This Is Serious

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. [Deuteronomy 28.6]

This verse serves as a synopsis of what a person who pleases God can expect. In contrast, we find a little further down just the opposite for a person who does not please God:

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed. [Deuteronomy 28.19]

It does not require a degree in rocket science to understand which of these outcomes is desirable and which is not!

Let's just get to the heart of the matter, shall we?

These two verses provide all the information we need to understand and navigate our way: blessings follow obedience and curses follow disobedience. It's that simple.

Oh, but this already presents a problem, doesn't it? Am I really expected to believe that if I experience curses that I am in disobedience and in need of repentance? STOP RIGHT THERE! Just hold that thought and examine it for what it is... If God says curses are the result of disobedience, then who are we to refute the very Word of the Living God to say it isn't so? Do we so arrogantly dare to put ourselves in disagreement with God? The "righteous" man Job tried this and it didn't turn out so well...

For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. [Job 34.5]

Then, after a scorching and thorough rebuke from God, Job changed his stance:

Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” [Job 42.1-6]

If God's Word says curses are the result of disobedience, then we'd best get to repenting! And, while we are NOT under the Law to perform ritualistic offerings and sacrifices, we ARE compelled to be found through faith "in Christ" the perfect sacrifice Who, according to the Bible, ...has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (see Galatians 3.13).

SO! We should find great alarm if "in Christ" we still experience curses because the implications of curses are that we are NOT truly "in Christ" - we are NOT truly in faith - we are NOT truly redeemed from judgement and curses because we have NOT truly repented and NOT truly believed in Jesus according to His own Word!

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [John 3.16-18]

Just because we might all agree theologically, doctrinally, or otherwise that 'we are okay' even though we are still experiencing curses, we should not be so quick to take comfort in our popular consensus! Jesus made a startling statement that should terrify us of relying on popular consensus:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Curses in and on our lives scream, "Something is wrong! Something is not redeemed!" And yet, we console ourselves that all is well "in Christ." ARE WE GOING TO SO ARROGANTLY DENY GOD'S WORD? This is serious! 

For the record I am writing this from a position of curses all over my life - I have been suffering both physically and financially just like Job. I am aware that seeing the truth and living in the truth are two entirely different things! May God help us all to get over our arrogance and pride, stop all our verbal defenses, humbly repent and keep repenting until it becomes our prevailing attitude before our loving, healing, providing God! And then, from that position of repentance (and only that position), may we have the boldest of curse-overcoming confidence in Jesus!

Father, as hard as this is for anyone to read, it has been for me to write. I want to walk in complete victory over curses in testimony of "Christ in me" before the world, but mostly before You, my Father. May my pride and arrogance be annihilated by Your Word at work in me - may I be found broken and contrite before You at all times. May Jesus be all that is seen in me - in word, in action, and in resurrection blessing. So be it.