Over the summer, I found myself being taught a lot of new things about spiritual warfare. Our family has been in a long wilderness season. This season has lasted for many years now, with only brief respites of relief. The last 3 years, that season has greatly intensified. The longevity of this walk has led us to many ends. Pride has been sacrificed on the table to receive greater servings of grace. All of our expectations about what life would look like were laid down, and every dream was released to seed. From that place of being laid bare, from the humility that comes with losing so much, I found myself hearing, seeing, and feeling God so much more. When life is stripped away and there is nothing left but Him, that’s when we find truth.
God led me to listen to a certain person who does daily Spirit led prayer times. Every day while exercising, I began to listen to her. I immediately felt stirred by her passionate prayers. Much warfare was happening in these broadcasts and my eyes became open to some things I had not yet known. There are days when the Spirit falls on me so intensely during these prayers that I am no longer listening to her at all, but find myself sometimes yelling out prayers as I walk. Other days, I forget that I’m outside and I find myself weeping through these prayers. It’s been such a blessing and release to me.
On one such morning, she was leading prayers to break off word curses that have been spoken over us.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
She spoke of breaking curses that we knew were spoken over us… but then she began talking about breaking those that we didn’t know had even been spoken. This was the moment heaven came crashing over me. I had been victim to many word curses spoken over me, yet away from my physical ears. I didn’t hear them, but I was still living under their attack. Wow!!
I found myself so stirred that I began to pray in the Spirit passionately. Suddenly I saw a person I know. That person was standing over me as I laid on the ground, and they had their foot on my throat. In essence, they were choking out my voice. As I continued to pray in the Spirit, I broke the curse and saw the person’s ankle break. Then I felt Holy Spirit guiding me to release a blessing over that person. That was definitely God because, I’ll be honest, that’s not what I felt like doing. Yet such release happened when I did. I continued to pray in the Spirit because I felt something wasn’t finished, and then I saw another person that I know. This person was speaking and as they did I could see the words coming out of their mouth almost like a ribbon and they were cursing me. So, I pressed into the Spirit further and then I saw the person’s neck jerk sideways and when that happened the curse broke, and I released a blessing over the person. Again, Holy Spirit kept me tethered to forgiveness and blessing those who cursed me.
Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:28
I continued on my walk and was so shaken and excited about what had happened. Suddenly, I saw a snake on the ground at the bottom of the hill. Startled, I jumped. But then I realized the snake was not only dead, but it’s head was cut off. I felt the spiritual connotations of this moment and as they were still sinking in, I arrived at the top of the hill and saw a beautiful white horse that I had never seen before. I felt God’s presence all over this. Think of it, a dead snake at the bottom of the hill and a beautiful white horse at the top!! If that wasn’t a message from God, then I don’t know what is.
Word curses are real, whether we want to admit it or not, but we do NOT have to live a life subject to them. Ever since this happened, I have prayed for God to break any and all word curses spoken over me. And I intentionally bless myself daily. Many years ago, I discovered the importance of speaking blessings over my own self…it’s easy to bless others, but something special occurs when we learn to also bless ourselves! From that place of blessing, we can then bless others more!! When we live life from a position of knowing we are blessed, then we have much more mercy and grace with the world.
Before you head into this day, I want to leave you with a blessing. So ,as you read this, I hope you will speak it out loud. Really hear and experience the words and bring you heart into a position to receive.
God, I release blessing over myself. Thank You for creating me. Thank You for giving me a unique purpose. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for wanting to know me. I receive every blessing You have laid aside for my life now, in Jesus’ name. I choose today, to walk as if I am certain that I am blessed, and my life is a blessing to others. As I share You with the world, I know my blessed life will draw others to You. I choose to soak in the blessings of heaven right now, Abba. Release the full measure of blessing over my life and let it spill over into the lives of my family. Let us drip with Your blessing and teach me how to be a greater blessing to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
365 Days in the Presence 