I believe that a major theme of the Bible is turning curses into blessings.  The curse was pronounced in Genesis, and the end of the curse is in Revelation.  I also believe that often the process of removing curses is “overcoming.”

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 28 is a good place to study curses and blessings.

A curse is the opposite of a blessing.  A blessing is some type of prosperity that is the result of good and positive words or deeds.  A curse is some type of failure caused or propagated by wicked or negative words or deeds.  In Deuteronomy 28 Moses lists the blessings if one obeys the commandments of God and the curses if one does not obey the commandments of God.

Exodus 34:5-8 says that curses are passed down to future generations.  “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7).

God’s original purpose was for us to have blessings passed down to future generations, which would have resulted from man’s free will in right relationship to Him.  However justice demands that if blessings can be passed down so must curses be passed down.

Curses and blessings are subject to the law of sowing and reaping.  If your grandfather sowed the sin of anger and rage, you and/or your children may be in line for far more anger and rage than your grandfather ever committed.  He sowed the seed, however the fruit is always more abundant than the seed.  If you do a little drinking of alcohol, don’t be surprised if your children or grandchildren are plagued with substance addictions including substances more dangerous than alcohol.  We have overcome physical infirmities that have been experienced by our ancestors.  While we have no idea how these originated, we do know that they were passed down.  However, with our overcoming we know that our children and their children will never have to suffer with these issues.  That “generation has passed away” (Matthew 23:34).

When Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34), I believe He was not only talking about the end of the world, but He also was referring to the generational curse in your individual life.  In Matthew 24 He was talking about all kinds of tragedies taking place as a prelude to the curse being overcome.  That process is overcoming.

In his book titled Blessing or Curse [1] Derek Prince defines some of the affects of a curse.  “…You, too, may have tasted success.  You do indeed know the sweetness of it-but it never lasts!  Suddenly, for no reason you can explain, you are dissatisfied.  Depression settles over you like a cloud.  All your achievements seem so insubstantial.  You look at others who appear content in similar circumstances, and you ask yourself, ‘What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I ever experience real fulfillment?’”  “Wrestling against shadows” is one of the phrases he uses.

In my experience, when I experienced the effects of a curse, whether it was a product of my own doing or something that was passed down through the generations, my self-esteem level was at zero.  I was made to feel like there was something terribly wrong with me, and I experienced great despair and hopelessness.  I want to add that this was during a time when I had a very intense relationship with the Lord.

People can react to this in difference ways.  Some just sink down under the weight of despair and give up, others become performance oriented and seek to establish their own self-esteem based upon their works.  I never gave up but rather gained relief on a daily basis by fellowshipping with the Lord in His Word.  I can remember the Lord teaching me during that time about curses and blessings, and about me.  Eventually God gave me my self-esteem based upon having my identity in Him.  Looking back, I think that the inner healing came before the actual curse was overcome and before circumstances started looking brighter.  I entreat you now, be honest with God.  Let Him know if there are areas in your life like this.  It will be the beginning of your freedom.  The truth will always make you free!

 

Jesus encountered several people who were bound with infirmities and/or demons that apparently were generational in nature.

In Mark chapter 9:17-29, Jesus cast a demon out of a young man who had been demon possessed from his childhood.  The disciples could not cast out this demon, and after Jesus did the job they asked Him about it.  “So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’” (Mark 9:29).  Apparently there were some issues that had to be dealt with besides the fact that a demon was present.

We need to see Jesus’ heart in dealing with generational spiritual bondages.  First, He wants us free.  Next, He is sovereign and often takes the initiative.  Also, He heals us without condemnation.  I am not saying that we will not be uncomfortable, or that God will not confront us with some tough issues and tough disciplines, but He does not condemn.  The Holy Spirit does convict, and we need to be mature and honest enough to allow Him to do so.

In John chapter 9, Jesus was walking with His disciples and He noticed a man blind from his birth.  How did He know the man was blind from birth?  Who knows?  Perhaps it was a word of knowledge, maybe God had spoken to Him in prayer the night before.  This man was not seeking healing, Jesus sought him out of a crowd.

John 9:2 says, “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’”  They thought that infirmities were due to sin, perhaps the sin of the parents, perhaps a deeper generational curse as Moses had discovered.  Jesus answered the question in a way that I believe the Amplified version states the best.  “Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him” (John 9:3 AMP).

Obviously all have sinned, including this man and his parents.  The point was, that Jesus saw a higher purpose in the infirmity and knew that focusing on whose sin caused it would not be merciful, nor would it produce a cure.  I believe Jesus was teaching that our “junk,” viewed from God’s perspective, was nothing more than raw material for “jewels.”

So it is with our generational curses.  I believe that Jesus has fasted and prayed, and that He comes to us with His power and converts our curses to blessings.  What I want to impart here is first, the knowledge of the subject, and second, how we can cooperate with God’s effort to free us.

