“The Divine Exchange: 10 Things Jesus Accomplished on the Cross” by Derek Prince
I’ve been looking for an excuse to post something by Derek Prince ever since I started Escape to Reality.
Recently I came across a series of sermons by Prince entitled The Divine Exchange. In this series Prince describes 10 things that Jesus did for you at the cross. It is a powerful message that will have you thanking Jesus for his love and sacrifice.
Prince preached The Divine Exchange back in 1987. (A similar message has been preached by others.) Prince’s message has since been transcribed and turned into a free book. What follows is an extended taste.
This young lady from Oklahoma spoke… ‘Consider the work of Calvary. A perfect work, perfect in every respect, perfect in every aspect.’ … Instantly my mind went to the Greek New Testament and one of the last utterances of Jesus on the cross when he said, ‘It is finished.’ The Greek word is just one word tetelestai. But it’s the perfect tense of a verb that means to do something perfectly. I have said sometimes you could translate it this way: It is perfectly perfect or it is completely complete.
At the close of the last session we had arrived at Isaiah 53:4–6… You know that the name of Isaiah is directly linked with the Hebrew word for salvation. He is the prophet of salvation. Here is the essence, the heart of salvation. We’ll look once more at verse 6 and consider its meaning a little more carefully.
All we like sheep have gone astray . . .
“All we” leaves out no one. Do we agree about that? Does that apply to all of us? You don’t have to tell me but you need to make your mind up.
. . . we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
That word ‘iniquity’ is an interesting and important word. The Hebrew word is avon… It’s basic meaning is guilt. Another way of rendering it is perversity. What is our guilt? … I think the most contemporary translation is ‘rebellion.’ That’s the universal guilt of the whole human race. But Isaiah says:
the Lord has laid upon him the guilt [the perversity, the rebellion] of all of us.
The word avon not only means guilt but it means the punishment for guilt… So that God not only laid on Jesus the guilt of us all—now listen, this is vitally important—but he laid upon him the punishment for the guilt of us all…
Now that’s very important because it’s the key to understanding what happened when Jesus died on the cross. God the Father made to meet together upon him the guilt, the perversity, the rebellion of all of us and all the evil consequences that follow rebellion…
If you can once grasp that, that’s the key to the storehouse. Everything you need is contained in that revelation…Let me say it this way: What happened on the cross was a divinely ordained exchange.
Think of that key word ‘exchange.’ All the evil due to our rebellion met together upon Jesus. That’s the left hand. The right hand is the opposite. That all the good due to the sinless obedience of Jesus might be made available to us…
It’s contrary to our natural thinking, we wouldn’t reason it out that way. All the evil due to our rebellion came upon Jesus on the cross that all the good due to his sinless obedience might be made available to us. Or, to say it very shortly, the evil came upon Jesus that the good might be made available to us…
Now I want to change one word. Instead of saying “us” say “me.” Now it’s very personal, it’s just you and God. You know what they say at the cross? There’s only room for one at the foot of the cross? You’re the one now. You’re looking up at the cross, you see his body beaten, bleeding, a horrifying spectacle, something that you don’t really want even to look at or think about.
And then you say this. ‘The evil due to me came upon Jesus that the good due to Jesus might be made available to me.’ That’s right. It’s when you make it personal. Now you may not have felt any change but you have opened the way to the treasure house when you’ve grasped that one central fact…
Let’s look at some aspects of the exchange. I’ve listed ten. I don’t want you to imagine for a moment that’s complete, it’s just a specimen. You may recall that when the Lord spoke to me through that young woman from Oklahoma he said, ‘Consider the work of Calvary, a perfect work, perfect in every respect, perfect in every aspect.’ So there are respects and there are aspects.
We are going to look at ten different aspects of the work of Calvary. Ten different ways to view what God accomplished there by the death of Jesus.
- Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven
- Jesus was wounded that we might be healed
- Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness
- Jesus tasted death for us that we might share His life
- Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing
- Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance
- Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory
- Jesus endured my rejection that I might have His acceptance with the Father
- He was cut off that we might be joined to the Lord
- Our Old Man was put to death in Him that the New Man might come to life in us
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Escape to Reality 
This teaching is a long way short of what happened. The truth of the matter is we were on the cross with and in Him. We died for all those things Derek says, in Christ on that cross. We were slain for all these things Rom6v6. Our salvation is a whole lot better than people think or seem to understand. John Alcock
I wouldn’t say a long way short, in the book Derek says this is by no means a complete list. However most preachers mostly only mention forgiveness and a lot of pentecostal prachers talk about healing. But I can still only find one or two talking about freedom from curses. This teaching by Derek is the most complete I have seen so far. I am just about to rad your blog. When Did you write it ?
