In Genesis 27:28-29 we read, “May God give you—from the dew of the sky and from the fatness of the land—an abundance of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you and may nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers. May your mother’s sons bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and may those who bless you be blessed.” (TLV)
We are studying in detail as to what are the true blessings on the basis of the word of God. If we were to define blessings they are words that are pronounced on a person, indicating what they, and their future will look like. The same can also be applied to curses that are spoken. The above mentioned verses are the words of blessing that Isaac declared to his son Jacob regards his future. These blessings that Isaac uttered over Jacob, did not come from his own mouth, but were the very words of God, filled with God’s strength, authority and anointing, from the depths of Isaac’s soul, which was united with God. It was because of this reason that the blessings that were spoken by Isaac saw their fulfilment in Jacob.
We often use the phrase ‘God bless you’ but never really ponder to think, how this blessing should materialize on the person to whom we spoke it. Most of us are familiar with curses, and generally we are also led to believe that the curses that were uttered are the cause for certain calamities, and distressing situations in our lives. However, when we talk about blessings, invariably our mind is limited to only the material blessings that we can perceive with our temporal eyes. The blessings of God are those that speak words of faith into the future of a person; for instance blessing them with good health, wisdom for their children, the good that God has in store for them, etc.
Just as true blessings from God originate from the soul that is in unified with God, so also curses emerge from a soul that is one with the evil one. Both are words that one declares over a person regarding their future, but the outcome is totally adverse as they emanate from two different sources; either God or Satan.
The best example of the authority of the spoken word, is from the creation account in the Book of Genesis. We read in Genesis 1:3-4, “Then God said, "Let there be light!" So there was light. God saw the light was good.”(GW)
When God looked at the earth, He saw darkness cover the face of the deep. However, God did not bother about the darkness, but spoke into the darkness the light that He desired to see. He therefore spoke saying, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light, which was good in God’s sight. The word that was declared was not visible, but the outcome was evident when light appeared.
So too when one speaks words of blessing or curse, it may not be obvious immediately, but over a period of time it becomes a reality in our lives, and also in that of our children and our children’s children. If there is any such cure on our lives, the Lord gives us this revelation to help us realize that He is able to break the power of these curses. Just as blessings flow from generation to generation, so also curses that were spoken can go on from one generation to the next. When God beheld the darkness, He spoke light into it, so also the Spirit of the Lord has bestowed on us the authority to speak into those dark situations in our lives, through His word. As we utter words of faith, we will certainly see the transformation take place to all those arduous circumstances that we encounter. The words that come out of our mouth must be the words of faith, based on the word of God.
When God created man and woman on the earth, they messed up God’s divine plan because of sin. God’s desire however, was that man should be restored back to the position that God had initially intended for him to be in. The written word of God is the blue print for us to understand the way God has prepared for man, to be re-instated back to that original plan of God.
The blessings of God on Abraham
When Adam fell into sin, he walked out of the rule of God, and became subject to the rule of Satan. God’s plan of redemption was that man should be restored back to the Kingdom of God, and in order for that to happen, God chose Abraham. Here’s the promise of God to Abraham when He called him.
We read in Genesis 12:2-3, “I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, But I will curse those who curse you. And through you I will bless all the nations.” (GNB)
God’s promise to Abraham was to make him into a great nation. However, when God called Abraham he did not even have a child. The word of God that was spoken with authority over Abraham, was fulfilled in due course. The promise of God to Abraham was not fulfilled immediately. It took many long years of Abraham waiting to become a reality, but the word that God spoke was ultimately accomplished in God’s time.
Not only did the Lord promise Abraham that he would be a blessing, but in verse 3, he also assured him that those who bless him would be blessed, and those who curse him will be cursed. He went on further to say, that all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. God had a purpose and plan in choosing Abraham. He was therefore assured of God’s protection until all of it was actualized in his life, which was why God assured him, that those who bless him would be blessed by God, and those who curse him would be cursed by God. The journey that Abraham undertook was one filled with peril, but he had the assurance of God’s word and His blessings, which protected him all along.
God’s purpose for choosing Abraham, was that he would be a blessing to many nations. It was therefore a fact that there would be the attack of the evil one on Abraham so that he would swerve from the calling and purpose of God. The blessings on Abraham were physical when God said He would make him into a great nation, and make his name famous. But God also blessed Abraham spiritually, and that’s the reason God assured him that anyone who blessed or cursed Abraham, would be the recipients of the blessings or curses that God would render to them.
