Hello and welcome to this session in which we would look at cost flow assumption. The first word I want to emphasize on is it's an assumption. It's an assumption of how inventory cost flows goes from the balance sheet to the income statement. Simply put, we have the inventory account and we have cost of goods sold. We acquire inventory and once we sell the inventory, it would leave inventory and goes to cost of goods sold and get expense. Now inventory cost flow assumption is the assumption of how to account for those changes for those transfer from inventory to cost flow. The company don't have to choose the same method that it actually matches the actual physical flow. Therefore, what we're going to be learning about is assumption. We could assume any method we want to and they're going to have we're going to learn about various assumptions. The first assumption it's going to be called five or first and first out. We assume the inventory that we brought in first are the inventory that we got rid of first first and first out. Or we could have a life or assumption the inventory that we purchased last is the inventory that we are going to be selling first. So last in the last inventory that we purchased is the is the first inventory that we get rid of. In the real world, most inventory most inventory is five or first and first out. Think of a grocery store in a grocery store they want to sell the apples they want to sell the lettuce they want to sell the pairs they want to sell the strawberry. The old one first first and first out otherwise they will go bad. And for most merchandise, you want to get rid of the old inventory first life or stand for last and first out you are assuming that the inventory that you purchased last are the inventory that you sell first. Again, those are assumptions and we, we have a method called the weighted average and we have another method that's not really an assumption. It's called the specific identification I will discuss the specific identification in a separate example. Now also to learn about the cost flow assumption you have to know our track. How do we track inventory remember we have two methods to track inventory periodic method and the perpetual method. Now if you don't know what the periodic or the perpetual method I would strongly suggest you take a look at the previous recording because in this session. I'm going to be showing you the periodic method as well as the perpetual method side by side. This topic is covered an intermediate accounting and heavily on the CPA exam so it's very important that you learn this topic inside out. Whether you are an accounting student or a CPA candidate I strongly suggest you take a look at my website far hat lectures calm. I don't replace your CPA review course you keep your CPA review course I'm a useful addition. I can add knowledge I can add 10 to 15 points to your CPA exam by helping you understand the concept behind the theory. I move much slower than your CPA exam I give you examples I give you practice multiple choice through false so I can help you prepare for your CPA prep course which will help you prepare for the CPA exam. My subscription is a nominal subscription give me a chance for a month.  Take a look at my website if not for anything to find out how well or not well your university doing on the CPA exam. This is a list of all the accounting courses that I have resources for advanced accounting taxation managerial accounting auditing intermediate so on and so forth. My CPA supplemental material is aligned with your backer Roger gleam and why so it's very easy to go back and forth between your CPA review course and my material and I also give you access to all the CPA previously released questions with detailed solution. Almost 1500 previously released questions if you have not connected with me on LinkedIn please do so take a look at my LinkedIn recommendation like this recording share it connect with me on Instagram Facebook Twitter and Reddit. The best way to illustrate this concept is to actually work an example so we're going to be working with Adam inventory information and it's very important whatever it's going to be on this slide as you copy it down because we're going to be using this data to illustrate all three concept. So we're going to be working with a company with a starting beginning inventory of 5000 units and they paid for those 5000 unit $5 per unit so the total cost is $25,000. This is what we call beginning inventory January 1st. Then throughout the year the company made various purchases on January 10th they bought 1000 unit at $6 on April 22nd they purchase 3000 unit at $7 on November 15 they purchase an additional 3000 unit at $7 and 50 cent and these are the total. All in all they started with 5000 unit they purchased 7000 additional unit they have available unit for sale $12,000. In the total cost the total cost for beginning inventory plus purchases is 74,500 and we call the 74,500 goods available for sale and you're going to see this number the 74,500 and the 