Curses: Root Causes & Remedy

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. -Proverbs 26:2

One way curses come into our lives is through our disobedience or the disobedience of the generations before us. Disobeying God's decrees is a direct rejection of Him, His word, and His sovereignty. It's us choosing our own way and to be our own gods.

Curses shall pursue you and overtake you til you be destroyed

We should not be surprised that such a choice goes ill for us. In disobeying God we have stepped outside His protection and His promises into a world where we have no dominion.

However, when we repent and yield to God and His laws our dominion is restored through the blood of the Lamb. We then come under His protection and His blessings as we continue to walk in obedience.

Often the performance-based mindset that we live under leads us to see God's commandments as nothing more than the domineering rules of a distant God. This could not be further from the truth.

First, we must acknowledge it is our own rebellious nature that pains us to hear truth. It is this nature that cringes at the idea of yielding to a Sovereign God because to do so we must dethrone ourselves as the god of our lives.

This hurts our flesh, but it has great rewards for our spirit

Secondly, we must begin to see God as who He is not how we experience our world. God does not give commandments to rule over us with an iron thumb but rather to restore and protect.

When we stay within the boundaries of God's commandments not only do we maintain fellowship with him but also receive His blessing. God's commandments are in reality promises. Promises of restoration, protection and blessings.

Understanding The Framework

The framework, or the principles that form the structure of the world we live, that curses function within is rather simple. There is a root cause to a curse being in our lives and there is only one remedy.

Let's break it down the root causes.

....cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. -Galatians 3:13

Cursed is anyone who...

Deuteronomy 27:15-26

• makes a carved image (for worship)

• dishonors father/mother (honoring our parents is not the same as doing everything they say Some of us have parents that have betrayed us horribly. Rather it is honoring their position.... we would not be here without them being mom or dad. Doesn't mean they were good at it nor does it excuse their behavior.)

• removes neighbor's boundary marker

• misleads the blind

• twists justice - outsider, orphan, widows

• sleeps with father's wife

• sleeps with an animal

• sleeps with his sister

• sleeps with mother-in-law

• strikes down a neighbor in secret

• takes a bribe to strike down an innocent life

• does not uphold the book of the law

The above basically fit into one of 4 categories: Idolatry & False Gods, Dishonoring Parents, Illict or Unnatural Sex, Injustice to the Weak & Helpless

Jeremiah 17:5,6

• “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his [a]strength, whose heart departs from the Lord"

When we trust in the strength of men rather than the strength of the Lord we come under a curse.

Zechariah 5:1-4

• Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.” “I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it, with its timber and stones.”

Everyone that has stolen and/or given false witness shall be cursed, them and their household.

Additional Avenues of Curses

Self Spoken Curses

Genesis 27:12,13

• And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

Rebekah called a curse upon herself

Genesis 27:46

• And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Here again Rebekah cursed herself with her words. Stating she is weary of her own life and what good is her life? Basically saying I would be better to be dead.

Matthew 27:24,25

• When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Israel called upon the curse of shedding innocent blood upon themselves and all the generations after them.

Positions of Authority (ex: parent, teacher, pastor)

Genesis 31:31,32

• Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them

Unknowingly Jacob cursed his wife Rachel for he did not know she was the one that took Labans household gods. Rachel then died during the birth of her next child.

Witchcraft, Diviner

Numbers 22:6

• Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

The King of Moab hired Balaam and had him to pronounce a curse on Isreal so he could defeat them

The Remedy for Curses

The world will offer a great many solutions to the torments of curses. Some will tell you it's normal or categorize it and throw you in with a group of people to offer you community by it. Many will label it heredity, suggesting that you just need to take this or do that and manage it.

Though there can be practical reasons for the pains of our life often there is a spiritual root that is never considered and thus continues down the bloodline.

There is a remedy and it is the blood of the Lamb.

Galatians 3:13

• 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”)

Christ bore our curse upon the cross. It is by the shedding of his blood that we can turn from cursed to blessed.

Uproot the curse by repenting of the sin tied to it, yours and the generations before you. Thank God for taking on your curse on the cross in exchange of His blessing. Tell every demonic spirit that gained access to you to leave in the name of Jesus. Declare those doors of entry to be closed and sealed with the blood of the Lamb. Stand in agreement with God and His word that He has taken you from cursed into blessing. Receive the biblical blessings of health, prosperity, fruitfulness, victory and God's favor.

Then in whatever area this sin was in search the word on that topic. Arm yourself from demonic attack as they will try to come back (Luke 11). They have no authority to do so but they will look for you in a weak moment to deceive you.

John 8:31,32

• Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Galatians 5:1

• Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage

Next blog post: Learn the principles of blessings.