WHY SOME THINGS SEEM TO HAPPEN
Let’s take an example of two people, they have the same
type of background, same education but their lives are vastly different. Is
there a reason some people seem to go through life with very little trouble yet
others seem to have difficulty after difficulty?
Why do some even seem to have their life end at a untimely
age? Is it possible that we are really not aware of the forces at work in our
lives?
Some people always seem to walk in the light while others
always have a shadow cast over them.
Is it possible that this light or shadow goes back to another
generation? As we take a look at the Bible, we shall see that the Bible has a
great deal to say about light and darkness.
It calls them blessings and curses.
For a moment, let’s take a closer look at the person that
seems to always live under the shadows. The person under the shadows, has a job
and an education; he even seems to do all the right things. Yet for some reason
he just never seems to succeed. Even his kids are rebellious, his marriage is
under a strain, accidents and sickness are everyday occurrences. His goals and
dreams always seem just out of his reach. In fact he is always haunted by a
sense of failure or doom that is just around the corner. It seems that no mater
how hard he tries, he just can't pinpoint the cause of all the problems. In
fact, it seems like he is always wrestling with some giant powerful shadow.
After a while the person feels like giving up. He wonders what is the use of
trying, for nothing seems to go right. Soon he starts to think, "It must
run in the family— for my father had the same problems too. I'm a failure, I
just can’t go on."
This illustration of someone’s life could represent a man
or a woman. The problems range from chronic sickness to alcohol problems, from
someone who is always breaking bones to anger outbursts. (For women it may
include multiple miscarriages or chronic feminine problems.) If you look closely
you might see a thread that runs from one generation to the next. If you can
identify with these types of things happening in your life or to someone you
know, I would like to submit to you that there is a strong possibility of a
curse operating in that life.
Another sign that a curse could be in operation in your life
is that you feel you have potential it just never seems to develop. It is almost
like some dark fog seems to cover you; that you always seem to feel it tugging
at you. Even if you start to see daylight in your life, the fog just rolls back
in blocking out the light. Some times it feels like it will strangle the very
life out of you. For some of you, you just never seem to be able to break free.
Your whole life seems to be one of frustration. In spite of success where it
seems you are finally on your way to success, you fall apart at the last minute.
If this sounds like you, it is quite possible you are living under a curse.
Let me qualify this by saying that while the possibility
exists that a curse is in place, it is not always the reason for failure.
I'm here to tell you that if you are under a curse today—
you can go on to blessing. You don't have to stay under it any longer. Today you
can be free. The idea of blessings and curses is a very important area of the
Bible that is often over looked. [Are you aware that the idea of blessings or
curses is touched on in the Bible over 600 times?] Curses can be operating in
our lives from previous generations. In fact the roots may go way back. We may
be confronted with recurring situations that cannot be explained solely in the
terms of what has happened in our life time. The main
vehicle for both blessings and curses is words.
Scripture has lots to say about the power of words. Let’s take a look at a
few examples.
Do Your Words Bless Or Curse?
Prov. 11:9
the hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbour, but
through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
Prov. 12:18
there is one who speaks like piercings of a sword, but the
tongue of the wise promotes health.
Prov. 15:4
a wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it
breaks the spirit.
Prov. 18:21
death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those that
love it will eat its fruit.
Sometimes believers are very ready to admit the fact that
blessings exist and are valid but they may be very close-minded or sceptical
about curses. For many people, the idea of curses goes back to the dark ages or
at the very least to some backward uneducated country. I submit to you that type
of thinking does nothing but play right into satan’s hand. In fact, it is a
very unrealistic view.
The opposite of hot is cold; the opposite of good is evil.
Both are real. Just because you say they are not real does not mean they are not
in operation today. Likewise the opposite of blessings are curses.
A lot of Christians are suffering under curses instead of
enjoying blessings.
Prov. 26:2 shows us that there is a reason for every curse.
"Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without a cause
shall not light".
The same is true for blessings. If you read Deuteronomy 28
you will see that there are reasons for blessings and curses to be activated. In
Exodus 19 read that God says that in order to receive the blessings, first we
obey His voice, then keep His covenant, then you will be a special treasure to
Him. Another example is found in John 10:27-28 where Jesus says, "My sheep
hear My voice and follow Me", then in verse 28 we see that the result is
that we will never perish, that we will have eternal life.
