Blessings & Curses

Galatians 3:13-14 ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” ¹⁴He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:3-4 Spiritual Blessings in Christ ³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

Do you think it’s possible for a Christian to be cursed?

The nature of curses and blessings:

Curses and blessings are 2 major themes in Scripture. The word Bless occurs about 600 times and the word curse about half that. Most of God people are not really familiar with the nature of curse and blessings. It is the purpose of God through the redemption of Christ, we should be released form curses and enjoy the blessings.

A simple definition of blessings and curses: both of them are vehicles of supernatural power. We need to understand we’re not dealing with something that’s purely natural. It is over the natural. They are vehicles of supernatural power for good if they’re blessings, and for evil if they are curses. One characteristic feature of them is that very frequently they’ll continue on from generation to generation often until somebody knows how to cut them off if they’re curses. The result of that is that many people are enduring consequences in their life things that may have taken place many generations ago.

What is an example of a generational curse?

The vehicles of blessings and curses are usually words. They may be words that are either spoken, written, or pronounced inwardly. However, both curses and blessings can be transferred or transmitted by objects.

How can we curse with words? How can we bless with words?

What is an example of a cursed object?

Some people are happy to accept the fact that blessings are valid, but are skeptical about curses, which they associate with superstitious practices from the Dark Ages. Such thinking is unrealistic. We cannot focus exclusively on one aspect of opposites because it is acceptable to us, and simply ignore the other because it is unacceptable. The opposite of hot is cold; both are real. The opposite of good is evil; both are real. In just the same way, blessings are real and so are curses.

Many Christians who should be enjoying blessings are actually enduring curses. Why is that?

God is the sole and supreme source of all blessings, although they may come to us through many channels. Curses, too, often proceed from God, but He is not the sole source.  The curses that proceed from God are one of His main ways of bringing judgment on the rebellious, the unbelieving and the ungodly. The history of the human race provides a long, sad record of the outworking of God’s curses pronounced upon such people.

Over the years some suggest that there is a conflict between the Old Testament and the New. According to this interpretation, the Old Testament depicts God as a God of wrath and judgment; the New depicts Him as a God of love and mercy. In fact, however, the two Testaments are consistent with each other. Each depicts God as being, at one and the same time, a God of mercy and of judgment.

In Romans 1:17–18 Paul explains that the Gospel contains the supreme revelation of these two aspects of God, His mercy and His judgment: “For in it [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. . . . For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”

On the one hand, God’s mercy offers His righteousness, which He imparts to those who receive by faith the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on their behalf. Yet, at the same time, this sacrifice is also the ultimate revelation of God’s wrath, poured out upon Jesus when He became identified with man’s sin. Christians who question the reality of God’s judgment on sin should consider the significance of the crucifixion. Even Jesus could not make sin acceptable to God, but had to endure the full outpouring of His wrath.

Further on, in Romans 11:22, Paul again presents these two aspects of God’s dealings side by side: “Therefore consider the goodness [or kindness] and severity of God.” To obtain an accurate picture of God, we must always keep both aspects of His character before us. His blessings proceed out of His kindness, but His judgments proceed out of His severity. Both are equally real.

Do you think most Christians see God as only a kind and loving father who never corrects you? Do you think this is a right depiction of his character?

No Curse without a Cause:

In Proverbs 26:2 Solomon makes it clear that there is always a reason for every curse: “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.”

A curse cannot take effect unless there is a cause for it. On the other hand, the converse is also true. Wherever there is a curse at work, there is a cause for it. In seeking to help people obtain release from a curse it is often helpful first to discover the cause.

What is your reaction when things are not going well in your life?

The 68 verses of Deuteronomy 28, which are devoted solely to the theme of blessings and curses, reveal the primary cause of each. In verses 1 and 2 Moses deals first with the cause of blessings: “If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments . . . all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.” More literally, the first part could be translated: “If you will listen listening to the voice of the Lord your God. . . .” The repetition of the verb to listen gives added emphasis. Simply stated, the conditions for enjoying the blessings are: first, listening to God’s voice; second, doing what He says.

Throughout all dispensations, these have been the unchanging requirements for living in a covenant relationship with God. In Exodus 19:5, when God prepared to enter into His first covenant with Israel at Sinai, He said: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people.” The basic requirements were to listen to God’s voice and obey the terms of His covenant.

Under the New Covenant, in John 10:27, Jesus similarly described those whom He acknowledged as “His sheep”—that is, His true disciples: “My sheep hear My voice . . . and they follow Me.” The basic requirements are still the same: hearing the Lord’s voice and following Him in obedience.

What do you think is one of the most common ways we can disobey God?

Nothing is more unique and distinctive than a person’s voice. Hearing the Lord’s voice implies an intimate relationship with Him in which He can speak to each one of us personally. The Lord does not speak in this way to our physical ears or to our natural minds. His communication is by His Spirit to our spirit.

Further on, in Deuteronomy 28:15, Moses states the primary cause of all curses: ¹⁵ “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

The cause of curses is exactly opposite to that of blessings. Blessings result from hearing God’s voice and doing what He says. Curses result from not hearing God’s voice and not doing what He says. This refusal to hear and obey God’s voice can be summed up in one word: rebellion—not against man, but against God.

In Deuteronomy 28 Moses also gives comprehensive lists of the various forms that both blessings and curses take. The blessings are listed in verses 3 through 13, the curses in verses 16 through 68. Anyone who seeks to understand this whole subject should study this chapter carefully in its entirety.

What are other ways curses can come in to the life of a Christian?