How to face challenges



Running away only increases the distance


(The following motivational message is based on the David and Goliath incident in the Bible)

Running away from a problem only increases the distance between you and the problem. It does not solve any problem.

I too agree with many present day motivators that perception and description can create a difference. How we perceive a situation and how we describe a situation is very important in overcoming or conquering the situation. The perception has a key role. The description continues the perception. You may solve, overcome and conquer the situation according to your perception and the description of that perception.

Roman soldiers and death in harness


“Die in harness” (death in harness) means to die with armor on; to die while actively engaged in work or duty.
This phrase is often used to refer to Government or Non government servants who die while in active service.

The phrase has roots in Roman culture and tradition.

In ancient Roman culture, all soldiers were dedicated as bridegrooms to the goddesses of war. They were not permitted to marry or have a family. They were 24x7 soldiers. Once they joined the military service, they discarded all ties with their family. All of them were unmarried young men.

Fear Not



Fear is the strongest emotion of 21 century.

What is fear?

Fear is an apprehension of sufferings and losses
Fear is an emotion over something unpleasant which may occur in future.

Suffering of pain – hunger, sickness, torture, dishonor etc.
Loss of - property, income, time, health, honour, power, life itself etc.

Fear is caused by the existence of another personality/power that is against our life.
It may be:

Evil people
Evil supernatural powers

It may have its base in our past life or the life of other people.

The cause of fear is always an unexpected or unwelcome incident.
So whether it may happen or not, we tend to fear.

Sufferings and Trial

Introduction


1.                  There is not an answer to all our questions that we can fully comprehend. 
2.                  We, as finite human beings, can never fully understand an infinite God

Romans 11:33-36
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. {whom: Gr. him}


3.   Sometimes we think we understand why God is doing something, only to find out later that it was for a different purpose than we originally thought.  
4.   God looks at things from an eternal perspective - We look at things from an earthly perspective. 

Joshua Generation Part II




CHAPTER   III

THE OTHER FAITH
  1. Introduction
 1.  Faith has different levels

1.  I believe – simply saying that one has faith without any deep conviction – born again and baptized, so I am called a believer
2.  I believe because you believe – declare faith in God and his wonderful ways with every one who believes – no personal conviction – pastor believes, so I believe
3.  I firmly believe – have personal conviction – applied to personal or family life only
4.  Challenging faith – Elijah’s faith on Mt. Carmel – challenging to prove that our God is the only true God – my faith is true faith
 
2.  People with Moses and those with Joshua showed different levels of Faith

Joshua Generation Part I



I.       INTRODUCTION – THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

1.   Book of Joshua is a book of Victory
2.  Victory of True Worship of the Living God over false idolatry worship of Canaanites
3.  It is the story of Joshua – his transformation and growth from the Servant of Moses to the Servant of God
4.  It tells how God was with Joshua as He had been with Moses

II.     Lessons Joshua Learnt from Moses

1.  Follow Moses daily
2.  He understood Moses leadership style
3.  Moses received his anointing by spending time with God, (Joshua would linger in the presence to receive his own anointing).
4.  He watched the plagues, witnessed the miracles
5.  He watched Moses return with the tablets.  One thing for sure, Joshua would have never wished the death of Moses.
6.  Never dare to use the death of Moses as a tool for a smooth transition of authority – He waited till God appointed him. 

Curse and Blessing Part II & III


 PART II
CAUSES FOR CURSE
 
CAUSES FOR CURSE

Proverbs 26:2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

v  As the bird - is taken often for the sparrow; but means generally any small bird.
v  As the sparrow flies about the house, and the swallow emigrates to strange countries
v  So an undeserved malediction may flutter about the neighbourhood for a season
v  But in a short time it will disappear as the bird of passage; and never take effect on the innocent person against whom it was pronounced.

