood of Jesus in the context of our salvation, like the Bible does. For example, we might say something like, “I am not condemned. I plead the blood of Jesus, which has saved me.”

Missing Key to Spiritual Warfare?

If we don’t plead the blood of Jesus, are we missing out of one of the most important weapons of spiritual warfare? Are we giving up some spiritual power that we should take hold of?

No.

As I said above, the Bible never—not ever—speaks of pleading the blood of Jesus.

And what about Ephesians 6? It teaches us about the “whole armor of God.” And yet it does not mention Jesus’ blood in spiritual warfare. Perhaps Paul forgot to mention it in that chapter.

Don’t we Overcome by the Blood of the Lamb?

Revelation 12:11 reads, “And they overcame him [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Yes, the verse mentions Jesus’ blood. But, like the rest of the Bible, it does not suggest we should plead the blood.

Actually, if you look at the context of this verse, you will see that it has nothing to do with the way we pray or what we say about Jesus’ blood. Instead, it teaches that “they overcame” because of what Christ had already done on the cross, not because of how they prayed about Jesus’ blood.

So, what’s the problem?

1. Well, one problem is that the song goes beyond what the promises of scripture.

As I said above, one could make the case that we could plead the blood for our salvation, since that’s what Jesus’ blood does. But one can not make the same case for pleading the blood regarding other things, like protection, since the Bible no where—never—promises that Jesus’ blood protects our children, our cities, etc.

BUT, we can of course pray for God to protect these things!

So, what does it matter?

2. The lyrics of the song imply that if we say the right words, namely “plead the blood,” then certain things will happen. Not that they might happen, but that they will happen. This seems to imply that there is something special about pleading the blood. It seems that “pleading the blood” is more spiritually effective than other types of prayers. (…Do you think that?)

I understand that not everyone who “pleads the blood” thinks this way. Great! BUT, this is what this specific song implies. It’s very present in verse one and two.

The opening words of the song state that we can “draw a boundary” that will protect us from “the thief and his plans” and will cause him to “turnaround” when we “plead the blood.”

When we plead the blood, the song claims, “the enemy can’t take my family.”

Pleading the blood, it seems, is always effective. It makes things happen!

Even if it is unintentional, the song strikes me as having a hint of prosperity theology, but covered in more familiar and Christianeze—that is, if we use the right words and “plead the blood,” everything will go well.

Prayer Trusts in God

Unfortunately, the Christian life is not that certain. No matter what we claim, decree, declare—or plead—stuff happens. Life doesn’t go as we pray or desire. And it isn’t because we aren’t saying the right things.

Unlike such practices, when we pray, we trust in God. We certainly ask for what we want, and at times we might even plead for what we want. But, in the end, prayers are requests of God, not demands. And when we pray, we trust that God will do what is best. And when things don’t go as we pray, we trust that God will continue to be with us, giving us the strength and comfort we need to carry on.

Maybe the Song is Okay…? 

I’m not in a rush to sing this song, as moving as it is.

At the same time, I do see hints in the song that “pleading the blood” still involves trust in God and a recognition that it won’t always go as we plead.

For example, those who sing the bridge plead the blood not only over their family, but even “over our schools and over our cities.” And they can’t seriously think that one instance of pleading is automatically going to bring safety and protection to every city or school they have in mind as they are singing. Does that mean pleading the blood isn’t always effective?

Also, if pleading the blood is always effective, then I don’t think we would need to “claim it over and over again,” as the bridge claims.

Perhaps, in the end, “pleading the blood” in the song is just another way to pray. Perhaps the song is only expressing hope or a desire that God will act in the way that we plead. And surely all of our prayers should involve placing our hope in God.

Perhaps every time the song says “I plead the blood,” we could simply replace it with the words, “I pray for.” If this is the case, then I have many questions and am confused by the meaning of verses 1-2, since they contradict what I am saying here. If my “perhaps” is correct, then the opening verses shouldn’t speak with such certainty. They should, instead, be more honest—honest with ourselves, and honest with God, while still rightfully placing our hope and trust in God.

And the song certainly shouldn’t make it seem like we need to (or should) plead the blood to do these things. Because the practice of pleading the blood isn’t in the Bible. But praying is.

(If you are frustrated by my blog post, please remember that it is about a specific song, so it might not apply to you.)

