"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
~ Ephesians 6:11-12
Putting on the Full Armor of God
The full armor of God consists of the following components, as described in Ephesians 6:10-18:
- Belt of Truth: Represents honesty and integrity.
- Breastplate of Righteousness: Symbolizes moral integrity and protection.
- Gospel of Peace: Refers to the readiness to spread the message of peace.
- Shield of Faith: Protects against doubt and spiritual attacks.
- Helmet of Salvation: Represents the assurance of salvation.
- Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God, used for spiritual warfare.
These elements are meant to equip believers for spiritual battles and to stand firm in their faith.
Pleading the Blood of Jesus
The spiritual warfare that we come up against needs us to be vigilant; if pleading the blood of Jesus when you face spiritual warfare in life helps you, there is no reason to avoid the phrase. However, if using it causes you to stumble in your spiritual walk and your relationship with Jesus, avoid it altogether.
Remember that Jesus has already defeated Satan through his death and resurrection. Satan still tries to get those who follow Jesus to stumble, “pleading the blood” can be similar to claiming that you stand as a Christian and that Jesus has already thwarted the plans of the enemy.
“Pleading the blood” while in spiritual warfare can be a way of us surrendering to God and appealing to Him. It can be an act of surrendering to God and trusting He will lead us even in our darkest moments. We are called to give our battles over to God in the book of James.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
The only requirement is that we submit to God and resist the devil to avoid the schemes of satan in our lives - we do not need to “plead the blood” to be safe or protected by God. There is most definitely power through the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we know that the word of God also has power. God’s word is not old or stagnant but active and working in our lives.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrew 4:12
The phrase “Pleading the blood of Jesus” is not special words that will change or manipulate a situation, just because we've said it. Only through Christ’s work on the cross is there power in the blood.