What constitutes a curse?
A curse is defined as a verbal utterance, a written declaration, or a malevolent intention that calls upon a supernatural force to cause harm or suffering to an individual or entity.
To further expound upon this definition, we can refer to the biblical text of Genesis, often referred to as the book of beginnings, to examine the genesis of curses and the profound impact they can have on those they target.
The book of Genesis 2:7 the Bible says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”.
When God breathed life into man, man was a mere figure of clay, inert and devoid of the ability to function, communicate, or cogitate. Through God’s supernatural power, this figure transformed into a living being, known as Adam. Instantaneously, the essence of God was imbued within Adam; thus, if God embodied love, Adam now personified love. Likewise, if God bestowed blessings or curses upon others, Adam acquired the capacity to do the same.
THE FIRST BLESSING RELEASED
In Genesis 1:8, the Bible says, “And God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth”.
In this passage, God bestows the initial blessing upon Adam and Eve, resulting in their offspring numbering 7.4 billion in the present world.
THE FIRST CURSE RELEASED
In Genesis 3:14-17, the Bible says, “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. (Vs 15), And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”.
(Vs 16), Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Vs 17), And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life”
Genesis 3 recounts three primary curses pronounced by God:
- The serpent will forever crawl on its belly and consume dust and Christ (represented as the seed of the woman) will triumph over the devil by crushing its head, and women will experience pain in childbirth and be subjected to their husbands throughout their lives.
- The woman will experience pain in childbirth and be subjected to her husband throughout her life.
- The earth will be plagued, causing man to toil and sorrowfully extract sustenance from it for the duration of his life.
The enduring impact of the curses pronounced by God in Genesis chapter 3 is evident in the world we inhabit today, demonstrating the transgenerational nature of such curses.
Throughout the Bible, we can recount numerous incidents in which curses were imposed upon cities, nations, objects, individuals, and entire familial lineages.
For instance, Mark 11:12-22, the Bible records that Jesus opened His mouth and cursed a fig tree because it appeared to have fruits, but as He approached it, He discovered that it had no fruit. Consequently, the fig tree withered away instantly.
There are three different ways a curse can be released:
- Through the mouth (the spoken curse) – “With the tongue we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God” (James 3:9).
Through writing (the written curse) – Numbers 5:23, “And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water”.
Therefore, Christians should be cautious of the type of books they read or bring home to their children. Some books may contain hidden curses that can invoke demonic powers which will contend agains the believer. Please read Acts 19:19.
- Through the heart (the hidden curse) – Proverbs 23:6-7, “Eat at thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: or as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee”.
The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21).
Currently, a significant number of Christians, particularly those in positions of authority such as Pastors, Prophets, and Bishops, engage in the practice of uttering curses against individuals who choose to depart from their ministry or who have offended them in some manner. This behavior stands in direct opposition to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and the writings of the apostle Paul.
The Bible says in Luke 6:28, “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you”.
Paul wrote in the book of Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse”.
In the Old Testament, people had the ability to invoke curses upon those they wished to curse.
However, under the covenant of blood established through Christ Jesus, it is advised against cursing anyone. As man was created in the image of God, he possesses the power to release either a curse or a blessing. It is therefore recommended that blessings be bestowed upon others, as man is reflective of God’s image.
When a Christian calls upon a curse against someone, they are in fact calling upon Satan and his demonic forces to harm another, a practice that is displeasing to the Holy Spirit.
May we consistently engage in the deeds of our Lord and refrain from engaging in the actions of the adversary, who seeks to bring harm and destruction.
Author: Andrew A. Osei
Recommended reading “God’s true intentions for you” by Pastor Andrew
Dear andrewaosei.org administrator, Thanks for the well-researched and well-written post!