Current Special: Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams Free Video Event
Discover the “Unfair” Advantage of 5-Fold Counsel

Is It EVER Right to Pronounce a Curse?

Mark Virkler's picture

When it comes to taking personal vengeance on a person who has hurt you, the Bible is clear: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Rom. 12:14).


Not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, "THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL" (1 Pet. 3:9-12).

When it is right to administer a curse

In the Old Testament curses from the Lord were administered through his servants. God sovereignly chose human channels through whom to administer His justice. There is no suggestion in Scripture that God has ever renounced His right to do this. In the New Testament, however, God has chosen to use His servants primarily as instruments of mercy and not of judgment. Note this new emphasis in Luke 9:51-56. “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” (Lk. 9:54).

Jesus responded: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Lk. 9:55-56).

On the other hand, Jesus Himself pronounced a curse on a fig tree: “Let no fruit grow on you ever again” (Matt. 21:19) and it withered within a day. Jesus gave this authority to His disciples: “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree...” (Matt. 21:21). In other words, He gave them authority to pronounce curses.

In Matthew 10:14-15, when Jesus sent out the first apostles to preach the Gospel, He gave them authority of a similar kind to deal with those who rejected them and their message: And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them" (Lk. 9:5). By this act of shaking off the dust from their feet, the apostles would, in effect, hand over those who rejected them to the judgment of God, which would ultimately be more severe than that on the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Matt. 10:15).

In Acts 13:51 the apostles shook the dust off their feet concerning those who lived in Pisidian. When blessings are offered, but rejected, curses almost inevitably follow in their place. 

Curses spoken from the Spirit of God

We see, that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:9), when he pronounced the curse of blindness. So this was not a personal vendetta, but the mouth of the Lord speaking. A modern day example includes cursing a bar which promoted prostitution, drugs and fighting, and then seeing it burn to the ground within weeks. Sometimes I curse the roots of an infirmity as I am praying for people for healing.

Obviously one needs to be extremely careful to not be overcome with evil, and speak curses from the anger of his flesh. Probably the multitude of counselors would be helpful to determine if it is your own anger or the anger of the Lord. In any case, be very cautious before you utter a curse!

Related topic


Fan the flames of revival by sharing this blog with your friends on social media!


 

Related Resources: 

How to Hear God's Voice!   
Add new comment

Add new comment

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Results

Results 41 - 50 of 485

Pages

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 223 Pages

This book leads you in meditating on and journaling about two hundred and fifty verses that discuss the Holy Spirit. You will grow in intimacy with the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the anointing within you will increase! You will exclaim as the disciples did on the Emmaus Road “Did not our heart burn within us…while He opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)! In addition to being led to journal through these verses, you will read numerous two-way journal entries from Mark Virkler, as well as a five-page prayer at the conclusion of the book.

Price: $10.95

Kids Can

by Karen Barnes | 98 Pages

This book will inspire you and train you to teach children to minister in the power of the Spirit! And the stories it contains will bring tears to your eyes! Kids Can is a message for the children of today about their destiny tomorrow. When kids encounter the pure essence of Jesus, they will become empowered, equipped and energized to serve Him accurately and with amazing clarity. As they hear His voice and are encouraged in their giftings, strong leaders are created and maturity, vision and skills are fine tuned.

Price: $14.95
Lamad Biblical Education Association

Lamad Biblical Education Association

4 Co-authors | 44 Pages

FINALLY - A Spirit-Anointed Epistemology! A system of knowing for the Spirit-filled believer. A fresh moving of the Holy Spirit has been upon the Church of Jesus Christ for the last 100 years, since the Asuza Street Revival in 1902. In all that time the Spirit-filled community of believers (now numbering 27% of all Christendom), had yet to delineate an approach to learning which restored the Holy Spirit to His rightful place as the primary Teacher in our midst.

Price: $10.00
Lamad Faculty Handbook

Lamad Faculty Handbook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 78 Pages

This book presents lamad (revelation-based learning) standards  for teachers and curriculum writers. Lamad is a Hebrew word found in the Old Testament and it is translated "to teach" or "to learn."  It is a kind of learning that involves the Holy Spirit granting divine revelation to the heart of man. Thus it goes beyond western rationalism as a learning methodology.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family

Living with Jesus Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 1 - Welcome to God's Family introduces the child to the Body of Christ.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus - Book 3

Living with Jesus Book 3 – Talking and Listening

by Daphne Kirk | 47 Pages

This delightful book teaches children ages 4-8 the four keys to hearing God's voice and gets them started journaling (drawing pictures if writing is too hard for them) and seeing vision.  It is ideal for parents and children to use together, or for use in a children’s Sunday school class or children’s home group.

Book 3 - Talking and Listening - Hearing the voice of God.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 6 - What Do We Choose?

Living with Jesus Book 6 - What Do We Choose?

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 6 - What Do We Choose? introduces children to making kingdom choices.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 7 - Having Faith

Living with Jesus Book 7 - Having Faith

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 7 - Having Faith introduces children to a life of faith.

Price: $9.95
Living with Jesus Book 8 - Staying Protected

Living with Jesus Book 8 - Staying Protected

by Daphne Kirk | 47 pages | Published 1999

The Living with Jesus series is a unique, exciting  and transformational discipleship course for children, taking them through the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a relational, interactive and challenging way, always applying to their lives the commands to love God, love one another and love the lost.

Book 8 - Staying Protected introduces children to spiritual warfare.

Price: $9.95
Operations Manual

Operations Manual

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 134 Pages

We have helped hundreds of churches establish Schools of Ministry or church-centered Bible schools over the last 25 years. This manual draws together insights and approaches for how to do it easier, faster and better. Enjoy as you build on the success of those who have gone before you.

Price: $69.95

Pages