12,000 repeatedly throughout this recording. So you need to understand what these number are 12,000 unit is the 12,000 unit that we have available for the whole year that includes beginning inventory plus all purchases and 74,500 is our cost of goods sold. Throughout the year we made three sales we we made the sale on January 15 for 3500 unit on April 27 for 1500 unit in November 23,000 unit. In other words we sold 8,000 unit 8,000 of the 12,000. The question is which 8,000 unit we sold look on January 15 we sold 3500. Well which 3500 did we sell that we sell the 1000 from this batch and 2500 from this batch or did we sell the whole 3500 from the 5000 or did we sell you know 500 from this you know 1000 from this so on and so forth. So the question is which unit did we sell and this is where the cost flow assumption comes into effect comes into play. In which 4000 unit do we have left because if we start if we have available of eight and sorry if we have 12,000 available we sold eight. We must have 4000 available. Let's take a look at this in terms of unit we started with five purchase seven we have 12,000 unit available. Again those 12,000 unit 4000 remained on hand at the end of the year we still have 4000 unit and we sold 8,000 unit so notice that 12,000 will have to be split eight to four. Okay, ending plus sold will equal to 12,000. This is in terms of unit. Now let's take a look in terms of dollar amount we had 5000 unit at $5 the beginning inventory was 25,000 8,000 unit purchases purchased at various prices 49,500. Total 12,000 unit and the total goods available for sale is 74,500. So together the 25 plus the 49,500 equal to goods available for sale. The goods available for sale will have to be split between ending inventory and cost of goods sold. So again you're going to see the 74,500 and the 12,000 unit repeatedly throughout this recording. So to start I'm going to start to show you the various assumptions that we can make. The first assumption we can make is use average cost to assign cost of goods sold and ending inventory. So our ending inventory and cost of goods sold will be a mix and the mix will be the average cost of the goods available for sale and we're going to starting with the periodic inventory. Remember you need to know the difference between periodic and perpetual. The periodic is easy to compute because you only have to do the computation once at the end of the period you compute an average price and you will assign this average price to ending inventory. And to cost of goods sold. Let's take a look at the example. We started with 5000 unit at $5. Then we purchased 49,500 worth of product which is 8,000 unit. So the total was 74,500. This is how much we invested. This is how many units we purchased. So in the periodic we find the periodic average which is 74,500 divided by 12,000 unit. Our average cost is $6.20. Now what we do we say we still have 4000 unit at 6.20 and 8,000 unit at 6.20. Together if you add them up they should always add up to 74,500. So notice some of the 74,500 is ending inventory and some of it cost of goods sold. It's split between the two. Remember if you give more to ending inventory you're going to take away from cost of goods sold. Or if you give more to cost of goods sold you're going to be taken away from inventory. So this is how it works. This is for the average cost using the periodic. Now let's learn about the average cost perpetual. Perpetual is a little bit different. You're going to have to compute a moving average, a changing average every time you make a purchase. So rather than having one average, notice here under the periodic it's easy. You have to compute one average. You compute the average is cost of goods available for sale divided by how many units you have available. While the moving average you have to add the cost of the previous inventory balance to the cost of the new purchase, then divide the total cost by the number of units on hand. Let's see how the perpetual inventory works. We started with 5,000 unit at $5 which is total of 25,000. Then on January the 10th we made a purchase. Remember as we just stated every time you make a purchase, every time you make a purchase you have to calculate a new average. Well I have 5,000. I have 25,000 from the original beginning inventory and I invested in additional 6,000. The total invested is 31,000 and I have now 6,000 unit, 5,000 from the beginning and 1,000 from January the 10th. Therefore my new average cost should be between 5 and 6 and my new average cost is 31,000 divided by 6 is $5.16 and it should be closer to 5 because I have more units purchased at $5. Next January 15th I made the sale. I sold 3,500 units. Which 3,500 units I sold? It does not really matter. Why? Because I have an average cost of $5.16 rounded. So my cost of goods sold for that transaction is $18,083. Now I might have sold it for $10, $12 per unit. It doesn't really care. I'm not really keeping track of my sales. I'm keeping track of cost of goods sold, okay? Cost of goods sold. Well if