Today, we think of "cursing" as someone using foul language, profanity, or perhaps, even blasphemous words against God. Our definition usually is synonymous with "swearing." This is a form of cursing, but it is only a small portion of what curses mean in the Bible.

Cursing in the Bible is not only speaking evil of someone, but evil coming upon someone. If a person is under a curse, according to the Bible, evil has come upon them in some way. Sickness, tragedy, or bad circumstances are occurring in their lives.

Please Note: This does not mean that every difficult circumstance that we go through is a curse. Sometimes God leads us through circumstances to stretch our faith. This is for our own good, as it is helping us to grow stronger and identify ourselves with Him. However, He is not bringing anything upon us, but rather leading us through a circumstance so that we might experience His overcoming power. For the duration of this article we are referring to an evil curse that comes not from the hand of God, but from the enemy.

Even today, in many cultures, witch doctors or shamans put curses on people through demonic powers. In some cultures, for example, "voodoo" is practiced. This includes such practices as sticking pins in a doll made in the image of a person, usually with some of that person's hair, fingernail clippings, and so forth incorporated into the doll. Hateful words are projected as the doll is stabbed over and over. There also are more gruesome practices used. However, with all evil witchcraft rituals, it is the hatred and evil projected from these people that is aimed at the targeted person that causes the harm. The curses spoken over that doll do not come to pass because of the doll or the pins. There is no power in those inanimate objects. They come to pass because of the demonic power operating through the person speaking forth the curses.

In many cultures, other than Western Societies, people have no problem understanding these curses and blessings, because the presence of demonic beings is very real to them. In fact, in many places, they leave offerings to appease evil spirits, for the purpose of warding them off so they will leave them alone.

In today's culture, some Christians still have curses operating against them. That is because various occult practices are openly practiced in our societies in this day. Many Christians need to be freed from curses spoken against them before they were saved, or from curses that have come upon them through involvement in idolatry and witchcraft (Deuteronomy 29:24-28).

We have been redeemed from the curse, but if we walk in willful rebellion, we are "breaking covenant" and that leaves holes for the enemy to bring a curse on us. Many Christians mistakenly believe that the devil cannot come near them in any way. The Bible does not support this theory. When Paul wrote to "not give the devil any foothold, or a place" (Ephesians 4:27), he was writing to Christians! Curses can work against Christians if they are in rebellion, out of the will of God, or not walking in faith and love. However, if we are walking where God wants us to walk, a hundred curses against us would just bounce off and would do us no harm.

The story of Balaam and Israel gives us a good example of this principle (Numbers 22). Although Balaam was not an Israelite, he was a prophet of God. The kings of Moab and Midian wanted him to curse the Israelites during the journey from Egypt to Canaan. Elders of those nations offered him what apparently was a lot of money, and he tried to do what their king wanted -- but he could not. He tried three times but was unable to do anything, but bless Israel.

Jesus Took the Curse For Us

Before we are born again, we walk under the law of sin and death; but, after we are regenerated, we are under the law of life in Christ Jesus, who became a curse for us.

However, we have to want to overcome the habit of sinning. God will not violate our wills. If we want to keep on sinning after we are saved from the law of sin and death, He will allow us to do so. We need to clearly understand that when we sin, it produces the death principle in our lives.

Although we are children of God and have been given the covenant of blessing, "idols" in our hearts and lives can cause us to be open in some ways to the curse. Those who come under the curses of God are unbelievers and Christians who knowingly and deliberately continue to sin.

Breaking a Curse

The Bible tells us in James 4:7 to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

If we think that someone is speaking a curse upon us, we should not send a curse back on the one who sent it to us. We are not to return evil for evil, but rather overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Ask God to forgive them, because many times they do not know what they are doing. If you intercede for such persons, you are obeying the Word, which allows the Holy Spirit to cancel the curse automatically if we are speaking good and praying for those who would seek to harm us. We should also quote the scriptures that promise us protection such as Psalm 91.