*      The safety of innocency
*      He that is cursed without cause, whether by furious imprecations or solemn anathemas, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head
*      Goliath's curses did no harm to David, 1Sa 17:43. 
*      It will fly away like the sparrow or the wild dove, which go nobody knows where, till they return to their proper place, as the curse will at length return upon the head of him that uttered it.

1 Samuel 17 : 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

The Bible verse may be understood in two ways:

1.    Curse without cause shall do no harm
2.    If there is a curse on a person, there is a reason for it.

CAUSES

They preferred curse - they choose curse

Psalms 109 : 17 - 19
17   As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18   As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. {into his bowels: Heb. within him}
19   Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

Disobedience

Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

i.                    In Hebrew, the words RAAH and HATAH denotes Sin
ii.                  The meanings these words are:

a.       Wickedness
b.      Rebellion against God
c.       Evil
d.      Disobedience

1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. {witchcraft: Heb. divination}

Genesis 3:14 - 18
 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. {to thy...: or, subject to thy husband}
 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; {bring...: Heb. cause to bud}
 
Genesis 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. {Noah: Gr. Noe: that is Rest, or, Comfort}

Malachi 2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

False Worship                                

Genesis 4:2-11
2   And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. {Abel: Heb. Hebel} {a keeper: Heb. a feeder}
3   And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. {in process...: Heb. at the end of days}
4   And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: {flock: Heb. sheep, or, goats}
5   But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6   And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7   If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. {be accepted: or, have the excellency} {unto...: or, subject unto thee}
8   And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9   And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. {blood: Heb. bloods}
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;


*      Cain knew about true worship
*      But he ignored it and try to worship the way he preferred

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Idol Worship
 
     The first and the second commandments in the Ten commandments relate to worship
     Most of the curses are caused by idol worship

Deuteronomy 5:7-10
7     Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8     Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
9     Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
10   And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 4:15-19
15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
18 The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. {divided: or, imparted}

Exodus 23:23-33
23   For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
24   Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
25   And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
26   There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
27   I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. {backs: Heb. neck}
28   And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29   I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
30   By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
31   And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
32   Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
33   They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

Rachel and the house hold gods

Jacob decides to leave Laban’s house for ever
Rachel stole the house hold gods (teraphim) from her father’s house

Genesis 31:17-19
17   Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
18   And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
19   And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. {images: Heb. Teraphim – a family idol, healer}

Zechariah 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. {idols: Heb. teraphims}

Genesis 31:22,23
 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

Genesis 31:26:35
26   And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
27   Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? {steal...: Heb. hast stolen me}
 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
29   It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
30   And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
31   And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
32   With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
33   And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
34   Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. {searched: Heb. felt}
35   And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

·         Rachel took the house hold idols with her
·         Jacob unknowingly pronounced a curse on the person who kept it
·         Eventually it fell on Rachel
·         As a result Rachel died on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem), just a few yards away from the town.

Genesis 35:16-19
16   And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. {a little...: Heb. a little piece of ground}
17   And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
18   And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. {Benoni: that is, The son of my sorrow} {Benjamin: that is, The son of the right hand}
19   And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

Ahab and Isabella

1 Kings 16:30-33
30   And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
31   And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. {as if...: Heb. was it a light thing, etc}
32   And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
33   And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

1 Kings 21:19-24
19   And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
20   And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
21   Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
22   And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
23   And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. {wall: or, ditch}
24   Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

1 Kings 22:37,38
37   So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. {was brought: Heb. came}
38   And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

2 Kings 9:30-37
30   And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. {painted...: Heb. put her eyes in painting}
31   And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?
32   And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. {eunuchs: or, chamberlains}
33   And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.
34   And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.
35   And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
36   Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: {by: Heb. by the hand of}
37   And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

What should we do with idols?

Deuteronomy 13:15-18
15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
16   And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
17   And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; {cursed: or, devoted}
18   When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.

