2010

In our study, we've covered where cursing comes from, how it arrives, and how to treat it under the legal truth that Jesus has redeemed us from the curse. Last month we took stock of the fact that we find rest in knowing we are not saved by self, but by Him who sits at the right hand of God. Despite our imperfections, we are exhorted: “let us go on to perfection,” “confident of better things.”

Until we do a “curse hunt,” we won’t actually know what it is we're redeemed from or be able to exercise faith to be rid of it. We must read the Word of God honestly and recognize that sin brings destruction, and that it is possible for a Christian to be under a curse. Thus, we need to invite Holy Spirit to search our heart to see if there be any iniquity in us and, if so, repent and turn from it so that the door to cursing is closed, and we get back under being redeemed.

There’s a difference between Christ in you and you in Christ. Christ in you is eternal life; you in Christ is walking in blessedness in this lifetime. Christ in you is the hope of glory and you going to heaven; you in Christ means heaven comes to you and touches you with glory. As we walk close to God, we walk free from the curse; but if we walk distant from God, we're not free because, although we have Christ in us, it's us in Christ Jesus that frees from the curse.

In Deuteronomy 28, we're going to pick up this “curse hunt” in articles to follow this one, but first keep in mind that there are other ways for cursing to come into your life. If you search your heart and find no iniquity, yet there's still a curse, there will be some other cause needing to be isolated in order to deal with it and apply your faith against it. An example of how this applies is found in witchcraft at work. Let me tell you a story:

A pastor out to a pastor's conference on Long Island was on a plane going home. He was feeling exhilarated and glanced around, wondering if there were any Christians on board to fellowship with. He really wanted to hang out with another Christian, but didn't recognize any faces on the plane. He then noticed the well-groomed man beside him and thought, “That guy could be a Christian." When the waitress came and offered drinks, the other man said “No” right away, but the pastor still didn't say anything because the other man was reading a book.

Later, the stewardess offered the stranger dinner and he replied, "No thank you, I'm fasting." The pastor became sure this man was a brother in the Lord and said, "I see you're fasting. Are you a believer?” The man replied, "Yes, I'm a Satan worshipper and they have called for an international fast to destroy the families of pastors. We are praying diligently because we know if we can destroy the pastor's home, we can destroy his church."

A curse is a curse from whatever source and wicked forces are at work. The next article will give you a summation of what blessings and cursings are found in Deuteronomy 28. First though, let's look at two verses and a general comment preparatory to the actual “curse hunt.”

“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2).

“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you” (Deuteronomy 28:15).

God says, "I've set before you this day blessing and cursing, life and death, therefore choose life that you and your seed might live." What does that mean? It means you choose to obey God or you choose to disobey God; blessing or cursing will follow, having been set in motion as a matter of personal choice.

The summation of the blessings found in verses 1-14 teaches that the blessings overtake you. There will be exaltation; you'll be lifted up far above. You'll be made to be the head and not the tail. Part of the blessing is health. Sill another part would be prosperity and victory. And then, of course, the greatest part of the blessing is God's favor.

In chapters 27-30, Moses was wrapping up or making closing comment on the covenant. Thus, everything in these chapters depends on the Mosaic Law found in chapters 12-26. So when we talk about obeying the voice of the Lord your God or disobeying the voice of the Lord your God, it is in the context of the Mosaic Law. Those who will walk according to that law will walk in the blessing. Those who will not walk according to it will walk in the cursing.

Here’s the good news: Galatians informs us that the whole law is summed up in one commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself" and, if you do this, you have fulfilled the law. All the blessings of Deuteronomy 28 are for those who will pursue the love walk. Those who reject the love walk and will not love their neighbor as themselves will be opening the door to the rest of Deuteronomy 28, the cursing.

God has tried to teach men that they are created in His image and likeness. If they walk as He walks, they'll be blessed. When they walk differently, they can't be blessed, only cursed. God’s teachings on cursings that can come aren’t because He is waiting to punish you when you make a mistake; He tells us beforehand of these things because He knows that if you will not walk the way He designed you to walk, it's going to hurt you. There is always a high cost factor in walking contrary to your new nature in Christ.

Look at Deuteronomy 30:1-3. “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.”

God's intent is always to reverse the curse. What’s your part in all this? Return to God and obey His voice. If, as we go through the cursings in the next article(s), you should discover that some part of the curse is operational in your life or home, reverse the curse. Shut down any contributory behavior or belief, turn to the Lord, and obey His voice and calling to be a bigger lover.

~Walter Healy, Senior Leader