Click here to comment on this post, but before you accuse me of being unspiritual, please pause and ask God if there might actually be some truth to what you have read above.

You might also be interested in these posts:

• There is Power in the Tongue, but Not for Declarations and Decrees
• 10 Bible Verses You Can Legitimately Declare Over Your Life
• Stop “Applying the Blood of Jesus”…Because You Can’t

Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

The post Plead the Blood: Questions about a New Song by Cody Carnes, Brandon Lake, and Chris Davenport appeared first on Andrew K. Gabriel.

Today, worship songs that refer to having “freedom” seem to be increasing in popularity. One common refrain is a biblical quotation: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Ideas of Freedom

Some worship songs that mention “freedom” make only a vague reference to “freedom,” but without giving much of a sense of what that “freedom” actually is. This leaves each worshiper to their own imagination to determine in their own mind what they mean by “freedom.” For some it might simply mean “freedom to express emotionally my appreciation for God in this moment” (as one of my friends put it).

Contemporary society likes the idea of “freedom.” We like the idea of having freedom from obligations so that we can do whatever we want. And so, we gain “freedom” when we retire or go on summer vacation. And many people today also want to be free to determine for themselves what is right and wrong.

I don’t imagine too many Christian worship artists have this in mind as they write songs about freedom. And this certainly doesn’t cohere with what the Bible means by freedom.

Freedom or a Servant?

The biblical authors actually aren’t as concerned with “freedom” as we are in contemporary society. In fact, depending on the Bible translation you search, you might even find the word “freedom” less than 10 times in the Bible.

More importantly, the apostle Paul does not shy away from referring to himself as a “servant” or “slave” of Christ (the Greek word doulos).

“ Paul does not shy away from referring to himself as a “servant” or “slave” of Christ.

Those who are followers of Christ are not free to do as we please. We are to become “slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:18) and slaves of Christ (1 Corinthians 7:22), and even servants of one another (2 Corinthians 4:5). Clearly, our freedom is not an absolute freedom.

Freedom from Sin

At the same, in some sense a Christian is free in that they are “no longer a slave, but a child” of God (Galatians 4:7, similarly Romans 6:22). Jesus said that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). By this he meant that a free person will no longer be “a slave to sin” (verse 34).

But what is freedom from sin?

When Paul speaks of being freed from slavery to sin, he says that we should become “slaves to righteous living so that [we] will become holy” (Romans 6:19). So part of being freed from sin means that we will intentionally seek to live a righteous, holy life.

Another part of being “free from sin” is that we are freed from a consequence of sin, namely spiritual death (Romans 6:22-23). Instead, our freedom results in “eternal life” (verse 22).

Freedom from the “Veil”

In 2 Corinthians 3:17 Paul writes “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” The context of the verse indicates this freedom here means “the veil [of misunderstanding] is taken away” (verse 16). The result is that believers “have unveiled faces” and can truly “contemplate the Lord’s glory.” Moreover, just like being freed from slavery to sin, the result is that believers “are being transformed into his image” by the Spirit (verse 18).

Freedom from the Law

The other major emphasis we find in the Bible is that “the freedom we have in Christ” is a freedom from the Old Testament Law (Galatians 2:4). The result of this “freedom” is that Christians are not “obligated to keep the entire law” (5:1 & 3).

Throughout Galatians Paul is aiming to safeguard the reality that “in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26), rather than through the Law. By “the Law” he means the rites of Jewish religion and the practice of circumcision in particular (Galatians 2:3). Many preachers rightfully expand on this idea to say that we are free from the need to earn our salvation through religiosity, good works, or some other means.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we don’t need to obey God or that we can live however we please. With this concern in mind, Paul cautions his readers, “Don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13).

Freedom from the Law of Sin and Death

Within the context of another discussion of the Old Testament Law (Romans 7), Paul states “the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). Being free from the “law of sin” means that sin is not our master. Instead, we are enabled to live “according to the Spirit” (8:3-9).

The result of this freedom from the Spirit is expansive, including things such as “life and peace” (verse 6) rather than “condemnation” (verse 1). These are things that the Law could not provide.

And being free from the “law of death” (Romans 8:2) means that, like Christ, believers will receive eternal life at the resurrection (verses 10-11 and 23, cf. 5:21). Given this, we can say that some aspects of the believer’s freedom are future, since we have yet to fully “obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (8:21).

