A0323_He Became The Curse
Date: 29th July 2007 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0323
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: He Became the Curse
Text: & John 9:1-3
Illust: The more that I look into sickness, disease and the ability of our medical system to be able to really address the problem of sickness the more amazed I am at how little we still really know. For instance I came upon a medical term for describing the root cause of certain sicknesses. - “Idiopathic” This is an adjective meaning arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.
For most medical conditions, one or more causes are somewhat understood, but in a certain percentage of people with a condition, the cause may not be readily apparent or characterized. In these cases, the origin of the condition is said to be "idiopathic."
In his book The Human Body, Isaac Asimov made this comment about the term "idiopathic: It is "A high-flown term to conceal ignorance."
I. Cursed with a Curse
A. Curse of Sin
i. The bible actually gives us the answer, all sickness is ‘siniopathic’. The cause is the curse of sin in the human race. Not to say that all sickness is the result of any specific sin, Jesus makes that very clear in our text &
ii. However that said, the Bible plainly details a number of sins which bring curses that can manifest as sickness upon men & women. – Sins committed by individuals who will then reap the consequences of their actions.
iii. We obviously can’t cover an exhaustive list of sins and their connection to health here this AM, but there is enough Biblical evidence to link illegitimacy, incest, idolatry, robbing God's tithe and murder to physical trials in this life.
Murder
Genesis 4:11-12 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” (NKJV)
Includes abortion; - Jesus also expands it to include anger / hatred.
Matthew 5:21-22 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (NIV)
Illegitimate Birth:
Deuteronomy 23:2 “One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord. (NKJV)
Idolatry:
Deuteronomy 27:15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ “And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ (NKJV)
Sexual Perversion:
Leviticus 18:22-23 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion. (NKJV)
Stealing God's Tithe:
Malachi 3:9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. (NKJV)
B. Sin’s of the Fathers
i. An interesting element of the encounter with the blind man in John 9, is that the disciples ask Jesus whether it was the man or his parents that had sinned. & Jn 9:2 ~ Obviously had an understanding that there was a possibility that some sin of the parents could have manifested in this man’s life.
ii. Now I don’t want to get too carried away with this, it is possible to take it to far, & blame every sinful action in your life on great great grandfather Norman. ~
NO, its just you being carnal and fleshly
Need to accept personal responsibility!
Nevertheless it does appear that certain sins of our forefathers can release generational curses.
Deuteronomy 28:58-60 58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. (NKJV)
Numbers 14:18 ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ (NKJV)
Exodus 20:5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, (NKJV)
iii. This seems to particularly revolve around idolatry / being associated with false religion.
II. Living Under a Curse
A. Personal
i. Truth is the curse of personal sin can manifest itself in your life as sickness. – It does also seem to appear that certain sickness may be linked to specific sins.
Arthritis / Problems in organs: – Hatred / Unforgiveness / Anger
Respiratory Illness (i.e. Asthma): - Fear
Digestive complaints: – Fear / Anger
Tumours: - hatred of husbands / Gossip / Evil speaking / Fear
ii. Remember this is not gospel this is observation. – Need to be careful to understand that these appear to be linked. Not definitive.
iii. If sickness does assault our lives, worthwhile praying about, it – “Lord am I bitter, harbouring fear, hatred, unforgiveness?” – Truth is if there is sin our conscience will convict us. If we are honest before God, the Holy Spirit will prompt you. - Repent
B. Inherited
i. Secondly though I want to look at the possibility of an inherited curse a generational curse. Again these are not gospel, but they are what has been observed over many years by many men who have contended for a healing dynamic within their ministry.
Exczema – Ancestor involved in Witchcraft / Occult / false religion (Inc cults – JW, Mormon etc) / Freemasonry - Idolatry
Deafness, particularly in one ear – curse of illegitimacy
ii. Also possible that some other sickness could be through a generational curse. Especially if you know that a direct forbear was involved in some form of idolatry
iii. Don’t misunderstand me, this can be taken to the extreme, but also too many ministries may throw the baby out with the bathwater and claim that it is not possible at all to have an ancestral curse. Having preached in Zimbabwe & Fiji, not sure I would be that dogmatic. But also not going to say that you need to go back 4 generations to check out what your ancestors were up to.
III. The Broken Curse
A. He Himself
i. This is because now we get to the good part, this is the part that everybody agrees on, the reason you don’t have to know everything about all of your ancestors is because regardless of what they did, the curse can be broken. This is the good news. The great news. Jesus the sinless son of God, God Himself in the flesh, went to the cross to die in our place to take the punishment for all of our sin, even for all of our ancestors sin.
John 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (NKJV)
“It is finished” Tetelestai - Paid in Full – Completed, nothing more to do, totally sufficient. He has done everything necessary to purchase a complete salvation, a complete release from the curse of sin & death.
ii. Even the death that he chose, crucifixion, cruellest most brutal form of execution, to be hung on a wooden cross, a tree, a punishment that God specifically cursed.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 22 “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God. (NKJV)
Galatians 3:13 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”), (NKJV)
iii. Through Jesus Christ’s death on that Cross, every curse over your life is broken.
Same way that we have to appropriate salvation, deliverance many times need’s to be appropriated.
By Faith, recognising that Jesus has set you free, & you claiming it through faith.
B. By His Blood
i. It is through the power of His blood that was poured out on that dusty ground for our sins that we claim the victory over every curse. Not a magical incantation, saying the right words in the right sequence. No it’s about faith and speaking out your faith in the broken body & shed blood of Jesus that sets you free.
Romans 3:25 For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. (NLT)
ii. We have been reconciled to God, (re-establish a close relationship between) The curse of sin has been taken by Jesus and we are washed clean of the stain of sin in His Blood.
Revelation 1:5 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (NKJV)
iii. Claim the cleansing and deliverance of the blood of Jesus by faith, that sets you free from every curse of sin & death.