Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
God is stirring our hearts afresh to lay hold of both the wisdom and power of the cross (1 Cor. 1:23-24). The church holds to the truth or doctrine of the cross very well, which we must. There is no debate about the truth of the cross, however, I believe God desires to reveal to us a greater understanding and demonstration of the power of the cross. In recent months I have set my heart to meditate upon the cross and I have been captured and humbled as I realize more than ever how precious a gift that Christ has given us.
Christ 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” — 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-15
I believe this scripture holds a key to unlock more of the riches of the wisdom and power of the cross to us. Every human born on this plant is born under a curse because of what Adam did back in the garden (Gen. 3:14-24). We were all banished from the paradise of God on the earth in Adam and became orphans (John 14:18); that is the essence of the curse, being separated from God and banished from His world, left on our own to make it in a hostile world inhabited by some very powerful, invisible enemies.
Several years ago we saw the movie, The Passion of Christ. It was very moving and powerful, but the movie could not fully show us what really happened at the cross. Something invisible happened; there was a divine exchange that took place that the natural eyes cannot see. Jesus Christ became a curse; He took upon Himself the curse of mankind’s sin and disobedience so that through faith in Him we have access to the blessings that were rightfully His. In the movie we saw Him mistreated, beaten, tortured and nailed to a cross to die a horrific and shameful death, but we did not see the exchange. We can only see this through revelation by the Holy Spirit. I am sure scores of people watched that movie and were moved to tears, but went home and never saw what truly happened at the cross just as most of those who were actually present on that historic day (Luke 23:48).
He became a curse for us so that we could receive something from heaven – the blessings of Abraham. So, what are the “blessings of Abraham”?
Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. Genesis 24:1
Abraham was blessed in every way or in all things. That is a very powerful statement. The exchange that happened at the cross is meant to touch and impact every area of our life including our death (1 Cor. 15: 50-58). There is nothing, absolutely nothing that the cross has not answered for us, it encompasses all, spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Now here is a key – Paul said we receive this blessing only through receiving the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who illuminates us to see the exchange in the first place and He is also the overseer of releasing all the blessings of our inheritance we have in Christ (Gal. 4:1-7). The Holy Spirit is the governor of heaven. If we are to truly walk in all our inheritance made available at the cross it will only be through the Holy Spirit.
God is good.
Many Blessings, BW