curses

BREAKING GENERATIONAL CURSES

Evangelist Todd Bentley

In this new teaching article on different curses and blessings in the bible. You will learn about specific curses of sickness, infirmities, poverty, witchcraft, death and many more. We will also talk some specifically about how they are passed down through the generational lines. We will also share revelation on the curse of the law, what it is and how to be free from it, the blessing of Abraham, and more. This teaching is a must for everybody who needs deliverance in their life, finances or family from the curse of sin, sickness, disease, death and poverty. If you are not experience the full blessings and promise of God this teaching will share with you what to do and how to be free to experience the full manifestation of blessing in your life.

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THE CURSE OF THE LAW

(Galatians 3:13-14)

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"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Where did the curse of the law come from and how did it start? In Gen chapter 3 after mans fall. Before man fell in the garden there was no sickness or disease in the earth.

(Romans 5:12)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden death came. Death opened the way for the curse which opened the door to sickness, disease, death, decay and poverty. The curse affected three major areas of life. First the spirit man, relationship with God was broken. The second was the soul realm, mind, will and emotions. The third would be in health the physical body. The Curse of the law is also found in Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

What is the law of sin and death? There are two kinds of death caused by sin, one is spiritual death that requires the forgiveness of sin and the other natural death through sickness or disease, which requires the healing of disease. ( Ps 103 ) That is why we have the connection as well in James to forgiveness and healing ( James 5:16) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. The curse of the law works in five major categories. These are sin, sickness, disease, death and poverty and affects us in the body, soul and spirit.

God's promise is (3 John 2)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Have you ever felt like you were not experience the full manifestation of what God promised even though you claimed it positionaly? There may be a curse hinders the full release of God's power.

WHAT IS THE DEFINTION OF A CURSE?

A Curse is evident in a person's life by continued defeats, unseen resistance that seems to hinder your every decision and there is no obvious reason why. Patterns of struggle evident in your family whether it is inherit sickness or financial lack.

A Definition of a curse - by Derek Prince

A curse or a blessing is a word spoken with some particular form of spiritual power and authority either for good or evil that sets in motion something that will probably go on from generation to generation.

It has three attributes:

1. Pronounced audibly (can be written or wished as well)

2. Continues on in time - generation to generation

3. Usually are not just individual, but family-oriented

GENERATIONAL CURSES

People ask me Todd is there a need to receive deliverance from curses after we receive salvation? Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. We are no longer affected by the curses in Deut 28.

I do believe that the curse is to have no power in our lives and we have the right to be free. Salvation is a process of working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Also I believe in divine healing and by his stripes we were healed. Do we struggle with sickness? Is there a need to contend for the full promise of God in our lives? The bible is our road map to every spiritual blessing but experienced truth, application and positional truth are two different things. The devil is wanting to resist Gods blessing in your lives. In Romans Chapter 6 Paul the apostle speaking to born again Christians deals with the reality of the power of the curse of the law (sin) functioning in our lives when we choose to sin after being saved.

(Romans 6:12)

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

(Romans 6:16)

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Then we have Paul the apostle warn us in Eph 4:27 "Nor give place to the devil". The word here for place is translated 'inroads, avenue or opportunity'.

Another example of a curse is Abraham the father of faith, when God said to him:

(Gen 12:3) I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

This is a promise today, old or New Testament. Abraham was before the law. In Abraham all families are blessed and in the same all can be cursed who curse Israel. We can still see this throughout history how this has started wars and brought tremendous sadness and sorrow in many nations. God has also ordained blessings today.

(Psalm 122:6) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.

(Numbers 24:9) He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? "Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you."

(Deut 28:45-46) "Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever."

(Ex 20:5) You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.

These verses deal with a generational curse. Some don't believe in the power of the curse of the past but they believe in word curses in Proverbs.

(Prov 18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

(Prov 12:18) There is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.

CURSES IN OUR LIVES

Here are some different scenarios of how curses can work in our lives. Around the world we have dealt with each one in ministry scenarios and more. We hear people today say this happened to my grandfather, I feel like I am paying for my father's mistakes or this is just the way it has always been in the family.

I know to many that have developed learning disabilities from the word curses spoken over their lives, You are stupid, You will be dumb like your father, You can never do anything right and they become that word curse and never succeed.

Their are those wounded in their emotions today and words have forever shaped their personalities. I know a woman who told me she was pretty ugly and year's later feels that way. When she looks at herself she is in her eyes ugly when in fact she is very beautiful and could even be model material having been asked to model in pictures.

