Grace in Galatians (Part 120): How to Activate Abraham’s Blessing Through Prayer

https://youtu.be/g-0dg6ewrso

Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.

As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians.

Key scriptures for this year:

(2 Corinthians 9:8 TPT)

"Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do."

(Galatians 5:4 TPT)

"If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!"

(Romans 6:14 ERV)

"Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God's grace."

(1 Corinthians 15:10 CEV)

"But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me."

Scripture we will study today:

(Galatians 3:29 TPT)

“And since you’ve been united to Jesus the Anointed One, you are now Abraham’s true descendants, and all of God’s promises to him belong to you as your rightful inheritance!”

(Galatians 3:29 NLT)

“And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”

Supporting scriptures:

(Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 13-14 NLT)

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God… The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. You must obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and be careful to obey them. You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.”

(Galatians 3:13-14 NLT)

“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.”

(Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT)

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, ‘My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.’ As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

(Matthew 6:8, 32 NLT)

“…your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!… Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.”

(James 4:2 NLT)

“Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”

(James 1:6-7 NLT)

“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”

Setting the Stage:

In Part 119, we celebrated the INCREDIBLE truth that being IN CHRIST makes us Abraham’s Seed, giving us legal rights to ALL of God’s promises to Abraham! We discovered that our inheritance isn’t based on natural bloodline but on our spiritual connection to Christ, the singular Seed to whom the promise was made. We learned that we’re HEIRS by right, not by earning, and that our inheritance is SECURE because it’s based on God’s faithfulness, not ours!

After releasing Part 119, I had two conversations with subscribers to the podcast that revealed something CRITICAL many believers are missing! One person told me, “Sir, I’ve always known about Abraham’s blessing theologically, but I realized I’ve never INTENTIONALLY applied my faith for it! I’ve been believing for Jesus’ spiritual blessings but just assuming Abraham’s natural blessings would come automatically.” I realized immediately that many people are in this boat!

Here’s what many believers miss: just because you have legal rights to Abraham’s blessing doesn’t mean you’re automatically walking in the FULLNESS of it! You see, there’s THE BLESSING OF JESUS (spiritual blessing—forgiveness, righteousness, adoption, eternal life) and there’s THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM (natural blessing—provision, protection, multiplication, success). Most believers intentionally believe for Jesus’ blessing but unconsciously ASSUME Abraham’s blessing comes automatically without activating their faith for it!

This is a HUGE mistake! While BOTH blessings are yours through Christ, you must INTENTIONALLY apply your faith to access Abraham’s blessing in your everyday life. Many believers live in spiritual blessing but natural struggle because they’ve never consciously declared, “I am Abraham’s Seed, and ALL his blessings are MINE!”

Furthermore, there’s massive confusion about HOW Abraham’s blessing works. Many people see Deuteronomy 28 and think, “Oh, those blessings are LAW-BASED. If I obey perfectly, I get blessed. If I mess up, I get cursed.” NO! Abraham’s blessing has ALWAYS been FAITH-BASED, not performance-based! Abraham was blessed 430 years BEFORE the Law existed, remember? The blessing came by FAITH, not works!

It’s just that when the book of Deuteronomy was written, they were under the Law. So, there is a performance-based requirement written in the chapter. But when Abraham walked in The Blessing, there was no performance-based requirement. And now that Jesus fulfilled the Law, we are back under grace!

Furthermore, in Deuteronomy 28, there is a clear curse if you fail to obey all the commands. But once again, we are not under the Law. Jesus didn’t just give you ACCESS to the blessing; He DELIVERED you from the CURSE! Galatians 3:13 says Christ RESCUED us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse FOR us! This means the danger for believers today isn’t in their BEHAVIOR (messing up under Law) but in their BELIEF (not believing they’re free from the curse and entitled to the blessing)!

Now, in the second conversation, someone asked me a great question: “If God doesn’t judge us under the Law anymore, does that mean He doesn’t discipline us? You said God does discipline us. What does that look like?” EXCELLENT QUESTION! There’s a MASSIVE difference between God’s JUDGMENT under Law and God’s DISCIPLINE as a Father! Judgment is PUNITIVE (punishment for lawbreaking); discipline is CORRECTIVE (training for growth). I will address both conversations today.

