Recently we studied about overcoming depression and porn, but this week we will study overcoming cursing, since it is also deeply rooted in our culture, and vernacular. One of the very first issues which is addressed by The Holy Spirit in conversion is that of speech, for it has an immediate, and direct effect on the influence Christians exude, as it pertains to our representation of The Lord. Porn is often something of a private, personal nature, and may not dishonor God publicly.
And whereas other sins may take time to get rid of, cursing misrepresents the kingdom of God from the first utterance by a Christian, and often the adverse effect on the minds of other people might never be erased. That’s why God usually addresses the sin of
cursing early on, in the process of our conversion.
As we all know, curse words have become common in our politics, in television shows, in our interaction with others, and at times even the news media have adopted the practice. It is very prevalent in movies, where indoctrination into evil often takes place. It has occurred in God-fearing persons in ages past, it was manifest in some of the disciples, and even the prophet Isaiah had a problem with it, until the grace of God granted him the victory.
Therefore, those of us who are still struggling with cursing may know for certain that it is not unique to us alone, but it’s one of those sins that have been in existence since after the fall of man. Several Bible characters have struggled with this problem and in many instances, it had become so deeply rooted in them that it became spontaneous, without thought or deliberate action. Thus, the scriptures tell us that we are not alone in this, or any other sin.
There is deliberate cursing, where some may try to make a point, and there is spontaneous cursing by which some sudden aggravation may cause us to trip a wire, and then there’s cursing for no reason, just because it has become our way of speaking. In all of these examples mentioned, we should always remember that God does not approve of it, and we as Christians must gain the complete victory over it, if we are to properly represent Christ’s kingdom. Let’s read:
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
There is also an abstract form of cursing which is not audible, but which sometimes may occur in our thoughts. The words may not be vocalized, but they may be rankling in our minds. This form is also to be eliminated, for if it is cherished, one day it will spill over when the right set of circumstances converge. We should also understand that satan specializes in putting such circumstances in motion to bring about the adverse result. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thoughts; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
[The Desire Of Ages. pp 353] The servants of Christ are not to act out the dictates of the natural heart. They need to have close communion with God, lest, under provocation, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or the still showers that refresh the withering plants.
This is what Satan wants them to do; for these are his methods. It is the spirit of Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing, but God's servants are to be representatives of Him. He desires them to deal only in the currency of heaven, the truth that bears His own image and superscription. They are to fix their eyes upon His loveliness. And the spirit that is kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible.
The above statement leads us to our first example of cursing as it occurred in one Christian. Peter was upset at Christ for allowing Himself to be arrested at the hands of the mob and because the storm is now brewing not only for Jesus, but also for His disciples, Peter decides to hang out with the wrong crowd, so that he wouldn’t be identified with Christ, thereby concealing his faith.
By so doing, he places himself on satan’s enchanted ground, and the devil is sure to make the most of the opportunity, by prompting his agents to get on Peter’s nerves. The devil has already observed that Peter is an impulsive person, who speaks when he should really be quiet, and who says things without thinking.
Furthermore, the devil has documented a number of occasions when the right set of circumstances, converging suddenly at once, have often triggered great irritation, and angry responses in Peter. Thus, he is going to set such a train of circumstances into motion, turning up the heat several notches to see if he could cause Peter to become unhinged, thus tempting Peter to doubt his own Christianity, whilst at the same time, causing major embarrassment to the kingdom of Christ.
This tactic is often used on us Christians as well, and regrettably, with too great success. Will he succeed in getting Peter to blow a fuse, and curse out some persons who have irritated him? Will Peter stand firm, and keep his cool? Or will he succumb to the increased pressure? Let’s read:
Matthew 26: 69 Now Peter sat outside in the palace: (the words “Sat outside” means that he was hanging out with the unruly crowd to disguise his faith, for fear of embarrassment. There Peter was, casually pretending to play dominos with those who were seeking to slay his Master, while on the inside he was burning up with rage and resentment. Then suddenly, without warning the devil takes a swipe.) “And a damsel came unto him saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee”.
