Prophetic Pattern of Blood, Water & Spirit

The God who answers and approves by sending fire is clearly understood in the examples we have seen throughout Scripture.

It is also one of the reasons the prophetic pattern of the Blood, water, and Spirit is shown throughout Scripture. It is to not only show what is available in the life of every believer but why certain things happened to Jesus on the cross. It was not only to fulfill God’s redemptive plan, but to establish the Lord’s pattern in our lives. Yet even more powerfully, it shows prophetically why God would send fire and pour out His Spirit on Pentecost. This was all to reveal that the God who answers by fire would once again show His approval of a sacrifice—the very Blood sacrifice of His Son. He would do as He had done before so there would be no question as to His thoughts concerning the bloody crucifixion and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. He would answer from heaven in the fire of His witness shown in the Holy Spirit coming. This was not the only witness or approval of His Blood sacrifice offered to man. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, His sacrifice would be established.

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (Matthew 18:16).

How about in a hundred mouths of tongue-talkers endued with a supernatural fire from heaven?

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty) (Acts 1:15).

They would not only add their agreement, but they would each have the fire on their head individually!

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:3-4).

I believe the fire was not only to signify God’s approval. By magnifying God supernaturally with their mouths, they were saying, “God, the Blood is worthy. Here is proof—not just in the fire of the Holy Spirit on our heads but His utterance of tongues in our mouths!”

God was answering again by the fire of the Holy Ghost because of a Blood sacrifice offered Him. The precious Blood of Jesus offered at Calvary would be the last and final sacrifice and no longer would require the blood of animals (see Heb. 9:12). We have a powerful Blood covenant approved and agreed upon by God Himself! We add our agreement and approval by entering this covenant when we are saved, but it doesn’t stop there. We further add our agreement to this Blood covenant with our Father through Jesus Christ by accepting and receiving the Holy Spirit’s baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

All this was made powerfully available at the cross and because of the cross. It is why once again we see this prophetic pattern of the Blood, water, and Spirit with the crucifixion of Jesus. It was to point to how powerful, sacred, and redeeming the Blood of Jesus is. It was so much so that God would show it by answering with fire on the Day of Pentecost and have a hundred and twenty add their agreement by the supernatural language of speaking in tongues and magnifying God.

The pattern of the Blood, water, and Spirit is to show what God has made available to us and, in addition, what we must add our agreement to in our lives. Saved by the Blood, converted and maturing through the water, and living a Spirit-filled life, speaking in tongues, and demonstrating His power through signs and wonders! All of this because Jesus was willing to suffer and be the final sacrifice of Blood ever offered.

The Holy Spirit as Witness

This is why at the crucifixion, after they pierced Jesus’ side, blood and water flowed out from it.

But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (John 19:34 NASB).

Here with Jesus on the cross, we have two of the three elements of our pattern—Blood and water. But what about the Spirit in the pattern at Jesus’ crucifixion? We find it when Jesus said, “Father, into thy hands I give My Spirit.” However, it is also seen on the Day of Pentecost, when God the Father waited for Jesus to ascend after His resurrection from the grave and then sent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit outpouring was also the Holy Spirit witnessing to the Blood and water when Jesus offered Himself on the cross and they pierced His side with Blood and water flowing. This is clear when we know the Scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit is the one who bears witness to the water and the Blood.

One such example is when the Holy Spirit bore witness to the water at the time of Jesus’ baptism after the announcement of Jesus being the Lamb of God who, through His Blood, would take away the sins of the world! (See John 1:29.)

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased (Luke 3:21-22).

Then again, on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit also bore witness to the Blood! As we saw, fire was the consistent way that God witnessed or approved of an offering of a blood sacrifice. When the fire of the Holy Ghost fell on Pentecost, God was showing that Jesus’ shed Blood, as the final sacrifice, was approved and pleasing.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:2-4).

Do you see this pattern and just how important it is? Notice that at the crucifixion we see the water and the Blood. Yet it was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost when the Spirit ultimately bore witness to both the water and the Blood. Again we see the complete pattern—Blood, water, and Spirit!

Pay close attention to Peter’s message after the Holy Spirit was poured out. He explains this prophetic pattern of the Blood, water, and Spirit that we have examined throughout Scripture. It was all pointing to Jesus, the cross, and this powerful day of Pentecost. Following the Holy Spirit outpouring on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter explains this in detail in his sermon. He references the Blood sacrifice in verse 36:

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Water baptism is mentioned in verses 37-38a:

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

And finally, in verses 38-39, Peter describes the Holy Spirit:

And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself—for all whom the Lord our God will call (NIV).

He’s talking about us here! When Peter explained, “This is that!” (see Acts 2:16), he was declaring that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues was the approval of Jesus’ sacrifice. This prophetic pattern was not only clearly seen as he preached, but it was letting them know they must add their agreement to not just one but all three. They were to do this by receiving and appropriating them in their lives. This is no different for us as believers today!