So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.

1. You Must INTENTIONALLY Believe for Abraham’s Blessing; It Doesn’t Automatically Come with Jesus’ Blessing!

Here’s the revelation many miss: THE BLESSING OF JESUS and THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM are BOTH yours in Christ, but you must INTENTIONALLY activate your faith for Abraham’s blessing! Most believers are so focused on spiritual blessings that they never consciously apply faith to the natural blessings God promised Abraham!

How this applies to you:

— When you got saved, you INTENTIONALLY believed for forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life (Jesus’ blessing). But have you INTENTIONALLY believed for provision, multiplication, health, and success (Abraham’s blessing)? Most haven’t!

— Many believers assume, “Well, I’m in Christ, so I automatically get everything.” But faith doesn’t work that way! Faith is ACTIVE, not PASSIVE. You must consciously ask/declare, believe, and receive for Abraham’s blessing to manifest in your life!

— This is why some Christians are spiritually blessed but naturally struggling. They’ve activated faith for PART of their inheritance (Jesus’ blessing) but not the FULLNESS of it (Abraham’s blessing too)!

— Galatians 3:14 says it perfectly: “Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the SAME blessing he promised to Abraham.” Notice it says the SAME blessing, not a different one. Abraham’s blessing is YOURS through Christ, but you must BELIEVE for it!

— Today, stop assuming and start DECLARING! Say out loud: “I am Abraham’s Seed through Christ! The blessing of Abraham is MINE! I’m blessed in the city and in the field! I’m blessed coming in and going out! I’m the head and not the tail! I’m above only and not beneath! I walk in BOTH the blessing of Jesus AND the blessing of Abraham!“

— This isn’t about earning anything. You already HAVE the blessing legally. This is about ACTIVATING your faith to ACCESS what grace has already provided!

2. Abraham’s Blessing Is FAITH-BASED, Not Law-Based (Even Though It’s Listed in Deuteronomy 28)!

Many people read Deuteronomy 28 and think, “Oh, those blessings require perfect obedience to the Law.” But that’s NOT how it works for believers under grace! Abraham’s blessing predates the Law by 430 years and has ALWAYS been accessed by FAITH, not works!

How this applies to you:

— Deuteronomy 28 lists the blessings for 14 verses (verses 1-14) and the curses for more than double that (verses 15-68). Many people read the curses, and they get afraid, so they take on the pressure to perform.

— The blessing section says “IF you obey,” but remember Paul’s point in Galatians 3: the Law came 430 years AFTER God promised Abraham these blessings! Abraham received them by FAITH, not Law-keeping!

— For believers under the New Covenant, Jesus FULFILLED every “if you obey” requirement PERFECTLY! He kept the Law completely, and you’re IN Him! So YOU qualify for the blessings because JESUS qualified, and you’re in Christ!

— Jesus also delivered you from the CURSE of the Law. He became a curse FOR you. So every curse written in Deuteronomy 28 was taken on by Jesus. This means that when you are IN CHRIST, by faith, the curse does not apply to you!

— Are you getting this? You don’t earn Deuteronomy 28 blessings through your performance; you INHERIT them through your position IN CHRIST! It’s FAITH-BASED, not LAW-BASED! Abraham believed God, and it was counted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). YOU believe in Christ, and ALL of Abraham’s blessings are YOURS!

— Stop viewing Deuteronomy 28 through a Law lens! View it through a GRACE lens! Those blessings aren’t conditional on YOUR obedience; they’re conditional on CHRIST’S obedience, and He already obeyed PERFECTLY!

— When you understand that Abraham’s blessing is FAITH-BASED, you stop striving to EARN it and start RECEIVING it! You move from PERFORMANCE to POSITION, from LABOR to FAITH, from TRYING to TRUSTING!

