Blessed Not Cursed

BLESSED NOT CURSED.

Deut 30:11-16

BACKGROUND

The subject of curses is always sensitive for Christians. We don't like it or we shy away from discussing it. Is it denial, or do we crouch under the 'word/faith' canopy? Or we believe we are covered and that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Indeed Christ has broken the curse of the law. Gal 3:13 is very clear on that. However, our life must be lived with the integrity of that scriptural truth. Unfortunately, as right as the word is, we don't live right, always.

 

A Christian who speak the scripture but does not live it, is a Christian who

1. plants a seed and waters it, and have full confidence it would grow and he would be alive to eat of the harvest, just because he is a believer. We all know that life is not like that. Mt 13:27-28 tells us that evil men planted whilst men were asleep. Hence, in Gen 12:3 God said of Abraham, those who bless you shall be blessed, and those who curse you shall be cursed. Anytime a Christian embarks on a blessed journey, the enemy is at standby to curse such blessing. So, every Christian, would plant, do everything practically possible to ensure the seed grow, and also pray, and then live right, so that the seed will have the enabling environment both physically and spiritually to grow and yield harvest. If having done all, the seed is not yielding, then it is time to check the cause of such stunted growth. 

2. the same goes for when we eat, we pray. We do not assume that we will always find food to eat, or the eating process will go as smoothly as it sets out to. Hence, we pray before and or after food. 

In the two scenarios above, we could well say, as a Christian, everything will go smoothly, I don't need to live right or pray or check myself.

 

EXPOSITION OF THE THEME PASSAGE:

Moses said the word is near you. It's not in heaven not far out in the sea. I believe the significance of the word near you, is the same as in

John 1:1-15. Jesus is the Word. The choice of accepting Him and understanding the need to live according to His precept is not rocket science.

 

 

The choice for us-life and good- John 10:10b

The choice the devil want us to make-bad and evil -John 10:10a

Hence blessings are supernatural flow of good from God

Whilst curses are supernatural flow of bad or evil from the devil 

So we have a choice.

To start with, our life in Christ is founded on:

1. God want to have a relationship and fellowshipwith us-(father/child)

He will give good gift for that fellowship -1John 1:1(6); James 1:17

2. Provision-As natural as a father will provide for his child,, so God(Father) will provide for us, not because of anything but because he is a Father . Mt 6:25-32

3. Security of salvation resulting in a place in Heaven, and being present at the marriage feast. Rev 19:7

So our focus should always be on the relationshipwith the Father, and not on the provision. It's righteousness that keeps the flame of the relationship alight.

Mt 6:33.

 

SO HOW DOES CURSES ARISE

2. Curses arise when caused. Prov 26:2

When the devil wants to bring a curse, and(he will always want to) to attack the relationship, he goes for the provision. Why? Because the devil knows that our relationship is secured by salvation (blood price paid) Heaven is also assured, so sin is dependent on how we live our lives on earth, and usually in the pursuit of the provisions. So the only way he can shift our focus, and lead us to sin, is by attacking the provision or enticing us with the provision. Example is Job. He attacks the flow.(Job1 and 2, especially Job 2:23; Job 2:9-10). Eve failed because of that. Gen 3:6...

Provision always feed on those three things: 1John 2:16

a. Eyes

b. Flesh

c. Pride 

...the resultant effects of sin and disobedience is edge broken, serpent strikes (Ecc 10:8) and almost on all occasions curses arise. 

Deut 28:15-

This is because the curse is caused. Prov 26:2

 

 

 

HOW DID WE GET REDEEMED?

When Adam and Eve fell, they suffered spiritualdeath(curse)        Romans 5:14(17)Gen 3:16-Hence from Adam up till the time of Moses spiritual death reigned, but from Moses, God brought in the Levis to use scapegoats which carry all the sins, and which are set to wander away with the sins. Lev 16:7(21). The Book of the Law is Deut 28 which states the blessings for compliance, and curses for disobedience. However, that spiritual death was lifted with the introduction of the scapegoat, as once a year, sins are confessed and placed on the scapegoats. Unfortunately, they go back to sin again and again, requiring yearly scape-goating.

With Christ coming, He was the scapegoat that carried our sins once and for all.  Is 53:6; Heb 7:27; Heb 10:10; Rm 6:10; Heb 9:12

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law(Deut 28:15 onwards). Gal 3:13. However, we are to walk in the light; it's never to be the light as God is. This is different to us being light to men. Mt 5:16 

Heb 6:6 shows the consequence of those who walk away from the light.

What must we do:

1. Imitation of God's character (John 1:5-7); 

2. dependence upon the cleansing from sin provided by Jesus' death (John 1:7, 9; 2:1-2); 

3. obedience to the commands of God (John 2:3-6), especially the command to love (John 2:7-11); and steadfast resistance to the lure of the ways of the world (John 2:15-17) and to false teaching (John 2:18-27).

 

PROMPT CONFESSION AND TRUE REPENTANCE IS THE KEY
The ability to deal with sin, confess promptly and truly repent is the secret to living free of curses. Confession is, first, the acknowledgment of sin--not the acknowledgment that there is sin, or that sin is wrong, but that "we have sinned against God in thought, word, and deed." Second, then, confession means that we know God as light, as the measure of truth and righteousness by which we fall short. Third, when we confess our sin, we adopt a stance of dependence toward God. Precisely the refusal to confess their sin branded the secessionists as those who scorned the saving work of God on their behalf. Fourth, confession implies a turning to God, a desire to conform ourselves to God's character. 

 

Confession does not mean that we say, "I did it again; that's just the way I am." Confession means that we say, "Forgive me, for I have done it again; but I don't want to do it again. Please help me to live within the light of God's truth." Confession is a resource to bring our whole life into conformity with God's will.

 

Finally, we must always remember that confession is both personal and corporate. In confessing our sins, we acknowledge our place in the company of confessed sinners. Together we stand, on common ground, before God who accepts and forgives all of us. Confession can never be something by which we gain the upper hand over another brother or sister. It certainly is no mark of superiority to confess our sins. It is, rather, simply an acknowledgment of who we are. What God wants of us, then, is sincere commitment to walking in the light and honest confession of our sin. This way we will live a life that will be truly devoid of curses.