The Question

Recently a friend told me that it has been taught in her church that Jesus took away all curses (generational and otherwise) and even now no one can curse you. She said show her anything different in the New Testament. I have been taught the exact opposite: curses have to be broken. Can you help?

– LW from Detroit, Michigan

Balance (Part 1)

Your friend is right and so are you. There are many tensions and opposites in scripture that must be brought into perfect balance so truth can emerge and this is one of those cases.

Here’s the deal: Jesus paid the complete price for every curse that has ever existed or will ever exist in the history of the world. Without his sacrificial gift we would still be sitting under the curse introduced by our first parents.

Look at these scriptures to support the fact that the curse is broken:

• “Christ 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)
• “’It is finished!’” (John 19:30) These are the words of Jesus as he gave up his last breath and meant he had fully satisfied the wrath of God against humanity.
• “Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:14-15)

Perhaps these are some of the passages that your friend heard about in her church and which she is quoting you now to prove her case. YET there is more. We also see this in scripture: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20) The question is if Satan is already crushed, why is it saying he will be crushed “soon”?

Also, in Revelation, when the final scene of history is described there is mention of the curse finally ending for good. “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him.”(Revelation 22:3) Why does it say “no longer” if the curse is already completely gone?

Additionally, we have only to look around us and see many curses in operation. Sickness is still with us. We still have wars. People still sin. AND, people still curse themselves and others and those curses do need to be broken just like you said.

Enforcement (Part 2)

How do we reconcile these two concepts? Try thinking of it this way: Jesus did the heavy lifting, which is something no one else could do. When he went to the cross he broke the curse at its root but he also leaves a part for us in the aftermath. We are the enforcers.

Suppose you go to court to gain a judgment from someone who owes you money and the Judge rules in your favor. Just getting the judgment does not secure the funds however. Now you have to enforce that judgment by garnishment of wages or some other legal means. The judgment gave you the legal right to collect.

Also remember when the Israelites crossed over into Canaan. God had told them that the land was theirs 100%. Yet, they still had to fight for it tooth and nail. Even though they had the deed, the old inhabitants refused to go until they were kicked off and defeated by God’s chosen people. We are in that same position today.

Can someone curse you? Yes, and you may experience results from that cursing unless you counter it by applying the blood of Jesus and demanding that Satan leave you alone because you are covered under the blood of Jesus. That is also the way we fight sickness that comes our way. Most of us could be much better fighters than we are but even the best fighters probably never enforce perfectly all that Christ secured for us.

Maybe with your friend’s new teaching, she will be a first!