From poverty to prosperity

On the cross, Jesus endured the curse so that we might receive the blessing. Today we will look at another aspect of the curse and the divine exchange at the cross. Poverty is one of the curses of the broken law. Jesus endured that curse that we might have the blessing which is prosperity.

Now, let’s be clear on what prosperity means. Jesus was not 'rich' in the sense of having a large bank account or  possessions. But He certainly had abundance. He was able to feed about twelve thousand people with five loaves and two fishes. That is not poverty. He was never worried. He was never under pressure. He never panicked.He never doubted that His Father's goodness would supply everything He needed. And the Father never failed Him.

With this in mind, let's look again at the list of curses in Deuteronomy, chapter 28 and focus particularly on those which relate to poverty.

“However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. [Every aspect of your life will be cursed, and then specially, in relationship to poverty, verse 29]. You shall grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways.” (NIV) (v.29 NASB)

Notice, not prospering is a curse. Not being able to find your way, being confused, perplexed, uncertain, groping, and groping almost inevitably leads to not prospering. That's a curse. And then, a little further on in the same chapter, verses 47 and 48:

“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord shall send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.” (NASB)

The will of God is expressed in verse 47, "that we should serve the Lord our God with joy and a glad heart for the abundance of all things." Abundance means you've got all you need and something over for others, and the will of God is that we, as his people, should serve him with joy and gladness for the abundance of all things – just like Jesus.