I had 6,000 units and I sold 3,500 I must have left 2,500 units at an average cost of $5.16 rounded. This is my average inventory, 12,916. Then I purchased 3,000 units at $7. Remember every time I make a purchase I have to calculate a new average. Well my inventory the 2,500 comes down the 12,916 plus my 21,000 that I recently invested. My total invested is 33,916. I purchased 3,000 and I had 2,500 so I have a total unit of 5,500. I'm ready to compute my average. My new average is $6.16. The average cost per unit. Then I made another sale on April the 27th. I sold 1,500 units at $6.16. I really don't care which unit I sold. I do have a new average cost which is my cost of goods sold is 9,250 for that transaction. And if I sold 1,500 and previously had 5,500 units I will have left 4,000 units at $6.16. And this will be my average inventory. Then I made a purchase 3,000 units at $7.50. Again every time I make a purchase I compute a new average. And what's the average? Well I have to find out how much I invested. I invested 24,666 from the previous transaction. I just purchased 22,500. I have 47,166 invested and I have 7,000 unit on hand. 4,000 come in from the previous period and 3,000 I purchased on November the 15th. Then I made a sale. It doesn't matter. First before I make a sale I compute my new average. My new average is $6.76.73 rounded to 7,400. It's going to be 6.738. This is the money that's invested. This is how many units I have. Then I made a sale of 3,000 units. Well I'm going to be using the new average. My sale will have a cost of goods sold of 20,000 to 15,000. I rounded a dollar. It's supposed to be 20 to 14,000 but there's a lot of rounding going on in this example. If I had 7,000 minus 4,000, minus if I had 7,000 units available minus 3,000, I should have 4,000 units available which is on year end. I do have 4,000 units available at year end. The cost is $6.738 which is the ending inventory is $26,952. This is the ending inventory. I'm going to compute. I'm going to add up all my costs of goods sold. Well, which is $18,083,9250 and $20,215. My total cost of goods sold is $47,548. If I add to it my ending inventory, $26,952, that's going to give me that magic number, $74,500. Remember the $74,500 will have to be split between ending inventory and cost of goods sold. Now, most likely you're saying, hold on a second, isn't that the same numbers as the periodic? And the answer is yes. Look, periodic and perpetual, I'm sorry, isn't this the same as the average? Now let's take a look at the FIFO method. FIFO method stands for first in, first out. Well, what does it first in, first out? That means it assumes the unit that you purchased first are sold first. And the ending inventory consists of the most recently acquired units. Your ending inventory consists with the units that you purchased last. Now, what is the positive and negative? What's the advantages and disadvantages of the first in, first out? Well, guess what?   It's a recent number. Why? Because your ending inventory reflect the most recently purchased. Your cost of goods sold is old because you are using old cost. Well, regardless, we have to find out how to compute cost of goods sold and ending inventory using the periodic inventory. Well, remember how many units we sold? We sold 8,000 units. Again, this is based on the original data. Well, if we sold first in, first out, well, we're going to start selling the 5,000 unit from the ending inventory. That's not going to satisfy the 8,000. Now, we're going to assume we purchased 1,000 units in January 10th. That's also going to be added. That's 6,000. Then we put on April 22nd, we purchased 3,000 units on April 22nd. Well, of those 3,000, we're going to sell 2,000. So notice 5,000 plus 1,000 plus 2,000. Those were first in, they are sold first. Those are the 8,000 units that are sold. Then what we have left is 1,000 units from April 22nd and from November 15th, we had 3,000 units.  The first 8 are sold. So the first 8 are sold. The first 8 are sold. So notice now we could compute cost of goods sold, 5,000 units at $5, 1,000 units at 6, 2,000 at 7. So we sold 8,000 units and the cost of goods sold is 45,000. Now, this is what's left in ending inventory. Well, what's left is 1,000 units at 7 and 3,000 units at 750. Total unit 4,000 and ending inventory is 29,500. So again, back to the same concept. 