Jacob, in what amounts to his last significant act as a patriarch and as the heir to Isaac and Abraham, was to pronounce blessings upon each of his sons. But he cursed Reuben, his reason was that Reuben defiled his bed, when he slept with Bilhah, his concubine which was an abomination. “And Jacob called unto his sons, and said; Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the Excellency of dignity, and the Excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.” (Genesis 49:2-4) The curses that Jacob placed on Reuben came to past; the tribe of Reuben is unstable as water and never excelled. No prophet, no judge, or no king came from the tribe of Reuben. Reuben is a great example of how the first can be last. (Matthew 19:30)
The Meaning of Curses
The Oxford advanced learner’s Dictionary defines Curses as a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something, an offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.
The cause of curses
The major cause of curses in the life of man is disobedience (Not listening to God’s voice, not doing what He says); disobedience is a sin. Sin is what creates a landing space for curse in our lives. If there is no sin in a life, curse will have no hold on that life. Curses have greatest power where the person who has been cursed has committed some great act of wickedness. The reverse is also true, curses have little or no power over a righteous person and Proverbs says that a curse without cause will not alight on the head of a righteous man. The disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, bought in curse for the first time into the life of man, “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: 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. 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. 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;Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”(Genesis 3:14-19) God promised to bless those that listen to His voice, “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28) and He also promised to curse those that fail to listen to His voice, “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:15)
If your life is affected by sterility, barrenness, constant lack of success and failure to gain any sort of ascendancy no matter how hard you try then a curse may be in operation.
Types of Curses
Curse of God
This is where people disobey His word (Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 28:15). The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. (Proverbs 3:33, Deuteronomy 28:15)
Curse of Man
When someone has lawful authority over you, a parent has over a child. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death (Matthew 15:4, Exodus 20:12). Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)
Self-Inflicted Curse
Speaking words that bind, limit or belittle your self can bring about a selffulfilling curse (see Job 3:25). It’s best to keep your words edifying. 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.(Matthew 27:24-25)
Curse of the Accursed
Thirty six men lost their lives at Ai because of Achan, the son of Carmi; who took the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel forthat act. Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. (Joshua 7:11-12)
Generational/Inherited Curse
Generational curses have been one major area that has battled a lot people. In some families, certain ailments run throughout the various generations. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. (Exodus 20:5, Genesis 3:14-19, Genesis 49:4)
How to Obtain Freedom from Curses
Christ provided all that you’ll ever need to get free from every curse in your life when He became a curse for you on the cross. (Gal. 3:13) Now, it’s up to you to appropriate His grace by doing the following four steps:
- Recognize and acknowledge the area of bondage and, if possible, the source of the curse, the door through which it entered your life.
- Confess all sin involved whether your own or your ancestor’s (Leviticus 26:40).
- Forgive everyone who’s ever hurt or disappointed you, and break all ungodly ties in those relationships.
- Now, renounce all involvements and attachments to any curse or accursed thing.
- Finally, exercise the authority you have in Christ to release yourself (or your children) from the power of any curse. Bind any demonic spirits involved and Verbally command the demons to release their hold on your life and leave you in the name of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:19)