— Today, declare: “Abraham’s blessing is mine by FAITH, not by works! I don’t have to earn what Jesus already secured for me! I simply BELIEVE and RECEIVE!“

3. Jesus Delivered You from the CURSE of the Law; Danger Comes from Belief, Not Behavior!

Galatians 3:13 is one of the most liberating verses in Scripture: “Christ has RESCUED us from the curse pronounced by the law!” Notice it doesn’t say Christ MIGHT rescue you IF you’re good enough. It says He HAS ALREADY rescued you! The curse is BROKEN!

How this applies to you:

— The curse section of Deuteronomy 28 (verses 15-68) includes poverty, sickness, disease, defeat, confusion, failure, oppression, anxiety, fear, terror, mental afflictions (madness and confusion of mind), crop failure, drought, famine, plagues, fever, inflammation, boils, tumors, festering sores, chronic diseases, blindness, being the tail instead of the head, being beneath instead of above, being robbed and plundered, losing your children, barrenness, exile, being scattered among nations, having no rest or peace of mind, living in constant suspense and dread, affliction in body and mind, frustration in every endeavor, and ultimately being overwhelmed and destroyed. But Jesus took ALL of that (EVERY SINGLE CURSE listed in those verses) on Himself when He hung on the cross! He became a curse FOR you so that NONE of these curses would ever be ON you! Jesus ABSORBED the curse so you could walk in THE BLESSING!

— This means as a believer in Christ, you are NOT subject to the curse of the Law! It doesn’t matter if you mess up, make mistakes, or fall short. The curse is NOT your portion because Jesus bore it for you!

— Here’s the key: the danger for believers today is NOT in their BEHAVIOR (breaking laws and getting cursed); the danger is in their BELIEF (not believing they’re free from the curse)! If you believe you’re still under the curse, you’ll live like you’re cursed even though you’re NOT!

— Today, stop living in fear of the curse! Stop thinking, “If I mess up, God will punish me with poverty or sickness.” NO! Jesus took the curse! Your mistakes have consequences (natural, relational, practical), but they don’t put you under God’s curse!

4. God Disciplines You as a Son, But He Doesn’t Judge You Under the Law!

Now here’s where some believers get confused. They think, “If I’m not under law and there’s no curse, does that mean God doesn’t correct me when I mess up?” NO! God will DISCIPLINE you as a Father!

How this applies to you:

— Hebrews 12:6 says, “The Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” Notice: discipline comes from LOVE, not condemnation! God doesn’t discipline you because you broke the Law; He disciplines you because you’re His child and He’s developing you!

— JUDGMENT is about PUNISHMENT for lawbreaking; DISCIPLINE is about TRAINING for growth! Under the Law, judgment was punitive (paying for sin). Under grace, discipline is corrective (learning and maturing). BIG DIFFERENCE!

— Romans 8:1 declares, “There is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” NO condemnation means God is NOT judging you by the Law! He’s not looking at your failures to punish you; He’s looking at your potential to develop you!

— God’s discipline is like a loving father correcting his child. It’s not angry or vengeful; it’s purposeful and loving. When you get off track, God will redirect you. When you need growth, He’ll allow circumstances that develop you!

— Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Discipline isn’t pleasant, but it’s PRODUCTIVE! It leads to growth, maturity, and righteousness!

— The key is understanding God’s HEART in discipline: He’s not trying to PUNISH you; He’s trying to PERFECT you! He’s not judging your failures; He’s developing your future! His discipline is proof of His love, not evidence of His anger!

— Embrace God’s discipline as evidence of His love, knowing He’s committed to your growth, not your condemnation!

That's enough for today.

Declaration of Faith:

Father, I thank You that I am Abraham’s Seed through Christ, and ALL his blessings are MINE!

I INTENTIONALLY activate my faith for BOTH the blessing of Jesus AND the blessing of Abraham!

I declare that Abraham’s blessing is FAITH-BASED, not law-based, and I receive it by FAITH!

Jesus has DELIVERED me from the curse of the Law, and I am FREE!

I walk in blessing, not cursing, because I’m IN CHRIST!

I refuse to live in fear of the curse; Jesus bore it ALL for me!

I understand that God disciplines me as a son, NOT judges me under the Law!

His discipline comes from LOVE, not condemnation, and I embrace it for my growth!

I am blessed in the city and in the field, coming in and going out!

I am the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!

I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!