A Passover Lovestory

A Passover Love Story

By Brenda Johnson

Musings from a sister who loves you more than you could ever know

Participating in this exercise of preparation, whatever and however that looks like
for you, is extremely important. Let me give you a disclaimer before we go any
further. What and how you personally do this is your business. It is between you
and The LORD. If you don’t feel that cleaning your home of leaven is something that
you can or choose to do, Then don’t do it! And do not allow anyone or anything to
make you feel bad!
Listen to the LORD, and what He wants for you.
This may not be it. This is where we use wisdom and grace with ourselves and
others. If you have a spouse that would be offended at you throwing out their
favorite crackers or cereal, Don’t do it! The important thing is that you take the
spiritual lessons learned from these suggestions and apply them to your situation.
What is leaven to you? What can you do to cleanse leaven from your home?
Remember, you carry the Holy Spirit within wherever you go... you house His
Presence.!
This lesson will help you to create an atmosphere that welcomes the Holy One, an
environment where He has permission to bring about wholeness and wellness to you
and your family. That is what you get to do!
Now let’s dig in.

1.An Invitation to Love Story

As we ponder the preparation of our homes for Passover, we often begin by thinking
about what needs to be removed from our homes—the physical leaven that must go. Within
that, there is a deeper, more beautiful calling at work, The preparation has a point! The
Holy One is actually inviting us to become His Bride.. This process of “unleavening” our home
is an exercise in purposefully taking inventory of what dwells within our “home” that
doesn’t meet the standard that a Bride wants to offer her Groom on their wedding night.
1 Cor 6:19 “Do you not know that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you whom you have received from God? You are not your own;..”
Passover is so much more than a night of being saved from death. It is so much more
than the scene of our Precious Messiah hanging on a cross to pay the price for all
mankind. Yes, those are essential elements, but the story of our redemption as a people is
so much deeper than those moments in time. (please hear my heart! I’m not minimizing The
Crucifiction!) Our 5000 foot aerial view will take in the Beginning to Revelation as well. The
Story is so Grand and so Beautiful. Today, we will only be looking at a few stops along the
way. A beautifully woven piece of the story that is more excellent every time it is told.
The story of a Groom coming to rescue His Bride to be. A story that began at the
beginning of time and will continue throughout all eternity. You and I are both part of that
story, characters on this stage. This is an Invitation to an Eternal Love Story.
We start our journey with cleaning our houses... but truly we need to go further back and
see why we even have the freedom to take a feather duster to gather crumbs before
sundown of Erev Pesach.
We have been rescued by our most Glorious Bridegroom King.
Exodus 12:23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he
wil see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and wil pass over that
doorway, and he wil not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you
down.
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold! The
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
1 Co 5:7 “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

2. 1 Pet 1:18-19 “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things... but with
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Rev 5:9 “For YOU were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of
every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
Isa 53:5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our
iniquities... and by His wounds we are healed.”
Heb 9:12 “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered
the Most Holy Place once for al , having obtained eternal redemption.”

As we look back at what Yeshua accomplished for us, we ask ourselves, how do I
interact with this today, now, right where I am? I can never repay the debt I owe Him for
my redemption, but what Can I do? Let’s start small and work our way from there. Let’s
begin with preparing our home for the night of Passover and the week of Unleavened
Bread. We all need a starting point. Let’s start there.
Exodus 12:15 “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first
day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in
it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.”
This is not just another task for your to-do list! This is not just one more thing to get right
or one more thing you will fail at. This is an opportunity to rest in His Presence, and to
al ow His Words to shape and strengthen you from the inside out. This is an opportunity to
allow the WORD of GOD to quicken your heart and mind, and to courageously take
inventory of what is within your walls. What things are needing to be removed, to be
questioned, to be examined? We are asked to remove leaven, which is an agent that
causes a “rising up, a puffing up”. As we look for those things in our cupboards, this is an
act of worship. Let’s look beyond the “doing” and breathe in the “being”. What is in my heart
that puffs up, that elevates me higher than others, both in actions and in thoughts. What
needs to be removed before the wedding night? How can we be better prepared to meet
Him when He arrives for this special appointed time?