Your purpose in life may never be realized if curses are not dealt with.

Many years ago I was taking an extended walk with the Lord.  In a moment of feeling that I wanted to totally consecrate myself to Him I said, “Lord, write your purpose on the tablet of my heart by the pen of the Word dipped into the ink of Holy Spirit.”  I just wanted whatever God wanted for my life, no more, no less.

I could see some sort of canvas inside of me with the Lord writing His plan on it for my life.  “Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.  Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 7:2,3).

The Lord responded, “I don’t have to write; the plan for your life was written on your heart before the foundation of the world.  The counterfeiter has stolen your canvas and has painted his plan on it, covering up My plan.  What needs to be done now is to scrape away the counterfeit paint.”

The Lord knew that I had met an artist one time that would steal beautiful paintings from galleries, not for their art beauty, but just for the value of the canvas.  He would then paint his work over the original.  This is the picture I saw.

I believe that God has a beautiful purpose for you, here on earth, one that will satisfy you beyond your greatest dreams, dreams that you may have never dreamed, but that are locked up inside of you (Ephesians 3:20).

I also believe that much of the counterfeit paint consists of old sin and especially generational curses, including things that happened to you when you were young, and things that happened to your forefathers before you were born.  I can tell you two things from my experience.  First, God has been taking me into my purpose, and is still working it out.  Second, it has not been easy; it has taken “overcoming” at every step of the way.  But nothing in life is easy, so why not go for the “gold.”

 

Abandonment is the requirement.

Abandonment is believing and trusting.  It is faith, and it really gets God’s attention.  If you do not live in total abandonment to God, most likely you will have many regrets when you see Jesus face to face.  When you abandon yourself in faith to Jesus, you set Him free to accomplish His purpose for your life.  You have to make room for Him or He will not operate.  I believe that when God sees your abandonment, He will begin your journey to turn your curses into blessings.

 

Here are some facts about generational curses extracted (in part) from the book Blessing or Curse. [2]

1.   The penalty for sin is the curse.  The curse of eternal separation is the ultimate curse.  If that has been settled, what about those of a lesser penalty?  If He annulled death, He also annulled your curse.

2.   A curse or a blessing is a supernatural power for good or for bad.  Deuteronomy 28:21 says they cling, verse 29 says none can save.

3.   Curses and blessings can be generational, passed down.  They can be on families, nations, races, and regions.

4.   Curses are usually propagated by words spoken, written or inward or by objects.

5.   Curses are like a long arm from the past.  Wrestling against shadows.

6.   The primary cause of a curse is not hearing and obeying God, Deuteronomy 28.

 

Some indications of a curse.

I do not believe that all of the following conditions always have to do with a curse, but they certainly make up a checklist to look into.  Please do not take all of these as absolute indications that there is a curse operating in your life.  I have seen exceptions.  These outlines are taken (in part) from the book Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince, referred to above.

 

1.   Mental or emotional breakdown.

2.   Repeated or chronic sicknesses, especially if hereditary.

3.   Barrenness, and/or a tendency to miscarry, or related female problems.

4.   Breakdown of marriage and family alienation.

5.   Continuing financial insufficiency.

6.   Being accident prone.

7.   A history of suicides and unnatural deaths.

8.   Rebellion.

9.   Demon activity.

10. Continuing failure, and the inability to succeed.

11. Inordinate sexual orientation.

12. Substance abuse such as alcohol and drugs.

13. Inordinate eating habits.

14. Other addictions.

 

If you feel that some of these may apply to you, don’t feel condemned, just convicted enough to be honest.  I have been delivered from many curses.  The problem is that many people do not wish to agree with God about their condition, therefore they cannot be delivered.  Allow Jesus to take your curse and your sin.  He already did, now just appropriate it.  Be honest with Him!  It may be less painful to avoid the truth, but you will stay in bondage.

Some sources of curses.

Deuteronomy 27:17 says the person that moves the boundaries is cursed.  God gave us boundaries, and when we transgress them, we are cursed.

1.   False Gods, Exodus 20:3-5.

2.   Idolatry (occult), Deuteronomy 27:15.

3.   Disrespect for parents, Proverb 30:17.

4.   Treachery…neighbor, Proverb 17:13.

5.   Injustice to the weak and poor, Proverb 28:27.

6.   Unnatural sex/incest, Leviticus 20:10-16.

7.   Anti-Semitism, Genesis 12:3, 27:29.

8.   Depending on the flesh, Jeremiah 17:5-7.

9.   Stealing/perjury, Zechariah 5:1-4.

10. Stinginess, Malachi 3:8-10.

11. Perverting the true Gospel, Galatians 1:8-9.

12. Living by legalism, by the Law, and not by grace, Galatians 3:10.

13. Self-imposed (speaking negative words, and/or personal sin), Genesis 27:11-13, Matthew 27:24-25.

14. Servants of Satan, others cursing you like Balaam and Goliath, Numbers 22:6, 23:11-13, 1 Sam. 17:43.

15. Deuteronomy 28:15 says that if we do not obey His commands, all these curses will come upon us.  Most of the time we recognize our sin, and when we confess it we are cleansed.  However, God commands us to “fear not.”  Fear, which is born out of an ignorance of God’s great love for us, can bring curses.  Fear can be the spirit connector to the curse.

