MPGC32- THE CURSE HAS BEEN CANCELLED - Part 2
By Colleen Donahue
In part 1 of this study we looked at what the Bible calls curses (the counterpart of blessings) and what causes them. While disobedience to God and the worship of false gods are two of the main causes for curses, we also saw many other reasons. We looked at antisemitism, carnality, apostasy, swearing falsely, robbing God, words from authority figures, self-imposed curses and soulish prayers as other reasons for the curses we may be experiencing in life.
Jesus has cancelled the curse of the law in our lives and freed us from the hold a curse can have on us. His work has been done once and for all. Now in this study we must move forward in appropriating that release for our own life. We want to walk out from under the shadow of a curse that might be upon us and into all the blessings that God has for us.
The Curse Has Been Cancelled -Part 2
Day 1-Salvation is so much more than just having our sins forgiven. The full outworking of our salvation includes every part of our being. This verse makes clear that every one of us has three parts.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
So often a curse over one's life holds them back from receiving all the provisions of salvation that can make us whole and well. God sets before us life and death, blessings and curses and then he waits for us to choose. Once we have made the choice for life and blessing then we must go on to claim release from any curses over our life.
CLAIMING RELEASE
Day 2- THANK YOU.
Once we realize that a curse is in operation in our lives and that Jesus has made full provision for our release, then a heartfelt "thank you" is the first step in that release. What is the best way we can say thank you?
Romans 10:9-10
Confessing your faith in Christ and his sacrifice on your behalf must be specific and personal. It might sound like this.....
"Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and my only way back to God. I thank you that your death on the cross was for my sins and your resurrection makes it possible for me to be fully restored. "
Day 3- ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND REPENT
Despite external forces, the root cause of our problems lie within ourselves -- our independence and rebellion towards God. It's time to stop arguing with God and accept responsibility. How do we do this?
Isaiah 55:7 / Hosea 14:2 / Acts 3:19
Day 4- CLAIM YOUR FORGIVENESS
This independence from God and rebellion has led us to commit sins --- and unforgiven sin is a great barrier keeping God's blessing out of our life. How do we claim forgiveness from our sins?
1 John 1:9
As the Holy Spirit shows you specific things that you have said and done confess these one by one.
It is possible a curse is on our life due to our ancestors. While we don't bear the guilt of their sin we do suffer the consequences. We might pray something like this....
"Lord, I confess these words and deeds (name them specifically) that the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention as sin. Thank you that you are faithful and just to forgiven them. If any of them have exposed me to a curse I ask for release as well as the release from the consequences of my relative's sins."
Day 5- FORGIVE.
Unforgiveness towards others is another great barrier to receiving God's blessings in our life. Notice in this verse that forgiveness is a decision we make NOT an emotion we feel.
Mark 11:25
You might pray something like this.....
"Father, I'm deciding today to forgive _____________ for the harm he/she has done to me. In return I accept the forgiveness you have granted me for my sin and rebellion."
Day 6- RENOUNCE
Sometimes we do things -- even unknowingly -- that cross an invisible border into Satan's kingdom. Once we cross this line Satan sees us as one of his subjects.
Recently some hikers from the United States innocently crossed the border into the country of Iran. Once discovered they were arrested as spy's and trespassers from an enemy country. They were put into prison for well over a year before the U.S. was able to negotiate their release. It is a physical example of what happens in the spiritual realm. If we have crossed an invisible border and entered Satan's kingdom then we must renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic. These verses make it clear that we must make a complete break from satan and his kingdom.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring anything to mind that is offensive to Him and should be renounced. It may also include destroying objects such as music, books, rings and crystals. You might pray like this....
"Dear Lord, I ask you to release me from every curse over my life and I renounce these things that the Holy Spirit has brought to my mind. On the cross you took on yourself the curses that were meant for me. By faith I receive the release from these curses and thank you for it."
Day 7- RECEIVE
Believe that you have received and move on into God's blessings.
Mark 11:24
You might pray like this....
"Dear Lord, I now open myself up to receive your blessings in whatever way you want to give them."
Then get on with your life and receive the blessings God will give you. Don't analyze what the blessings might be or the form they'll take. You'll know them when they come and then you can express your thanksgiving to God.
MOVING FROM THE SHADOWS INTO THE LIGHT
Day 8- We must depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us into our full inheritance in Christ and appropriate them in our lives.
John 16:13 / Romans 8:14
The Holy Spirit guides each of us differently so there are no sets of rules to follow.
