3 Types of Curses and How To Break Free

In my last article, I asked the question of whether curses are real or just superstition. Though in our Western thinking, the idea of blessings and curses being real forces in the world might seem strange, the Bible talks about this subject a lot. A curse is a supernatural force that works to bring harm and destruction to us, and/or hinder us from receiving the blessings of God.

The good news is that when Jesus died on the cross, He actually became a curse for us so that we could be redeemed from every curse and inherit God’s blessing. (Galatians 3:13-14) God’s blessing is more powerful than any curse. But if we do not recognize what curses are and how they work, we can live under them unnecessarily.

I want to cover three common types of curses:

1. Generational Curses

A generational curse is a curse that is passed through the family line from one generation to the next. We receive a spiritual inheritance from our parents, and this spiritual heritage includes both blessings and curses. Exodus 36:7 says that God visits “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” What this means is that the sins and destructive behaviors that parents do not conquer will be ones that their children are more susceptible to and prone toward.

I have witnessed powerful things happen when generational curses were broken. I have seen sicknesses healed, bondage to sin broken, and deliverance come. As believers in Christ, we do not have to live under the power of any generational curse. Check out this article for more on breaking free from generational curses.

2. Word Curses

Our words carry power, and the Bible says this:

“Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:10)

Our words have the capacity to bring great encouragement and blessing to others, but they can also take the form of a curse. When people–especially authority figures–speak things into our identity or destiny that are not in line with God’s Word, we can be cursed by these words if we receive them into ourselves. Many need to be broken free from the power of destructive words so that they can move beyond the curses that were released over them.

3. Occult Curses

The last type of curse I want to mention are curses that are intentionally released by those who are involved in occult practices. Those who delve into witchcraft, satanism, and other dark occult activities often attempt to put curses on others through rituals, spells, incantations, and other demonic activities. I believe that these are some of the “fiery darts of the wicked one” that we need to deflect with the shield of faith. (Ephesians 6:16)

Curses are not something that we need to be afraid of. If we are walking with the Lord and do not have any open doors in our lives, curses cannot land on us. But we need to be aware that this is a reality and trust that the Holy Spirit will expose any ways that the enemy seeks to attack through occult practitioners.

This has been a brief overview, but I hope it is helpful in revealing some of the ways that the devil seeks to work in people’s lives through curses. If you believe that you are being influenced by a curse, pray through a prayer like the one below and break free!

“Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross and becoming a curse, so that I could be redeemed from every curse and receive God’s blessing. Because of Your finished work, I ask you to set me free from every curse that is over my life. I renounce the sins of previous generations and break away from any generational curse that is over my life. Specifically, __________________ … I also break any word curses that have ever been spoken over me, and command any spirits associated with curses to leave my life now!”

Have you ever experienced any of the above curses at work in your life? How have you seen God bring freedom from curses to you or someone you know?