Meeting the Conditions for breaking the curse.

A curse cannot attach itself without a cause. “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight” (Proverbs 26:2).

The way to make every curse have no cause is to cooperate in its transfer to Jesus, who bore it for us, and to hear and obey the Word of God.  When we miss it, we confess our sin and we come back into right standing and obedience.  (1 John 1:9).

 

Removal of the curse was a promise to Israel.

We, the church, are reaping the benefits of the New Covenant ahead of time.  Natural Israel will also enter into the New Covenant as told by Jeremiah.  Jeremiah describes the promise in Jeremiah 31:29-34.  However verses 29-30 gives a great picture that I urge you to keep in your mind and spirit.  “In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’  But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29,30).

Jesus was the fulfillment of this promise.  “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)” (Galatians 3:13).

 

Jesus took Barabbas’ curse and yours as well.

Matthew 27:16 says that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner.  There were three crosses on Golgotha.  The two on either side were made for criminals. Was the middle cross made for, Jesus?  No, It was made for Barabbas.  Jesus took his place.  Isaiah 53 says that Jesus took our place.

 

 

Isaiah 53:4-6 says, “Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

The steps for becoming free from a curse are:

1.   Confess your faith in the finished work of the Cross, that Jesus took every curse that could come on you.  Lift up Jesus, as the Israelites lifted up the snake on the brass pole (Numbers 21).  Place the reaping of the consequences of sin, perhaps that of your forefathers or even your own, on the Cross.

2.   Confess your faith that Jesus is the Son of God, the only way to God, and that He died on the Cross and rose again.

3.   Repentance is a powerful way to deal with curses. Repent from all rebellion and sin, and submit to Jesus as Lord.  This may include your personal repentance as well as corporate repentance for your family or whoever is affected by this curse.  In the case of our children, we should repent for them, and for our forefathers who may have passed this curse down as well as for ourselves.  Look back at your forefathers’ sins and forgive them.  Then put the fruit of those sins on the Cross of Jesus who bore their fruit.  Look at yourself and ask God to forgive you.  Then look forward and ask God to forgive your children and pray to put the fruit of generational curses on Jesus instead of on them.  Repentance in this manner is powerful.  My wife and I can testify to that.  We have seen supernatural blessings occur in this area.

4.   Claim forgiveness for all of your sins, especially for the sins that exposed you to a curse.  Ask for release from consequences of your ancestor’s sins.

5.   Forgive others who have wronged you or disappointed you.

6.   Renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic, including objects that represent them.

7.   Replace the void created with the Word of God.  Ask God to give you the Word that will counteract the curse you have renounced.  Then meditate upon it, memorize it, and continually confess it.

 

Overcoming a curse may come immediately or it may take some time.

Often it takes a period of time to become totally loosed from the affects of a curse.  With some it is immediate, with me it has more often required a lengthy process.  I am not trying to bottle up God in a formula.  He can work any way He wills.  I am just giving you what my experience has been and how it has lined up with Scripture.  We have seen victory and overcoming when we have lived out the overcoming lifestyle as I have explained.  “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).  We have also seen immediate manifestations of the path of healing and deliverance when we identified the problem and confessed our sin with repentance.  Our job is to be honest and repent, God has the plan and the path customized for your life.

Pull the chain around the tree.

I heard someone from Derek Prince ministries tell a wonderful way to stand once we meet the conditions.  He used the analogy of a giant Redwood tree.  Sometimes they do not simply saw them down.  Instead they will wrap a chain around the huge trunk and tighten it with a winch.  Every so often they come and tighten up a few more notches.  The tree is dead once this happens, yet it still has great foliage on it.  Every so often the workmen come back and tighten the chain, more and more, until the manifestation of the death is obvious.  When we meet the conditions as stated above, our curse is also dead, but it may still have fruit and foliage.  Just continue to tighten up your chain by living the overcoming lifestyle!

That is what we are doing as we position ourselves to be free from curses in our lives.  We have strapped down the chain.  Now simply tighten it by living the overcoming lifestyle.  Remember to “keep your garden clean,” or in other words, walk a life worthy of the Lord as in Ephesians 4:1.  Stay out of strife and live your life in love and forgiveness.

