CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK:
Faith Reversed Becomes a Curse
That’s what happened in the Garden of Eden. before the devil got involved, Adam and Eve were living in total blessing. They were ruling with the authority God had given them over a planet that was governed by one master law – the law of the Spirit of life. Heaven and earth were spiritually connected by The WORD of God so everything good that comes from that divine life flowed freely without obstruction.
What happened?
You know the story. The devil came and questioned The WORD of God. He said to Eve, “Yea, hath God said…?” Then, once he had her attention, he flatly contradicted God’s WORD. “Ye shall not surely die,” he said (see Genesis 3:2-4).
He deceived Eve into breaking fellowship with God and His WORD through disobedience. Adam followed suit, though he knew better. By the time he was done, the devil had gained dominion over mankind, and therefore over the earth God had given them to rule. He had taken the master law of the Spirit of life and perverted it into its reciprocal: the law of sin and death.
Under the law of sin and death, every blessing became a curse. The ground which had once produced abundantly began to withhold its fruit, and prosperity became poverty. Health was turned to sickness. Success became failure. Victory turned to defeat.
What’s more, faith, the creative power of God He had given to man to use to rule the earth, became fear. So, when God came walking in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day to fellowship with man, “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of The LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And The LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid…” (Genesis 3:8-10).
Two Master Laws
But, thankfully, that’s not the end of the story. God didn’t abandon the earth and leave man forever enslaved to the devil and the law of sin and death. He sent His own Son in the form of man to reverse what Adam had done. He sent Jesus, not only to the cross, but into hell itself to pay the price for sin and bear its penalty. Then, by raising Jesus from the dead, God reinstated the law of the Spirit of life for whosoever would believe on Him.
Romans 8:1-2 says it this way: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
That means there are now two master laws functioning in the earth: God’s original, the law of the Spirit of life – and Satan’s reciprocal, or counterfeit – which is the law of sin and death. As far as God is concerned, every believer has been delivered from Satan’s law and all its effects. Jesus has done everything necessary to set us free.
Yet, in spite of that fact, vestiges of the curse often seem to dog the steps of many Christians because they unknowingly activate the law of sin and death and give the devil entrance into their lives. As Hosea 4:6 says, they are “destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
Look at the chart below, and you will see exactly what I’m talking about. I have listed the two master laws along with their authors and some of the results they produce. You’ll notice each part corresponds with its reciprocal. It’s the same – yet opposite.
The law of the Spirit of life The law of sin and death
Jesus Christ Satan
the new birth spiritual death
the Baptism in the Holy Spirit demonic oppression
righteousness unrighteousness
healing sickness
prosperity poverty
love hate
success failure
Study the left-hand side of that list for a moment, then see if you can answer this question: What is the force that activates the law of the Spirit of life?
It’s faith! We receive healing by faith. We receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit by faith. We receive healing by faith. Nothing happens in the realm of life – God’s realm – without faith.
Now, apply the law of reciprocals, and you’ll see that since fear is the satanic reciprocal of faith, the law of sin and death is activated by fear! Not just occasionally – but every time.
Repent and Get Rid of It
“Well, I wasn’t afraid, and I still went bankrupt, and the devil stole everything I had.” That’s impossible. The devil cannot prevail in your life apart from fear any more than God can prevail in your life apart from faith.
Just as “faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), fear is the substance of things not desired. Faith reaches into the unseen realm of the spirit and manifests the promises of God. Fear is the power the devil uses to destroy.
Hebrews 2:14-15 says Jesus became flesh and blood “…that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” It’s fear of death that keeps us in bondage.
You must understand, however, that fear of death does not necessarily mean you’re afraid to leave your body and head for heaven, as believers do when they die physically. (You’re probably looking forward to that day!) The fear of death referred to in Hebrews has a much broader meaning than that. It includes the fear of sickness, lack, failure and everything else that is included under the master law of sin and death.
But we don’t have to live in fear. God said, “Fear not!” more than 60 times in the Bible. He wouldn’t have given us that command if we didn’t have the power to obey it.
In psalm 118:6, David said, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear…” Notice he didn’t say, “I’ll pray and ask God to take the fear away.” He didn’t say, “I will try not to be afraid.” He said, “I WILL NOT FEAR.”
The Real Overcomes the Phony Every Time
You might as well face it. As long as you are on this earth, the devil is going to talk to you. He has a right to test your faith by bringing you circumstances and lies to see if you’ll receive them.
But, when he does, refuse them. Cast down those fearful imaginations and every thought that is contrary to the promise of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Like David, say “The LORD is on my side, I WILL NOT FEAR!”
Then, open your mouth and speak The WORD of God. Use it to contradict the devil’s lies. If he tells you that you won’t have enough money to pay your house payment this month, don’t just struggle silently with that thought. Speak up. Say right out loud, “I will have the money to pay my house payment. I know I will because my God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!”
I found out a long time ago that when my mouth speaks, my mind has to stop and listen to what it’s saying. Maybe you won’t fully believe that confession the first time you make it. But if you’ll keep saying it, you’ll keep hearing it. And, eventually, your faith will be so string and your heart so full, you’ll start speaking with total confidence.
That’s when the devil will run for cover because fear has no chance when faith comes on the scene. Faith is the original. Fear is the counterfeit. And the real overcomes the phony every time!
How is fear the reciprocal of faith?
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What are the two master laws in motion on this earth? How do they differ?
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What does it take to refuse to fear? How can you apply this to your situation?
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What other lessons have you taken from this study?
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