"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')" (Galatians 3:13).
Why did Christ become a curse on the tree? Why did He redeem us from the curse of the law? That the blessing of Abraham might come on you and me.
What is the blessing of Abraham? Righteousness by faith. Christ died that you and I might be made righteous by faith. Isn't it awful when someone will rob Christ of the very thing for which He died, and want righteousness in some other way? Let us believe in Jesus Christ.
We are redeemed from the curse of the law; Christ is made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come, "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith"(Gal. 3:14). When the individual believes in Jesus Christ and obtains the righteousness which is by faith, then the Holy Spirit, which is the circumcision of the heart, is received by him.
When we as a people, we as a body--as a church--have received the blessing of Abraham, what then? The latter rain; the outpouring of the Spirit. When the whole people as a church receive the righteousness of faith, the blessing of Abraham, then what is to hinder the church from receiving the Spirit of God? Nothing. That is where we are [1893].
What is to hinder, then, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? What holds back the outpouring? Unbelief. Our lack of the righteousness of God, which is by faith--that is what holds it back, for when that is received it is given in order that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Then let us be sure we have the blessing of Abraham, and then ask and we shall receive. [1]
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