Posted by owner on
July 12, 2010
In Psalm 73 Asaph confesses his envy of the wicked. They just keep on prospering, while his life is marked with disappointment and trouble. His feelings are resolved, however, when he goes in to worship one day. In a flash of insight he considers their end, and realizes that the very prosperity he envied is a “slippery place.” Asaph is the one who has been blessed, for his troubles drive him back to God, while the very prosperity of the wicked convinces them they have no need for God. The consequences of their evil deeds will be apparent at “the end.” As will the blessings of the godly believer.
The psalmist Asaph isn’t the only one who has struggled with the conviction that God must [but doesn’t] punish the wicked appropriately. I’m sure he’s not the only one who has read the curses in Deuteronomy 28 I wrote about in last week’s post on Curses, and wondered why, if divine curses descend on those who sin, so many people seem to “get away with” wickedness.
Another person who was deeply concerned about this was the prophet Habakkuk. He lived in the midst of Josiah’s revival in Judah, yet when he looked at his society he saw injustice and violence. How could God possibly let his people live this kind of lifestyle and go unpunished? So Habakkuk left Jerusalem and climbed to the top of an isolated peak and settled down. He would wait there in prayer until God responded to his complaint.
God’s response was to tell Habakkuk that at that very moment he was preparing a fierce and rapacious people, the Babylonians, to invade Judah. Although the thought was frightening, Habakkuk urged God to send the enemy armies quickly. He was sure God would use the suffering to purify his people.
And then Habakkuk had a horrible thought. The people of Judah were bad. But the Babylonians were worse! How could a God so pure that he can’t stand to see evil use the Babylonians to purge a people less wicked than they are? And what would the Babylonians think? Would they see themselves as agents of divine punishment? No, they’d just see their success, praise their gods and their own power, and view conquered peoples as nothing but fish to be dragged in by their nets!
You can follow this train of thought of the prophet in the first chapter of the little book that goes by his name in the Old Testament. The prophet is left at the end of chapter 1 with the same moral problem that has troubled many. Its one thing to say the wicked will suffer in the end. It’s something else to say, “But they’re getting away with it now!”
God’s response
Habakkuk is more determined than ever to wait out an answer. He’s going to sit there on that peak until God comes up with a solution. And, strikingly, God does! God speaks to Habakkuk, and tells him to post His answer on billboards in letters so large not even a running man could miss it!
Basically, God’s answer is that though we might not realize it, hidden curses are at work, NOW, in the lives of the wicked!
God’s answer is given in chapter two of the Book of Habakkuk. Basically, God explains that no one who is wicked “gets away with” anything. On the outside the wicked may look prosperous and blessed. But we have to look more closely to understand the hidden curses that are at work in their lives.
The first curse: I Can’t Get No Satisfaction (2:4-5). Like a fire that only gets hotter as more fuel is fed to it, the very success of the wicked makes them desire more and more. Instead of being satisfied with their “success,” the wicked are doomed to a life of dissatisfaction, that increases with every gain!
The second curse: Repayment in Kind (2:6-8). In their drive for success the wicked trample on other people. Their actions create hostility and hatred, guaranteeing that those they’ve harmed will turn on them when they have a chance. And we won’t have to wait till “the end” to see this principle of judgment work itself out in the lives of individuals and nations.
The third curse: Unsafe at Any Speed (2:9-11). The wicked are aware of others’ hostility, and do everything they can to protect themselves. But the more they do to assuage their fears the greater the fears grow. Neither wealth nor power can insulate them from their fears and insecurity.
The fourth curse: Material Things are Insubstantial (2:12-14). Whatever the wicked build is destined for destruction. God’s intent is that the earth will be filled with knowledge of the Lord, not monuments to murderers.
The firth curse: Repayment in Kind (2:15-17).Violence begets violence. We sow what we reap. Whether we couch it in sayings, or call it “the norm of reciprocity,” it’s a fact of life. The way we treat others sets the standard for how they treat us. And so God says to the wicked, “the violence you have done . . . will overwhelm you.”
Active curses
God’s answer to Habakkuk is an answer for us as well. Does sin and wickedness bring down divine curses on a person or nation now, or do we have to wait for Christ to return for justice to be done? The answer is, “We don’t have to wait!” There are divine curses on the wicked which are active NOW.