I have a friend that has always been plagued with poverty regardless of bettering himself in school, computer training, and hard work ethics. He has done everything within his own strength, fasting, tithing, devotion to God, faithfulness you name it. He has never prospered though he had the most giving heart of many I have met. I believe it is a curse of poverty which has been passed down and is now resisting, restricting & choking out the blessing that

should be in his life.

I know of many people who struggle with this but of one man specifically who feels like something is out to get him. He has wondered who it is that is opposing my success. I am not in any sin I know of and I have done all the right things to prosper. He is clumsy, sloppy and klutzy in almost everything he does. I have been a witness seeing him tripping over his feet, breaking what he touches and I have thought there is a curse around him of some sort.

The curse of under achievements and lack has long been a part of my own family. Some of the hardest workers in the family struggle to do anything else than laborer work. Part time employment, I was raised on welfare. Few that I know in my family finished regular high school education. Even as a new Christian I sensed a spiritual cap to attaining excellence. I had developed a poverty mindset and had resolved my self to why would it be any different for me.

I know many ministries, gifted and anointed, gifts of preaching and teaching.

They are called of God to great things. Their ministry never had enough; the church would never grow passed a certain number less than a hundred. Some had to work part time and there seemed to always be a lack not just in money but in numbers. The poverty curse said "Todd, why should you expect any different report than theirs".

I had to break the poverty curse that seemed to linger and whisper in my ear "you don't deserve more, be satisfied with what you have if God wanted you to have more then you would have it. Resolve yourself to your present circumstances it is who you and your family history has always been". I sensed a hidden power resisting anything good and believed that when any abundance would happen to me I would quickly lose it. Companies I worked for went broke, others never had enough work. When I looked for employment I sensed a resistance to favor. God spoke to me about all of this and my poverty mindset of small. I stopped repenting for asking big, dreaming big and never being satisfied with what I had, though thankful, I believed for more. The curse is broken and now its favor, favor, favor like a river. Opportunities are always knocking.

I minister to individuals like this man the other day with a crippling brain disorder. 8 out of 10 people in his family already died of the rare brain disease. This is a generational curse. I have found in my own life I am just like my father. My mother used to say you are just like your father and many times the father like his father and so on. We see sons inheriting the ungodly traits of alcoholism, pornography or different addictions. The same with mothers and daughters or vice versa sons and mothers. I minister around the world in healing meetings and countless times I will minister to one with the same infirmity as their grandmother and mother. The sister has it to. I just prayed for healing the other day for two young boys with osteoporosis in the spine and spinal conditions of scoliosis before they were teenagers.

Numerous times I have called out words of knowledge for individuals who have been afflicted with sickness since returning from the mission's field. Do you remember an encounter with witchcraft or a curse spoken over their life? I have called out words of knowledge like accidents several in your life and a history of accidents and trauma in your family. Some people find themselves in the same abusive relationship or trauma just finds them repeatedly. There may be a history of certain kinds of trauma or abuse in the family.

There are to many testimonies of reoccurring sickness in the family or you get sick and sick and sick again. An endless cycle of sickness in your body and even family. How many times the medical and scientific tests fail to confirm your illness and the doctor says this is inherited. How many people in your family have heart disease or diabetes. God created us as a 3 part being and if one part doesn't function right its like a car with only three wheels. God's design has always been that we be a whole man. Right in relationship with him (spirit) healed in our emotions (souls) and healed of every sickness and disease (body). Curses are designed to keep us from the fullest experience of Gods blessing.

DIFFRENT CURSES AND HOW THEY OPERATE

Curses do not have effect without a cause.

(Prov 26:2) Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.

Here is a brief list of how curses can work in our lives :

1. Curses are released by words we speak.

(Prov 18:21) "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit".

On numerous occasions, especially while praying for pastor's wives who take most of the judgment, complaints and gossip in the church, I have found that they are the objects of slander, criticism and back biting. This can give power to the enemy to afflict them with infirmity. This promise in Isaiah is a great way to be free from how you have been affected by the words others have spoke.

(Isaiah 54:17) No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. Be sure to first repent of any times you have slandered, gossiped, judged, criticized or spoke evil of any other. Then release them in Jesus name. God I release any man or woman affected by my speech and break in Jesus name how my words have affected them. Release them now I pray. Then you can ask the same of the Lord for you.

2. Objects

I believe that even different objects we have in our homes can be a open door for curses. I remember the story of a young girl aged five or so with a cabbage patch doll in the home. She said that it would turn into a old woman and torment her at night. They threw it away and it stopped. I use to have different kinds of music in my home even after I was first saved. I remember how evil spirits were tormenting my mother at night and I was sensing the presence of demons. When I got rid of it, even though I was not listening to it, it stopped.

