Tree of Life Church, London

Healing is in Our Redemption



Core Scripture:  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:  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  (Galatians 3.13-14)

Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse.  As soon as the curse is removed from us, the blessings come upon us

7 Questions that must be answered:

1.       What does redeem mean?

2.       What is the curse of the law?

3.       How did Christ become a curse?

4.       How can I be free from the curse of the law?

5.       What is the blessing of Abraham?

6.       What is the promise of the Spirit?

7.       How can I receive the promise of the Spirit through faith

1.       What does redeem mean?
The Greek is exagorazo, which means:

1)
to redeem

a) by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off
b) metaphorical of Christ freeing the elect from the dominion of the Mosaic Law at the price of his vicarious death
2) to buy up, to buy up for one's self, for one's use
a) to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good, so that zeal and well doing are as it were the purchase money by which we make the time our own

(Strong’s Concordance, G1805)


To redeem means to buy something from another person or to pay off a ransom.   Our redemption is not from the devil or the world, but from the curse of the law.  We were owned by the law: it demands a price we cannot pay.   The law captures us by demanding we fulfil it completely (James 2.13) and we cannot (Romans 3.20).  The law shows us we cannot build a bridge to God by our own goodness.  Christ did not come to give us a method to build a better bridge of our righteousness, but to show us to a new bridge.  (Romans 3.20-27)

2.       What is the curse of the law?
Adam was blessed when he was created (Genesis 1.28)
When Adam committed treason against God’ Word, the world was then under a curse.  This curse is the “curse of the law”.  It is the curse that the law requires a completely perfect life to impress God.  Adam only sinned once and the curse came.  The effect of the curse was death, and a process of death in every area.

The clearest description of the effects of the curse of the law is found in Deut. 28.15-68.  It includes poverty, sickness, humiliation, confusion, barrenness.  I believe the best work to sum up the effects of the curse of the law is unfruitfulness.

Regarding sickness and disease, the key verses are vv. 58-61:

If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;   Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.   Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.  Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.(Deuteronomy 28.58-61)

The curse of the law includes: plagues, plagues on your seed (children), great plagues, long continuing plagues, sore sicknesses of long continuance (i.e. that do not go away), diseases, every sickness and every disease.  This is our inheritance in an earth where people have gone their own way and have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

3.       How did Christ become a curse?

Not by failing to fulfil the law (Matthew 5.17, 2 Cor. 5.21) – we know Christ fulfilled the law perfectly.  He had a perfect bridge to God.  He was righteous – he could stand before God without fear, without shame, without a sense of inferiority.  Christ lived healthy and wealthy and happy in the world.   The “tree” clause (Deut. 21.23):  by being nailed to the cross, Jesus took on the curse of the law for all of humanity.

o   Isaiah 53.3-10 describes Jesus taking the sin of mankind on himself in a graphic way

o   Specific to healing and sickness is verse 4:

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

o   Griefs = choliy = sickness (one word definition in Strong’s!)

o   Sorrows = makob = pain, mental or physical.

Jesus went to the cross by faith

o   Hebrews 12.2 says he did it for the joy set before him – he knew it would be a success before he did it.  This is a faith action

o   On the cross, Jesus is quoting Scripture (Psalm 22) about his own crucifixion. (Matthew 27.46)

4.       How Can I Be Free From the Curse of the Law?

There is a gap between our experiences and our inheritance.  In terms of healing, people are still sick.  It is foolish to deny this.  People get sick, sicknesses come on people.    The key to freedom from the curse of the law is to cross the correct bridge to God.   There are two bridges, but only one leads to God.        The first bridge is righteousness via the law; the second bridge is righteousness via faith.     Many Christians are still on the wrong bridge – trying to impress God with their righteousness and assuming any lack of healing is because they are not righteous enough.   Change bridges – believe and receive.

Four steps to crossing the bridge  (Galatians 5):

1.       Stand firm (verse 1)   Realise you are already healed (1 Peter 2.24)  Command sickness and disease to leave your body because of what Jesus has done, not because of what you have done.

2.       Do not attempt to obey the externals of the law (verse 2-4)   Reject any teaching that says “you must”  -  Look for teaching that says “you can”

3.       Look for righteousness (verse 5) – use your imagination.  See yourself healed.  Abraham had to see the stars before he could see his child.   Greek = apekdechomai = look for actively and certainly

4.       Walk in love (verse 6)  Not our love – but His love

5.       What is the Blessing of Abraham?

The Greek is eulogia, which comes from good and word.  It literally means good word.  The best translation in concrete terms would be: benefit.   A blessing is a good word that leads to a benefit.  Every benefit is accessed through words. If you want to know the benefits of Abraham, it is best to look at the life of Abraham.  Especially look at how Abraham received the blessing – what bridge did he cross (Romans 4.20)  The blessings are also listed in Deut. 28.1-14.  Notice carefully sickness is on the curse side! (Psalm 103.2)

6.       What is the Promise of the Spirit?

It is the key to faith.  Every promise of God is the key to faith.  There are two bridges to God: righteousness via the law, and righteousness via faith.       If you choose righteousness via the law the strength of the bridge is your obedience to the law, which means the bridge will collapse.        If you choose righteousness via faith, the strength of the bridge is the promises of God.  Which means the bridge will never fail.      You must find the specific promises that refer to your case, from the Word with the help of the Spirit.    For healing: Psalm 103.2, 1 Peter 2.24, Psalm 107.20, Isaiah 53.4, Matthew 8.17.

7.        How Can I Receive the Promise of the Spirit by Faith?

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4.17-21)

1.      Call those things which be not as though they were (command sickness to leave, speak health over your body)

2.      Against hope, believe in hope (imagine yourself in the promises of God)

3.      Based it on what was spoken (find your promises)

4.      Do not consider your circumstances

5.      Stagger not at the promises of God – meditate on them and reach to them.

6.      Give glory to God (thank Him in advance)

7.      Be fully persuaded (continue in the Word, realize how stable the bridge is because it is built on the promise of God)