Breaking Curses: Embracing Freedom for 2025
Summary
As we stand on the brink of a new year, it's essential to reflect on the past and prepare our hearts for what lies ahead. Whether 2024 was a year of triumph or trial, we are here today, standing firm in the grace and mercy of God. As we enter 2025, the call is to break free from any curses that may have held us back. Curses are not mere fairy tales; they are real spiritual forces that can hinder our progress and steal our joy. They can manifest in various forms, such as chronic illness, financial struggles, or broken relationships. However, we are not powerless against them. Through the power of Jesus Christ, every curse can be broken.
The Bible teaches us that curses can only take hold if there is a cause, a legal right for them to do so. Therefore, it's crucial to remove any legal grounds that allow curses to operate in our lives. This involves examining our lives for areas of disobedience or sin, such as withholding tithes, which can open the door to financial curses. Tithing is not just about money; it's about lordship and obedience. By faithfully giving the first 10% of our income to God, we sanctify the rest and invite His blessings into our lives.
Moreover, we must understand that spiritual warfare is not always the solution to breaking curses. Instead, we need to present our case before the courts of heaven, where God, our righteous judge, can issue a verdict to nullify the curse. This requires us to approach God with humility, repentance, and faith, trusting in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
As we move into 2025, let us be vigilant in guarding our words and actions, ensuring that we do not give the enemy any foothold. Let us also be diligent in prayer, seeking God's wisdom and guidance to identify and address any curses that may be affecting us. By doing so, we can enter the new year curse-free, ready to experience the abundant life that Jesus promised.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Reality of Curses: Curses are not fictional; they are spiritual forces that can impact our lives in various ways, such as through illness, financial struggles, or broken relationships. Recognizing their reality is the first step in breaking free from their hold. [42:49]
2. Legal Grounds for Curses: Curses require a legal right to operate. By examining our lives for areas of disobedience or sin, such as withholding tithes, we can remove these legal grounds and prevent curses from taking hold. [50:24]
3. The Power of Tithing: Tithing is an act of obedience and lordship, not just a financial transaction. By giving the first 10% of our income to God, we sanctify the rest and invite His blessings, breaking financial curses. [54:18]
4. Approaching the Courts of Heaven: Spiritual warfare is not always the solution to breaking curses. Instead, we must present our case before the courts of heaven, where God can issue a verdict to nullify the curse. [01:03:55]
5. Guarding Our Words and Actions: As believers, our words carry authority. We must be careful not to curse, as this can arouse demonic forces against us. Instead, we should bless and speak life, ensuring we do not give the enemy any foothold. [01:15:47]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - Reflecting on 2024
- [01:30] - Prayer for the New Year
- [03:00] - Entering 2025 Curse-Free
- [05:20] - Understanding Curses
- [08:45] - Biblical Examples of Curses
- [12:00] - The Legal Grounds of Curses
- [15:30] - The Role of Tithing
- [20:00] - Spiritual Warfare vs. Legal Approach
- [25:00] - The Courts of Heaven
- [30:00] - Guarding Our Words
- [35:00] - Breaking Curses Through Faith
- [40:00] - The Power of Blessing
- [45:00] - Prayer for 2025
- [50:00] - Closing Blessing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Malachi 3:8-10
- Proverbs 26:2
- John 10:10
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Malachi 3:8-10, what is the consequence of withholding tithes and offerings from God? How does this relate to the concept of curses discussed in the sermon? [50:24]
2. In Proverbs 26:2, what is said about the nature of curses and their ability to take effect? How does this verse support the sermon’s message about legal grounds for curses? [50:24]
3. John 10:10 contrasts the intentions of the thief with those of Jesus. How does this verse relate to the sermon’s discussion on curses and abundant life? [50:24]
4. The sermon mentions that curses can manifest in various forms, such as illness or financial struggles. What examples were given, and how do they illustrate the reality of curses? [42:49]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the act of tithing, as described in Malachi 3:8-10, serve as a test of faith and obedience? What implications does this have for breaking financial curses? [54:18]
2. The sermon suggests that curses require a legal right to operate. How does this concept challenge or affirm your understanding of spiritual warfare and the role of the courts of heaven? [01:03:55]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our words and actions can either invite or repel curses? How does this align with the biblical teaching on the power of words? [01:15:47]
