Can a Christian be cursed?

Last updated on April 28, 2021

The opposite of a curse is a blessing. When God created the man and his wife, He blessed them (Genesis 1:28). God also blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:3). But as soon as Satan entered the scene and the woman was deceived into disobeying God, God uttered a curse, not a blessing. God tells the serpent that he is cursed above all livestock and will eventually be destroyed by the woman’s seed (Genesis 3:14-15).

The ultimate authority

The ultimate authority to bless or curse rests with God. King Balak tried to have Balaam curse the Israelites but it failed, because God would not let Balaam utter curses against His people (Numbers 23). Generally speaking, a life close to Him means a life under His blessing (Psalm 24:3-6), but when we choose a life far away from Him, sin will have the last say and the curse of Genesis 3 on our lives will be felt.

Safe in His hands

Can a Christian be touched by a curse? People who belong to God, who are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:5), can such people be cursed?

God’s children are safe in His hands. Once they have trusted Him with their lives, they can never lose their salvation. They cannot be snatched away from God by Satan or by anybody else (John 10:28). It is impossible that those whose names are written in the book of life, can be blotted out, not by sin nor by a curse (Revelation 3:5).

Without God’s will, no evil will come to us, even the hairs on our head are numbered (Matthew 10:28-30).

Put on the armor

This does not mean that evil will never come to us. We are warned in Ephesians 6 to be strong in the Lord and put on His armor (Ephesians 6:10-13) so that we will able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Maybe one of Satan’s schemes is using somebody to curse children of God. But the Bible does not give a clear answer to the question whether it is possible that a believer can be cursed; people have different opinions on this matter. However, it is sure that Satan will try anything to destroy the blessing that God bestows on His children. He will look for weak spots in our armor. We are told to be vigilant and beware of Satan who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are told to resist him (1Peter 5:9) and yet, at the same time we may rest in the assurance that we “are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

Christians belong to God

In summary, Christians belong to God Who is much more powerful than Satan and they are safe with Him. Curses will not be able to affect their salvation in Jesus Christ. At the same time, they need to seek their strength continually in the Lord and be on their guard so they can stand against the schemes of the devil. When people try to survive in their own strength away from the Lord’s power, that’s when they become vulnerable. The Bible is not clear whether curses can affect a Christian, there are different opinions on this matter. Still, let’s exhort each other to stay close to God, nurture our relationship to Him and give Satan no opportunity to take away the blessing of a life close to our Savior.

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