The same requirements are valid for us today. We listen to
His voice, then follow in obedience
There is nothing more important for us than to have a personal
one-on-one relationship with Jesus.
God can speak to us verbally, or to our minds or through the
Bible. The Holy Spirit will illuminate God's truth to you.
Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 28:15 the primary causes for
curses.
It shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the
Lord your God to observe all his commandments, curses will come upon you and
overtake you. Christian, the cause of curses is exactly the opposite of
blessings.
Blessings result from hearing and following God's directions,
while curses result from refusing to hear and act on what God says. If you sum
it up in one word it would be rebellion.
I encourage you to study Deut. 28. The blessings are listed
in verses 3-13 and curses in verses 16-68. You will find out that Moses goes
into a greater detail with curses. Here are a few: humiliation, barrenness,
unfruitfulness, mental and physical sickness, family breakdowns, poverty,
defeat, oppression, failure, God's disfavour. Some of the blessings are health,
prosperity, victory, God’s favour. As you are reading you will see in verse
13, that God desires that you would be the head and not the tail.
In a practical explanation I believe he is talking about us
taking control of our situations— not letting situations take control of us.
Friend, I will give you a few more items that may indicate a curse is at work.
Mental or emotional breakdown, accident prone, a history of suicides or
unnatural deaths, continuing financial insufficiency, marriage breakdown or
family alienation, chronic female problems
Although these or others might lead us to believe a curse is
in place, it is ONLY the Holy Spirit that can accurately diagnose your problem.
In James 3:5-6, 9-10 we see the tremendous power that words
have to effect people for good or evil.
It is important for us to realize that words are not the only
vehicle for curses to operate for they can work through objects as well.
In Leviticus 8 we see oil was used as a vehicle to impart
blessings.
In Exodus 20 we see God strictly forbids making of any kind
of idol. In fact they are warned that to break this commandment will bring
judgment, not only on themselves, but also to at least three following
generations.
If there are curses operating in our lives we need God to
illuminate the areas where they exist in our lives so they can be dealt with. It
is important for us to realize that blessings and curses don't just happen in an
unpredictable way. They operate according to God’s principles. Exodus 20 shows
us another example; curses can come from objects. Three of the main gods of
ancient Egypt were the vulture, the jackal and the cobra. Sometimes we are slow
to understand the absolute wickedness of idol worship. If we try to represent
God in a likeness of any created being whether human or animal, it is a
deliberate insult to the Creator— to God Himself.
Here’s a thought for you. You can probably think of a
country or culture that practices worshipping false gods. As you look at them,
it becomes obvious that a curse is in place and that it goes back many
generations. Another area where curses originate is from being involved with the
occult. Witchcraft is an expression of man’s rebellion against God. It’s man’s
attempt to gain without submitting to God’s laws.
There are three key words that expose the activity of
witchcraft: manipulate, intimidate, and dominate.
Witchcraft in its simplest form shows the corrupt fallen
nature of man. This is only the beginning, for satan then draws people in deeper
until they are actively obedient to him. Unfortunately, even in some Christian
circles, you see some Christians being duped into wearing or having objects such
as horse shoes, lucky coins, plus a whole host of other items or objects.
Believer, there is no way we should open the doors for satan to enter. Remember,
if satan is using a lucky horse shoe to go fishing and you buy into it by having
one [even though you think it’s just for fun], it opens a doorway. God is to
be our total and only source. He will never share His place with satan or any
object he controls.
What happens when you spill salt.
Do you throw some over your shoulder and say, ‘just in
case.’? Do you read your fortune cookie or your horoscope and if its okay say,
‘I’ll take that’. Do you keep a dream catcher or worry stones? Some many
of these items are activated by our words. For the most part we don't understand
the power of the spoken word. We need to guard our tongues for we can both
pronounce blessings and curses on ourselves and our families.
Math 12:36-37 gives us a warning about words that are spoken
carelessly. "but I say unto you that for every idle word men may speak,
they will give account of it in the day of judgement, for by your words you will
be justified or condemned".