We may not be aware of them. But they are very real. And devastating.
No matter how much one gains by wickedness, he or she will go unsatisfied and unfulfilled. The contentment everyone seeks will forever elude him.
As one tramples on others in the pursuit of gain, he or she sets forces in motion that guarantee repayment in kind.
The “success” of the wicked is an illusion. Neither wealth nor power can provide security, or even a sense of security.
The material things the wicked count on are mere illusion, sure to slip through their fingers.
And within the span of their own lifetime, others will surely treat them as they have treated others.
These active curses are constantly at work within individuals’ hearts and minds and within society. God simply does not let the wicked “get away it” EVER. Yes, judgment is a specter that waits for the wicked beyond the grave, as Asaph realized. But hidden curses are at work in their lives today. As the prophet Isaiah writes,
“The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘to the wicked.”
Isaiah 57:20
Posted by owner on
July 6, 2010
As Dudley Do-right rides off victorious, all villain Snidely Whiplash can do it mutter, “Curses! Foiled again.”
It’s the comic strip’s quintessential expression of absolute frustration. His plots foiled, Snidely is reduced to hurling curses at the comic strip hero. And we all know that while sticks and stones can break my bones, words can never hurt me.
Or can they?
Shakespeare’s audiences certainly believed in curses, and shuddered at the image of three witches huddled around a cauldron cackling as they chanted and boiled up “toil and trouble” for Macbeth. Even today superstitious actors resist appearing in that play, and won’t even refer to it by its title.
Certainly the Bible seems to take curses seriously. Genesis portrays God cursing the ground after Adam’s sin. Anyone who’s spent childhood days hoeing in the fields, (or who’s been forced to eat dandelion greens plucked from the yard!) knows that curse certainly worked! One ancient seer, Balaam, was offered a room filled with treasure if he would come and curse Israel, an action the king who hired him believed would make the Israelites vulnerable to attack. Even the New Testament speaks of curses, and calls on believers to “bless and curse not” (Romans 12:14).
In many parts of the world today people are convinced that witches and witchdoctors not only have the power to heal, but that their curses can cause disaster and death. In our country Wiccans are quick to protest that they only practice “white magic,” using their powers to do good rather than to harm. But they also admit that some practice “black magic,” using their powers to harm others.
Sometimes we might even wonder if a string of what we pass off as “bad luck” might not be something more, and mutter, “I must be cursed.” If you’ve ever pondered whether you or someone you know might be cursed, you’ll want to spend some time with this post. It’s a long one. The longest I’ve ever put up on demondope. But it might prove enlightening. Even transforming. If, of course, you or someone you know really is laboring under a curse.
What is a “curse” anyway?
The simplest definition of a curse is “a wish that evil may befall another.” This gets at the core of a curse’s intent, but it doesn’t tell us nearly enough. A better definition, suggested by Derek Prince, is that a curse involves “words spoken by someone with some form of spiritual authority that set in motion something harmful that will go on generation after generation.” Each of the four elements of this definition is important.
“Words spoken.” This reminds us that wishing someone ill falls short of a curse. As Shakespeare put it, “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” While someone we wish ill might have problems, it’s not due to our wishes. There’s no power in a mere wish to cause harm. According to Prince’s definition, however, there is power in the spoken word.
“Someone with some form or spiritual authority.” Examples of spiritual authorities are parents over their children, church leaders over their congregations, and mentors over their disciples. Leaders of organizations to which a person belongs may have some form of spiritual authority, especially if membership called for swearing some form of oath. Those who are in contact with evil spirits also have “some form” of spiritual authority. And, of course, an individual has spiritual authority over himself or herself, as we’ll see later when we deal with self-cursing.
“Set in motion something harmful.” Curses are by nature are expressed wishes that something harmful will happen to another person. It’s the expression of the wish, either by speaking or writing words, that “sets in motion” the harm that comes from the curse. This raises an important question: How do curses work? What are the mechanisms that set harm in motion? This too is something we’ll take up later in this post.
“that will go on generation after generation.” This concept is rooted in Scripture’s references to divine judgments which work themselves out not only in the lives of those who sin but “even to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7). Those in deliverance ministry often see patterns of destructive behavior that persist across generations, and suspect that these patterns may be the result of a curse uttered against a grandparent or great-grandparent. This idea too is something we’ll explore later.