“ Some aspects of freedom are future, since we have yet to fully “obtain the freedom…of the children of God.”

The book of Hebrews connects freedom and death as well. There we read that Jesus Christ died in part to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15).

What then is Freedom in Christ?

When the Bible refers to the Christian’s freedom, it is referring to some aspects of our salvation. In summary, our freedom comes because of Christ’s saving work and the Spirit that he gave us. Through this, Christians are freed from:

• the Law—following religious rites to achieve salvation (notably, circumcision)
• the metaphorical veil that keeps us from grasping the truth of the Gospel
• slavery to sin or the law of sin
• the law of death—the eternal death that results from sin
• fear of death.

And, as a result of this freedom, the Bible emphasizes that Christians:

• are children of God
• have no condemnation
• become slaves of Christ
• become slaves to righteousness, leading to holiness as enabled by the Spirit
• receive other benefits from living according to the Spirit, such as life and peace
• will be resurrected to eternal life.

Praise the Lord!

What Else?

This is what the Bible emphasizes when it comes to freedom in Christ. Yet it would likely be fair for us to add to these lists. For example, we might justifiably say Christ sets us free from shame (Romans 10:11), even though the Bible never explicitly says this.

But we must be careful. For example, the Bible wouldn’t agree that our freedom in Christ means that we should only expect blissful days of happiness (John 16:33) or that we should expect freedom from all sickness (1 Timothy 5:23).

Nevertheless, I’m pretty sure we are safe to say that Christians are free to dance, and run, and sing.

You might also be interested in these posts:

• Halloween, Tattoos, Yoga, and Alcohol: When Christians Disagree
• Is God For You…Not Against You?
• Ouija Boards and Sexual Intimacy: Issues of Freedom

Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor and VP of Academics at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

The post What Does “Freedom in Christ” Actually Mean? appeared first on Andrew K. Gabriel.

I am, nevertheless, concerned that many Christians who claim to declare “what the Bible promises” aren’t really declaring things that the Bible promises for them as individuals.

The Bible is not a List of Declarations

The Bible is not a God-given list of verses to declare over yourself. If it were, then why not declare over yourself

Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised.” (Obadiah 1:2)?

Or why not declare over yourself,

You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths” (Psalm 88:6)?

Of course we wouldn’t declare such things over ourselves because they aren’t God’s promises to us. But all the good things written in the Bible aren’t always God’s promises to us either.

Context, Context, Context

We have to consider the meaning of each Bible verse in context to determine if it is a general promise, or if it is something that God intended for a particular person or group of people.

Consider, for example, the often quoted text from Jeremiah 29:11.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This verse is not a promise for each individual person. Instead, it was God’s promise specifically to Israel in the midst of their exile in Babylon. The Bible makes this clear just a few sentences earlier in verse 4. Moreover, it wasn’t even God’s promise for Israel for that very day, but for the future,  after “seventy years” of exile (verse 10). Yikes! Similarly, when it comes to our lives today, it is possible that God might actually be against a person for a time.

Like the above verse, we should not assume when God said, “I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children” (Leviticus 26:22), that this was God’s intent for every individual. Instead, the verses surrounding this one make clear that this was a warning for ancient Israel, should they choose to disobey God’s commandments.

We should not just decide to claim one verse and not the other simply because one makes us feel good. But we actually shouldn’t claim either of these verses, because God didn’t mean for us to claim either of them.

“ We should not just decide to claim one verse and not another simply because one makes us feel good.

Now, this doesn’t mean that we can’t apply Jeremiah 29:11 to our lives. BOTH Jeremiah 29:11 AND Leviticus 26:22 (and the rest of Scripture) are applicable to people today in some way. But we can’t just “claim” those verses without adequately considering what they meant in their original context.

Biblical Declarations

There actually isn’t a lot in the Bible about declaring things about ourselves. Instead we read of people declaring the praises of God: “I will declare that your love stands firm forever” (Psalm 89:2).

And yet, I do think there is some value in claiming or declaring over ourselves some of the general truths of Scripture, when they are properly understood as actually applying to us. We need to realize, though, that these declarations don’t make God act or do anything. By contrast, my concern is that many people who practice “declaring” things are actually trying to “decree” things—the former simply affirms what is already true, whereas the latter is a futile attempt to try to shape the future with one’s words.

“ There is value in declaring the truths of Scripture, when they are properly understood as actually applying to us.