3.Exodus 12:14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generation to come
you wil celebrate it as a festival to the LORD- a lasting ordinance.
We all know that there is always a good reason for God to command us to do something.
And it is never just a random rule to make things hard for us.. There are always layers
and layers of meaning and depth. We will spend a lifetime of searching and still not reach
all the layers of meaning, but that’s what makes this walk so amazing. It’s not just the end
goal, but the journey.
Wholeness begins with recognizing WHOSE we are. We are HIS. He loves us and desires
for us to walk in wholeness and freedom, to walk in the redemption that He paid the price
for.. This passover journey is all about His claiming us as His Own, and bringing us into
freedom. Today, we start with cleaning out the leaven in our homes... and in our hearts.
We have talked about the Passover journey being one of a Groom coming to claim His
Bride. The story of the Exodus is exactly that. A story of a great and Mighty Warrior
showing His potential Bride what lengths He will go to in order to prove His worthiness as a
A Groom, A Provider, A Warrior, A Lover. He is setting the stage for us to recognize His
worthiness as our Groom.
Exodus 6:6-7 – “I wil bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I
wil deliver you from their bondage. I wil also redeem you with an outstretched arm
and with great judgments. Then I wil take you for My people, and I wil be your God;
and you wil know that I am the LORD your GOD, who brought you out from under
the burdens of the Egyptians.
God’s four promises of redemption, traditionally used in the Passover seder with
the four cups.

These are the 4 cups will drink during our Seder:
1. The cup of Sanctification:- ““I will bring your out”
2. The cup of Deliverance/Plagues/Judgment- “I will deliver you”
3. The cup of Redemption/Blessing - “I will redeem you”
4. The cup of Salvation/Restoration- “I will take you for My People”

4.But wait... what is our part? He is doing all the heavy lifting here. He is destroying the illusion
of the gods that are trying to steal us away from Him. He is exposing their lies and their
weakness. (10 plagues). He is declaring to the world what He will do for us.. What are we
going to do for Him?
May I suggest we start with the simple task of preparing our home.. Both our physical
home and our spiritual home. Think of this like a big date night preparation. You want to
wash and set your hair, do your nails, shave your legs., pick out the perfect outfit. Thats
what is happening here. Prepare for the big day. Today, that may mean considering the
leaven in your house and in your heart. Tomorrow it may mean taking things a step
further.
Creating an Atmosphere of Wholeness
You are the heart of your home. And because of that, the atmosphere in your home is
not shaped by perfection—it is shaped by PRESENCE..
While preparing your home by cleaning out the leaven, (if that is how you are going to walk
this week out) use this as a learning experience for everyone. Taking moral inventory
alongside household inventory is a very valuable lesson. This is a time to reflect on areas
needing renewal. As we remove each leavened item, we are walking in an obedience that
doesn’t make sense in our generation and culture. That’s ok. If we are asked to do it, we
don’t need understanding to say yes. We need a willing heart and knowledge that The LORD
our GOD is smarter than we are. Let’s settle the matter now. We don’t understand
everything. What a great lesson for our children and grandchildren. When we ask them to
stay out of the street or to leave matches alone, we do not expect them to fully
understand. We need them to obey despite their inability at the age of 3 to understand and
reason out the consequences.
Remember, the removal of leaven is temporary. After Passover, re-leavening can
become an opportunity to choose wholesome, spiritually healthy options. Unleavening
is a season. It’s the time when the shepherds examine the flock under their rod.
They look to see which animals need ointments, wound healing, bug control, etc. They
determine which animals are “perfect” for offering as an approach to The One
True King. Cleaning out leaven is just like that. Taking inventory.