Derek Prince confuses me – in one book he explains how Jesus has accomplished everything, but in other books he explains how we still have to deal with stuff like curses. I read his book Explaining Blessings and Curses. This is just a paragraph out of the book: So you understand that you may be struggling with something in your life right now which is due to your grandfather, or even your great grandfather, or great grandmother, or some other ancestor. You see how important it is to diagnose and identify the problem….
I think DP, like most of us, was on a journey towards an increasing understanding of the finished work of the cross. I know I have changed my message considerably over the years as I have learned more about what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
I think you are right Paul, I believe the problem is that we need to begin to see our ID in christ ,I have a brother who is linked to Derek prince ministries and has a ministry in healing and deliverance, and i wont speak for him but i have heard him say in teaching,, how many people keep returning for pray and deliverance time and time again,he always tells them how important it is to know who you are Christ and as the revelation of that comes,the attacks of the enemy fade, the enemy is great at lying and he doesn’t own you but he sure will give you a hard time. on u-tube there are a lot of Derek’s teachings, and i recently was watching one called demonized Christians,and I know thought has changed on this,but I also know from experience that i have been surprised many times,and i dont understand it all,but i know the deception can feel very real.but the more [ truth territory] i take the better it gets……kind of like trying to see in a dark room,and seeing shapes and forms,and turning on the light exposes the deception,I hope i have helped.
It is like this, Jesus saved us through His precious blood…the freedom from all types of bondage like curses is available for us,but you have to claim it. Pardon me for my analogy, but it’s like a credit card, you have it in your wallet, with a credit limit of 10k. Not unless you swipe it, you will not be able to use it. Credit card is not a good example but I guess you got my point.God bless
Hallellujah to the Lamb. Praise the name of Jesus Christ! Philippians 2:10
I remember when I was first born again,going to the governors club in downtown ft lauderdale, listening to Derek,Bob etc. I remember I was amazed,I had never heard this kinda stuff before,ive said before ,I was raised catholic,and never heard this in the catholic church….I remember going on church picnics, and not wanting to say to much to Derek,because he had a deliverance ministry,and i thought he would see my sins and start on me. How wrong I was,he was a sweetheart, a humble man,.wish I knew then,what i know now. ….. I see Bob Dylan on the previous page,know ill have to read that..I was a big Dylan fan.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE COST OF THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST SO AS HUMAN BEINGS MAY NOT PLAY WITH THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH HIS DEAR SON.
Amen! Profoundly Amen!This is the only worthwhile comment here,in my honest opinion!
I have read the book “Blessing or Curse: You Choose.” I believe that is a life-changing book that gives revelation to things that can hinder Christians from experiencing all Christ has provided on the cross. Jesus fulfilled the law’s requirements, however; He did not throw out the principles of the law. To give one example – Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Jesus has provided freedom from every curse, but if a person’s speech curses their children or their own lives – they are lacking understanding and certainly NOT experiencing the blessing Christ has provided. “Blessing or Curse…” provides this understanding about walking in freedom from every curse, honoring God with our actions, and experiencing His full blessing. There is no contradiction whatsoever with that book and grace.
I often tried to find the words to describe this! The very awesome way you worded it appeals to me greatly. The tree was a gift from God, Christ was the GIFT and we have to go pick up our presents by renewing the old mind now placed in the new creation we are. If you are not walking in the abundance of Christ’s living sacrifice it is because as you stated the principals of the law were not thrown away…. He came to fulfill it not remove it.
Gravity has a principal, what goes up must come down eventually… its a LAW of circumstance. We are governed by LAWS of our own circumstance, Christ’s gift to us gave us our identity in him, our status. Who we are and why God gave his only son.
Life and death being in the power of the tongue is the old covenant.
New covenant: Jesus now owns the keys of death and of Hades, not the tongue. We are flesh of His flesh, bone of His bone, one Spirit with Him. What’s true for Him is true for us. We are seated in Him far above all power/dominion, including the power of the tongue and death. All things are put under our feet, including death. We are seated above it, and sealed in Christ, and He is the Life. We are clothed with Christ (life).
Death shall have no dominion, so how can the tongue give it power any longer? As strong as the tongue was, there is now one thing far stronger, the blood of His cross. I am newly arriving at this understanding. I need to ponder it more, but for now I refuse to give the tongue the glory of having the power of death over me. A curse without cause cannot settle. (Prov 26:2). Jesus removed all causes at the cross for me. Only His words for my shalom-wellbeing have power over me now.
Lisa Jane I have been so frustrated trying to receive healing. I have been so careful as to what I say because of Prov…death and life are in the power of the tongue. And now reading your words I feel that you are indeed right, and I have gone back to Old Covenant thinking again, after trying to get out of it for the past 5 years! I feel like crying, but am thankful for Paul’s site. Bless everyone.