The crowd gasps in utter surprise and focus their gaze intently on Peter. They question if he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing among them, so in Peter’s mind, only a direct denial of Christ would stave off what could be an imminent attack by the mob. Startled, and surprised out of his comfort zone, he hated the idea of being exposed, so he does what some of us may do in similar situations. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
But the devil will turn up the heat several notches, for now that the question has been raised, he has observed that Peter has become unhinged, so he prods him with another shot of sarcastic inquiry to see if he will flip. There are a lot of people flipping nowadays under pressure, and maybe, just maybe, Peter will deny any relationship with Christ, using a barrage of unbecoming words, since he seems to be greatly disturbed.
Most of us may be able to fend off a single round of aggravation from the enemy. We may quote a few texts, and pray earnestly, thereby surviving the first round. But very few Christians would be able to withstand a sustained campaign of irritation against our souls for we often become impatient and weary after just one or two bouts.
On this point, it is necessary for us to be reminded that the devils do not take a break from tempting us just because it is the Sabbath, because quite often, the irritation continues to follow us to church. Many of the temptations Christ encountered, which were specifically designed to try to irritate Him, occurred in church, as is often the case in our own personal experiences.
Multiple, and sustained irritations are launched to see if we will become discombobulated; and with each passing bout, we are increasingly tempted to let loose some choice words on the offender. But God desires that we see the real, invisible agencies behind all these situations, and pray, that sustained strength will be given to meet the sustained attacks for we are always to pray, and not faint. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Peter is now on the brink of cursing, for he is angry with Jesus for permitting the situation to come to this, especially with the knowledge that Christ can turn the tide instantly in His favor by a miracle. We too sometimes become upset with Jesus, if He does not employ His miraculous power to deliver us from adverse situations when we know He can. Just like Peter, we wonder why He sometimes allows those forces of evil to run riot, when He can diffuse the situation by a mere thought.
Thus, Peter is upset; he is angry at everybody. He is furious with those maids who just keep on following him around and harassing him and he’s upset at the paparazzi, and the news media, who are hounding him at every turn, with a ton of questions, putting their ungodly microphones in his face.
Therefore, the devil through human agents, comes in for the third and final round, for the principle of multiple assaults is a time-proven tactic, engaged quite often to wear our patience thin. Will he, or wont he succeed? Will Peter withstand the stress, or will he buckle on the brink, and blow a fuse in public? Let’s read:
Matthew 26:73 And after a while there came unto him those that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrays thee.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Now that Peter has cursed out everybody in public, he looks around, and he sees a look of sadness on Jesus’ face. John who is sitting where Peter should be, near Christ, sits with his lower jaw open in utter unbelief at what he just heard, and the other church members, and the elders from Peter’s local church, who are present, immediately call for an emergency board meeting to discuss an urgent response to that which they have heard with their own two ears.
Filled with remorse, dismay, and anger at what has just transpired, and quite disappointed in his own self-righteousness Peter sinks into depression, and starts to break down with irrepressible crying. Then the devil, wishing to put the final nail in the coffin, immediately begins to infuse suicidal thoughts into Peter’s mind, if maybe he could finish him off once and for all.
When Christ warned Peter that satan desired to sift him like wheat, the word “sift” did not only mean to tempt severely, it meant to finish him off once and for all, as in six feet under. But that is next week’s Bible study “How to Avoid Suicide”. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly.
[The Desire of Ages. pp713] A tide of memories rushed over him. The Savior's tender mercy, His kindness and long-suffering, His gentleness and patience toward His erring disciples,—all was remembered. He recalled the caution, “Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Luke 22:31, 32.
He reflected with horror upon his own ingratitude, his falsehood, his perjury. Unable longer to endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall. He pressed on in solitude and darkness, he knew not and cared not whither. At last he found himself in Gethsemane.
The scene of a few hours before came vividly to his mind. The suffering face of his Lord, stained with bloody sweat and convulsed with anguish, rose before him. He remembered with bitter remorse that Jesus had wept and agonized in prayer alone, while those who should have united with Him in that trying hour were sleeping. He remembered His solemn charge, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”
He witnessed again the scene in the judgment hall. It was torture to his bleeding heart to know that he had added the heaviest burden to the Savior's humiliation and grief. On the very spot where Jesus had poured out His soul in agony to His Father, Peter fell upon his face and wished that he might die.
