Derek Prince - Did You Know That This Is Part of Your Salvation?
This is an excerpt from: Complete Salvation And How To Receive It - Part 1
So Jesus tasted death for us that we might share what's the opposite of death? You don't have to be a theologian to say that, do you? Let's do it then. Jesus died our death that we might share His life. Let's say it again: Jesus died our death that we might share His life. All right. Let's go on. Galatians 3:13-14. Here's one of the most neglected aspects of the exchange. But God is bringing it out into the open these days. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us:, for it is written, 'Cursed is every one who hangs on the tree' And, the cross was a tree. that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. So what's the exchange? What's the bad thing? The curse. What's the good thing? The blessing. All right. Jesus endured the curse that we might enjoy the blessing. Can you say that? Jesus endured the curse that we might enjoy the blessing.
Now, many of you have heard me teach for an hour or two on this. I can't afford that now, but it opens a whole new door of deliverance and healing and peace. We can't dwell on it, we just have to observe it. If you want a picture of a curse, look at Jesus on the cross. Rejected by man, forsaken by God, under darkness, in agony, not on earth, not in heaven. Totally rejected. Totally unaccepted. Total darkness, that's the curse. But thank God He was made a curse that we might enjoy the blessing. Then going on very quickly now in 2 Corinthians 8:9: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor that ye, through his poverty might become rich.
Now again, you don't have to be a theologian to see the exchange. What is the bad thing? Are you sure poverty is the bad thing? You better be sure. What's the good thing? Rich. I don't use rich when I do this because it's been abused by wrong teaching. I use the word abundance. Because abundance means you've got enough for yourself and more to give to somebody else. Let's do it quickly. Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance. There are two other aspects which I won't go into the Scripture because our time is almost gone. But there are aspects of emotional healing which are also provided by the cross. I'll just say them briefly. Jesus endured our shame that we might share that we might share His glory.
I don't know whether you've ever pictured Jesus hanging naked on the cross with people walking by and laughing at Him. It was shame. It says He endured the cross, despising the shame. But it was shame. And oh, how many people today are tormented by shame. I have good news for you. Jesus endured your shame. One main source of shame, to be very frank, is that children have been sexually abused in their early years. But praise God there is an answer. Jesus took the shame that we might share His glory. And then finally, and this is the ultimate: Jesus endured our rejection that we might share his acceptance. Let's say that. Jesus endured our rejection that we might share His acceptance.
You see, on the cross the Father rejected Him. Because, He cried out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' and there came no answer. The first time that the Son of God had ever prayed and got no answer. And He died a few moments later of a broken heart. It says in Psalm 69, 'reproach has broken my heart.' Jesus did not die of the effects of crucifixion. He could have lived quite a while longer. He died of a broken heart.
What broke His heart? Rejection. Why did He endure rejection? That we might have His acceptance. We are accepted with God as members of His family. And God has no second class children. There again, in our contemporary culture I think at least 50 percent of the people around us are struggling with rejection because of the failure of parents, because of divorce, because of the general cruelty of human beings to one another. But we can walk out into that world and say we have the answer. It's provided by the death of Jesus on the cross. This salvation that we are enjoying covers all your emotional needs. It's perfectly perfect, it's completely complete.