Rather than changing our circumstances, legitimately biblical declarations are for our own benefit. They are a means of replacing falsehood with truth, they are a way we can encourage ourselves, and they can serve as of a means of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

10 Scriptures You Can Legitimately Declare Over Yourself

All this being said, here are 10 Scriptures you can justifiably declare over yourself if you are a Christian:

1. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
2. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
3. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)
4. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)
5. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
6. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
7. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
8. “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
9. “But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:6)
10. “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

One thing strikes me as I read these verses. If these realities and promises are true, then I really don’t even need to declare them (even though there is nothing wrong with that). And I certainly don’t need to decree them (not that I could). Instead, I could just thank God for these things. And thankful, we should be.

Give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4).

You might also be interested in these posts:

• Is God For You…Not Against You?
• Should Christians Declare or Decree Things over Their Lives?
• How to Break Generational Curses

Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

The post 10 Bible Verses You Can Legitimately Declare Over Your Life appeared first on Andrew K. Gabriel.

I’m sure some Christian somewhere has even tried to apply the blood of Jesus over their cat. I don’t like cats.

If you aren’t familiar with prayers where people “apply the blood,” you might want to check out this video (see especially the very beginning and from the 4 minute mark).

Such prayers (are they really prayers?) can sound very pious. They can sound very spiritual. Who wouldn’t want the best for their family, their marriage, or even their car?

But, you will not find such prayers in the Bible. Why?

Because you can’t apply the blood of Jesus over your life . . . or anything else.

Two More Problems with Applying the Blood

Those who are consistently “applying the blood of Jesus” in their prayers can make others feel like their prayers aren’t good enough. Such prayers seem to imply that prayer is a technique that needs to be learned.

Crucially, simple prayers are just as effective as flowery “spiritual” sounding prayers where someone tries to pray the “right” way. Consider the tax collector who simply prays, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). If God graciously responds to such simple prayers for mercy, surely God will be just as gracious in responding to our other simple prayers.

“God help my marriage!” is just as good . . . actually it’s better than “I apply the blood over my marriage.” The former puts us in a place of trust in the sovereignty and grace of God.

By contrast, in the “I apply the blood” prayers the person making such declarations seems to be trying to take control—trying to take sovereignty—over the situation. It’s as though now that they are doing their spiritual duty of applying Jesus blood, God should now be obliged to do what they are asking . . . or at least God is now more obliged than if they had prayed a simple prayer of request.

Jesus’ Ordinary Blood (Yet Another Problem)

Jesus’ blood was not special. Jesus was fully God, but let’s not forget that he was also fully human. He, therefore, had fully human blood, just like yours and mine. Its chemistry was no different than yours and mine.

This means that Jesus’ blood is not some sort of magical spiritual fairy dust that you can apply over your life by reciting the correct incantation. That sounds like Christian magic to me. But I’m pretty sure that’s not a thing. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

“ Jesus’ blood is not some sort of magical spiritual fairy dust that you can apply over your life by reciting the correct incantation.

Where Does “Apply the Blood” Come From?

“Applying the blood” is primarily an allusion back to the Old Testament when Moses was trying to liberate the people Israel from their Egyptian oppressors.

In the tenth plague before the Exodus, God told each Israelite household to slaughter a lamb, eat its meat, and to apply “some of the [lamb’s] blood . . . on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses” where they ate (Exodus 12:7). Those who obeyed were protected from the tenth plague (for more info, read Exodus 12-13).

In the New Testament Paul once refers to Jesus Christ as “our Passover lamb” (1 Corinthians 5:7). As a result, similar to how the Israelites literally applied blood of a lamb to the doorposts of their houses, some people suppose that we now need to “apply the blood of Jesus” to various aspects of our lives. Sometimes it is for some sort of protection (like the original Passover), but at other times the practice is used as a general means to get what one wants.

God Applies the Blood of the Sacrifice

Of course we can’t literally apply the blood of Jesus since he died so long ago. But the Bible also never instructs us to metaphorically or spiritually apply the blood of Jesus over our lives. The same is true regarding the practice of “pleading the blood of Jesus.” And, to emphasize the point, the Bible never gives us any examples of anyone in the Bible doing this either.

“ The Bible never instructs us to metaphorically or spiritually apply the blood of Jesus over our lives.

