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Don't Curse Others - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 2, 2022

Have you ever been treated so badly by someone or a group of people that you've wanted to curse them? I don't mean insulting them with foul language or mean words, which would be wrong according to the word of God. No, I mean placing a curse upon them. There are some who come from a heritage where laying a curse on a disliked person is normal. Also, in this age when occult practices have been normalized, millions actually think that they should place curses on other people. I've also come to understand that many people don't understand that some of the words they speak can be considered a curse, which can impact the lives of those they pronounce them against.


If you've ever thought about speaking a curse on someone else, Don't do it! In fact, the Bible warns Believers not to curse others. Consider the words of Jesus Christ in Luke 6:27-28 - “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Paul also instructed in Romans 12:14 - Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. We are supposed to pray blessings over those who treat us badly.


As you can see, those who believe in Christ and obey Him have been charged not to curse others but to pray blessings over them. Yes, that's contrary to our modern understanding but it's God's way. Sadly, the average person would call you a wimp or worse, if they knew you applied this instruction in your life.


Yet, God's children are called to obey Him no matter what unbelievers think. That means resorting to cursing others is not an acceptable way of dealing with the feelings that erupt when someone does us wrong. To do so is to follow in the path of the wicked and they shall be silenced in the darkness (1 Samuel 2:9).


The Bible also tells us in Proverbs 26:2 - Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. Just as God will protect you from undeserved curses, so also will He protect others. This is because He loves all His creations, even those who have gone astray. Indeed, Jesus said in Matthew 5:45 - ...He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. God, in His wisdom, extends grace even to those you don't think are deserving. It is only God who can decide who is deserving at any point in time. So be careful not to think you know who should specifically fall under judgment. Remember that He has determined in His word that He will show mercy and grant compassion to whoever He chooses.


God is the judge, please do not try to take His place for satan attempted this and was kicked out of heaven for his pride and rebellion (Isaiah 14). If you have been offended by anyone, forgive them. If you are so embittered, then take the matter to the Ultimate Judge and call on Him for justice. He has promised to answer prayers and that's what He will do (1 Peter 3:12). Don't take matters into your own hands for doing that can indeed produce a curse and not on the person you thought would receive it.


Finally, do you remember the story of Balaam (Numbers 22-24)? He'd been hired by an angry king to curse the Israelites. Instead God used him to bless them. Please don't curse anyone, no matter how angry you are or how justified you feel. As we've looked at blessings and curses over the last two weeks, today's message is one to keep in mind. Never forget that God has the final say so just take your grievance to Him and ask for justice. He has promised to give justice to those who deserve it. Let Him decide and remain blessed.



More on Blessings and Curses:



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The Saul Curse - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 30, 2022

Last week, we turned our attention to blessings and curses. On Friday, we considered a blessing based on a covenant of love between two people. Today we consider the consequences of breaking a covenant and how that leads to a curse that destroys generations and indeed a nation.


Specifically we look at what I call the Saul Curse. Saul was the first king of Israel and he got into trouble with the Lord for a variety of reasons. During his reign, he managed to break a treaty that had existed between his people and the Gibeonites for over a century. This agreement assured the Gibeonites of peace and protection. The covenant is the reason why Joshua and the fighting men of Israel marched all night to defend the Gibeonites when they were attacked by the Army of 5 Kings (Joshua 10).


Despite this, Saul took it upon himself to murder Gibeonites who'd been living amidst the Israelites for generations. This action not only violated the pact established between the two groups, it also violated the law of the Lord as stated in Leviticus 19:34 - The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Another violated tenet was Exodus 22:21 - “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.


The result of Saul's disobedience was a three year famine during the reign of King David, who only discovered the cause when he inquired of the Lord. He learned God was punishing the entire nation for Saul's decision. To reverse the curse, David asked the offended Gibeonites how his people could appease them. They wanted revenge and demanded the death of five of Saul's heirs. David handed over two of Saul's sons with one of his concubines and 3 of his grandsons. He did not hand over Mephibosheth, or his son, because of his covenant with Jonathan.


These individuals were killed to satiate the Gibeonites. The irony was that this sad event also brought an end to the famine in Israel.


