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                                                                                       “Acursed”

Greed and disobedience may get us what we want temporarily. However, sin doesn’t offer rewards without delivering trials and problems that will follow. 

Disobedience has the same result. We may ignore caution, instructions, and mandates to get what we desire. Beware they come at a cost. This is also a major door opener for the cunning Spirit of the Devil. 

Eve allowed the deception of the devil to convinced her that God was holding out on her.

Her greed for more, curiosity, and disobedience, along with Adam had major consequences, for them and mankind. We know both she and Adam were kicked out of Eden. 

We don’t realize that our disobedience both affects things around, conditions and situations, just as it affects us individually.

When Joshua sent men to conquer Ai. In truth, it should have been a victory for Israel.  Joshua had sent scouts to access the situation and they reported back that there weren’t many people there so three thousand soldiers should be enough.

They went on the attack and the people of Ai defeated them.  Joshua was distraught trying to figure out why they were defeated.

As he communed with the Lord. God told him that Israel was cursed. And God told him why they were cursed.👇🏽

Before they went to Jericho, God told Joshua, who also told the people:👇🏽

specific instructions that no one was to claim the accursed items.

Joshua 6:17-19 NLT

Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. 

18] "Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 

19] Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury."

Joshua 7:1 NLT

But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites...

Joshua 7:4-7 NLT

So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 

5] chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away. 

6] Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening. 

7] Then Joshua cried out, "Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!

Joshua 7:10 But the LORD said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 

11] Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. 

12] That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction. 

13] "Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

Joshua follows God’s instructions 👇🏽

✨Joshua 7:14-15 NLT

In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the LORD will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the LORD will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the LORD will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one. 

15] The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel.

✨Joshua 7:18-25 NLT

Every member of Zimri's family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out. 

19] Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me." 

20] Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. 

21] Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest." 

22] So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. 

23] They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the LORD. 

24] Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. 

25] Then Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you." And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.

Achan’s greed and disobedience not only lost him his life, but the lives of his family.

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✨God saw the whole nation of Isreal cursed, though Achan took the belongings, and his actions cursed all of them. Achan’s removal wasn’t a result of being kicked out of the community to go his own way alone. His removal was by death.

Our focus should be on how not fall under greed and /or curiosity. Let us  take ownership of ourselves and in doing so, stop the opportunity to fall into temptation from the devil or from our own desires, greed, and disobedience.

We have to take accountability for our actions and thoughts. We have free will and we don’t have to give in to coveting - wanting everything we see.

When it comes to doing what God tells us not to do, we bring curses into our lives and the lives of those associated with us.

As we deal with situations, and illnesses, of our own, we should take the time to reflect on what we have done that has not been brought forward to the Lord in repentance. 

We should consider our ways, nature, personality, and character. How are we currently living our lives and how is it connected to the mishaps in our current circumstances?

There are two ways that we can discover this truth. First, resign to change and repent to the Lord. We ask for forgiveness and stop doing what we are doing.

While we are in the act of repentance, ask the Lord to show us a reflection of ourselves. He will reflect all that we are that is not in alignment with him. This revelation should be repented of.

We have to want this change and be sincere in repentance. Then start praying and asking the Lord to guide us on his path for us. And begin praying over any afflictions that we have.

Curses can follow people to the 3rd and fourth generations for the sins of the forefathers.

1 Samuel 2:27-36 NLT

One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the LORD: "I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. 

28] I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. 

29] So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me-for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel! 

30] "Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 

31] The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. 

32] You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. 

33] The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. 

34] And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day! 

35] "Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. 

36] Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. 'Please,' they will say, 'give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.'"

Elli was in service to the Lord, but knew his two sons, who were not serving God. We’re wicked and vile. Eli did not remove them he knew what they were about and they knew he was aware. 

A person who hates God has no problem doing wickedness and demonstrates disrespect of God with no worry of what is coming to them. 

I believe it is their ignorance and arrogance that has them believing no harm will come their way is the very thing that lifts them up in pride.

Eli did lose both of his so sons in battle the same day and lost his own life too. When he heard that the Ark of the Covenant had been taken in battle he fell over, breaking his neck in the process.

God told Eli, none of his descendants would live to old age. In our present day we often wonder in agony why someone has to die so young.

We do not know what our forefathers did or how they truly lived. But God does.

Having this knowledge and praying about it will help us on an individual basis, but it will be beneficial to people around us also. Consider doing this for family. 

Our generation does not have to be known to God as “Sins of the forefathers” and marking our children and the children who come generations down by our curses. For those who will do this, what a difference it will make.

My Closing Prayer:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Let us not use this as a crutch to continue leaning on sinful nature. 

Hebrews 4:1 God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.

Let us now turn from what is not in alignment with you, Lord. 

Bring conviction upon our spirits, and show us a reflection of ourselves. 

No one desires to fall into hell, therefore let us make every effort in our lives to live as you direct. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.