There Is Power in the Blood!

Power in the Blood is a traditional, gospel song sung over hundreds of generations. This song was written by Lewis Edgar Jones in 1899 following a sermon at a camp meeting. Jones, a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, authored the music and the lyrics. The song is an invitation to find freedom from sin through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

When you hear the song, you immediately experience God’s mercy, grace, and unconditional love. No matter what you have done, where you came from, or if your family roots include a generational curse, Jesus died for your sin. Praise God that He loved us so much to give His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins!

So why did I choose this topic? I was watching one of those medical dramas on TV and there was a pediatric patient who needed blood. But he had the rarest blood type in the world, type Rh null. There are only fifty people in the world that have this blood type. People with this rare blood type are encouraged to freeze their own blood for long-term storage in case they ever need blood. The chances of getting that blood type would be slim in the event of an emergency. Rh null blood is also called the “golden blood.” 

Being in healthcare, this information intrigued me and I had to learn more. I started researching blood types, who could give blood to who and who could not receive certain types of blood. Giving blood also interested me because I had to have a total blood transfusion when my youngest son was born. Praise God for those who had donated blood because I would have surely died without it. The gift of blood is truly the gift of life! But that story of victory is for another time. Now back to those blood types.

People with O- blood are universal donors and can donate blood to people with any blood type. That is why there is such high demand in hospitals for O- blood. People who have been in accidents and need blood can get O- blood immediately. Although O- blood can be given to everyone, a person with O-blood can only receive O- blood. However, people with AB blood can receive blood from anyone. People with AB blood type are universal receivers.

There are many blood types and discussing all of them can be extraordinarily complex. Then I decided I would search to see if anyone ever recorded Jesus’ blood type. How cool it would be to know His blood type.

I already knew that one drop of Jesus’s blood had the spiritual power to save the entire human race, but I was curious if anyone had considered trying to find out the exact blood type. Research has shown that all three of the Passion Cloths contained stains of blood—the same blood type! The Passion Cloths include relics from Christ’s life and death. They include the Shroud of Turin, the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil (His seamless garment), and the Sudarium of Oviedo, the neatly folded face cloth found in the tomb on Resurrection Day. Scientists have evaluated all three of the clothes for blood type and believe that Jesus had the AB blood type.

This is where things really get interesting! Jesus’ blood, sacrificed on the cross for humanity, was AB blood type. AB is the UNIVERSAL RECEIVER! AB blood can mix with any other blood type and turn that blood into AB blood. Wow! Jesus’s AB blood type fits perfectly with the saving mission of Jesus Christ! He has redeemed all of us (every type of blood) with His very own blood! He is the UNIVERSAL RECEIVER of all who are saved!

For Jesus’ blood to be effective, His blood needed to be perfect. Jesus washed us whiter than snow with His perfect blood. 1 Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. The blood that Jesus shed gives us true freedom. We are justified by His blood (I Corinthians 15:57). His blood set us free from the punishment of sin. If He had not died on the cross for our sins, we would have no hope of forgiveness. Because Jesus has the victory, those who follow Him share in His victory!

Science has proved that Jesus walked this earth and that His blood type was AB. His mission was to save us. His precious blood has the power to save everyone! Now when I sing the song, Power in the Blood, I have chill bumps knowing that He is the UNIVERSAL RECEIVER of EVERYONE who believes in Him. His blood was His gift of life. It is His blood, given in exchange for our life that makes our purification possible. There really is power in the Blood! Are YOU washed in His blood?

Are You Washed in the Blood? / I’ll Fly Away medley

by Alan Jackson

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to this music, lyrics, or video.