If we accept Prince’s definition of a curse as something harmful that is set in motion by a spoken word that may persist through generations, we’re left with more questions than the definition answers. But answer these questions we must.
Who utters curses?
This is the easiest question to answer. There are three possible sources of curses. The first of these sources is God himself, who according to Genesis cursed the ground (3:17b) and cursed Satan (3:14). The second is a person “with some form of spiritual authority”. An example of such a curse is that uttered by Noah against Canaan, which was a prophetic curse directed against a descendant of his youngest son, Ham, who had raped Noah when he was drunk (Gen 9:25). The third source is ones-self, and is considered self-cursing. The most powerful example of self-cursing is found in Matthew 27:25, where the Gospels report that the Jewish leaders were so intent on crucifying Jesus that they cried, “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” However most believe that self-cursing can be casual, expressed in such off hand remarks as “I can’t remember names,” or “I’ll never get that job.” These casual self-curses might be called self-fulfilling prophecies. We expect to fail, and in part because we expect failure we fail.
Note that I did not include Satan or demons on the list of who can curse. Satan is utterly hostile to us, and if he were able to curse us he most certainly would. But Satan has no authority over believers, and must have God’s permission before he can act against us (cf Job 1,2; Luke 22:31,32). But Satan and evil spirits are actively involved in empowering curses uttered by others. This too is a theme we’ll get to later. First, though, let’s explore further the question of who utters curses.
Curses uttered by God When God gave Israel the Mosaic Law he very carefully explained the impact the law would have on the experience of his people. God promised that if the people who were called by his name would faithfully keep the Law, blessing would follow. God made the following commitment:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your wombs will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneeding trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. (Deut 28:2-6).
The blessings, listed in verses vv. 7-14, include life, health, prosperity, abundant crops, safety and international respect.
At the same time God warned that should Israel fail to keep the Law the nation would be cursed. The extended list of curses provided in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 details what Israel will experience if they break or abandon God’s Law. These curses include death, disease, drought, danger, defeat, deportation, destitution and disgrace.
This Deuteronomy passage enabled the later prophets to diagnose the causes of disasters that struck their generation. Understanding that sin had triggered the curses predicted by God, the prophets called Israel to return to God by confessing and repudiating the sins that had led to the current situation.
We can derive three principles from this passage that help us better understand divine curses.
1. God’s curses are triggered by sin. It is sin that activates the divine curse.
2. God’s curses are disciplinary. When a believer’s sin activates a divine curse, that curse is intended to focus attention on the sins which have interrupted his or her fellowship with God.
3. God’s curses are restorative, intended to lead the believer to repentance and to repudiation of the sins that have activated the curse(s).
Curses uttered by others. The Old Testament illustrates both deserved and undeserved curses.
A deserved curse. Abimeleck, a son of Gideon, conspired with the men of Shechem to become king and to murder his 70 half-brothers. But one, Jotham, escaped. Jotham then pronounced a curse against Shechem, “if you have not acted honorably and in good faith” (Judges 9:19,20). In the civil war that erupted shortly afterward all the people of Shechem perished and Abimeleck also was killed.
Strikingly, the New Testament tells us never to curse others (cf. James 3:9-10). Jesus went so far as to say “bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44, KJV).
Intentional, but undeserved curses. On their way to Canaan the Israelites under Moses approached Moab. This panicked the Moabite King, Balak. He sent for Balaam, a seer who was believed to possess supernatural powers that made any curses he uttered especially effective. Balaam attempted to curse Israel, but God caused him to bless Israel instead. Frustrated, Balaam was forced to report, “there is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel (Numbers 23:23). Even worse from Balak’s point of view, Balaam blessed Israel, saying “May those who bless you be blessed, and those who curse you be cursed” (Numbers 24:9b).
Balak was furious. But Balaam wanted Balak’s gold. If Balaam was unable to curse this people of God, the wily seer thought it might be possible to get God himself to curse them. So Balaam advised Balak to set his young women to seduce Israelite men and lead them into idolatry. This strategy failed when God punished the guilty, but refused to turn against the whole people.