4. The sermon discusses the importance of removing legal grounds for curses. How might this process look practically in a believer’s life, and what steps are necessary to achieve it? [50:24]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you might be unintentionally providing legal grounds for curses? What steps can you take to address these areas? [50:24]
2. The sermon emphasizes the power of tithing as an act of obedience. How can you incorporate this practice into your financial stewardship, and what changes might you expect as a result? [54:18]
3. Consider the words you speak daily. Are there instances where you might be cursing rather than blessing? How can you consciously shift your language to align with biblical teachings? [01:15:47]
4. The sermon encourages presenting our case before the courts of heaven. How can you incorporate this approach into your prayer life, especially when dealing with persistent challenges? [01:03:55]
5. As you enter 2025, what specific actions can you take to ensure you are living a curse-free life, ready to experience the abundant life Jesus promised? [42:49]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel hindered or blocked. How can you apply the principles from the sermon to seek breakthrough and freedom in this area? [50:24]
7. The sermon calls for vigilance in guarding our words and actions. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are not giving the enemy any foothold in your life? [01:15:47]
Devotional
Day 1: The Reality of Spiritual Curses
Curses are not fictional; they are spiritual forces that can impact our lives in various ways, such as through illness, financial struggles, or broken relationships. Recognizing their reality is the first step in breaking free from their hold. Curses can manifest in our lives when there is a legal right for them to do so, often through areas of disobedience or sin. Understanding this reality helps us to be vigilant and proactive in addressing these spiritual forces. By acknowledging the existence of curses, we can begin to seek freedom through the power of Jesus Christ, who has the authority to break every chain and set us free from any spiritual bondage. [42:49]
Deuteronomy 28:15-16 (ESV): "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel hindered or oppressed. How can you invite Jesus into this area to seek freedom and healing today?
Day 2: Removing Legal Grounds for Curses
Curses require a legal right to operate. By examining our lives for areas of disobedience or sin, such as withholding tithes, we can remove these legal grounds and prevent curses from taking hold. It is essential to reflect on our actions and attitudes, ensuring that we are not inadvertently giving the enemy a foothold in our lives. This involves a heart of repentance and a willingness to align our lives with God's will. By doing so, we close the doors that allow curses to operate and open ourselves to God's blessings and protection. [50:24]
Proverbs 26:2 (ESV): "Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight."
Reflection: Consider an area of disobedience or sin in your life. What steps can you take today to repent and align this area with God's will?
Day 3: The Power of Tithing
Tithing is an act of obedience and lordship, not just a financial transaction. By giving the first 10% of our income to God, we sanctify the rest and invite His blessings, breaking financial curses. Tithing is a demonstration of trust in God's provision and a declaration of His lordship over our finances. It is a spiritual principle that acknowledges God as the source of all we have and invites His favor into our financial lives. By faithfully tithing, we position ourselves to receive God's blessings and protection over our resources. [54:18]
Malachi 3:10 (ESV): "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."
Reflection: Reflect on your current approach to tithing. How can you make tithing a more intentional act of worship and trust in God's provision?
Day 4: Approaching the Courts of Heaven
Spiritual warfare is not always the solution to breaking curses. Instead, we must present our case before the courts of heaven, where God can issue a verdict to nullify the curse. This approach requires humility, repentance, and faith, trusting in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. By bringing our petitions before God, our righteous judge, we can seek His intervention and deliverance from any spiritual bondage. It is a reminder that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces, and that God is our ultimate advocate and defender. [01:03:55]
Isaiah 43:25-26 (ESV): "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to seek God's intervention in the courts of heaven? How can you approach Him with humility and faith today?
Day 5: Guarding Our Words and Actions
As believers, our words carry authority. We must be careful not to curse, as this can arouse demonic forces against us. Instead, we should bless and speak life, ensuring we do not give the enemy any foothold. Our words have the power to build up or tear down, to bless or to curse. By choosing to speak life and blessings, we align ourselves with God's purposes and invite His presence into our lives. It is a call to be intentional with our words and actions, recognizing their spiritual significance and impact. [01:15:47]
Proverbs 18:21 (ESV): "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."