This is a story of unfortunate circumstances but it contains a crucial lesson. Don't renege on your agreements and covenants. Keep your promises because if you don't, the consequences can outlive you. In this case, Saul broke a covenant that preexisted him. His people and his heirs bore the brunt of that terrible choice, enduring the curse of a famine. Think of all the innocent people who died, talk less of the five innocent heirs of Saul who lost their lives for something they didn't do.


Sometimes, in disobeying God's laws, we might open the door for the devil to afflict us with curses. This is why it is crucial to be the type of believer who listens to the Holy Spirit and readily accepts His correction and conviction. We must be like those who repent when we sin and commit to be better by the grace of God. Jesus, our High Priest according to Hebrews 4:14, helps us to break from our sin habits. And if there's a curse lingering in a family as the result of someone else's choice, such as was the case with the Saul Curse, Jesus, once again, provides the means to break free from every evil thing seeking to grab hold of our lives. He was and is the eternal sacrificial lamb, so no blood ever has to be sacrificed again.


Jesus died to set us free from everything that wants us bound, curses included (Hebrews 4:14). And so, in Him, we are free indeed (John 8:36). Nonetheless, although God is a loving Father, we must remember that He will curse three to four generations of those who do not love Him. Exodus 34:7 - maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Those who love Him are the ones who obey Him (John 14:15). Therefore, don't give satan room to afflict you by living in glaring or hidden sin. Galatians 5:1 - Freedom is what we have--Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again (GNT).


May we never be like Saul to renege on covenants and thereby bring curses upon ourselves and others, IJMN, Amen.




For more on Blessings & Curses:

  1. Deuteronomy 28 Blessings & Requirements - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 24, 2021

  2. The Blessing & The Curse - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) August 23, 2022

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The Mephibosheth Blessing: Friday Praise & Pray (for others) August 26, 2022

Praise God that Christians have access to many blessings in the Bible. Blessings that ensure a life that reflects the fullness of life available though the death of Jesus (John 10:10). One such blessing involves Mephibosheth. He was the last remaining son of King David's best friend, Jonathan. Although Jonathan was the son of David's arch nemesis and predecessor, the Bible tells us that both men loved each other. 1 Samuel 18:1-3 - After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.


As we can see, David and Jonathan entered into covenant. That agreement covered their family members well and was expected to outlive both men. 1 Samuel 20:42 - Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’ ” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.


Unfortunately, sometime later, Jonathan died on the battlefield alongside his father and most of his brothers. This incident, however, opened the way for God's promise that David would take over the throne.


Years after David became king, he remembered the covenant with Jonathan and found Mephibosheth. The young man was lame and living with someone, having lost most of his family. However, in an instant, his life changed when David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan..." (2 Samuel 9:7). David granted him ownership of his grandfather's estate plus all the land belonging to his grandfather's family. He was also invited to always eat at the king's table as if one of his sons, officials or special dignitaries.


Mephibosheth went from a crippled young man to a man of means and substance. He did nothing to deserve this change in circumstance. He simply benefited from a covenant made between his father and a man who eventually became king.


Through this story, the Lord showed me what I call the Mephibosheth Blessing. This is a blessing where an individual benefits from a good relationship they were never party to. It involves love and/or respect between two people that a third person reaps from. In Mephibosheth's case, his father, Jonathan, and David loved one another and years later, though lame and forgotten by many, that original relationship transformed his life for the better. The Mephibosheth Blessing can be prayed over yourself or over your generations.


Please don't rush into asking for this blessing because you need to take a second to consider a few things. The Mephibosheth Blessing is based on the concept of covenant and love. Take some time to read the messages on covenants so you have an understanding of the concept and the related consequences. To benefit from covenant, you have to be a covenant keeper yourself. Trust me, Mephibosheth proved to be this very sort of person in 2 Samuel 19. If you recall our review of covenant, then you know that God takes them very seriously and will punish for breaking them.


Therefore, arm yourself with the knowledge of this blessing and work on being a faithful person so when the time comes, you can ask God for the Mephibosheth Blessing and receive it to the glory of God. May the Lord bless you with the wisdom to apply this and other blessings in your life and that of your loved ones, in the name of Jesus, Amen.




You can read more on promises and covenants here:


To learn more about blessings and obedience, consider reading this old P&P message - Deuteronomy 28 Blessings & Requirements - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 24, 2021


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