POWER OF COMMUNION

For the last 30 years, every church I have attended Communion was happened just once a month during a service. During the Communion, it was always a time to reflect on what Christ has done in my life and to repent of any known and unknown deed. The pastor or leader would always lead us in a time where we would pause, reflect, and pray before we took communion. Communion for me has always been in the church building. I never really thought about or considered taking Communion on my own at home or outside the four walls of the church. I probably have heard people talk about taking Communion on their own, but it was just not something that I felt I needed to do. It just seemed like something that was relegated to what I did at church. Until one day I was watching Trinity Broadcasting Network and Joseph Prince started talking about a time he was taking communion on his own. I did not give it much thought until I heard Beni Johnson From Bethel Church talking about the same thing a few days later in a Facebook live interview. When I heard her talking about Communion, my ears perked up because often times when I hear things 2 times like this, I feel the Lord is talking to me and/or wanting me to take note of something. I felt there is something more the Lord was wanting me to know about taking Communion on my own. So at that moment, I decided I would start to take Communion everyday at home by myself for a whole month.

The same day, I went to the store and found the soup wafers/crackers. They were just like the crackers we received in church. Not sure why, but I was happy knowing I was getting the same things we used in church. I somehow got distracted and forgot the juice. I did’t realize it until the next morning on my first morning of taking communion. So I thought, now I will have to improvise somehow. So I got a 1/2 full water bottle and squirted some black cherry flavored drink in there and….Wha La.. This works…The blood of Christ!

My first time, Communion by myself. I just did what we would do in church. I just  thought on the goodness of the Lord, pray for forgiveness remember what He did for me and then I took the bread and drank the cup.

Each day, was a little different. I seemed to want to know more about what communion was really all about and why it was important. I decided a good place to start was that  I would read every scripture on Communion and meditate on it. Another day, I decided I wanted to read and learn more about what others were saying about Communion and so I read books, watched videos and read articles. All this has enriched my time in Communion with the Lord. So, on this journey of daily Communion, here are just a few things that really gave me a deeper understanding of Communion and it’s importance.

He became sin for me

The Lord wants us to regularly remember what He did for us. So that we don’t forget, thankfully the church has set a time each month during service for us to reflect, repent and pray, but we often leave it at that and really to take to heart the fullness of what Communion is really all about. It is easy to get locked into tradition, but there is something about Communion outside the four walls of the church.

As I meditated on Luke 22:19-20, “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”  When the disciples were at the last supper with the Lord, I am sure they did not understand what He was saying at that moment. Jesus was letting them know that He was getting ready to give His body as a sacrifice for sin.  Jesus gave Himself, His body, He became sin for us! For every person that was, is and will be, He took upon Himself their sin (1 Peter 3:18). He then spoke of a new covenant that would be found in His blood. In the Old Testament, the blood of an animal was poured out as a substitute for the people’s sin. We needed something more than goats, bulls, and lambs to sacrifice for our sins.The shedding of blood represents a violent death, murder or killing. There is life in the blood. Where there is no blood, there is no life. Life is in the blood and so life is poured out in death. Jesus, a man, God’s only son came as a living sacrifice and poured out His human blood as a sacrifice for our sin. So instead of the priest going into the holy of holies to atone for our sins, we now have access to God, because Jesus pour out His blood once and for all. That is powerful and beyond our minds comprehension. He wants us to regularly remember this sacrifice. It is up to us how often is regular is.

He wanted us to always remember the depth of that sacrifice. Without regularly taking some time and  meditating on what He did, we cannot fully appreciate the sacrifice.What Christ did for us on the Cross was so complete, a complete fulfillment of everything we would need in this lifetime that it is hard to wrap our minds around this concept of this transfer, this Great exchange. The exchange that Jesus made for us is beyond awesome! I have a new level of appreciation for His sacrifice. Communion was no longer just what I did in church, but Communion was becoming personal for me and I started to understand the power that is in Communion. It is about understanding the full victory, full healing, full restoration, full understanding of some things, fullness of peace because He gave His body as a sacrifice for my sin. Amazing! I began to realize the ultimate price was paid for my life to filled with His life.

The Ultimate Price was paid - What did it cost Jesus to die on the cross for me?

It cost Him His will - He did not want to suffer.

“He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭26:39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It cost Him friends - He was betrayed by those closes to Him.

“While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him." And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:47-50 ESV

It cost Him physically - He was beaten and ridiculed.

“The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭22:63-65‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It cost Him popularity/reputation - People did not like him

“Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation….So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.” ‭‭John‬ ‭11:47-48, 53-54‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It cost Him the need to prove Himself & being misunderstood - He was humble

“Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭15:3-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It cost Him His life - He was our sacrifice

“When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭23:33-34‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Recognizing His sacrifice

I understand now why the Bible says in I Corinthians 11:27 not to eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. What Christ did on the Cross is not to be taken lightly and for granted and those that are receiving the elements should understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. There is a sacredness to the elements that should be acknowledged before you partake. Does this mean that everyone should be saved before they take the cup? I am not the judge of everyone’s heart. God knows our hearts and I believe he will hold us accountable for what we know.

I personally did not realize the power of Communion until I started taking it daily. The resolve to receive all He has for me has been fortified through taking Communion daily. I have noticed that the things concerning my health that brought anxiety, I have now found peace since I have been taking Communion. There was a struggle in my life I had for over 30 years… now gone since I have been taking Communion! Daily Communion with the Lord has enriched my life beyond what I thought possible. Every day I claim complete restoration in every area of my life and I see the Lord doing things in my life I thought may take a lifetime.  My plan was to take Communion for the month, but when the month ended, it was confirmed that the Lord wanted me to continue on. It has been so gratifying, I couldn’t really see how I was going to end taking Communion. It has become a part of my cherished time with the Lord. I pray you find the freedom, healing, peace and everything you need in your personal time in Communion. Proclaim your healing, proclaim your freedom, proclaim restoration, proclaim provision, proclaim all of God’s promises while taking Communion. You will not regret it. As often as you do this, remember Me, remember what He has done for you (1 Corinthians 11: 25).