Friend, here is a thought for you. We often allow foolish
words to come from our lips such as, "Wife, I hate the meal you
cooked" or "You look stupid in that outfit" or "Husband, you
make me sick the way you act" or "You must be crazy to buy that
Yamaha". What is really happening in these illustrations? I know you say it
was just in fun but what really happens? I submit to you that, first of all, you
have just spoken a negative blessing (in other words a curse) upon your wife who
you should be building up. I believe the wife is sick, not from her husband’s
actions, but rather from the words she just spoke. We hear people sayings
negative things all the time: ‘I can never make ends meet— my father was the
same’. ‘I can't afford to tithe’. ‘I hate those fat cats, they get
whatever they want, but nothing good ever happens to me’.
Or sometimes we speak the reverse: ‘If anything bad can
happen, it always happens to me’, or ‘I knew trouble was ahead’, ‘I am
just a clumsy (or unlucky) person — that's just the way I am’.
Or: ‘What is the use of living’? ‘Over my dead body...!’
‘I’d rather die than go on this way’. ‘What is the sense of trying? I
never get anywhere, besides no one cares. Who could love me anyhow? I am a
failure, that's just the way it is’.
Christian, for many years our own words have, without us
realizing it, opened the doors for evil spirits to start controlling parts of
our lives.
Isn’t it time to take back the control and break free?
Three things must take place for us to be
free.
We need to repent, then revoke, and finally replace.
First, we need to realize that we have either made a negative
confession or accepted one as true. Either way, we must repent from having said
it or for having believed it.
We must repent for receiving something that is not from God.
Then we must revoke it; in other words we must reject it. We
reject it on the truth of God’s Word and Who Jesus is.
Then we replace the negative words with a positive confession
of what God says about us and even the situation we find ourselves in.
Christian, we must learn to accept responsibility for the
words we speak. Matt.12:37 tells us by our words we will be justified or
condemned.
Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven; He was
wounded that we might be healed. Jesus took our sins on Himself. He bore our
shame that we might share His glory. Jesus gave His life, His all, that we might
share in all of the privileges of being King’s kids.
If you want to break out of the bondage of curses on your
life, here is a suggested prayer to bring you deliverance through Christ.
Do you have areas that may be under a curse?
Make your own List.
#1 _____________________________________
#2 _____________________________________
#3 _____________________________________
#4 _____________________________________
#5 _____________________________________
#6 _____________________________________
#7 _____________________________________
#8 _____________________________________
Stop assuming one way or the other. Spend the time asking God
for truth in these areas of your life. Have others that you trust stand with you
in prayer. Ask God to show you if you have objects you need to dispose of. Are
there patterns in your day to day life that allow things to happen? You can be
free.
A PRAYER OF DELIVERANCE.
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You are the Son of God and
the only way I can come to God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins and
rose again. I give up all my rebellion and all my sin, and I submit to You as my
Lord. I confess all my sins before You (name them). I ask for your forgiveness
especially in any area that exposed me to a curse. Release me from the
consequences of my ancestor’s sins. By a decision of my will, I forgive all
who have harmed me or wronged me in any way. In particular, I choose to forgive
(name them). I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic. If I have
any objects that may bring about any type of curse or cause me to stumble in any
way, I commit to destroy them. PLEASE MAKE ME AWARE OF ANY OBJECTS THAT I HAVE
THAT SHOULD BE DESTROYED. In the name of Jesus I cancel all of satan's claims
against me.
Lord Jesus, I believe that on the cross, You took on Yourself
every curse that could ever come upon me. I ask You now to release me from every
curse over my life in Your name, Lord Jesus Christ. By faith I now receive my
release and I thank You for it. Jesus, I now ask that I may receive everything
You have for me. In Jesus name, Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer, start attending a church if you are not
already. Consider this: do the people you hang around help or hinder your
Christian walk? Allow the word of God to renew your mind and spend time daily
praying and seeking God. Do not use any of this booklet as a formula; use it as
information and allow God to bring his plan for your freedom to completion. Let’s
not put God in a box but allow Him the freedom to do it His way.
At Least That's The Way I See It
Roger