27 November 2016

Blessings or Curses

I've been reading a book with keen interest, as it presents a biblical view on a subject I had not previously given great thought.  This recent recommendation for me is titled, "Blessing or Curse:  You Can Choose" by Derek Prince.  I am about halfway through the book, and it presents a compelling picture of the reality both of divine blessings and curses.  Admittedly I have given much greater focus on the blessings rather than curses.  But since blessings and curses are often stated in the Bible as opposites of one another, it stands to reason if we will have blessings from God room must be provided for the influence of a curse.  If we desire a blessing we should do what God promises to bless and avoid what brings a curse.  Reading this book has caused me to consider my own life and confess sin before the LORD.  I rejoice that Jesus has become a curse for me He can break the power over every single one.

It's a funny thing, that Christians believe God "blesses" people but when we speak of "curses" it starts sounding hokey or bizarre.  Yet both the Old and New Testaments are consistent in saying blessings from God accompany faith and obedience to Him, and curses accompany sinful choices and behaviour.  Sin is never committed in isolation in a person's life, but the darkness begins to affect all areas of a person.  Bitterness and hatred are like poisons which impact our thoughts, words, and deeds.  And even more sinister is the impact our sin can potentially have on people around us - even future generations!  The book also emphasises the power and importance of our words in speaking to people, when we speak of ourselves, and words uttered to God in prayer.

Proverbs 26:2 is one of the many verses explained in the book:  "Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight."  It is a fair point:  every curse has a cause, and they will impact specific areas of our lives.  Sometimes we may not realise we are under a curse, but if there is sin from which we have not repented there is great cause.  Here is a small sampling of warnings God issued His beloved, chosen people in Deuteronomy 28:15-19"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: 16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out."

There is no middle ground between blessings and curses from God.  Which side of that line would you like to be on?  God promises great blessings for those who obey Him, and Deuteronomy 28:13 holds forth a memorable one:  "And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them."  Do you feel like a "tail" sometimes, like you are at the mercy of your circumstances, being dragged along without a choice?  In the book Prince remarked we often say things like, "I'm ok - under the circumstances."  He asked, "But whatever are you doing under the circumstances?"  He challenged the reader to answer these questions of self-evaluation:  "Am I living like a head or a tail?  Am I living under my circumstances, or above them?  The answers we give will help us to see how much of God's blessing we are actually enjoying." (Prince, Derek. Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose! Old Tappan, NJ: Chosen, 1990. 50. Print.)

Praise God Jesus Christ is able to set us free from generational and self-imposed curses in a moment when we confess with our lips, repent in our hearts, and renounce the evil, replacing a curse with a blessing.  There are no magic words or formulas to follow, but a heart regenerated by Jesus through faith and the willingness to trust and obey.  The ones Jesus sets free are free indeed!

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