For the Church to grow in her spiritual life, and communion with God, it is necessary that it understand the importance and centrality of the Cross. The Cross has too often been merely a doctrine in which the Church believes, but not a doctrine it lives. Without living this doctrine, the Church has forgotten the blessings that are available to her, only through the sacrifice of the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the Cross.

The Word of God teaches us that it is necessary to ask in order to receive: “ask and it shall be given to you” (Luke 11:9-10). Innumerable blessing that the Lord desires to give the Church must be requested in prayer in order for the Lord to bestow them. By faith we take hold of God’s promises found in the Holy Scriptures (Heb. 11:1,6). In the same way that the Lord Jesus taught us to ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), we should similarly stand in the blessings that flow from the redemptive Cross of Calvary.

What blessings are these? Normally the Church has an awareness at least that the Lord died on the Cross for our “salvation”, or to give us new birth. Yet salvation encompasses more than just the new birth – it continues through a life of sanctification. We are exhorted by the Holy Scriptures to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). The Word of God also shows us that Christ’s death was also to bring forth the following blessings – which are included in salvation – in our Christian life:

1. Purification from our sins (1 John 1:7). Surely, just as we ought to confess our sins to be forgiven, we should believe that Jesus purifies us from all sin. Yes, it removes every obstacles that hinders our communion with God.

2. Communion with God (Heb 10:19-22). The Word reveals to us that we can now boldly enter the Holy of Holies - in other words, into God’s Presence – through Christ Jesus. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has given us full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Thus, we can ask from the Lord for him to helps us to remove obstacles in our lives, whether in our spirit or in our soul (mind, emotions) so that we can have perfect communion with God.

3. Victory over the Adversary (Rev. 12:11). We know we will overcome our enemy in the end by “the blood of the Lamb,” and by the word of our testimony. We should exercise our faith of this promise in moments of struggle, and God will manifest the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and grant us the victory we need.

4. Protection against the Adversary (Ex. 12:23). Our victory includes protection, as seen when the people of Israel were leaving Egypt. The Destroyer could not enter the homes of the Israelites or kill their firstborn, because when he saw the blood he was obliged to “pass over” these houses. For this reason, Jesus Christ has overcome the adversary in the Cross. Therefore, we are more than conquerors in Christ (Rom.8:36:38) and we are protected against the attacks of the adversary in every situation, including the beginning of each Divine Worship. In this way, we avoid manifestations of false gifts in our midst.

5. Freedom from habits, vices, and inappropriate behaviors (1 Pet. 1:18-19). The Word affirms that we were redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus from the empty way of life handed down to us by our forefathers. Thus, when some believer reveals that he is still in the grip of some type of behavior that dishonors the Lord, we can pray, basing our faith on the Holy Scripture that guarantees us the victory in this struggle.

The Cross is closely connected to the work of the Holy Spirit. The reason is simple: the Holy Spirit was given to us as a promise. He is the person of the Trinity responsible to redeem us through the complete work of our Lord, Jesus Christ, when He shed His precious blood in Calvary; in other words, when Christ gave his life for our sins. In Leviticus we read that the life is in the blood. In the same way, eternal life is in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once and for all. The Lord told us that without drinking his blood we could not have spiritual life. And soon after he explained that the works he said were spirit and life. We understand the lesson: when the Holy Spirit operated in our lives He transmits the life that is in Christ, the eternal life that the Lord Jesus obtained for us by the Cross of our salvation.

Just as the blood circulated in the body of Jesus during his earthly ministry, giving life to each of his cells, the Holy Spirit today operates in the Church, visiting each member of the Body, transmitting eternal life to each one of us, applying the Word of God in our hearts. When we pray for the Lord to answer us some specific needs, we base this on the power of the Cross, and the Lord intercedes before the Father through the Holy Spirit.

Hallelujah!