If you are a Christian, you have probably heard the phrase, “You’ve been redeemed.” Unfortunately, sayings like this can easily turn into clichés when we do not fully understand what they mean. Being redeemed is more than a religious term; it is a reality for the person who knows and understands what Jesus did on the cross. Redemption is what enables us to live free from sin, sickness, poverty, and spiritual death. It gives us the right to the life God has promised us in His Word.

To be redeemed basically means to be delivered. The moment we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts as our Lord and personal Savior, we are delivered from the curse of the law. What is the law? It includes the rules and regulations established by God in the first five books of the Bible.

In the Old Testament, disobeying these laws would result in three things; poverty, sickness, and spiritual death. Deuteronomy 28:15-48 describes in detail many of the curses attached to breaking the law. Those in the Old Testament had no redeemer because Jesus had not yet come, so there had to be atonement for their sins through the sacrifice of animals.

Thankfully, there is good news for those of us who are in Christ Jesus: the price for our sins has already been paid! Galatians 3:13, 14 say, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

When Jesus was crucified, He took upon Himself everything associated with the curse of the law so we wouldn’t have to suffer for it. He was made sin, sickness, poverty, and spiritual death so we wouldn’t have to endure them. Because of what He did, we were made the righteousness of God. Through His substitutionary sacrifice, we now have access to the blessing of Abraham, of whom Jesus is a natural descendant. This blessing is an empowerment to succeed in every arena of life.

Abraham’s blessing is so powerful because it promises to make the recipient rich. To be rich means to be abundantly supplied, having everything you need with plenty more left over. When you are blessed, it will be evident for all to see. Not only will your material needs be met, but you will have peace and your success will be evident. You will be able to bless others out of the overflow you have in your life.

Unlike the blessing, the curse is an empowerment to fail. It comes on our lives when we do not accept God’s salvation package or when we dishonor God by disobeying His Word. When we do not have a working revelation of redemption, we are not empowered to prosper the way God intended. Consequently, there will always be some area of our lives in which we fall short.

You do not have to operate under a curse any longer. Now, more than ever, it is so important to develop a redemption consciousness. You can do this by meditating on the Word of God and saturating your mind and heart with the reality of what Jesus did for you. Knowing you have been redeemed from every negative effect of the curse will boost your faith and give you the confidence you need to live a fear-free, victorious life, regardless of what is going on around you. You have been redeemed!

— Creflo A. Dollar