4,000 plus 8,000 equal to 12,000. Those 12,000 units are split between cost of goods sold and ending inventory. Now we are assigning $45,000 to cost of goods sold in 29,500 to ending inventory. Let's add 25,000 plus 29,500 plus 45,000. That's going to give us that magic number, 74,500. So this is how we account for FIFO periodically. Simply put, it's easy. We just wait till the end of the year and say we sold 8,000 unit and we'll start to remove the 8,000 unit from the beginning. Now let's take a look at FIFO perpetual. Under FIFO perpetual, which is we are keeping track of our inventory constantly. It's 5,000 unit times 5, which is 25,000. Then we purchased 1,000 unit at $6. What we need to do now is to keep track of our inventory chronologically. Chronologically means list them in order. We have the 5,000 unit at 5. We have the 1,000 unit at 6. So notice the first and first out. We'll keep them separately. The 5,000 were first. Then we sold 3,500 unit. Well, if we sold 3,500 unit, we're going to be selling from this 5,000. So the cost of these 3,500 is $5. The cost of goods sold for this transaction is $17,500. Remember, this is cost of goods sold. Now, if we sold 5,000 of these units, what's going to be left is 1,500 of these. So we're going to have 1,500 left from the 5,000 and we did not touch this 1,000. It comes down. But they stay in order. That's the key. On April the 22nd, we purchased 3,000 unit at $7. Now we need to bring down our old inventory, then add to it the 3,000. Notice we bring down what we had prior. Then we add to it the 3,000. Notice I'm keeping everything in chronological order and this is the total inventory at this point. Then I sold 1,500 unit. Which 1,500 unit I sold, I'm going to start first and first out. This is the 1,500. This is gone. So notice my beginning inventory is gone because I sold 3,500 here, 1,500 here. All this beginning inventory is gone, basically gone. So if I get rid of this 1,500, what's left is those two. So I'm going to bring down those two, the 1,000 unit at 6, the 3,000 unit at 7. Then I purchased another 3,000 unit at 750. Well, again, I'm going to bring down what I have and add to it my last batch. So bring down what I have, add to it the last 3,000. Then I sold 3,000 unit. Which 3,000 unit I sold? Well, I have to start from the beginning. To fill the order, I have to get rid of this 1,000. Then I have to use 2,000 out of this one, out of this the 3,000. So what's going to happen is I'm going to have 1,000 unit left at 7 and the 3,000 unit at 750, which it makes sense. I'm supposed to have 4,000. And indeed, I still have 4,000 unit. And if I compute my 4,000 unit, it's going to give me 29,000. 1,000 unit at 7, 3,000 unit at 750. It's going to give me 29,500. Let me add up all of my cost of goods sold, 20 plus 7,500 plus 17,500. My cost of goods sold equal to 45,000. Plus my ending inventory will give me again this magic number, 74,500. Now maybe you noticed that the perpetual FIFO and the periodic FIFO gave me the same answer. And the answer is yes. And this happens to be for FIFO. For FIFO, whether you use the periodic or whether you use the perpetual, it's going to give you the same answer, the same answer. So notice 45,000 for cost of goods sold is the same 45,000 that we computed earlier for periodic FIFO. It's only for FIFO. It doesn't work for LIFO. Now let's take a look at LIFO. LIFO stands for last in, first out. This method assumes the last unit acquired are sold first, basically the opposite of FIFO. So the last unit that we purchased are the first unit that we sell. Again, this assumes it's an assumption. So the ending inventory consists of the first acquired, which are old units. So what is the advantage and the disadvantage of LIFO? Well, last unit reflect the latest cost. So the latest cost is being matched with the latest sales. Therefore, your gross profit is accurate. Why? Because your cost of goods sold, remember, gross profit sales minus cost of goods sold gives you gross profit. The cost of goods sold reflect new prices.  So your ending inventory consists of old units that have old prices. And those prices could be pretty old. And you're going to see later, FIFO, it's going to give us some issues, we're going to have to deal with later. So let's illustrate this method using the same data that we used for the other two methods. Remember, we sold 8,000 units. Well, which 8,000 unit we sold, we're going to start from last. So we're going to assume under the periodic method, we sold the 3,000 that we purchased in November, the 3,000 that we purchased in April, 1,000 that we purchased on January 1st, and 1,000 that was from the beginning inventory. And all of those add up to 8,000. And what's left in our inventory is the 4,000 unit that were in the beginning inventory at $5. And again, everything add up to 12,000 units. Simply put, ending inventory consists of old units, the old, old units of 4,000 units. And cost of goods sold consists of the 8,000 unit that I spoke about earlier that we purchased, that we sold, the 3,000 at 750, the 3,000 at 7, the 1,000 at 6, and the 1,000 at 5. Again, total of 8,000 plus 4,000 equal to 12,000. And cost of goods sold is 54,500. Again, if you take 20,000, ending inventory plus 54,500, it's going to give us back that magic number, 74,500, split between ending inventory and cost of goods sold. This is the periodic LIFO. So you do this at the end. Perpetual LIFO, it's different. Perpetual LIFO keeps your inventory up to date. We're starting with 5,000 units at $5. Then we purchased 1,000 units at 6. Again, the key is to keep everything in chronological order, just like FIFO. We have 5,000 units at 5, 1,000 units at 6. We sold 3,500 units on