EUPHORIA Devotional (The spirit of joy, an ecstasy that comes from God) March 5, 2026 BLOOD BROTHERS REV. AROME E. TOKULA Proverbs 18:24 - A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is A FRIEND who sticks closer than a brother. Being a Christian in church is not a social gathering of some very nice people who have decided to do only good. It is a spiritual brotherhood! 1 Peter 2:17 says, “Honor all people. LOVE THE BROTHERHOOD. Fear God. Honor the king.” There is blood involved in our fellowship with God and one another and it is the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 12:24 says that we have come, “… to the BLOOD OF SPRINKLING that speaks better things than that of Abel.” The spirituality of our faith is that we are in a blood covenant with Jesus and our fellow believers, and this is what makes us impervious to the works of darkness. Today’s text says, “… there is a friend who STICKS CLOSER than a brother.” To fully understand and appreciate the text, you’ll have to read it through the lens of the culture and the times in which it was written. A bible commentary had this to say: In Bible days, when two people would become ‘friends,’ they participated in a ceremony where they cut themselves, took the blood, and commingled each other’s blood. After the ceremony, the two were called “friends.” The word ‘friend’ as used in Proverbs 18:24 meant “Covenant friend” or “blood brother.” It implied the union of two people in a blood covenant and this covenant remained in effect until both covenant friends died. When one of the covenant friends died, the other extended the benefits and blessings of the covenant to the family of the deceased covenant friend. A blood brother is not someone that you share the same womb with but someone that you are in covenant with by blood. So, Proverbs 18:24 can be read as “… but there is a BLOOD BROTHER who sticks closer than a brother.” The word ‘stick’ means ‘to hold up,’ and it speaks of loyalty, commitment, and devotion resulting in life and preservation. Deuteronomy 4:4 says, “But you who HELD FAST to the Lord your God ARE ALIVE today, every one of you.” Jesus is our friend that sticks closer than a brother. He gave His blood for us! We are His blood brothers! Through faith in His shed blood, we have become blood brothers with Him. Ephesians 2:13 says, “But now IN CHRIST JESUS, you (Arome) who once were far away have been BROUGHT NEAR BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST” [Emphasis mine]. The blood of Jesus has brought us near! We are no longer outsiders. We are insiders because there is blood between Jesus and us! As you go out today, I want you to be conscious of the covenant that you have with Jesus! His blood flows through your veins. Be conscious of His blood (life) that was shed for you and live victoriously over anything the devil throws at you! Remember that your blood brother will never leave you nor forsake you! DECLARE I am in covenant with Jesus. He is my blood brother! His life is my life. I am a partaker of His blood and there is no way I can lose! I declare today that the blood is my insurance against any plague, disaster, or evil that may come my way! My life is driven by the power of His blood and I am victorious in Jesus' Name! PONDER Jesus is our friend that sticks closer than a brother. He gave His blood for us! We are blood brothers! #IOFWithPastorArome #MorningDevotion #Euphoria #Devotional #March #MonthOfTheSpirit #2026_RevelationAndUprise