Reflection: Reflect on your recent conversations. How can you be more intentional in speaking words of life and blessing to those around you today?
Quotes
"We give thanks to God for his grace and his mercy to bring us through a very interesting year. I know that this year has had some challenges, but we stand in the faith of Jesus Christ. I want to just take a few moments to pray. Will you just lift your heart, send your hands before God. Father, I thank you, Lord, for 2024. You promised, Lord, in the Psalms that you will crown our year with goodness, Lord, and our past drip with abundance." [00:39:39]
"I want to begin by saying today that curses are real. They're not a Hollywood invention. Many people, when they think of a curse, they think of a fairy tale. You know, maybe we've watched too many Disney movies. We think of some handsome prince being turned into an ugly frog. But let me reassure you that curses are very real, and if we don't recognize this, we become powerless to deal with it." [00:41:42]
"Jesus said, I've come to give that you may have life and life more abundantly. What does the thief come to do? He seeks to rob us from the fullness of life that Jesus came to give to us. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. And ladies and gentlemen, we got to know how to stop the thief. Amen. Now, one of the primary ways that the devil steals from us is through a curse." [00:47:02]
"Proverbs 26 and verse 2 says, Like a fleeting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without a cause shall not alight. If there is no cause, a curse cannot land. In other words, curses can only operate if there's a breach or if there's a legal right. And I think that if our spiritual eyes are open, we will see all kinds of curses flying all around looking for a place to land." [00:48:04]
"Pay the tithe and pay it faithfully the tithe doesn't belong to you one way or another you won't get to keep it if you withhold the tithe that belongs to God you are robbing him and robbing him is a transgression how how do we reverse this negative flow tithe if you will begin the tithe the Lord says he will rebuke the devourer on your behalf and when he does that the devil no longer has any right to take from you or steal from you." [00:51:15]
"The tithe is established to test your faith. It is an issue of faith. God wants you to believe that the 90 % of your salary with his blessings will go much further than the 100 % of your salary without his blessings. Come on. Can you believe God for that? Can you believe God for that? And the tithe is one of the keys that unlocks the windows of heaven over your life." [00:54:18]
"The purpose of my word today is to help you identify the source of your problem discern what the solution is and present your case before heaven and I'll see you in the next video to dissolve the curse and the key in undoing curses is to recognize that these curses are legal instruments and spiritual warfare is not the remedy no amount of screaming against the devil will get him off your case why because it's not a warfare issue it's a judicial issue." [00:55:28]
"When Jesus rose again from the dead in victory the verdict was handed down and that verdict now has to be enforced and the only agency appointed by God and authorized by God to enforce the verdict is the church of Jesus Christ come on hallelujah so the execution and enforcement of the victory is vital and these curses will operate as long as we are here on earth but the church has the authority to annul every curse in the name of because of what he did on the cross amen." [01:02:00]
"Be very careful because when you curse, you are a born -again believer, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. You sit with the Lord. Hallelujah. You are a son and a daughter of the living God. And if you curse in your vindictiveness, you can arouse demonic spirits against you. So be careful that you don't do it. Amen. Bless, bless, bless, bless, bless. Hallelujah." [01:15:02]
"Would you lift up your hands right now? Because I want to pray in Jesus' name. I see chains being broken right now in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Father, I thank you for Cornerstone Community Church. Lord, I proclaim and decree over them. They are a company of priests. Hallelujah. Lord, I thank you that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. And every tongue that rises against us in judgment, we shall condemn." [01:16:42]
"And Father, we thank you, Lord, for your promises over us. For the Lord would say unto us this day, that as you cross into the new year, I will go before you, for I've made the way straight for you. That this 2025 will be a year of phenomenal blessing, upon this church here. And I see the Lord doing something so wonderful in 2025. I cannot explain it. I know it's going to be an amazing year for the church, for this community." [01:22:11]
"I want to dismiss you right now with the instruction from the Holy Spirit. He said, I have to pray this prayer every time I dismiss the people. I want you to raise your hands and I receive right now the blessings. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and grant you His peace." [01:23:31]