Day 9- Legally when we are born again we receive our full inheritance in Christ but it takes a lifetime to appropriate it all. We do so walking step by step in faith. In this verse notice that there are two verb tenses.
Hebrews 10:14
A. In the first half of the verse it says, "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever...."
What Jesus did on the cross in the past is absolutely and eternally complete. Nothing needs to be added.
B. But part 2 of the verse says, "those who are being made holy (or sanctified)."
This tells us that our appropriation of Christ's sacrifice is progressive.
Day 10-At the new birth what does a person receive?
John 1:12
In Greek the word for "right" is exousia which is usually translated "authority". Therefore when we receive the Spirit of Christ at the time of our new birth we receive the authority to become a child of God. To the extent that we exercise this authority we move into more and more of what God has for us.
Day 11- A good example of this need to appropriate what God has already given us can be found in the first covenant under Joshua.
Joshua 1:2-3
In verse 2 we see the Lord commanding Joshua to lead the people into the land "I am about to give them." (NIV)
But in verse 3 it says, "I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses."
The legal ownership was settled but it remained for the Israelites to go into the land and take it back from the Canaanite people.
Day 12- So it is with all God's blessings. Christ's promises in the New Covenant are given to only one kind of person.
Revelations 21:7
Day 13- As we walk free from curses and sin's bondage Satan will not roll over and play dead. He will oppose you all the way. He will throw at you everything he can -- fear, doubts, discouragement, confusion, and guilt. He will assail your body with physical infirmities. But take heart. God has given us one effective offensive weapon.
Ephesians 6:17
The sword of the spirit is the word of God. The word spoken of here is rhema in Greek which is primarily "a word that is spoken." God's word becomes effective when it is spoken through believing lips.
Jesus demonstrated this for us when He was tempted by Satan during a time of prayer and fasting in the desert.
Matthew 4:1-11
Notice verses 4,7 and 10 -- "It is written. --- It is written --- It is written."
This was the only weapon Jesus used against Satan -- he quoted God's word. He didn't rely on his own wisdom and arguments. Satan has no defense against God's word and this is how we must meet all of Satan's opposition.
Day 14- The promises of God are not for wishful thinkers or those who know how to talk religiously. It will require great effort.
Matthew 11:12
And it will often take us along hard paths.
Acts 14:22
We will not win unless we give God complete control over all that concerns us. Once we do, we will find the effort and tribulations can all be overcome by God's grace and his anointing. The message given to Joshua and the Israelites is the same given to all Christians who set about to appropriate the promised blessings of the new covenant. What is the repeating command in these verses?
Joshua 1: 6,7,9
Day 15- In every situation we encounter we have three choices.
A. We can say nothing and just let whatever comes come.
B. We can speak forth a negative confession which will then expose us to satanic forces.
C. Or, we can confess what God has said in His word as we meet the conditions for his promises.
The Lord makes it clear that our words will either confirm us as righteous in God's sight or they will condemn us.
Matthew 12:37
Day 16- Confession can't be reduced to a formula or system. It has to proceed from faith in the heart.
Romans 10:10
We "hear" God's word, it comes alive within us and then the Holy Spirit enables us to speak that word confidently back to God because we know and believe that it is all true -- true for others and true for us.
Real heart faith is not just mental belief that can be boastful and self-righteous. Real heart faith comes only by the Holy Spirit when we acknowledge our total dependence upon God.
When we confess God's word as the truth of our life you can expect that everything will look like it's not true. We may say, "I am in Christ and therefore I am a new creation; my old self has gone and the new me has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) No sooner will you speak that in faith when you'll be reminded that nothing has changed and you are just the same as always! Therefore here are two warnings concerning what we confess.
Hebrews 4:14 / Hebrews 10:23a
And why should we hold steady as we confess God's truths?
Hebrews 10:23b
PROCLAIM IT!
Day 17- Often as you read the Psalms you'll hear David and the other authors pouring out their troubles, asking God for his presence, his help and his deliverance. Then, all of a sudden there will be a phrase, "But as for me, I will......" followed by a strong proclamation -- a firm statement of faith that no matter what things look like on the outside all is well because God has promised. We "know" that we have all that God has to give us and no opposition can keep it from us. Proclamation goes beyond confession. We move from the defensive to the offensive position and shout about what we know is true about our God. Read this wonderful example in:
Psalm 71:1-16
Notice the pivot point in verse 14.
Day 18- Proclamation naturally leads us into praise and thanksgiving. As you continue reading Psalm 71 notice that David magnifies the Lord for who HE is and what HE has done.