Instead, what the Bible gives us is a picture of God applying (metaphorically) the blood of Jesus to our lives (for example, Hebrews 12:24 and 1 Peter 1:2). But even this is not primarily a reference to the Passover.

In addition to speaking of Jesus as the Passover Lamb, the New Testament also refers to Jesus as a sacrifice, particularly one that makes atonement for our sins (Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 9:26-28). This is a reference back to the sacrifices that took place in the tabernacle and (later) the temple under the old covenant.

When the New Testament speaks of the “blood of Christ” or the “blood of the Lamb,” it primarily has in mind the saving work of Jesus as the atoning sacrifice.

The Precious Blood of Jesus

When the Bible speaks of Jesus’ blood and its value, it is short hand for referring to the salvation that comes through the death of Christ. (The same is true of when the Bible speaks of the power of “the cross”).

Biblical references to Jesus’ blood are, as I noted, allusions to how Jesus fulfills various Old Testament sacrifices—he was killed, his blood was shed, and God (metaphorically) applies his blood to us, with the result that we are forgiven of our sins.

When the New Testament speaks of Jesus blood it is also an allusion to how Jesus establishes a new covenant between God and humanity. As Jesus said regarding himself, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28, compare Exodus 24:8).

Recognizing this, one can rightfully say that Jesus blood is precious. And his blood IS POWERFUL. It

• Frees us from sin (Revelation 1:5),
• Justifies us (Romans 5:9),
• Redeems us (Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19),
• Gives us confidence to approach God (Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 10:19), and
• Cleanses us and makes us holy (Hebrews 9:22 and 13:12, 1 John 1:7).

(Can I hear an AMEN!?)

But, Jesus blood is not something that we can apply over our lives or anything else. And yet, I’m sure God is gracious enough to hear the prayers of those who try to.

P.S. I’ve mentioned this in the comments below: I think that pleading the blood is less of a problem that trying to “apply” the blood, given that the latter suggests that we actually do something with Jesus’ blood. At the same time, we don’t find anyone “applying” or “pleading” the blood of Jesus in the Bible.

You might also be interested in these posts:

• Demons Have No “Legal Rights”
• What Jesus Really Says about GREAT FAITH
• Should I Declare the Blood of Jesus Over my Home to Stop COVID-19?

Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit (forthcoming) as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.

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I cringed as I sat there listening to the preacher. He based his sermon on John 14:17: “…the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

The preacher declared, “The Spirit is a ‘him’, and ‘he’ lives in you.” And on account of this he boldly proclaimed to the congregation, “The Holy Spirit is a ‘he,’ not an ‘it.’ Therefore the Holy Spirit is personal.”

The preacher was both right and wrong.

Not “He”

The Spirit is not “he.” Looking at your English Bible, you might think so. But you would be mistaken.

In fact, in the Old Testament, “Spirit” (Hebrew=ruach) is a feminine noun. As a result, historically the Syrian Christian tradition spoke of the Holy Spirit as “she.” And they were biblically justified in doing so.

When we come to the New Testament, though, “Spirit”  (Greek=pneuma) is a neuter noun. And in Greek the Bible explicitly refers to the Spirit as “it” (John 14:17). Therefore, in some places the King James Version of the English Bible refers to the Spirit as “it” (for example, Romans 8:16).

Of course, in language grammatical gender doesn’t determine physical gender or sex. So, for example, the word “house” in Greek (oikos) is masculine, but a house is no more male than female. Similarly, the word “church” (ecclesia) is feminine in Greek, even though the church includes both males and females.

How did we end up with “he”?

In the fourth century a monk by the name of Jerome produced the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible. This became the translation of choice in the Western Roman empire. And in Latin, the word for “Spirit” (spiritus) is a masculine noun. This is one of the big reasons that the Western Church (which includes the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions) ended up speaking of the Spirit as “he.”

“ Bible translations can affect theology.

In addition, in a few places the Bible refers to the Spirit as “he,” namely when Jesus calls the Spirit the “Paraclete.” This word is a masculine Greek noun (John 15:26). But, again, grammatical gender doesn’t really refer to sex.

What Really Matters

The Holy Spirit is not a he, she, it. The Spirit does not have a physical body, and therefore has no sex.

“ The Spirit is not a he, she, it. The Spirit does not have a physical body.