Maybe you have something in your home even put away that needs to be cleaned out. Could be a picture you're holding onto, a good luck charm or a symbol of demonic power. I have traveled around the world and at times I pick up different crafts and what not, toys and gifts for the kids. Many times the very night I bring it home and every night after until we got rid of it my one daughter had nightmares. I brought an African drum home and every night my son was tormented with nightmares. God showed my wife the drum may have been used in rituals in Africa so we got rid of it and the dreams stopped. In the same way God worked miracles by Paul's hands so that aprons and handkerchiefs were brought to the sick and demonized and they were healed. (Acts 19:11) God uses the symbol of oil to empower and sanctify and HE even uses the emblems of communion to impart the blessing of the blood and body of the Lord. Witchdoctors and witches do the same with different symbols that represent healing or sorcery. They deliver curses by placing them on different articles of clothing, objects or even animals.

Remember the curse of defeat in Israel because of Achans sin.

(Joshua 7:10-11) So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff".

3. Disobedience to God in a area of our life.

(Deut 28:15) "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you...".

Any area of disobedience to any of Gods words and principals can be the open door.

4. Witchcraft curses.

I have prayed for people many times who have felt a tight band against their head or a pressure resisting them and it is witchcraft. The power of witchcraft is an external attack unless you have opened the door through continued sin and rebellion. I have had to break witchcraft off numerous people who have been controlled, manipulated and dominated in a relationship with a wife or husband, family or even ministry. The power of witchcraft works like prayer in many ways but their intent is harm. They petition, request and loose evil spirits or the devil himself to cause harm or tempt, destroy, work through others, or to add circumstances to afflict your life. They may not be able to directly hurt me but others and situations around me that create external struggle and even more when I am defeated by them. Witchcraft or sorcery can work through some of the following:

1. Any objects used in idolatrous worship. These can even be so called Christian religious items.

2. Any objects that represent or illustrate false religions or occultist practice.

3. Any items that have been used as a vehicle of the occult to bring harm or even good like healing or blessing. If the person invoking the supernatural power is of the occult it carries a curse.

4. Superstitious objects like a rabbit's foot, lucky coin, a religious figure or horoscope, crystal or a charm.

5.Generational Curses

(Deut 28:45-46) Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever.

These are the sins of the fathers or Spirits of infirmity passed down through the family lines. The same devils that had an opportunity to work through those in your family through witchcraft, alcohol, drugs, sex, and the spirit of false religion, still believe it has a right to you. Remember, all the curses in the verses Deut 15-45 God has ordained to come upon your descendants forever or until there is repentance.

6. False Religion and images.

God has also ordained curses on false religion and idol images.

(Deut 27:15) Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.

We see this around the world in nations given over to believing in many God's, idols, and religions. There destruction, confusion, poverty and all kinds of disease.

7. Rebellion and our parents.

(Eph 6:1-3) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

8. When we make another man stumble.

9. Sexual sins.

(Deut 27: 20-23) Cursed is the one who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's bed. Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal. Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother. Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.

10.Forget the poor.

(Prov 28:27) He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

11. Dishonest in our business dealings or life's affairs.

We don't cut corners, that is a way of repaying evil for good. One man said to me recently Todd to make it in this economy we need to be shady in our deals. Another man I know and I can even testify that years ago not being honest with welfare or unemployment earnings when I collected monies was a hindrance to Gods blessing.

12. Religion and dead works.

(Jer 17:5) Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord.

When we put our trust in traditions, rituals, and our own dead works we are not depending on the supernatural grace of God. Man always wants to help God do what he said he would do and we end up with an Ishmael instead.

BREAKING GENERATIONAL CURSES ~ PART 2 of 2

Evangelist Todd Bentley

http://www.freshfire.ca

BLESSINGS AND CURSES

In Deut 28 the bible describes the blessings and curses in scripture. Almost all blessings and curses in this chapter can be categorized in three major areas of your life that affect body, soul and spirit. I have looked at some teaching recently in my studies on different kinds of curses and an interesting breakdown similar to my own studies on this subject we are discussing in Deut 28 has also been taught to some degree by Derek Prince. I have found his teaching on curses and blessing to be some of the best I have read or heard preached.

Remember the number one reason curses can happen:

(Deut 28:15) "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:"

This verse is the major open door for the curse in our lives. It may be disobedience to the principals of giving and tithing or disobedience in our devotion or a specific word and strategy we received from the lord. Too many times it is unconfused or ongoing hidden sin in an specific area in our lives.

