John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing, and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
Grace has always been God's will for mankind. Even after Adam's transgression, God covered Adam and Eve with the blood of sacrificial animals and clothed them. Genesis 3:21 (Amplified) says, "For Adam also and for his wife the Lord God made long coats (tunics of skins) and clothed them." God instructed Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:17 (Amplified), "But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and Blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in that day you eat of it you shall surely die."
The day they ate from that tree, Adam and Eve died spiritually and were cut off from the Life in the Spirit of God. Death set in instantly and mankind was separated from God, in his spirit. The Law of Sin and Death came into existence at that moment and only the shed blood of sacrificial animals could cover the demand for payment. God took the life of animals to cover Adam's sin. A death occurred, blood was shed, the blood constituted the passing of life and paid the penalty. Throughout the Bible, death had to be paid for, to cover man's sins and the proof of payment was the blood. This was and is Grace towards mankind, until the Final Payment for sin and death could be made by the Blood, death, and resurrection of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
Being a Just and Righteous Judge, God had to enforce the Law of Sin and Death He gave Adam in Genesis 2:17. Grace determined that the death and blood of innocent animals would cover man's sins and prolong his physical life, until Jesus could come as the True Sacrifice. Jesus was the Perfect, Innocent Sacrifice that destroyed the sin and restored the Life of God's Spirit, within the spirit of mankind.
The Holy Spirit brought the Word of God, but we often miss what He said in John 1:16-17. We're living in the day of the Promise that God made in Genesis 3:15 (Amplified) where He says, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring. He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel." The old covenant people needed to operate in the Law and sacrifice, to stay in the Grace that the Law offered. The Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus, has come and we no longer walk under the Law. We don't need the death and blood of animals to cover our sins, because of Jesus' Sinless Sacrifice. Jesus told His followers, in Matthew 26:28 (Amplified), "For this is My Blood of the new covenant, which ratifies the agreement and is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin."
The Apostle Paul received the Revelation from Jesus Himself, about the Truth of the Blood covenant being proclaimed by and through what we have come to call communion. Paul gives us, the world and satan the Truth and Spiritual Blessings and explains how the Price has been paid and by Jesus' Blood and death, we are free from the bondage of the Law of Sin and Death. Paul writes about the Last Supper in 1Corinthians 11:25-26 (Amplified), "Similarly when supper was ended, He took the cup also, saying, This cup is the new covenant, ratified and established in My Blood, do this, as often as you drink it, to call Me affectionately to remembrance. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes again."
This communion with the Lord, signifies to the world and spirit realm that death had come by the Blood, just like in Egypt, during the Passover. The Lamb's Blood proclaimed and testified that the Law of Sin and Death had been paid and the destroyer (the demonic spirit that fed upon the sin and death) was rebuked. The destroyer no longer had a right to move upon those who were under the Blood.
The Passover Meal (we call Communion) is the Power over the Law of Sin and Death, when we knowingly proclaim take it in it's authority, according to Romans 8:1-2 (Amplified) which says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation, no adjudging guilty of wrong for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus, the Law of our new being, has freed me from the Law of Sin and Death."
When we fail to understand the Grace and Truth in the bread and wine and receive communion as a ritual and tradition, we fail to appropriate the Spiritual Blessing that comes through it in Jesus. The Power of the Blood of Jesus is much more powerful than that of lambs in Exodus 12:21-27 (Amplified), where the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and place the blood of that lamb, over their doors, so that he destroyer couldn't enter their homes and slay them. We have God's Word and the Guarantee of Jesus' Blood as our Protection from the Law of Sin and Death, when we walk in His Truth and Grace.
God's Awesome Grace went so far as to take our penalty for us and we haven't totally appreciated what it really is. Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ, doing away with the spiritual death for the believer. The Spiritual Blessings of the Promise God gave to "Abraham and his Seed (Jesus)" can be fulfilled in us. Some of these Spiritual Blessings couldn't be granted to the old covenant people, because of the spiritual death they lived in after Adam's transgression. Jesus' Sacrifice fulfilled all of these Promises, Spiritual Blessings and Truth, for the new covenant people who believe in Him.
All of the Promises of Messiah that God made throughout the entire old covenant, have now become Truth in the new covenant. These include healing, peace, son-ship, being made one in spirit with God again, redemption, restoration, dominion and so many other Spiritual Blessings. John 1:17 (Amplified) tells us, "Grace (unearned, undeserved favor), and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
These Spiritual Blessings were intended for mankind from the beginning, but Adam's sin in the Garden delayed them, until Jesus came. Jesus paid the Price for us and all these Spiritual Blessings that were always God's will for us, have been reactivated or become Truth again for His children. God can now do for and through us, like He intended from the beginning. God could only Bless Abraham in this earthly realm and Promise him the Blessing of the Spirit. Abraham walked by faith with God and God Blessed him, just like He said He would. Abraham's name is made great, and he has truly become the Father of Multitudes in his faith, but the Blessing of the Spirit could not come until Jesus. Galatians 3:13-14 (Amplified) says, "Christ purchased our freedom, redeeming us from the Curse (doom of the Law and its condemnation) by Himself becoming a Curse for us, for it is written in the scriptures, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified) (Deut. 21:23) To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might All RECEIVE THE REALIZATION OF THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."
When the Promise was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit was poured out on and in us, the realization of this event would change everything in our lives. Through Jesus, we've been made alive, we've been infused with,empowered by and Blessed in and with, the Very Indwelling Presence of God. Jesus fulfilled God's Promise and Plan for His family. It's like satan never interrupted God's Plan and sin had never been. The Church is just beginning to understand the Spiritual Blessing that came through Jesus.
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