This belief has resulted in the need to specialize in breaking “word” and “generational” curses that come against Christians because they are generally blamed for various problems one might encounter.
A foundational truth of Christianity is that no weapon, including a curse (or hex), can “prevail” against a Born-Again Christian. There is no evidence in the Bible that a Christian can be tormented by a demonic curse. Every tongue “that accuses you” (Isa 54:17) and brings condemnation and judgment is invalid because Christians have been justified and made righteous. They are now positionally in Christ Jesus. He is their advocate and vindicator.
The Definition of a “Curse”
Webster’s Dictionary defines the word "curse” as a “prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one, something that is cursed or accursed, evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation or as retribution, a cause of great harm or misfortune."
The word “curse” is used in the Old Testament to express doom, misfortune, revenge, harm, injury, passion, or impatience (See Gen 3:14-17, 4:11). Sometimes the word was used as a prayer and was believed to possess the power to bring the evil prayed for. Some curses pronounced in Scripture are actually predictions (See Gen 9:25; 27:29, 49:7; Deut 27:15; Josh 6:26, Numbers 22-24, 1 Sam 17:43).
In the New Testament, the Greek word for “curse” means to declare something, or someone, to be hateful or detestable; to belittle, vilify, condemn, or doom. It is a pronunciation of judgment. The Bible says “If anyone does not love the Lord” or “those that preach another gospel are cursed.” (1 Cor 16:22; Gal 1:8-9 NIV). Jesus commanded His disciples to, "Bless them that curse you" (Luke 6:28).
The Curse of the Law
In the New Testament, the Old Testament Law is considered a curse because it pronounces a curse upon everyone "who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them" (Gal 3:10 NIV). The sinner's doom had been declared and escape is impossible.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, death came. Adam’s sin opened the way for the curse, which opened the door to sickness, disease, war, famine, death, and poverty.
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Rom 5:12-13 NIV)
The Bible says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal 3:10, 13 NIV). On the Cross Jesus redeemed every Born-Again Christian from the curse of the Law, having become a curse so that the blessings of Abraham might come upon them, and they would receive the promise of Holy Spirit through Trusting-Faith.
The Sins of the Father
Every man and woman born is cursed by the ancestral sin of Adam! (See 1 Cor 15:22) However, if they become a Born-Again Christian, the curse of sin is removed. The old nature, which was positionally inherited from their father Adam, died when they made Jesus their Lord and Savior. Now, all things are new, and they are not under any kind of bondage to their former life.
The Ten Commandments teach that children would be affected by their father's sin. All sin is sin and all people sin. Through Adam, the sin nature was passed on. Parents are the most significant role model for their children. Their sinful behavior is most often mirrored and practiced by the children. Each child is individually responsible for their sin and suffers the same consequences as do the parents because of their own behavior. This cycle can be broken any time by repenting and doing what is right.
If a Christian’s parents, or their ancestors, committed all kinds of hideous sin, they don’t have to worry about living under any kind of curse if they are Born-Again because Jesus has “qualified” them “to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” They have been “rescued…from the dominion of darkness and brought… into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom” they “have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:12-14 NIV).
Christians don’t have to spend years searching the "roots" of their past in “endless genealogies” (1 Tim 1:4) because they have just one spiritual ancestor – God! He is their true Father! God is not under any kind of curse so they can’t inherit a curse from Him.
The sins that are often seen running through families, such as divorce, anger, alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity, and so on, are most often handed down from one generation to another through bad role models and training. As an example, if alcoholism runs in a family, then a person shouldn’t drink alcohol! That way it won’t ever be a problem for them. The choice to reap the consequences of a father’s sin is theirs alone.
Every human being is born under the curse of sin. They are all individually responsible for their own actions. People are not victims of curses placed on them through no fault of their own, or by the wrong actions of previous generations. The simple truth is that their sins are their own responsibility, not anyone else's!
The Born-Again Christian is no longer responsible for - or subject to - the sins of their father’s or the generational consequences of their family blood-line because:
“there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:1-2 NIV)
The blood of Jesus has already broken every curse from a Christian’s life, or that may be in their bloodline. Because they are righteous in standing before God, they are redeemed from the "curse of the Law” (Gal 3:13-14 NIV).
If a person under the Old Covenant Law, which was comprised of hundreds of laws, did not keep one aspect of the Law, they were put under a curse as a hater of God. Jesus said that He came “to fulfill” the Law and that all the laws of the Old Testament “hang on”…”two commandments ”; 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and 'Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 5:17, 22:37-40 NIV).
Jesus also said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command”…”He who does not love me will not obey my teaching” (John 14:15, 24 NIV). If a person is Born-Again they are now numbered among the “upright”, “those who love” Him and their “children…will be blessed”. (Psalm 112:2 NIV). When they sin (and they will because that is what “sinners” do!) they will come under His correction and not His curse.
Jesus spoke to the Church and said, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline” (Rev 3:19 NIV). So, when a Christian sins they are to “obey the voice of the Lord” (Deut 28:45), admit their failure, acknowledge responsibility, and be passionately diligent to “repent.” That is what breaks sin’s curse. The enemy cannot use the sins in a person’s family tree against the Born-Again Christian because they are no longer under a curse.
The Ineffectual Curse
Curses can’t come to rest and have an effect on a Christian who walks in holiness and humility. Balaam couldn’t curse the people that God had blessed (See Deut 23:5). David wasn’t hurt by Shimei's curse (See 2 Sam 16:5-12), but was instead blessed by God with good (See Ps 109:28).
“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. (Prov 26:2 NIV)
The curse that is pronounced against the humble Christian will, instead, fall on the one who spoke the curse because the Born-Again Christian has been pronounced innocent, and their sins have been washed away, by the shed blood of Jesus.
