Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Discuss topics raised by callers on the radio program
Post Reply
jpat1975
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:14 am

Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Post by jpat1975 » Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:24 pm

A group I used to attend used to put pressure on it's members to pray all the time invoking this in their prayers "...we/I plead the blood of Jesus...". It wasn't always obvious, but the emphasis was pretty heavy. Where does this come from, and what convinces people that they need to have these specific words when there is no example that even comes close in the bible? It's as silly as self-talking your own blood in your circulatory system to flow. It's automatic by virtue of you simply being alive. Which means, as long as one is a Christian, they're alive spiritually, and therefore this spiritual blood thingy is flowing (I presume this symbolizes the Holy Spirit being allowed to operate in ones life). The idea of confessing our sins and walking in the light gives the Spirit permission to continue working in our lives, whereas, being unrepentant would hinder His operation/flow.

Any how, the prayer formula is silly, when it gets to the point that you fear your car might crash if you don't use that verbiage. It's been years since I've used it, and doing just fine. God must be blessing me or something :-)

User avatar
steve
Posts: 3392
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:45 pm

Re: Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Post by steve » Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:48 pm

It is strictly a superstition—very popular among some Pentecostal/charismatic groups, among whom superstitions are not uncommon.

User avatar
Paidion
Posts: 5452
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:22 pm
Location: Back Woods of North-Western Ontario

Re: Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Post by Paidion » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:50 pm

Perhaps the practice originates from the following sentence:

And they overcame him [the accuser of our brethren] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11)

Perhaps when some people read this sentence, they ask themselves, "How would they overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb? They must have pleaded the blood in order to overcome Satan."

It reminds me of the practice of followers of "God's prophet" marching through a town that has rejected "the word of God" to them through God's "prophet" and calling down a curse upon them. I have seen that done. I didn't notice any difference in the affairs of that particular town afterward.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

User avatar
steve
Posts: 3392
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:45 pm

Re: Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Post by steve » Fri Mar 04, 2016 4:59 pm

Paidion,

I am sure you are correct about the "biblical" origin of the practice. It is a shame that they did not take the verse in contexts, where the previous verse is the only verse in scripture calling Satan "the accuser of the brethren" and is said to be cast down from heaven to confront the saints on earth. "They overcame him" (who? The accuser!) by the blood of the Lamb (that is, they deflected his accusations, or condemnation, by appeal to Christ's blood in its function (as Paul put it) of "redeeming" and "forgiving sins" (Eph.1:7; cf. 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

DeGraff
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:40 pm

Re: Pleading the blood as a prayer formula

Post by DeGraff » Tue Apr 26, 2016 4:03 pm

Close friends and I were praying over someone this past week, and one person (from a Vineyard background) began to "plead the blood of Jesus". The sincerity was all genuine, but it came across as something they were taught to do.

It's like... "Wow this prayer need is serious. We need to step things up a notch. I better use my go-to prayer weapon..." and cue the pleading the blood of Jesus. I won't deny that their is power in Jesus' name. Man is their ever. But this implies that Jesus name might not be enough. We're going to need His blood for this prayer. It becomes an invocation not unlike the priest in The Exorcist saying "The power of Christ compels you".

I'm wondering if this term comes from a deliverance ministry background (Word of faith?), and evolved to be used for everything.

Post Reply

Return to “Radio Program Topics”