
As we are approaching Good Friday, the day on which Christians annually observe the commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, my question is ‘Why is it called GOOD FRIDAY?’ What is good about crucifying a man? Well, first it is important to understand that it was not just any kind of man: the man’s name was Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrated at Christmas, only a few weeks ago. In the Bible we read that Jesus, as His very name tells us, came to save the people from their sin. In fact that terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and His victory over death and sin, leading to the celebration of Easter. It is the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations, and that is because WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life, and if that is not good news, what is?
There is also an important factor in this good news. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, God’s Word tells us that we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God and that no one is righteous, not even one. And because of that, ALL were condemned to a doomed eternity. But praise God that The Heavenly Father sent His only Son to become our substitute, that through Him ALL who believe and accept Him as their Lord and personal Saviour will not only experience life but life to the full.
So today as we approach Good Friday, let’s focus on the power of the blood of Jesus and THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 7 PLACES THAT JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US:
- He shed His blood through HIS SWEAT – It was in the garden of Gethsemane as we read in Luke 22:44 that ‘being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.’ What took place was a battle of the mind, for it was there that Jesus won back our willpower as He declared ‘Not my will but yours!’ So as you may find yourselves battling against the lies of the enemy, intentionally activate your will and declare in whatever situation you may find yourselves in ‘Not my will but yours, Lord!‘
- He shed His blood through HIS FACE – Isaiah 50:4 tells us ‘His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would barely know he was a man.’ They savagely punched Him, kicked Him, they pulled His beard out. Just imagine, His face was battered, He could hardly be identified nevermind recognised, and He suffered all this so that we may be given a new identity to be called sons and daughters of the living God. Your identity is not in your professional status, your bank balance, your social status, but in Christ Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
- He shed His blood through HIS HEAD – John 19:2 tells us ‘And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him.’ Jesus’ crown of thorns acquired back our affluence. Imagine the blood pouring as they pressed that crown of thorns on His head, all that for the cleansing, renewing of the mind and to set us free from any depressive thoughts, mental breakdown, wrong thinking. Paul says we can ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our greatest battle ground is between our ears! Thank you Jesus that through your blood we can ‘take captive every thought and be victorious.’
- He shed His blood through HIS BACK and THE BRUISING of His body – Mathew 27:26 tells us ‘Pilate ordered that Jesus be beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal.’ Also God’s Word tells us not only by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5) but according to 1 Peter 2:24 ‘by His stripes we were healed.’ Jesus’ bleeding back gives us access to our healing. If you are afflicted by sicknesses and diseases, today according to His Word BE HEALED IN JESUS NAME. Because of all the beatings that He endured, He was bruised and suffered internal bleeding. Isa 53:5 ‘He was bruised for our iniquities.’ This also tells us that Jesus shed His blood for all our inner hurts. So if you are hurting emotionally, with hurts that cannot be seen by the human eye, be encouraged. Jesus saw them and took care of it by shedding His blood for the healing of your inner hurts.
- He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS HANDS – The account in Psalm 22:16 tells us that ‘They have pierced my hands and my feet.’ This was a prophecy indicating the manner of Jesus’s crucifixion: that He would be nailed to a cross (John 20:25). This signifies that whatever we put our hand to, through our service, our ministry, our workplace, we can experience victorious breakthrough. So if you are struggling in whatever you seek to do, claim your victory now!
- He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS FEET – Psalm 22:16 tells us that not only did they pierce His hands but also His feet. Signifying that Jesus gives us back dominion over the places we walk upon. I love the promise that God gave Joshua (Chap. 1:3) ‘Every place where on the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours.’ And that is a promise to hold on to, even for us today.
- He shed His blood through the piercing of HIS SIDE – John 19:34 highlights that ‘One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.’ Well, the fact that blood and water flowed from His side symbolises that Jesus died from a broken heart, not only His body was broken but His very heart was broken for us ALL. As His Word declares in Psalm 147:3, ‘He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.’ So today if you are experiencing a broken relationship or grieving for a loved one, know with certainty that He can and wants to heal your broken heart. Why? Because His blood was also shed for your broken heart.
So as GOOD FRIDAY approaches, let’s spend quality time to reflect on the fact that Jesus gave Himself for ALL humanity. Through the shedding of His blood, we can be made WHOLE, meaning we can experience not just a partial salvation but our COMPLETE SALVATION, allowing us to enjoy fullness of life and victorious living. All this because after GOOD FRIDAY COMES EASTER SUNDAY where we’ll celebrate the power of His resurrection.