Biblically, we are justified to speak of the Spirit as it, he, or she. Nevertheless, it is a problem if we only think of the Spirit as a “he.” Some theologians have even suggested that to think of God only as a “he” is a form of idolatry (creating a human image of God).

While many English speakers aren’t comfortable with referring to the Spirit as “she,” the Bible does describe the Spirit as giving “birth” to us (John 3:5-6). And that’s not something that a “he” can do.

At the end of the day, what matters most is that we recognize that the Holy Spirit is indeed personal. The Spirit “teaches” us (John 14:26) and “intercedes” for us (Romans 8:26). And you can “grieve” the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). So the Spirit is not just a divine force or power, but personal. And you can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.

On account of this theological conclusion, historically most theologians have preferred not to speak of the Spirit as “it” since that would seem to imply that the Spirit is impersonal. And theologically, that implication would be incorrect.

(In case you are wondering, in this post I answered two questions: “Why do we refer to the Spirit as ‘he’?” and “How can we show others that he’s personal and not just God’s active force in the world?”)

You might also be interested in my blog series called “The Holy Spirit in Life” (#HSLife).

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Okay. You found it? But it isn’t in the original Greek language (the language that the New Testament was first written in). Let me explain.

Some Christians create a metaphorical box called “spiritual gifts.” That is, they list the gifts that are found in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4, and say that only those “gifts” that appear in these New Testament lists qualify as “spiritual gifts.” In this sense, some create a technical category called “spiritual gifts” to refer to a limited number of ways that the Spirit works. The result is that even though the Spirit might enable a person to be talented at artistic designs (like in Exodus 35:31-32), this artistic ability doesn’t get counted as a “spiritual gift” because it isn’t in the “list” of spiritual gifts.

There are at least two problems with creating a limited “list” or “box” of spiritual gifts.

1) If you compare the various lists of “spiritual gifts” in the Bible, it is clear that the biblical authors never intended to give us an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts because none of the lists are the same. Paul mentions the gift of prophecy in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, but the gift of encouragement occurs only in Romans 12:8. And Paul lists the gift of teaching in all of the same chapters I just mentioned, but he mentions the gift of tongues only in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. The differences between the various lists of gifts clearly indicate that each list is incomplete, meaning that no biblical author intended to list all gifts of the Spirit.

2) Paul didn’t have a technical category called “spiritual gifts.” He never even uses the phrase “spiritual gifts!”*

Most English translations of the Bible present Paul writing about “spiritual gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12:1 and 14:1. (At least a couple of translations [CEV and NLT] also mention “spiritual gifts” in 12:4). In English, these verses read:

• Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (1 Corinthians 12:1)
• Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1)

However the word “gifts” doesn’t actually occur in these verses in the original language. Rather, the one word Paul uses in these verses is:

• pneumatika– literally meaning “spirituals” or things having to do with the Spirit. This Greek word is simply the plural form of the word “spiritual.” Making a word plural doesn’t change its meaning. “Spirituals” is not a technical term that Paul uses in reference to special ways that the Spirit works (that is, “spiritual gifts”). Rather, the word “spiritual” has numerous uses. For example, the Bible describes the church as a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).

Another key word that Paul uses (for example, in 1 Corinthians 12:4 and 31) when he talks about things like gifts of teaching, healing, tongues, and so forth is:

• charismata– literally meaning “gifts.” This word is simply the plural form of the word “gift.” Again, making the word plural, doesn’t change its meaning, nor make it a technical term referring to a special way that the Spirit works (that is, “spiritual gifts”). As above, Paul uses this Greek word meaning “gift” in other ways. For example, he describes salvation as a “gift” (Romans 6:23).

Paul did not create a technical category, limited list, or box, called spiritual gifts. Rather, when Paul talks about “spirituals” or “gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere, Paul is simply offering a number of examples of ways that the Spirit uses and enables believers to minister. There are many other ways that the Spirit can use believers!

Having said all this, does the Spirit give us gifts? Yes, by all means—the “gifts” Paul describes in his letters are indeed “the work of one and the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:11).

So, I suppose, in a sense, there are spiritual gifts. My main point, though, is that the Bible does not present a technical category that includes a limited number of “spiritual gifts” (but that wouldn’t have made a very good title for this blog post).

* To be fair, Paul does use the singular form “spiritual gift” in one place—Romans 1:11. However, here the term is not used in the context of or with the meaning of what most people think of when they think of “spiritual gifts.”

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