Don’t Accept the Curse

David W Palmer

This again takes us back to the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve submitted to the devil by partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God announced the consequences:

(Genesis 3:17–19 ISV) He told the man, “Because you have listened to what your wife said, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground because of you. You’ll eat from it through pain-filled labor for the rest of your life. (18 ) It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you’ll eat the plants from the meadows. (19) You will eat food by the sweat of your brow until you’re buried in the ground, because you were taken from it. You’re made from dust and you’ll return to dust.”

The curse that came on man because of Adam and Eve’s transgression was that he would have to work for his own provision with sweaty, painful, sorrow-filled toil. In contrast, the blessing that Jesus restored to those who are in Christ is:

(Proverbs 10:22 NIV) The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.

For us, the birds Jesus speaks of are a symbol of living under this blessing. They mostly soar through the air—a picture of us living in the spirit, and sing—representing us obeying God’s expectation that we:

(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 KJV) Rejoice evermore. (17) Pray without ceasing. (18 ) In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

God doesn’t find, cook, and serve the birds with ready-made meals on a plate for them by the pool, but he does provide for them daily. They simply have to find it. We can observe them temporarily leaving the safety of flight in the air (spirit realm) to land on the earth—representing the world. (Note, Jesus said that we are in the world but not of the world.) Birds come to earth in God’s assigned place for them to find the provision God has hidden there for them. For some this is grubs from the garden, for others it could be seeds, dead meat, waterborne food, or vegetation. While interacting with the carnal system, they are very watchful; they are in much greater danger from predators while collecting God’s hidden provision than they are when soaring in the heavenlies.

All of this applies to our life in God’s kingdom and the world’s system; although we are not of the world, we are still in it. As we noted earlier, we are safest in the depths of worship, or on Father’s lap in the secret place. However, like the birds, we have to interact with the world’s carnal system to “find” God’s provision for us. Moreover, if he wants to use us to transfer wealth from satan’s kingdom, we must be as vigilant as the birds are when they are fossicking for food on the ground—ever ready to retreat to the safety of the spirit realm whenever we face threats.

Under God’s provision, birds certainly don’t have to cultivate crops, plan for shortages, or build storehouses. They just go about their assigned tasks, including singing, soaring, and enjoying fresh food daily. Birds don’t toss and turn all night wondering if God’s provision will be there for them the next day. They sleep soundly and wake up singing.

At times, God’s assignment for some bird species means they have to move—possibly over long distances—to where his provision awaits. Nevertheless, God always has a well thought-out plan to look after them—without having them distracted from their assignment by the sweaty toil of providing for themselves. (But they do have to do the easy work of finding the provision God has ready for them in the place of their assignment.) At times, we too have to travel to the places God has assigned for us. But remember; provision is waiting for you in the place of your assignment. The travel may be arduous, but God also has a plan to provide for you on the way.

Birds as a picture of living in God’s blessing is what Jesus wants us to look at; not at the fearful images the enemy seeks to implant into our thinking; they only serve to drive us to cursed self-provision.

I find it amazing that the enemy’s strategy attracts any followers at all, when we look at it in the light of what Jesus is saying. One master, God, offers to provide for us abundantly—if we love and trust him enough to focus on his system, and obediently serve him in our assignment. The alternative master, mammon, offers us the sweaty, sorrow-filled toil of laboring for our own provision—driven by a combination of his implanted distrust, fear, and lust. This should be a no-brainer; yet only “few” choose the narrow gate to the constricted path that leads to life; “many” choose mammon’s broad path. Serving mammon makes no sense. Whereas, serving God is a very attractive option; but it takes complete trust. Jesus said that serving both masters simultaneously is impossible, so choose the right Master today, and trust him with all your heart.