Acts 19:18,19
18   Many also of them that had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.
19   And not a few of them that practised magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.  (ASV)

Witchcraft

Leviticus 19:26-31
26   Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
27   Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
28   Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. {prostitute: Heb. profane}
30   Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
31   Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 22 : 18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
10   There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11   Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12   For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Manasseh and his sons

2 Chronicles 33:6-11
6     And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
7     And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8     Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
9     So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10   And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11   Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. {of the king: Heb. which were the king's} {fetters: or, chains}

Eastern Custom

Isaiah 2:6 For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. (ASV)

Cursing the children of Abraham

Genesis 12: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Balaam and Balak

Numbers 23:1-24
1     And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
2     And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
3     And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place. {to an...: or, solitary}
4     And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
5     And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6     And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7     And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
8     How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
9     For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10   Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
11   And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
12   And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
13   And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
14   And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. {Pisgah: or, the hill}
15   And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
16   And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
17   And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
18   And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
19   God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
20   Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
21   He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
22   God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23   Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! {against: or, in}
24   Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain

Respect your parents

The Fifth commandment in the Ten Commandments
Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Tithe

Malachi 3:8-12
8     Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9     Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10   Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11   And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. {destroy: Heb. corrupt}
12   And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Leviticus 27:30-32
30    All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.
31   And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
32   And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
33   He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  

1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

 A long list of causes for curse

Deuteronomy 27:15-26
15   Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
16   Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
17   Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
18   Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
19   Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
20   Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
21   Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
22   Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
23   Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
24   Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
25   Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
26   Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

PART III
Deliverance

1.      Be A Born Again Christian

      Establish a clear scriptural basis

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

John 3:3-6
1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2   The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {again: or, from above}
4   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Again: (Gk) an'-o-then - from above; by analogy, from the first; by implication, anew:--from above, again, from the beginning (very first), the top.

 Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 10:8-13
8     But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9     That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10   For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11   For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12   For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13   For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

    Jesus has taken away all our sins, punishments, curses, diseases, pain etc.
    On the Cross, there takes place an exchange of sin and its outcome with blessings

Galatians 3:13,14
13   Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14   That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

13   Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

We are free from all curses

Isaiah 53:1-12
1   Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? {report: or, doctrine?: Heb. hearing?}
 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isaiah 53:3-12

What Jesus bore away

What we received in exchange
3   He is despised and rejected of men

We are respected and accepted
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

We have divine health
Divine health is more than healing
It is a state of no disease
5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {wounded: or, tormented} {stripes: Heb. bruise}

We have peace with God
We are healed more than 2010 years ago.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. {laid...: Heb. made the iniquity of us all to meet on him}

We are free from sin and its punishments
9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. {death: Heb. deaths}

We have grave with holy people (born again Christians)

Colossians 1:13,14
13   Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: {his...: Gr. the Son of his love}
14    In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

2.      Commit to Obedience

 

Malachi 2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

      Accept Jesus as the Lord of your life - Obedience without question is demanded
      You are making a confession to live obeying whatever your Lord commands you

Romans 10:9, 10
9     That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10   For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

3.      Forgive all who have committed wrong to you


Matthew 5:23,24
23   Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24   Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

4.      Reject and Renounce



Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

·         Renounce all contact with the occult yourselves and your parents may be connected to
·         Confess all known sins of your parents and yourselves
·         Repent of involvement of your family, yourself, your race and national involvement in matters that might have caused curse
·         India is land of idol worship – under curse – repent and renounce for yourself
  

5. Use your spiritual authority to break the chain of curse


John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The Final Note


   Join a church that Worship the true God in spirit and truth

v  Worship opens the way for the spiritual authority to rule over us
v  We are ruled by the supernatural power when we worship
v  When we worship the God, we come under His authority
v  If we worship any other false god we let him use his authority over us

v  So worshiping the true God is Spirit and Truth is very important

   Lead your spiritual life according to the directions of the Apostle Peter

Acts 2:37-42
37   Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38   Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39   For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40   And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41   Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42   And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

1.        Repent
2.        Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins
3.        Receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
4.        Continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine
5.        Fellowship
6.        Breaking of bread (Holy Communion)
7.        Prayer life