IT’S THE BLOOD THAT SETS US FREE!

By Helen Jesze, 29^th January 2020

George and I had been staying in a Christian guesthouse in Germany. In the chapel, over the altar, hung a banner. It depicted a red cross on a white background, with large drops of red blood falling down, and the words: “Fully paid!”

My heart rejoiced at this proclamation! Nowadays we do not hear much about the blood of Jesus, nor is it mentioned often from the pulpit. Many Christians want a ‘bloodless’ Christianity. It is true that ‘blood’ is not something we want to talk about, but the blood of Jesus is different.The sinless blood of Jesus has bought us free from satan’s bondage. Nothing else could have done it, and we should never forget this.

Growing up in a Christian home and giving my life to Jesus at the age of nine, I had heard a lot about the sacrifice of Jesus for us on Calvary, for the whole world, if they would accept it. But nobody could talk about Calvary and the sufferings of Jesus like Bro. Fisher. He had been a missionary in China for many years, before the Communists took over. He and his wife had suffered greatly. One day she died and then his little daughter. He could find nobody to make coffins for them.

“They are only women!” they scoffed. “Throw them over the mountain! Let the wolves and the jackals eat them!” So with his primitive tools, Bro. Fisher cut wood and made a tiny coffin for his baby and a bigger one for his wife, then all alone and with a breaking heart, he buried his loved ones. This sorrow pressed him closer into God and Calvary became more real than ever to him. Yet Calvary was not only sorrow, but the forerunner of great joy and resurrection! Since then, I have learned this, too!

Also staying at the guesthouse was a group of 40 people who had met for one of their regular retreats. Each of them had been addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, pornography, or other things. Very often when we asked who they were, they would introduce themselves by saying, “ I am Mr. So-and-So – a drug-addict.” They would say this although they had not taken any drugs for months or years. They still saw themselves in this way. The leaders were born-again Christians and the Lord was using them to help these people. Some of the group had also found Jesus, but most were there just to meet old friends, enjoy a short holiday and listen to some “self- help” talks, not yet seeing their need to accept Christ as Saviour.

They held their sessions in the chapel, but I noticed that the banner had been turned round. The message was obvious! It was far more popular to continuously talk about one’s problems, than to acknowledge the One who paid for all their sin. But who’s talking about sin?! We don’t have sin, we have a problem! We were saddened to hear that it was one of the leaders who had turned the banner round, and we prayed the Lord would give them courage to give the Truth with love and wisdom, yet uncompromisingly, to those in such desperate need, so they might be set completely free.

One of America’s most brilliant Criminal Defence lawyers became addicted to alcohol and drugs. Nobody understood how he could win almost all of his cases, as he was nearly always drunk. It became so bad that he was taking handfuls of pills washed down with Vodka. His wife became desperate and started to listen to a Gospel radio program, and found to faith in Jesus. She fell in love with a song she heard there: “There is a river that flows from God above, There is a river that’s filled with his great love.” and bought the record.

When her husband heard it he smashed the record, but she bought another one. Soon she was buying them by the boxful (20!), and he became more and more enraged. But one night, suddenly he began to tremble and cry, as the power of God took hold of him. A few days later, he gave his life to Christ and was immediately set free from drugs and alcohol. He changed much in his law practice, and every one of the lawyers he employed was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, helping countless people in times of need. They began to treat their clients not just from a legal standpoint, but as a ‘whole’ person.

While we are grateful for every counsellor and professional person who seeks to help people to break free of their addictions, yet we must admit that very few of those who have gone through the programmes actually kick their habit and stay free. Only the power of Jesus Christ and his shed blood can break the chains that bind us, and actually take away the desire which is destroying us. Spiritual forces from satan form the web that ensnares us, and he is afraid of the blood of Jesus. He knows it caused his downfall and made the way open for every person to come to God, if they will only believe it. There is definitely a place for counselling but choose a counsellor who does not forget that God made people in His tri-une image – spirit, soul, and body. That “soul (mind, will and emotions)” and “spirit” must also be ‘treated’, with the Word of God and the power of Jesus’ sacrifice, for there to be any real change in the person’s life.

I want to encourage you today if you are battling some compulsion. There is hope in Jesus! He does not want us to try to make ourself better, to clean ourself up before we come to Him. If we could do it on our own we would not need Him, so come as you are, warts and all! His mercy is extended to every one of us TODAY! He is longing to accept you, save you from sin’s punishment, break every bondage and make you a Child of God!