Bible Study Notes

When we hear the word “curse,” many of us may think of our favorite horror movie or comic book. Curses actually exist and they’re not something to be taken lightly. However, believers don’t need to fear them, because Jesus Christ has freed us from the power of the curses that once were a part of everyday life. His finished works delivered us from danger and made it possible for us to receive all of the blessings, with none of the curses.

Before Jesus, the curses that resulted from sin in the garden of Eden were a force to be reckoned with; however, His death and resurrection cancelled those for everyone who believes in what He did. Our faith moves us out from under the curses, and positions us to receive the blessings God wants for us. Jesus’ blood made those blessings available, and no curse is strong enough to cancel them. “But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?” (Numbers 23:8, NLT).

The Law of Moses required that the children of Israel act first, through self-effort, to try to earn God’s blessings; failure to keep all the requirements resulted in multiple curses (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Although that has changed, many people still try to live by self-effort. As Christians, we receive God’s blessings as a gift from Him, without the need to work for them. “He will save you from death in time of famine, from the power of the sword in time of war. You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you. You will be at peace with the stones of the field, and its wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing” (Job 5:20-24, NLT).

Although we’ve been redeemed from the curses, they still hold power over people who don’t fully understand grace and how it impacts every part of their lives. Those who are unaware of redemption from sickness, disease, lack, and poverty will meekly accept these things. Knowing exactly what the Scriptures say about the benefits God’s children enjoy gives us an advantage. Healing is available to us (Isaiah 53:5), as well as abundance and prosperity on all levels (Philippians 4:19).

When others are struggling, we live in peace and safety. This peace we enjoy includes peace of mind when others are tormented by fear, worry, stress, and anxiety. Peace from God is one of the many blessings we receive by trusting in Him. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). No matter what trouble is around us, we’re secure in the knowledge that God will deliver us from it; therefore, it can’t rob us of the inner peace we have in Him.

Condemnation and threat of punishment accompanying the curses before the cross don’t apply to believers after the cross. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1, 2, NIV). For us, the bad things are gone and only the good things remain. Regardless of any dire consequences we may hear from the world, nothing harmful can touch those who genuinely believe. This completely transforms our lives and gives us a new perspective.

Prayer is essential in the life of a Christian. When we pray, it connects us to God and keeps us connected, in good times as well as in times of trouble. Our prayers are an important spiritual tool as well as a weapon to use against the enemy. With that in mind, breaking it down and examining the essence of prayer gives us insight into how it becomes communion with God.

Praying Correctly Is Proactive and Ongoing

Prayer unleashes powerful forces in the spiritual realm. It gives heaven, and God, consent to act on our behalf. Similar to obtaining a permit when building something in the natural, prayer is our heavenly permit. It authorizes things that are already finished in the spiritual realm to start manifesting in the physical realm.

Praying effectively isn’t simply begging God for things. It’s saying to Him what He has already said in His Word. It’s praising and worshipping, and actually kissing the face of God. Prayer isn’t something to confine to a particular time of the day; it’s communing with Him in everything we do, all the time.

Jesus Provided an Example of What to Include in a Prayer

Jesus gave His disciples a blueprint to follow when praying, but this blueprint isn’t something to follow verbatim. “In this manner, therefore, pray…” (Matthew 6:9, NKJV). Most people miss this; they’ve memorized the blueprint and labeled it “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13). The church has done this for years, but it isn’t even New-Testament prayer because it isn’t prayed in Jesus’ name.

By comparison, New-Testament prayers are prayed in the authority of Jesus Christ. During His time on earth, Jesus had two ministries: to show the true spirit behind the law, and through prophecies, to introduce a new way of living. This grace-based new and better way refers to God not just as God anymore, but goes a step further and allows us to call Him “daddy.” “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23, 24, NIV). “That day” refers to the day of the new covenant of grace.

New-Testament Prayer Differs from Old-Testament Prayer

New-Testament prayer brings us into God’s presence so that we can commune with Him. “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation” (Psalm 5:1). There’s more than one way to pray; most people don’t understand that meditating on the Word is one form of prayer. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). We must strike a balance between periodically getting alone to pray and being able to relate to God in the midst of our daily routines, no matter who’s around. 

For some of us, this kind of prayer may be a challenge to work out in our minds, because Old-Testament prayer is what religion has traditionally taught. However, just because we’ve always prayed that way doesn’t mean it’s in line with the New Testament. Through His model prayer, Jesus emphasized that a prayer should start with praise and end with thanksgiving for what He has done; our requests are sandwiched in between. Making sure those requests line up with His will for us adds power and effectiveness to our prayers.

The “It’s already done” mindset is critical when praying. The two prayers God will never answer are when we ask Him to do what He has already done, and when we ask Hin to do what He already told us to do. It may sound religious and spiritual, but it’s completely ineffective. We need to be students of grace; therefore, what works much better is agreeing with what He did, and standing on the authority He gave us to bring to pass in the natural what is already finished in the spiritual.  

Effective Prayer Includes Praise and Worship

Praise should make up a huge chunk of our prayers. Praise blesses God and strengthens us. It comes easy when we look back over what He has done in our lives and remember how He showed up just in time to rescue us and set us back on our feet. God inhabits our praise. “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). 

We mustn’t limit praise to just singing; in God’s eyes, when we open our mouths, sing, and worship, that’s praying. He inhabits prayer filled with praise, and praise filled with prayer. When our hearts are in it and our song of worship is based on the finished works of Jesus, God honors it.

God Hears Us When We Prayerfully Thank Him

“Worship” is a powerful word people throw around, but it basically describes a relationship that’s all about pleasing God. One of the words for “prayer” in the original language means to worship. Prayer and worship are interchangeable. They lead us to the point at which, before we even finish forming the words to our request, God is already answering us.

Focusing on what God has already done is something we don’t do enough of in our prayer lives. When we pray, we can either choose to magnify Him or magnify the problem. The type of prayer that amplifies God’s grace puts us in awe. “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). When the problem seems insurmountable, reflecting on how often He delivered us in the past puts things back in perspective.

Old-Testament prayer tells God how big our issue is; New-Testament prayer tells our issue how big God is. There’s a difference in focus between the two, and what we choose will give us radically different results. There’s no use spouting empty words that sound good but have no effect. Knowing how to pray keeps us plugged in to God’s limitless power and makes us unstoppable.