January 15th. Which 3,500? We're going to start from last. We're going to get rid of this 1,000. And we're going to be completing the order from the other 5,000, which is 2,500. Well, if we use 2,500 of the 5,000, we must still have 2,500 of the 5,000. And this is from beginning inventory. On April 22nd, we purchased 3,000 units at 7. Now we add them. 2,000 units at 5, 3,000 units at 7. This is our total inventory. Then we sold 1,500 units. Which 1,500 units we sold? We sold this from the bottom. The 3,000 at $7. We sold them for something else. We sold them for $15, $16. But this is keeping track of cost of goods sold. Well, what do we have left? We still have the 2,500 at $5. And now we still have 1,500 at 7. Then we purchased 3,000 units at 7.50. Now we have three batches of inventory. The two that we brought in from the prior month and the 3,000 new units. We have three batches. Then we sold 3,000 units on November 20. That's easy. We sold those 3,000 units last in. If we sold that batch, what's left is the 2,500 and the 1,500, which is equal to 4,000. Notice 4,000 units, the cost of them. The cost for them is 23,000. Now let's add up cost of goods sold. 18,500, 10,500, 22,500 equal to 51,500 plus 23,000. Again, it's going to give us that magic number, 74,500. That's a split between ending inventory and cost of goods sold. So each method gave us a different figure. For example, the average method gave us a cost of goods sold of 42,548, ending inventory 26,945. And this is the cost of goods sold for 5,000, 45,000. The cost of goods sold for LIFO. Ending inventory is different for each method. However, the total money add up cost of goods sold in ending inventory for all three methods. It equals to 74,500. Again, 74,500 is a split between those three figures. On the CPA exam and my exam, you have to be comfortable in understanding what difference does it make if prices are rising or prices are declining. So I'm going to explain to you what happened here. What happened here as we were buying inventory, the cost of the inventory was increasing. The cost is rising. So what happened if the cost is rising? This is what's happening. What's happening is you are matching sales with recent cost. The recent cost is high. Well, if you're matching sale with recent cost, if you're using LIFO, cost of goods sold will be high. So notice if cost is rising, cost of sales will be high. As a result, your net income will be low. As a result, your taxes will be low. If the opposite is true, if costs are declining and you are using LIFO, if you are using LIFO, well, guess what's going to happen? Your cost of goods sold will be higher. Your net cost of goods sold will be lower because recent costs are lower. Your net income will be higher and your taxes will be higher. And the opposite is for FIFO. Whatever I said, the opposite is for FIFO because notice here, the costs were rising. FIFO gave you a low cost of goods sold. So LIFO, sorry, not LIFO, FIFO, if cost is rising, let's now apply it to FIFO. If cost is rising, FIFO is going to give you low cost of goods sold. Why? Because you are using old cost. If you have low cost of goods sold, then what you do, your net income is higher then your taxes are higher. You have to pay more taxes. If prices are declining, FIFO is going to give you a higher cost of goods sold. Then you're going to have, if a higher cost of goods sold, you're going to have lower income and your taxes will be lower. Now generally speaking, costs don't go down, costs usually rise. So once you understand what happened when costs rise, and you're using LIFO, cost of goods sold is lower, your net income is lower, and your taxes are lower. Now, if you understand this, then you'd understand the others. The average will give you some place in between FIFO and LIFO, the average numbers. Now because of that, the IRS is aware of this. The government is aware that if you want to use LIFO, which is LIFO is not allowed for international financial reporting purposes, if you're using LIFO, they know if you would use LIFO, what you would do is you would reduce your income and you would reduce your taxes. So they have a LIFO conformity rule, and basically what it says, if you use LIFO for tax purposes, if you're using LIFO for IRS for tax purposes, then you have to use LIFO for external financial reporting. So simply put, you cannot have two sets of books. You cannot say for tax, I'm going to use LIFO, and for GAP, I would use FIFO. You can do that. If you use LIFO for tax, you have to use LIFO for GAP. Now if you use for tax, you'd use FIFO, you could use anything for GAP. If for tax you would use the average, you could use anything for GAP. The conformity is for LIFO. If you use LIFO for GAP, for tax, you have to use it for GAP, because LIFO saves your taxes. You cannot save taxes, then use FIFO and show higher income, because FIFO has a lower cost of goods sold. Well, LIFO has many issues we have to deal with, and we're going to be dealing with in the next few sessions. We're going to have to look at LIFO reserve. We're going to have to look at LIFO liquidation, and we're going to have to look at dollar value LIFO. Also in this session, I did not cover the specific identification method. I will cover it in a separate recording, because those are assumptions.  