The undeserved curse was powerless, perhaps reflecting a thought summed up in Proverb 26:2: “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”
Unintentional, undeserved curses. Noah’s cursing of Canaan is an example of an intentional curse. In view of Ham’s behavior and in view of the immoral culture that later developed in the land of Canaan, this curse was deserved as well as intended. It is also clear that in this case the curse was prophetic: its author was not an unaided Noah but a Noah moved by God’s Spirit. It’s debatable whether we should emphasize the prophetic element or causative element here. This is a question we’ll take up later as we explore how curses work.
The point however is that many, if not most of the curses uttered by parents that affect their children are unintentional. A parent simply notes . . . often with displeasure . . . certain characteristics of a child, and makes an offhand statement such as “He’ll never amount to anything,” or “She’s never going to find a husband.” Such off hand comments can function as a curse, shaping the attitude of others toward the child or the child’s attitude about himself. When overheard by the child, such statements often function as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The parent, charged with spiritual authority over his or her child, has inadvertently cursed his offspring. Such words seem to have an unnatural power to shape a child’s sense of his identity, and to affect his future.
Self-curses. This is the third category of curses, and includes both intentional and unintentional self-cursing.
Intentional self-curses. It seems almost unimaginable that a person would intentionally curse himself or herself. Yet it’s quite common for guilt felt over some real or imagined sin to make a person say something like, “I don’t deserve to be happy.” Such a notion, expressed aloud, can set a person on a course of self-punishment which leads to unhappiness. Similar guilt-induced sentiments are what I mean by intentional self-cursing. It’s not that one is aware that expressing such feelings may function as a curse. The problem is that expressing those feelings—buying into them—functions just as any curse does, setting in motion something harmful that may persist throughout the person’s life, and even affect generations yet unborn.
Unintentional self-curses. These are, as noted earlier, essentially casual remarks that express negative feelings about ourselves, our abilities, or our future. “I can’t remember names,” “I’ll never get that job.” “I can never get ready on time,” These and any number of similar expressions, may very easily set in motion something that will prove harmful to us.
Sins that merit punishment. A person can and often will curse himself by making choices that he or she knows are sinful. Repeated and/or willful sins may trigger a divine curse. God has fashioned a moral universe, and in this universe evil actions [sins] will – in God’s time – produce evil [painful] consequences. In this sense when we choose to live a sinful lifestyle we bring down curses upon ourselves.
How do curses work?
This is the most mysterious and misunderstood thing about curses. How do they work? Prince’s definition says that curses “set in motion something harmful.” He adds that behind the curses there lies a “spiritual power.” This is hardly a complete or even satisfactory answer. We can, however, suggest several theories about how curses work. Curses may be empowered (1) by natural consequences, (2) directly, by God, or (3) directly, by demons.
Curses empowered by natural consequences. God has created a moral universe. There are moral laws and well as physical laws that operate in God’s creation. According to the physical law of gravity, objects on our planet will tend to fall to earth rather than fly away from it. According to moral law, “he who sows wickedness reaps trouble” (Proverbs 22:8). The Apostle Paul develops this thought in Galatians 6:7-9.
Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The man who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
The passage points out that there are consequences to every moral choice. In this moral universe of God’s, those consequences fit the actions. At the same time, Paul makes it clear that not every consequence follows immediately from every action. This is particularly true for those who sow “to please the Spirit.” What we reap will come. But it will come in “the proper time.” Fascinatingly, those who sow “to please the sinful nature” are more likely to reap now! [This is a theme which is developed in the Book of Habakkuk, a theme which I’ll deal with in a future post on Hidden Curses.]
Generational curses. David, for all his many godly traits, was far from perfect. His major failings are seen in his relationship with Bathsheba. The all too familiar story paints David as an adulterer, who conspired to murder Bathsheba’s husband and who tried to hide his sins from his people. When finally confronted by the prophet Nathan, David did confess his sin, took responsibility for his actions, and even write a revealing psalm to be used in public worship. During the terrible days when David remained on his sinful path he never lost his relationship with God, which depended on his very real faith rather than his actions. His later confession brought David back into fellowship with God. Bur David’s failures seem to have triggered a curse that extended to later generations..
David’s son Amnon raped his half-sister, Tamar. David did nothing. So Tamar’s brother Absolom conspired to murder Amnon and led a rebellion against his father David. The pattern seen in David, of adultery, deception, conspiracy and murder, was repeated in his family. Future generations too were especially vulnerable to sexual sin, in time leading to God’s rejection of Solomon’s line in favor of a line through another of David’s sons, through whom Christ came.