Suggested prayers.

Scriptural basis: “Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that on the cross you took every curse that could come on me.”

Faith in Christ: “You are the Son of God, the only way to God; you died on the cross and rose again.”

Repentance: “I give up all rebellion and sin, and I submit to you as Lord and Master.”

Claim forgiveness: “I confess all my sins and ask your forgiveness, especially for sins that exposed me to a curse.  Release me also from consequences of my ancestors' sins.”

Forgive: “By a decision of my will, I forgive all who have wronged or disappointed me--just as I want God to forgive me.”

Renounce: “I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic.  If I have “contact objects” I commit myself to destroy them.  I cancel all Satan's claims against me.”  (See pp. 68-71 of Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose for list of occult practices.  See pp. 121-124 of They Shall Expel Demons [3] for five signs of a cult.)

Release: “I ask you now to release me from every curse over my life.  In your Name, Jesus, I release myself.

 

Now receive the exchange.

Blessings	Curses
Exaltation	Humiliation
Reproductiveness	Barrenness
Health	Sickness of all kinds
Prosperity	Poverty or failure
Victory	Defeat
Authority (head)	Helplessness (tail)
Above (strength)	Beneath (weakness)

 

Here is the point to remember.  God’s solution for us is to see and believe.

There is a spiritual reality behind everything in the natural realm.  The spiritual and invisible world is all around us but we cannot see it with our natural eyes.  It is upholding everything that we can see with our eyes.  Paul prayed in Ephesians chapter 1 that the people would have eyes to see the spiritual world.  Ephesians 1:17,18 says, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”  When we see the truth of the spiritual world, we will know the truth and we will be free, as Jesus said in John chapter 8.

Paul’s prayer is that you and I may see the riches of the glory that is our inheritance.  What is this glory?  Colossians 1:27 says, “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  The glory, the blessing is, Christ in you!  You, the old person that is subject to curses, have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), however the new man, Christ in you, is now living.  And guess what, Christ in you cannot be subject to curses!

We must see the good and the bad.

First you see the positive, that you were born again with the resurrected Christ who is now living in you, and who is not subject to being under a curse.  Christ is not merely your example for living, He is not just somebody out there in Heaven helping you, but He has become your substitute, living His life in you instead of you living your old life.

God, in His mercy, will help you to see yourself.  As you stay close to God and spend time with Him in prayer and the Word, the Holy Spirit will convict you of strongholds, habits, and attitudes that are not Christlike.  Use this reason: if Christ is living in me, then what is this in me that is not Christlike?  This conviction is a gift of repentance from God.  As you feel and sense bitterness, anger, jealousy, lust, etc., immediately bring it to Him as sin.  Ask God to show you from where this originated.  Open all of the doors of your heart and allow God to come into the closed areas of your life.  Only He can heal them.  Daniel was not harmed in the lion’s den because, as the Scripture says, he was innocent with God.  The Hebrew word for innocent is transparent - Daniel 6:21.

In years past, before I knew much at all about curses and blessings, God was releasing me from curses through my simple honesty and transparency with Him.  I would continually look into the Word as a mirror and allow it to read me.  Then I would confess all things in me that did not look like Jesus.  This is really what you need to be free!

The fact that curses are attempting to overtake you is based upon a lie!

If Christ lives in you, then the issue of curses hurting you is legally settled.  However now you must possess that truth for yourself by seeing and believing.  You must continue to see what is going on in the spiritual realm and affirming the truth of what you see.  That is the only way to make it, because some curses don’t just release the next day.  Some demonic strongholds don’t just go away like a scared dog.  It may take patience and a lot of time affirming and testifying to the truth of the Cross.  At the same time you must live a holy life, in other words an honest life, so that your testimony is effective with God and with Satan.  It may take some time for your mind to become renewed or the genetic factors to change, but as you continue to see and believe you are overcoming.

Seeing is your God given heritage as a child of God  “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9,10).

 

Remember our previous statements regarding curses.

While they are not desirable in our lives, they can be the raw material for “jewels” for the Kingdom of God.  Remember the theme of the Book of Revelation.  We saw Jesus at God’s throne holding our Scroll with our curses recorded therein.  After the process in Revelation, we see in its final chapters jewels making up God’s Kingdom.

On the Cross Jesus was cursed.  In Hell He was cursed.  But God spoke resurrection life into Him and He is now King!  That same resurrection life spoken to you will also transform you and your life.

 

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[1] Prince, Derek.  Blessing or Curse. Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books, 1990

 

[2] Prince, Derek.  Blessing or Curse. Grand Rapids, MI:: Chosen Books, 1990

[3] Prince, Derek.  They Shall Expel Demons. Grand Rapids, MI:: Chosen Books, 1998