Blessing and Cursing

Cursing, in most peoples’ minds, amounts to someone talking to them loudly with the inclusion of offensive words to the conversation. Another possibility would simply be the use of phrases like, “damn it!” or “I’ll be damned if…”

Looking to examples in Scripture of both blessings and curses reveals something different from these cultural examples. Asking the Spirit how to respond to people or situations frequently obtains good examples of how to speak or enact blessings.

Blessings include events like the passing on of a family’s heritage or purpose, such as Isaac’s blessing for Esau, which was stolen by Jacob, and could not be undone or redone (Genesis 27). In Luke 6, Jesus was instructing about blessings and curses when He began with the statement, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (v 27). He described actions and words that were blessings and curses.

To “condemn” means to do something “with” “damnation.” When we see an event or action, and our response is to shake our head back and forth with the hope that someone sees us doing it, we are pronouncing condemnation without words. Thumbs down.

Jesus marveled when a Roman centurion grasped the power that was produced by connecting faith with our authority. When we speak to announce what we believe to be a likely future in a situation, we are prophesying that future, even if we are too silly to be aware that we are. Stating our opinion that a certain event will only occur if there is a cold day in hell is cursing that event’s likelihood of happening.

“She’ll never amount to anything.” “They’ll get what’s coming to them.” “Damn it.” “Damn him.” You can make a long list of such phrases without my help… These are curses, and when pronounced by a human, in the earth (where humans have been given authority over all things by Yahweh in Genesis 9), even with a tiny bit of faith, has the power to harm.

Curses include doing things to prevent someone from prospering or being free. Blessings include the opposite. As you consider how much faith it takes to actually bless or curse, remember that, immediately after Peter walked on water, Jesus told him that he had very little faith. It, therefore, clearly didn’t take much faith to walk on the water (Matthew 14:31).

People in Nazareth cursed Jesus, preventing Him from doing many mighty works in their area by the power of their doubt over Him (Mark 6:1-6). Be intent on creating an environment where He can do many mighty works – around you and through you, by speaking blessings and breaking curses.