The situation pertaining to cursing was different however with Job, a man who is described as being a praying Christian. Job’s entire family seemed to be doing quite well, and Job, faithful to his charge as priest of his household, prayed day and night for his entire family, a noteworthy example that should be emulated in our day. But Job and his wife were not immune to cursing, if the right set of circumstances were to converge. Let’s read:
Job 1:8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
That challenge could not be made if the devils had not previously observed the words of some of Job’s family members when they were under pressure. It takes one who has been thoroughly purged from this sin, to refrain from cursing under any and every circumstance. Job’s wife had done well after the first deadly bout, for she had apparently maintained her cool after losing all her kids in one day.
And we must give credit where credit is due, for many of us would have stumbled in our faith if we were in her shoes. To lose one family member in an accident is traumatic enough, but to lose all of one’s children in the same day could drive us insane. In addition to this, several of their faithful servants bit the dust, as well as their favorite pets. So, we must say “Cheers” to Mrs. Job on how she handled the first round.
But with the utmost grief still taking its toll on her, and with their life savings practically wiped out, she is now on the verge of losing her faith, and her cool. In this state of mind, she becomes a ripe target for temptation. Will the devils succeed in their plots if they were to turn up the heat, in their attempts to spawn a barrage of curse words from Job and his wife? or will they stand their ground in the name of Jesus? Let’s read:
Job 2:3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth and cursed his day.
The next example consists of the habitual use of foul language, to the point where it has become a way of life. Isaiah was a prophet who was involved in ministry, but he too admitted that he had a habit of cursing, because the words “Unclean lips” covers a wide array of unbecoming words. His testimony, and the way in which he was given the victory are the reasons why we will use his experience as our main case study. Let’s read:
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
The keys to overcoming cursing, once and for all are embedded in the experience of Isaiah, for he takes us from the problem to an acknowledgement of the problem, to the only way we can be cleansed from this sin. Persons have erroneously concluded in our day that curse words are to be protected by the first amendment, and that the offensiveness of such is a matter of relativity.
Thus, as a blockbuster tell-all book was unveiled this past week, several expletive words were found to be published therein, and reproduced by the news media. The nation is therefore becoming more and more desensitized to profanity and it will, in the not too distant future, reach a point of no return, where it will be used freely in classrooms, newspapers and pulpits.
Therefore, if we truly desire cleansing from this sin we must observe closely what happened next, to brother Isaiah. Let’s read:
Isaiah 6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Like other sins, getting rid of cursing is something God has to do for us. We may try to refrain from using foul language, but because we speak out of the abundance of the heart, the spontaneous use of curse words is a reflection of the condition of our
hearts.
By the act of laying a live coal from off the altar on brother Isaiah’s mouth, is represented the miracle of cleansing which only Christ can do. The miracle was immediate, it was permanent, and it was also complete, for nowhere in the book of Isaiah does he ever reference this problem again. Therefore, if we are in Isaiah’s shoes, and, if like Peter we have not been entirely cleansed of cursing, we too will need the proverbial “Live coal”, the miraculous cleansing which God alone can give. Let’s read:
[Acts of The Apostles pp 39>40] God therefore in a miraculous manner supplied the deficiency of the apostles. The Holy Spirit did for them that which they could not have accomplished for themselves in a lifetime. From this time forth the language of the disciples was pure, simple, and accurate, whether they spoke in their native tongue or in a foreign language.
Of course, there were things Peter and Isaiah must do to safeguard the miraculous victory, as we also must do, whenever God grants us cleansing from cursing. Isaiah and Peter must from henceforth try to avoid secular movies and stand up comedies, if they know that vile language and expletives are to be expected. By beholding we become changed, and if we knowingly expose ourselves to profanity, the victory God once gave us will retrogress into oblivion.
Therefore, in closing, it is essential that we not only ask God for victory, but that we also do our best to maintain victory, for as Christ once said, “He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved”. The following passages should thus be remembered and considered, for they represent both the counsel and caution, coming from God to His people. Let’s read:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Matthew 12: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
God Bless!