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I've heard people say this phrase in prayer many times. A simple Google search for the exact phrase "plead the blood of Jesus" confirms that this is the case, returning about 280,000 hits (as of April 2021). My superficial understanding is that people usually plead the blood of Jesus expecting some kind of special spiritual protection against the dark forces, maybe it has something to do with spiritual warfare, I'm not sure.

Questions:

  1. What do Christians mean when they plead the blood of Jesus in prayer? Is there a canonical definition of the phrase? What do they expect will happen when they say it?

  2. What is the biblical basis? Are there scriptural examples in which an apostle or a disciple pleaded the blood of Jesus for protection or any other purpose?

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  • Possibly Matthew 26:28? I don't really understand your question, though; it isn't clear what practice you are asking about. (Maybe you first need to ask a "what does this phrase mean" question?)
    – Matthew
    Apr 29, 2021 at 21:51
  • @Matthew - good point, I edited the question. Please let me know if it's in better shape now.
    – user50422
    Apr 29, 2021 at 22:11
  • Better, thanks. Might be two separate questions, but I'll let others weigh in on that.
    – Matthew
    Apr 29, 2021 at 22:13
  • I think it takes on an unhealthy tone in some circles but is based upon an expression of faith. As ancient Jews were to offer blood sacrifice mixed with faith that the God who prescribed such would be faithful to respond so we, now, express faith in the blood sacrifice that God has offered on our behalf. It might be too fundamental to be codified.
    – Mike Borden
    Apr 30, 2021 at 0:37

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Questions:

  1. What do Christians mean when they plead the blood of Jesus in prayer? Is there a canonical definition of the phrase? What do they expect will happen when they say it?

  2. What is the biblical basis? Are there scriptural examples in which an apostle or a disciple pleaded the blood of Jesus for protection or any other purpose?

KB: I have heard Christians plead the blood of Jesus or the blood of the Lamb in prayer. In common usage, it's fairly simple. People seem to use this phrase to mean they are praying sincerely and in the name of Jesus. I am not disparaging anyone who prays with this phrase, just pointing out what I believe is the thought behind use of this phrase.

As used in the Bible this phrase certainly does have to do with spiritual warfare as we can see in this passage below.

Revelation 12:10-11 NIV:

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Another use is in Revelation 7:14 NIV

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

I do not know of any Biblical example of someone praying by the blood of the Lamb. The phrase is used in various ways in the Bible as shown above, but it is not used Biblically in prayer as far as I know.

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  • Well stated. (Up-voted +1.)
    – Nigel J
    May 1, 2021 at 8:00
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"The life of the flesh is in the blood."

If you're invoking Jesus' blood, you're invoking the source of your eternal life-- Jesus' suffering and death. It's a way of calling out to the Father in Jesus name. We know He hears us because of Jesus' blood shed for us.

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