5.Preparing for the Bride Groom King is part of what Passover means. You can prepare in
many different ways. I would love to suggest something that may be a blessing to you.
The Holy One spoke a prophetic word to me a couple of years ago. Of course it was at
1:30 in the morning, (as usual) when I woke up hearing His Voice say, “Tell them to Foster
their Environment.”
What does that mean? Foster in the Bible is from the same root verb as the word amen,
or the word faith.-emunah (see H539 aman) The word foster is translated as guardian in
the KJV. (See Isa 49:23.) One who supports, upholds, nourishes, sustains.. Think of pillars
that hold up a doorway. This is what fostering means. How do we foster our environment?
Supporting, upholding, nurturing the Word of God within our homes, within our lives on a
daily basis. It means taking inventory of what does NOT meet the criteria for maintaining a
sound structure. Let’s get practical: Nagging our family members, harping, arguing instead
of being calm and speaking words of wisdom, yelling, fragmenting others with words that
destroy them.... These are all examples of fostering an environment that will result in
destroyed hearts and lives. The Holy One has given us very explicit instructions in the Word
for fostering environments that produce an atmosphere of miracles. None of those
aforementioned items will do that! Speaking truth in love, building one another up, protecting
the hearts and minds of those we encounter by speaking life giving, life building words...
These are things that foster an atmosphere or environment that will allow miracles to
flourish.
Removing “leaven” from our homes during the week of passover is just that. A conscious
act of removing what puffs up, what does not support wholeness in our homes and
relationships. Being pillars that uphold the thresholds of our homes and relationships. This
word to “Foster our Environment” is specific to this week of Passover. When we foster
our environment, we open the door to unlimited potential for miracles. Unlimited. Miracles!

Like what Jesus did for us.

6.Walking in Grace (Not Perfection)

Holiness is not a demand for perfection—it is a divine invitation. “Be holy, for I am holy” was
never meant to be a crushing command., It is God’s way of saying: “Come closer. Walk with
Me. Learn My heart. Let Me shape yours.” Rest assured, He will finish the good work He
started in you.
“For we are the circumcision—the ones who worship by the Ruach Elohim and
boast in Messiah Yeshua. We have no confidence in the flesh...” — Philippians 3:3-9
● Leviticus 11:44 – “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore,
and be holy, for I am holy.”
● 1 Peter 1:15–16 – “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it
is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
● Micah 6:8 – “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require
of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
● 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made
perfect in weakness.”
As we reflect during Passover, we remember that the Israelites weren’t perfect. They
grumbled. They doubted. Yet God still led them, fed them, and called them His own. Holiness
is about walking in the same direction as our Redeemer, choosing to trust His path over
our own. And when we fall? Grace meets us there.
The disciples made mistakes. Peter denied Jesus. The twelve didn’t get that Jesus was
really going to die... and when He did, they were bereft! They were human. They made
mistakes. But they kept going. And when Jesus appeared to them resurrected, they were
changed forever.
Let this be your season to lay down perfectionism and pick up intimacy. He isn’t asking
for spotless performance—He’s asking for your heart.. Your spots and wrinkles are gently
revealed under His loving gaze, and covered/redeemed by His Ultimate Sacrifice. You are
perfect to Him. Children don’t need a mother who never makes mistakes. They need a
mother who knows where to turn when she does.

7.The Prophetic Anointing in Your Home

Your home is more than a physical place— it is a dwelling for His Presence. Speaking words
of life, through Scripture or gentle correction, is deeply prophetic.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged
sword.”
Every gentle word and prayer spoken over your loved ones releases His power and love.
Prophetic Anointing Reflections
Scripture to Reflect Upon:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” — Proverbs 18:21
● How often do I intentionally speak blessings over my family?

● Choose a scripture or blessing to speak consistently over your household during
Passover.

● What family traditions can reinforce the power of spoken words?

8. Reflections

Take a quiet moment to reflect on His gentle invitation to see yourself as He sees you.
You are His. He is showing you how much you mean to Him. The act of cleaning out leaven
is your response to His act of love and dedication to you. . Consider these questions with
honesty and openness:
Scripture to Reflect Upon:
“He who began a good work in you will complete it.” — Philippians 1:6
● Which truth spoke most deeply to me?

● What steps will I take to allow space for God's work within me?

● How can I remind my loved ones consistently that God is at work in us?

His outstretched arm reached into Egypt to redeem His people, and that same arm
reaches into our lives to bring us out of whatever has enslaved us.
Wholeness is part of your covenant identity: He has taken you to be His own.

● What does my part in this “date night” or “wedding day” look like for me right now?
Think of practical actions that will make a difference for you, things that will help
you be “prepared”..

● How can I intentionally prepare my heart? What steps can I take right now to be
engaged in a cleansing process in my heart? What is in my heart right now that
needs to be purged?

● In what areas am I struggling with this intense declaration of love for me? Am I
feeling unworthy? Unlovable? Unready? Or am I ready to jump in with both hands and
both feet?

But you, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from glory to glory—just as from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.” — 2 Corinthians 3:18

Chag Pesach Sameach!
With deepest love and gratitude,

Brenda