December 11, 2016
Morning Worship
Text: Galatians 3:9,13-14; Deuteronomy 28
Subject: Redeemed from the Curse
Title: Redeemed From the Curse of Sickness – Redeemed Part 5
We have been talking for quite a few weeks now about our redemption and what it means. Are you happy that you are redeemed from the curse of the Law?
Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),
Did Jesus hang on a tree? Was HE nailed to a cross? And if He did, then it must be true that He was a cursed and became a curse so you wouldn’t be! Now, you have to understand this… the only reason that Jesus took the curse was not so you wouldn’t have to. We don’t stop reading with verse 13 and then stop.
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree") - comma -
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Over the last 4 weeks I think that we have established that fact haven’t we?
We Are Blessed… and not cursed.
Let’s go back and read verse 9 and then we’ll get started…
Galatians 3:9 (NKJV)
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
I believe this is God’s word…
I believe it is for me…
I accept it as mine…
I will appropriate it to my life today…
If you look at verse 9 where it says those who are of faith… I want you to think about that. A lot of people think that if you just get saved… and how does it happen? It is by grace you are saved through faith – that once you get saved grace automatically kicks in. And though it is true that grace is readily available to you because God has already done His part, it is your part to accept by faith all the blessings of Abraham. Faith is required to get you to the place where by faith you can receive them. Are you with me so far?
Now we know from our previous studies that Abraham was truly blessed. Financially blessed, spiritually blessed, and blessed with good health and long life… He lived 175 years. Does the Lord want His people to have the same blessing that Abraham had?
those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham…
Turn to Deuteronomy 28. Today we want you to see how Jesus has redeemed you from the curse that includes sickness and disease. You know it may seem like repetition but because Jesus took the curse for us even though He didn’t deserve it and provided the blessing for us that we didn’t deserve and we cannot let anyone convince us that somehow we are cursed. We are blessed because whomever God has blessed, who can curse? Cause if you believe you are cursed, and it doesn’t matter what kind of curse you call it, generational curse or this or that kind of curse, if you believe you are cursed you can’t be blessed. It’s either one or the other.
Now is sickness and disease part of the curse? Are you cursed? No! You are blessed. Jesus not only took our curse that we deserved the scripture says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us… that we might be blessed…
In Deuteronomy 28 as well as Leviticus 26 wee see the consequences for disobedience. Even though we have been redeemed from the curse when we live in disobedience and rebellion to the Lord He has to remove His hand from us and give the enemy access to bring curses. I want you to understand this… rebellion or disobedience isn’t just some act you have committed. Rebellion can simply mean not believing that what God has written in His word through the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t want to but disobedience or rebellion, which are other words for sin causes that break in our relationship with Him and removes the blessing. But with a simple act of repentance the blessing can be restored.
I am blessed and not cursed…
Once again, in Deuteronomy 28 it talks about the blessings for those who are obedient and the curses for those who are disobedience. And we know that obedience for the Christian is believing in the One whom God has sent and believing His word.
We have spent a lot of time talking about the blessing, but what is the curse? What does it mean to be cursed?
The word curse means to be doomed to destruction… the dictionary defines it this way.
1. the expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person, group, etc.
2. a formula or charm intended to cause such misfortune to another.
3. the act of reciting such a formula.
4. a profane oath; curse word.
5. an evil that has been invoked upon one.
6. the cause of evil, misfortune, or trouble.
7. something accursed.
Curses always involve destruction. And part of the curse is sickness and disease.
Deuteronomy 28:15-20 (NKJV)
15 "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.
20 "The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.
Does that sound like destruction? Let’s go on and I want to show you the various types of sickness that come with the curse.
Deuteronomy 28:21 (NKJV)
21 The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land, which you are going to possess.
The pestilence is probably a generic term for any fatal epidemic… smallpox, yellow fever, cholera, scarlet fever, typhoid, influenza, polio, measles… all of these infectious diseases have overtaken America at some point and have brought death and fear and destruction over the years. Now science has made great progress in bringing these diseases under control, but now we see a new influx of those diseases coming into our country. Oh but you are not under the curse… you have been redeemed. Jesus has taken that disease from you.