Paul, I have found that many optimistic grace teachers subscribe more to a Christus Victor view of the atonement, and less of a penal-substitution view, as Mr. Prince appears to be advocating. Where do you stand?
It seems Like Jesus work on our Behalf is 1st “Penal-Substitution” which Produces “Christus Victor” . . .
Thank you for the cross Lord……Awesome study DP thanx
Reading page 9 the divine exchange really elighten me..Than
I am really so glad for the work of the cross.
AWESOME, BUT I THINK IF THE BIBLE IS CAREFULLY EXPLORED, WE CAN STILL GET MORE OF CHRIST’S SUBSTITUTION WORKS ON THE CROSS.
I think the cross is infinitely greater than any of us has imagined. I think it is the centre of the universe. I think it is the intersection of time and eternity. I think it is the key to everything. No article, essay or book you can write about it can tell it all. We like caterpillars need to just hang there and let it transform us, it will, it does. Nothing in all existence is as powerful.
Thank you Lord Jesus for what you accomplished on the cross for me.
” the rebellion of us all and the consequences that follow rebellion….” Could I say He took the effects of sin away .Maybe I’m childish but isn’t physical death one of the first mentioned consequences of sin . Did He not take this also at Calvary ? Death is an enemy both spiritual and physical. I believe in the great exchange..Why is our physical life so limited ? Is faith involved here ? Nine hundred years was a typical life span,near to the awesome Glory of God. John 17, speaks of that Glory in us .etc. I’ve heard preaching on death as an enemy but little about long physical life .
You may be interested in this article, “Why do we still die?“
I may be wrong, since I don’t presume to know the Bible, but here is my opinion: Jesus defeated Satan; it is Christ who now has the keys to death. Even before this: Enoch did not die; Elijah did not die. So obviously, exceptions can be made. Jesus told Peter that the disciple John could, theoretically, be kept alive until the Messiah’s second coming. Obviously, this did not happen, but if it were impossible, Jesus would not have presented it as a hypothetical option. God is in heaven and He does whatever pleases Him. In the Millennium, people will live to be 1,000 (as they did around the time of Methuselah). In fact, people were living a long time until angelic beings invaded earth and birthed a hybrid species. In response, God declared that He did not wish to “strive” anymore with man and set the lifespan at 120. But, again, there were exceptions (Jacob, Job, et. al). A thousand years is as a day to God, and one day as a thousand years. If He gave us the Son, wouldn’t He give us all things with Him? So, now, after Jesus’ death on the cross (proof that God is again willing to “strive” with man), I don’t believe mankind is limited to 120. Dear God, “Renew our days as of old.” Hey, with God all things are possible. “With long life will He satisfy us.” His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
I thank God Almighty for His grace shown through Derek Prince for his ability to give the message of The Cross in a truthful manner so ANYONE can understand what Jesus Christ did for ALL OF US!
Hallelujah for Jesus Christ from Glory to Glory.
Praise God Almighty for Jesus Christ ALWAYS!
Great message carrying truth. This almost completes His work on the cross. He physically, emotionally and spiritually suffered so that we could be freed in all those dimensions.
The greatest pain The Son took was that of rejection by The Father. PJ Mahlangu
Great article, Paul. Thanks for,sharing Derek’s message on all the great exchange at the cross provided. I have friends who are obsessed with Christus Victor who fail to fully understand the substitutionary work of the cross and only see how it frees those victimized by sin. I believe it is the two rolled into one. He became sin and received its punishment while freeing us from its grasp. Have you written anything on this?
Thanks for sharing it help alot
I had a privilege of hearing directly from him in Hyderabad revival meetings in 1998. I was greatly blessed. Thanks for his ebook.
Because if he’d spoken after he died, you would’ve freaked out.
I have this question not solved in my mind plz help me with this : In old testament sacrifice High Priest said ‘It is finished’ when he had killed the lamb. to say it is finished lamb had to die and then the sacrifice was finished. But Jesus Christ said it is finished before he’s
Death even though death was necessary to complete a sacrifice. Some say sin debt was paid in full when he said it is finished as if death was not necessary. Or is it that it is finished phrase mean something else in both covenants?
Click the link in the article above and you’ll have the book instantly. No catch!
I have a question . After one has the experience of salvation & then falls away into immortality how can they ever feel like or be assured that they are saved ?
Jeannie the Prodigal son puts paid to that sort of thinking once and for all. And God says our sins and unrighteous deeds He remembers no more, it takes a huge leap of faith for all of us to humbly believe and submit our minds to this amazing truth.
Great article it gives understanding on the significance of the death or our Lord and Savior.