Psalm 71:17-24
Praise for who God is AND thanksgiving for all God has done always go together.
Psalm 92:1 / Psalm 95:2 / Psalm 100:4 / Psalm 105:1-2 / Psalm 106:1-2
These verses are but a few examples from the Psalms.
Day 19- When God gives us a promise we should thank and praise Him immediately -- even before we have seen the fulfillment. We can do this because we know it's just a matter of time before we see it happen. Here is a wonderful example to illustrate this. It's from 2 Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat, King of Judah was facing war with his enemies. A vast army was mounting against him. He and the people sought God about this through prayer and fasting. The Holy Spirit answered them with a clear promise.
2 Chronicles 20:17
And the people's response was exactly right. They praised God first before they saw the results. It is what we are to do.
2 Chronicles 20:18-19
This praise offered in faith was then able to release God's supernatural intervention on their behalf.
2 Chronicles 20:22
When we offer praise and thanksgiving BEFORE we see the results we open the way for God to work on our behalf.
Psalm 50:23
We may ask, "Is it honest to speak confidently about something that hasn't happened yet?" The answer lies in our point of view. If we look at things in the natural state then NO -- it's not right. But if we look at ourselves as God sees us in Christ then YES, we have the right to make such proclamations. When our words agree with what God has said then we make a way for God to act on our behalf by his supernatural powers. If we don't make an appropriate confession then we become trapped in a prison of our own making -- confined to the natural.
WARNING: We do not put our faith in any method or procedure. Our faith is in God alone. We give Him the freedom to work when and where He wants.
Here is an easy way to remember how we can appropriate all that God wants us to have. It spells F.A.C.T.S.
F = Facts. Know and believe them.
A = Act on them in obedience
C = Claim them. Confess them.
T = Tell others what God has said even before you see the results
S = Submit to the Holy Spirit
ARE THERE ANY CURSES STILL IN EFFECT?
Day 20- All that we have been talking about pertain to what is called "the curse of the law". The law was given to Moses (John 1:17). If men obeyed it they would be blessed in every way (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). But if they didn't obey the WHOLE law they would come under the curse of the law as written in Deuteronomy 28: 15-68. It is these curses that the death of Jesus brings deliverance from.
Galatians 3:13
Day 21- But there was the time from Adam to Moses when there was no law to break. These men and women still suffered under a curse and died -- paying the penalty for their own individual sins.
Romans 5: 13-14
Day 22- There was an ORIGINAL CURSE that God pronounced after Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. It divides into different parts.
A. A curse upon the serpent which would distinguish it from all other animals.
Genesis 3:14
B. A curse upon women.
Genesis 3:16
C. A curse upon men which extended to the earth that they would tend.
Genesis 3:17-19
These verses describe the condition of the earth and mankind that are under this original curse.
Ecclesiastes 1:2-8 / Romans 8:20
The redemption Paul refers to in Galatians 3:13 does not include these original curses.
Day 23- Does this mean God hasn't provided a redemption from the original curse? No. This too has been provide in Christ. When Jesus died on the cross it was as "the last Adam".
1 Corinthians 15:45
Jesus, as the "last Adam", took on himself all the evil consequences that Adam's disobedience had brought on the entire human race.
When Jesus rose from the dead he did so as "the second man".
1 Corinthians 15:47
He became the head of a new race. This new race -- the Emmanuel race -- is one in which the nature of God and the nature of man are blended together into a new creation. Who can be part of this race?
1 Peter 1:3-4
If we through faith are identified with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection then we are ones who have been born again into this new race of men.
Day 24- Therefore Christ through his death has provided redemption for every curse that has come upon humanity and the earth. But, full redemption from these curses is being worked out in stages. Redemption from the curse of the law is offered to us NOW -- in this present age -- to all who will appropriate it. But at the return of Christ all the negative things brought on by the original curse will be reversed. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15.
A. Our corruptible or perishable bodies will become incorruptible or imperishable.
1 Corinthians 15: 42,53a
B. Our mortal bodies will become immortal.
1 Corinthians 15: 53b
C. Our bodies that had become dishonored will be raised in glory.
1 Corinthians 15: 43a
D. Our weak bodies will be raised in power.
1 Corinthians 15: 43b
E. Our natural bodies will be raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15: 44
Day 25- When will the final abolition of all curses take place?
2 Peter 3:13 / Revelations 21: 1-5 / Revelations 22:3
May God guide each of us as we seek to move out from under the shadows that keep us in darkness. Don't settle for anything less then the clear light of God's Spirit shining in and directing your life.
Next Study: MPGC#33