Deuteronomy 28:22 (NKJV)
22 The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish.
Consumption – tuberculosis – once again appearing in America through illegal aliens…
Fever – any kind of disease that causes fever
Inflammation - Inflammation is a process by which the body's white blood cells and substances they produce protect us from infection with foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses.
However, in some diseases, like arthritis, the body's defense system -- the immune system -- triggers an inflammatory response when there are no foreign invaders to fight off. In these diseases, called autoimmune diseases, the body's normally protective immune system causes damage to its own tissues. The body responds as if normal tissues are infected or somehow abnormal.
What Diseases Are Associated With Inflammation?
Some, but not all, types of arthritis are the result of misdirected inflammation. Arthritis is a general term that describes inflammation in the joints. Some types of arthritis associated with inflammation include the following:
· Rheumatoid arthritis
· Psoriatic arthritis
· Gouty arthritis
Other painful conditions of the joints and musculoskeletal system that may not be associated with inflammation include osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, muscular low back pain, and muscular neck pain.
severe burning fever – root word - literally (to melt, burn, dry up) How many diseases are accompanied by a burning fever? Sever burning fever or high temperature can become an extreme problem if not addressed. It can cause brain damage and seizures and organ failure…
Are you listening to me. The curse gets pretty dangerous… it is life threatening. And what all these things do more than anything else is to cause fear to rise up in people and they think, “Oh, I hope I don’t get it… I hope I don’t get it… I hope it doesn’t’ come to my house…” and when you’ve done that you have given in to what the devil wants because fear is the opposite of faith and the blessing comes by the faith of Abraham but the curse comes by not believing God’s word.
Tell me the truth… You all know that I am always saying I’m not going to get sick! How many of you think that I am just saying that as some kind of foolish statement and what I really mean is that I hope I don’t get sick? That’s not it at all… when the flu thing goes around, I’ve been redeemed from it. Jesus became the curse for me so I don’t have to receive it… no flu, no upper respiratory infection, no bronchitis… I’m not going to receive it because it is the cursed and I am blessed. I reject it in Jesus’ name!
Deuteronomy 28:26-28 (NKJV)
26 Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away.
27 The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.
28 The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.
Deuteronomy 28:35 (NKJV)
35 The LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.
Who gets these things? Is sickness for everybody? Even if you believe that it is the Lord who causes sickness in people (and it isn’t) who is it that gets the sickness? It is for those who are disobedient. So if you obey the Lord and believe His word and stand in faith and you have repented from any sin that might be a hindrance what are you going to receive – curses or blessing? Sickness or health?
Well that’s just the way it is… people get sick. But that’s not how it has to be… Jesus became a curse so you might receive the blessing… Jesus became sickness so that you might have health… Jesus became death so you might have life…
Do you see all the things that are mentioned?
The Hebrew words refer to these things…
madness and blindness and confusion of heart.
Mental disorders, diseases of the eyes,
Confusion of the heart… inability to know right from wrong…
Inflamed, burning fever, with chills and sweating as in Malaria…
Consumption as in tuberculosis…
Tumors, ulcers, sores that don’t heal – skin cancer, brain tumors or cancers elsewhere in the body…
Scurvy or skin diseases…
Itching from which you cannot be healed …
Knees and legs… arthritis and other joint and muscular diseases…
You go to the doctor and he tells you there is nothing he can do…
Well Doc, you do what you can but I’m not too worried about it because I have been redeemed from the curse of the Law… all those things are not for you… Jesus became the curse so you could receive the blessing… He took what He didn’t deserve so you could receive what you don’t deserve… but God wants you to have it. It’s God’s grace at work in your healing. It’s His promise and not my doctrine – not something I am making up. Is it right here in the Word or isn’t it?
Is healing a blessing? Is deliverance a blessing? Is being in your right mind a blessing?
Deuteronomy 28:1-6 (NKJV)
1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
Deuteronomy 28:7-13 (NKJV)
7 "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
8 The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
9 The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.
10 Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you.
11 And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
12 The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
13 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.
Are you going to believe the lie and receive the curse or believe the Word and be blessed?