It is important if you feel that an area in your life or ministry is being affected by a curse that you ask the Lord for the open door and what place the enemy has to legally torment you. Remember what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians, "Nor give place to the devil" The word place is inroads, avenue or opportunity.

Deut 28:1 - 13 lists the specific blessings of God.

The blessings listed in these verses affect our lives in these areas: Exaltation, Divine Health, Fruitfulness, Prosperity, Favor and Victory. These blessings are similar to the blessing of Abraham. If I am redeemed from the curse of the law and made to receive the blessing of Abraham. What is the blessing of Abraham?

ABRAHAM'S BLESSING

Abrahams blessing was similar to the blessings in Deut 28. They are found here:

(Genesis 12:2) "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing".

1. I will make you a great nation. (fruitful)

2. Make your name great. (Exaltation & favor)

3. You will be a blessing (financial) God made Abraham very rich in gold and livestock.

Then here in: (Gen 24:35) "The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys".

4. Victory and not defeat. (Gen 14:20 ) Who has delivered your enemies into your hands.

5. Another blessing was the Presence of God (Gen 26:3) God said to Isaac I will be with you!

Then again in: (Gen 28:15) "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

All these blessings were passed on to Isaac and then to Jacob and all the descendants of Abraham (All Families)

(Genesis 12:3) "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

SPECIFIC CURSES IN THE BIBLE

(Deut 16 - 68) lists the specific curses. The curses affect our lives in the areas of humiliation, barrenness or unfruitfulness, mental and physical sickness, family problems, poverty, defeatism, oppression, failure and lack of favor.

I have given many examples of curses we have dealt with in ministry situations. This is a list by Derek Prince of indications of a curse in your life. I will share some more about how these curses may have access in our lives.

1. Mental or emotional break down

2. Repeated chronic sickness

3. Barrenness, a tendency to miscarry or conceive

4. Breakdown of family and marriage

5. Financial lack

6. Accident prone

7. Suicides and unnatural or untimely deaths.

MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL BREAK DOWN

(Deut 28:28,34,20,65) These verses describe confusion of heart and mind, being driven mad, a weak heart and anxious mind or a despairing heart (depression)

REPEATED CHRONIC SICKNESS

(Deut 28:21-22 and verses 27,28,35,59,61) Some sicknesses mentioned here are plagues, plagued with diseases, wasting disease, severe burning fever, inflammation, boils, tumors, scabs or sores, incurable itching (skin disorders) blindness, fearful prolonged plagues, serious sickness and prolonged diseases and every other kind of sickness and plague.

BARRENESS - A TENDANCY TO CONCEIVE OR MISCARRY

(Deut 28:18) "Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks".

These curses can affect female problems in reproduction such as conceiving, carrying to term, menstrual conditions, cramping issues of blood, tumors, fibroids, cysts and structural damages and defects to the ovaries or cervices.

Many of these conditions can be a result of sexual uncleanness or a soul tie never broken that formed through a sexual encounter. Maybe there is a curse of death because of an ungodly conception, abortion or even the mother's sin in your conception.

BREAK DOWN OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE

(Deut 28:41) "You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity". These curses can affect salvation in the family, drugs, rebellion, divorce, family strife and breakdown of relationships.

(Malachi 4:6) "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

FINANCIAL LACK

(Deut 28:17,29 and in verses 47-48) There are many in the church today that do all the rights things and still fail to prosper. Pray and ask the Lord is there a unresolved business deal or a unrighteous use of money. Am I tithing and giving to the Lord? Have I fulfilled all my obligations and promises with resources or what about my father did he repay what was stolen or use money unrighteously? Am I giving to the poor?

(Prov 19:17) "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given".

ACCIDENT PRONE

(Deut 28:29) "And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you".

This includes freak accidents like numerous car wrecks or frequent injuries to the same arm or body part. Klutzy and clumsily I break everything I touch and fall over my own two feet.

SUICIDE AND UNNATURAL OR UNTIMELY DEATHS

We see the spirit of death at work today. I remember thinking that my life would pass by sixty and I had little faith for 90 or a 100. I know others who want to die young or numerous ones in your family already have. Others speak their own death date and still many are tormented with thoughts of death, despair, hopelessness and suicide. If you have been pregnant with child and had an abortion or miscarried there may be a need to rebuke the death in the womb. This spirit can cause premature sickness, incurable disease and cancers.

Take some time to specifically go through this list, ask the Lord about cause, repent of any area where the Holy Spirit illuminated. Then begin to pray for God to remove the effects of the curse and rebuke it specifically.