We may have pitied a person like Abraham who was without child. The faith that Abraham had is the kind of faith that we need to exercise, over every hard and difficult situations that we encounter in our lives. Like Abraham, if we are called by God and are in line with His plan, then those who bless us, will be blessed by God, while those who curse us, will be cursed by God Himself.
We read in Numbers 22:3, “The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn't stand these people.” (GW)
In Numbers 22:6, we read, “They are too powerful for us to defeat” (CEV)
The people of Israel who were the descendants of Abraham, were far too numerous. God is faithful concerning His promise. Though Abraham had only one son Isaac, the descendants of Abraham were now very large, just as God promised. The King of Moab, was filled with fear because of the great multitude of Israelites, who were also very powerful. The King of Moab was aware that he could not fight the people of Israel with his physical strength so he planned to attack them in the spiritual realm.
When the Lord is with us those around us will be fearful. There are those who resort to evil, black magic, witchcraft and divination with the intention to destroy other people. Their eyes are filled with evil when their neighbor prospers, and instead of looking for ways to improve themselves, they seek ways to destroy others. People do this over various issues like property disputes between siblings, competition in business, enmity with someone in their work place and when a family member or neighbor is doing better than them.
Here’s a word of caution to those who engage in such practices, they are committing themselves to grave danger. There are many today who, not wanting to cause physical harm to those who are in enmity with them, are meddling with the spirit world to sabotage those they detest. Here’s a warning to such people; if we do physical harm to someone, we may be caught and punished by the law, however when we do spiritual harm to others, the consequence of this action will not only affect us but the generations that follow.
We must not forget that there is a spiritual authority behind every blessing and every curse. It is good to remind ourselves that we are sojourners, and pilgrims on earth. We are all moving towards the mansions that the Lord is preparing for us. When there are consistent mishaps and disasters in our lives, we must search ourselves before the Lord, and seek His pardon if for some reason some of our ancestors have brought this on us. There are physical attacks, but one must realize that there are spiritual attacks also in one’s life. It is by waiting on the Lord in prayer that we can break these bonds of darkness in our lives.
In some families people don’t submit to authority. Children are commanded to honor and obey their parents. So also in the family, the husband is the head, and the wife is the body, and so a wife must be in submission to her husband. A wife should not disrespect her husband, and expect that the Lord will bless the family. It is only when every member of a family lives in obedience to the word of God, will they truly enjoy the blessings of God as pronounced in His word.
A curse without a reason will not materialize, but if there is a reason we must analyze ourselves before God. There is no place for vengeance as the Lord clearly commands that He alone is the avenger, and He is also a God of justice. It’s the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, and his shed blood that can break every curse, setting us free from every bondage.
We read in 2 Chronicles 33:6, “He sacrificed his sons in Hinnom Valley as burnt offerings. He practiced divination and magic and consulted fortunetellers and mediums. He sinned greatly against the LORD and stirred up his anger.”
The above mentioned verse details all that Manasseh the King of Judah got entangled with. He did all the things that angered God greatly.
When we observe days, and are obsessed with superstitions, we must be aware that we sin against God and are in danger of making Him indignant. If for some reason we have been engaged in any of these practices, and are wanting to break free from all of their ill effects on us, we must repent and confess them to the Lord.
In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, “Don't sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars; and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead. The LORD your God hates people who do these disgusting things,” (GNB)
We must not expose ourselves to any of the above mentioned practices, for the Lord hates those who involve in them.
How are we instructed to walk before the Lord?
In Deuteronomy 18:13-14, “Be completely faithful to the LORD. Then Moses said, "In the land you are about to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practice divination and look for omens, but the LORD your God does not allow you to do this.” (GNB)
We are called by God to be faithful in everything. We are commanded to not observe days, practice divination or look for omens. The Lord does not permit us to be involved in any of these evil practices. We must only be subject to the authority of God and His word, living by the discipline that God has set for us. Let us learn to live each day under the rule and authority of the Lordship of Christ. As we continue to speak words of God with faith we will very soon see the Lord change, and transform every situation. It is the Lord alone who can change every adverse situation. May the Lord enable us to be those who bless others, and never be ones who will curse others.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
