Happy relationships add joy to our lives, and it’s God’s will to bless us with them. We were made to be in relationship with each other; however, work is required to make them succeed. The enemy wants to steal and destroy everything dear to us, including the family ties with our loved ones. Thousands of years ago Jesus knew this, which is why He went to the cross and shed His blood to preserve them.
Before sin entered into the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed the perfect relationship with God and with each other. When Satan destroyed it, sin alienated them from each other and separated them from God; Jesus had to come to earth and restore what the Father originally intended. This required a blood sacrifice. The significance of what Jesus did to restore our relationships was foreshadowed by Old-Testament sacrifices. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:12-14).
Sin was an issue before Jesus came. It had the power to bring curses, rule over people, and keep them separated from each other. God was at war with it, which meant there was no chance to have a personal relationship with Him. The power of Jesus’ blood was the only thing strong enough to break the curses and bring man forgiveness from sin. “…And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22, NIV).
No relationship is always trouble-free. Realistically, disagreements are bound to spring up from time to time. There’s real power in Jesus’ blood; to keep those disagreements from getting out of hand and turning into strife and contention, we take authority in this area by pleading the blood.
Before the cross, the curses resulting from sin dominated every area, including relationships. However, we’ve been authorized to plead the blood of Jesus over a troubled relationship; this gives God permission to get involved in it the way He wants to. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:34). Strife is defined as bitter and sometime violent conflict; this isn’t God’s will for us. Jesus chose to bleed and die for us to end this curse.
God loves us and wants us to enjoy happy, peaceful relationships. An understanding of this, and a willingness to open our mouths and speak His Word when problems threaten to tear them apart, unleashes great power against the enemy. There’s no reason to tolerate the abusive or toxic relationships we see in the world when Jesus shed His blood to deliver us from this type of suffering. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Hebrews 13:12, NKJV). To sanctify is to free from sin and set apart; believers have been rescued and set apart from these curses.
We’re God’s children who are in a beautiful relationship with our heavenly Father. We’ve been hugely privileged and blessed. Jesus’s blood made it all possible. Faith in this allows Him to bless us in this area.