What was it that empowered the repeated sins that marked David’s descendants? We can’t speak with certainty about the mechanism. But we do understand today more about the impact of a parent’s example on his or her descendants. And we also understand that often there is a genetic predisposition to such things as alcoholism which may be triggered by parental example. Is this all that’s involved in recurring “sins of the fathers” impacting their children “to the third and fourth generation.” Probably not. It’s likely that the father’s sin provided an opening which demonic forces used to invade not only the father but his offspring as well.
In any case, those in deliverance ministry are convinced that it is vital to break any generational curses that may be transmitted through the family line. But more about breaking curses further on.
Curses empowered by God. Generally speaking, natural consequences empower the curses that God pronounces against humans. Normally it is not necessary for God to intervene directly to empower curses triggered by sin.
Genesis 6 tells us that at a time when God evaluated the human race and found “every imagination of their hearts was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). At this point God acted directly and caused the Genesis Flood, saving only Noah and his family. In the unfolding story of God’s relationship with human beings, the Flood demonstrated the truth that God is a moral being who will surely judge sin.
There are additional cases of direct divine action, such as the deaths of Nadab and Abihu for violating instructions regarding their priestly ministry (Leviticus 10). But these are different from curses, which we’ve seen are acts that “set in motion something harmful which will go on,” perhaps for generations.
Curses empowered by demons. The Old Testament warns against any involvement in the occult, and points out that demons are behind pagan religions. It says little about how demons work in believer’s lives or their relationship to curses.
The Gospels picture demons holding believers in bondage, especially through infirmities and illness. And the epistles say quite a bit about Satan’s strategies and how to overcome them. The emphases in such passages are on Christ’s power over occult forces and on the importance of forgiving those who have hurt us and living righteous lives in order not to give demons a foothold in our lives. I know of no passage that speaks directly to the issue of demonic empowerment of curses.
Where scripture is silent, we should hesitate to take a firm position. What we can say is that those who are experienced in deliverance ministry are convinced that demon do empower curses, in that they use the curses to further oppress believers, and to maintain a grip on individual’s lives. Often breaking curses will be a significant element in casting out demons who have gained a foothold in a person’s life.
Breaking Curses
One of the privileges we have is that of breaking curses in the name and power of Jesus. In “Restoring the Foundations” (p. 153) Chester and Betsy Kylstra outline steps in ministry to a person laboring under a curse. The steps are theirs, the comments mostly mine.
1. Confess. The person needs to confess [acknowledge] any sins of his own and any known sins of his parents, grandparents, etc. For instance, if both were unfaithful in their marriages, the person needs to confess his own and his ancestor’s sin of adultery.
2. Forgive. It’s vital that the person then forgive parents, etc., for the sins that have had an impact on their lives. Be as specific as possible in naming the sins that have been committed.
3. Forgive. The person also needs to forgive anyone who has spoken [intentional or casual] curses against him and/or against his ancestors.
4. Repent. The person needs to acknowledge any sins of his own that may be related to curses, and choose to turn from them.
5. Forgive. The person then needs to forgive himself for his personal sins, and for carrying any guilt, shame or self-hatred.
6. Affirm. At this point the deliverance minister needs to verbally affirm the forgiveness that God has granted, and to pray for the person’s cleansing.
7. Repudiate. The person needs to renounce any future involvement in the sins and curses.
8. Break. In the name and power of Jesus the deliverance minister then breaks the power of any and all curses, and refuses Satan any right to carry out curses.
9. Affirm. Have the person affirm that he has a new, Heavenly Father, in whose family his is, and that he is no longer subject to any curses that were transmitted through his old family line.
10. Bless. The deliverance minister should look to Holy Spirit to guide him in stating a blessing God has for the person in place of the old curses.
Conclusion
Curses do have a strange power to influence our lives. Prince’s definition sums this up: a curse involves “words spoken by someone with some form of spiritual authority that set in motion something harmful that will go on generation after generation.” But Jesus has authority over curses, and curses can be broken. One important element in deliverance ministry is that of identifying and breaking curses, and so setting person’s free.
The comic strip character mutters