1. Curses Into Blessings

2. Gn.12:1-3 Seed could choose a curse, Dt.27:11-26 Why would they?  Nu.22:1-6, Balaam – curse  Nu.22:12, God overrules Nu.23:11; 24:9-10 Dt.23:5, commentary (Josh.24:9f.) BUT: BUT: some chose the curse, Nu.25 What does Dt.23:5 mean to us?

3. I. God, The Great ‘Reverser’

4. Agents Personnel Results Satan Gn.3; 4; 37; Ex.1; Est.3; Lk.1-2 God Gn.3; Gn.4; 37; Ex.2; Est.9; Lk.1-2; Ac.1 BalaamCurse BalaamBless

5. I. God, The Great ‘Reverser’ II. God Can Turn Our Curses Into Blessings

6. Lk.6:22-23 We are never more like God than when we...  Love our enemies  Turn their curses into blessings Lk.6:28 1 Pt.3:9, 14

7. Ro.5:1-4 What is a blessing? ‘A thing conducive to happiness or welfare.’ Ct. Ro.5:1-4 ‘What brings us closer to God... even adversity.’ Cf. Ro.5:1-4 That which does not kill us, makes us stronger Adversity versus prosperity

8. Summarized: Ro.5:2-4 hope 2-3, access, hope (joyful expectation)  Exult, boast (3, 4, 11) tribulations 3, tribulations (suffering) endurance 3, endurance. What about Rv.9, 16?  In Ro.5 it meets faith in God; we receive it as God’s fatherly discipline character 4, character. Ac.5:41 hope 4, hope

9. Illustrated: Ro.5:2-4 HopeTribula.Endur.Approv.

10. 2 Co.1, Paul practiced it W/o tribulation, no deliverance W/o deliverance, no appreciation for God & His power These things equip us to help others

11. 2 Co.1, problems often increase our blessings Make us appreciate them, 3 Teach us to rely on God, 4 Prepare us for service, 5-7 Demonstrate power of God, 8-10 Turn thoughts toward heaven, 11 Increase gratitude, 11 Prove our sincerity, 12

12. 2 Co.1, Paul practiced it Runner Runner must be stressed to gain endurance Sailor Sailor must go to sea Soldier Soldier must go to battle “If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble” – Tho. Watson Hb.12:1-2 Hb.6:19 2 Tim.2:3-4

13. Ga.3: greatest curse, greatest blessing 8-9, fulfillment of promise to Abraham 10, cannot get it by Law  Judaizers expect it (Gn.12:3). Lv.18:5  Paul offers it to Gentiles (8; Gn.12:3) for us 13, God cursed Christ for us Redeemed us: Redeemed us: to purchase out of slave market

14. A cursed Messiah? “It is not less preposterous to say, the Son of God died, than to say, the Son of God was a sinner” – Luther Dt.21:23  Lawless Jew; rejected by everyone  Legally executed / cursed by Law Messiah Jews: crucified Messiah?? 1 Co.1:23 Dt.21:23 Perfect tense Ga.3:13 Simple past

15. Man’s greatest curse, cursed (Gn.3) Mt.25:41, satan eternally cursed Mt.25:34, saints eternally blessed no more curse And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him – Rv.22:3