We don't usually think of people as spiritually inclined. We usually think of them as naturally carnal and materialistic. This is true, but we are made in the image of God. We were created to be in relationship with Him. Nothing else can take His place in our hearts, although we try to fill it with many substitutes. When we do not fulfill our spiritual hunger with God, we will fill it with other things. That is why there is so much interest in spiritual things even in the entertainment industry. Ghost stories, paranormal activity, people with superpowers, witches and warlocks, zombies from hell, demon possessed people, and spells and curses are themes that populate movies and shows. Why do people watch horror movies? People struggle to have faith in God, but they have no problem having faith in superstitions. When Paul went to Athens, he found the city filled with altars to every idol they could make up. They even had one to the "unknown God" just in case they missed any. Paul used that as the introduction to his sermon about the true God, and said that he perceived that in all things they were too superstitious (Acts 17). God will not curse you if walk under a ladder, cross paths with a black cat, or break a mirror. There is no magic power in knocking on wood, or saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes. We fear all these baseless curses instead of fearing God who can cast us into hell forever (Mt 10:28). We need a revival of the fear of God. The only real curse is the result of disobeying the word of God (Deut 30:15-20). We can either fear God or fear man and the devil.
I once had a supervisor who had the spirit of a witch. She told me in front of others that she had purchased tapes from which she was learning how to put curses on people. I warned her to be careful because the only one who was going to be cursed was her. She was later transferred and demoted, and suffered physically.
The devil is not only a deceiver, he is deceived himself. He keeps setting himself up for failure by this. God takes his devices and makes them his own downfall.
I pray for those who rise against me; not only because Jesus said to (Mt 5:44), but because I fear the judgment they are provoking against themselves. Maybe they can be saved.
These are scriptures to invoke against attempts to curse you or your home:
Numbers 23:8 - how shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? (Balaam) (Deut 23:5, Neh
13:2)
Proverbs 3:33 - the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he blesseth the
habitation of the just
Proverbs 24:15-16 - lay not wait, o wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil
not his resting place
Proverbs 26:2 - the curse causeless shall not come
The curse will return upon the curser's own head: 1Sam 25:39, 1Ki 2:32, 2Chr 6:23, Est 9:25,
Ps 7:16, Ps 109:17, Eze 17:19, Eze 33:4
The wicked will go into the pit he digged for the righteous: Ps 7:15, Ps 9:15, Ps 35:7-8, Ps
57:6, Prov 26:27, Prov 28:10, Ecc 10:8
1Cor 2:8 - had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
Although the influence of parents on their children is considerable, and although God
often accounts children with their parents, the Bible does not teach that children can be
inescapably trapped in so called generational curses (Ex 17:16, 20:5, and 34:7; and Deut
23:3-4). There are many examples of children of wicked people who did not follow their
parents’ example, and found spiritual success. Abraham came from a family of idolaters
(Gen 12:1, and Josh 24:2). Although Korah rebelled against Moses, and he and his
company were destroyed (Num 16:1-35), apparently some of his sons heeded Moses’
warning in verses 24-27, and later became worship leaders (Num 26:11; Ps 42, 44-49, 84,
85, 87, and 88). Ruth the Moabitess followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel,
became a worshipper of God, and married into the lineage of Jesus (Ruth 1:14-19, 4:13-
22, and Mt 1:5). Rahab the harlot accomplished the same thing (Joshua ch 2, 6:22-25, and
Mt 1:5). She was to have been destroyed with the rest of her people. Jabez overcame his
mother’s negativity towards him (she named him “sorrowful or grievous”), became the
most honorable of his family, and received blessings from God (1Chr 4:9-10). Several
good kings of Judah had fathers who were bad kings, such as Asa (his mother also – 2Chr
15:16), Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah.
The Bible clearly teaches that children shall not be punished for the sins of their
parents (Deut 24:16). King Amaziah applied this commandment in 2Kings 14:1-6.
Ezekiel 33:1-20 also teaches this principle. “The curse causeless shall not come” (Prov
26:2). God can also revoke blessings and curses (Ex 32:14, Lev ch. 26; Num 14:12 and
34; Deut 9:25, 23:5, and ch. 28; Jer 26:13; Joel 2:13-14; Mal 2:2; Mt 18:21-35, and Rev
22:19). It is interesting to see that Moses quoted Ex 20:5-6 when he prayed for
forgiveness in Num 14:18-20. A similar verse is found in Deut 7:9, but speaks of 1,000
generations, not just 3 or 4. This is longer than the entire history of man. Is this meant as
a literal counting that is irrevocable for each generation? Obviously it is not. Are the
previous scriptures in contradiction with these ones? Of course they are not. When read
properly, the scriptures always harmonize. The Bible teaches that parental influence is
very strong. It also shows that in times when major judgments occur, such as the flood,
Sodom, the conquering of Canaan, or the tribulation, the children are not spared. The
incident when the 10 spies discouraged Israel from entering Canaan shows how children
can be affected by their parents without being trapped in a curse. Although the children
could not enter the promised land at that time because of the unbelief of their parents,
they did later (Num 14:26-35, and Deut 1:39). They were the generation that conquered
Canaan and received God's promises. The Bible does not teach that generational curses
are passed down like some kind of unwitting and uncontrollable inheritance. God does
not delight in wickedness, but in repentance and righteousness (Eze 18:23, and 2Pet 3:9).
He is just and merciful, and is looking to empower people to do right, not to perpetuate
evil. God’s ways and judgments are not like man’s (1Sam 16:7, Is 55:6-9, Jer 29:11, Jn
7:24, 1Cor 2:9-16, 1Cor 3:18-21, and Rom 11:33-36), and he gives every individual more
than a fair chance (Mt 18:11, Jn 1:9, Jn 3:14-21, Lk 9:51-56, Lk 13:1-9, Titus 2:11, and
2Pet 3:9). God is love, not hate (1Jn 4:7-21). Even the disciples of Jesus misunderstood
this (Jn 9:1-3). God is not pleased with a judgmental attitude (Mt 7:1-5, Rom ch. 2, Rom
8:33-34, Rom 14:4 and 10-13, 1Cor 4:3-7, and James 4:6-12). He took our sins and
curses upon himself on the cross (Deut 21:22-23, Gal 3:13, and 2Cor 5:21). However,
God knows the propensity for children to take after their parents, and repeat their
behavior. Men do not have to be geniuses to recognize this obvious fact. The child of an
alcoholic is more likely to become an alcoholic himself. This does not mean he is cursed
to be one. Children that are victims of sexual molesters are more likely to molest. That
does not mean they must. God is gracious.
Despite the current rage over DNA and genetics, there is no scientific or medical proof that moral and behavioral choices are passed on genetically. That idea is a religious one which comes from humanism and evolution. People don’t often think of humanism and evolution as religion, but they are. A religion is a system of beliefs. Neither humanism
nor evolution is scientific. They are beliefs. The scientific method involves observation,
testing, and repetition of the testing with identical results, and thus the progression from
hypothesis to theory to fact. Evolution is not recorded in the fossil record, is not
observable today, and cannot be tested or repeated. Evolution is an old pagan idea which
was meant to deny God as our Creator and Judge, and therefore eliminate from man’s
conscience his accountability to Him. We are not subjects of chance or fate. We are
created by God for a purpose, and that is to serve Him and each other in accordance with
the Bible.