The account of the Children of Israel when they refused to enter the Promised Land is an astounding demonstration of the power of the spoken word. Time and again, the Israelites stated that the Lord brought them out into the desert to kill them, an astonishing statement from a people who had seen the power of God. (Exodus 14:11)

When they rebelled against the Lord, He said, “as ye have spoken in Mine ears, so will I do to you. You will die in the desert.” (Numbers14:28)

Spoken words have power. This should not be surprising. God created the world by His spoken word. (Hebrews 11:3) We are made in His image. (Genesis 1:26a) Therefore, our words have power.

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” – James 3:5

“There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” – Proverbs 12:18

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” – Ephesians 5:23

Just as we can pronounce blessings, we can pronounce curses, or statements of misfortune directed toward someone.

Joshua was the leader of the Children of Israel after the death of Moses. When Jericho was destroyed, Joshua placed a curse on any man who would rebuild the city. (Joshua 6:26) The curse was fulfilled years later when Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. (I Kings 16:34)

The authority of the spoken word also lies with national leaders. President Obama famously stated that the United States was no longer a Christian nation. Intentional or not, this was a curse on the United States.

Pastors are given a certain authority over their congregations. This is an awesome responsibility. A pastor can pronounce blessings on a congregation. A pastor can also bring unintentional misfortune on his church by his careless words.

Fathers and mothers can unwittingly place a curse on their children. A father who declares, “you will never amount to anything” has, in his authority, placed a curse on his child. May the Lord forgive us for loose and flippantly spoken words.

Further, we can bring evil on ourselves with our words, as did the Israelites when they stated that the Lord brought them out to the desert to die there, or when before Pilate the Jews proclaimed, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matthew 27:25)

In all of the instances above, by faith, repentance and prayer, a recipient of such a curse may rebuke the curse with the power of God. May we approach the Lord’s Throne of Grace, renouncing any harmful statements, or curses, that we have unwittingly directed at someone else, or ourselves.

Our words have power and impact. Pray for each other, as is commanded by James 5:16.

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” – James 4:11

“ … for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” – Matthew 12:34b - 35