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You've tried everything you can to be free. In your generations, there may be problems with alcoholism, drug addiction, adultery, mental illness, depression, and so forth. You've prayed the curse-breaking prayers. You've done the ancestral research. You've gone from deliverance session to deliverance session. Maybe you've even named the demon or two, but here you are still struggling and wondering how to be free. Wondering, what am I doing wrong? Let me encourage you. Today is a day of freedom. You can and will go free. Now, I wanna challenge you to listen to this message from start to finish because we're going to thoroughly and biblically go over this topic of generational curses. And as we do, your beliefs will be challenged, but the truth will set you free. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to write in the comment section right now. God calls me blessed. I want you to declare that. I know you may not always feel that way. I know it may not always seem that way.  But I want you to write that in the comment section right now. Make that your public declaration of faith and write those simple words. God calls me blessed. I wanna begin this by asking the question and then biblically answering it. What is a curse? And again, we're gonna go through this thoroughly and I want you to fight the flesh on this because this is information that you need.  You've tried all those other methods. Now try it God's way. I'm gonna show you this from Scripture and this will take some time to dissect, especially because again, a lot of your beliefs are gonna be challenged. But in the end, I know that the truth will absolutely liberate you. So let's begin here. What is a curse? Now, biblically speaking, as we look at the various different examples, it's quite apparent that to curse is simply to speak ill of or to speak against. If you curse God, that's called blasphemy. If you curse someone else, that's called insult or slander or ill will. This is to slander and to gossip. That's another form of cursing. When you wish evil upon someone, that's cursing. In fact, to reject or to disown verbally, that's another form of cursing. So at its very base form, a curse is simply speaking evil against someone or wishing harm on someone. Now we look at the first curse found in Genesis chapter three. We'll read verse number 14. Then the Lord said to the serpent, because you have done this, you are cursed more than all wild animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. So here we see the Lord himself pronouncing a curse against the serpent. Now, interestingly, we see that the first curse was pronounced by God himself. God spoke ill intention toward that serpent. And of course, we know the results of that. Next we see Cain's curse. This is found in Genesis chapter four, verses 10 through 12. But the Lord said, what have you done? Listen to your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother's blood. No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work. From now on, you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth. So this is the Lord pronouncing a curse over Cain. He's speaking a punishment. He's speaking ill will. And of course, because the Lord spoke it, it actually manifested in reality. Then there's the curse against Abraham's enemies. Genesis chapter 12, verse three.  All the families on earth will be blessed through you. So here we see God is pronouncing a curse. He's verbalizing problems. He's verbalizing ill intention toward those who would wish harm upon Abraham. And of course, blessing on those who would bless him. We see that in the scripture found in Exodus, there's a punishment for cursing your parents. Exodus chapter 21, verse 17. And he that cursed his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. Now, here in the scripture, the definition of curse, as in to curse your father or mother, is to be slight or literally to insult or to trifle. This is an important note. Many times, especially in the Old Testament, when you see the word curse, the definition here is simply insult or blasphemy or to speak ill intention against. And that in its basis form is what a curse is. It's to speak against somebody. So this begs the question now, how much power does a curse have? Well, we see there are some results, namely in Genesis chapter 27, verse 37. Isaac said to Esau, I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine. What is left for me to give you my son? So here we see that by default, by blessing one, there was a rejection of the other. And let me give you some context here for Genesis chapter 27. There was something in the Old Testament known as the birthright. So usually the birthright would go to the firstborn son. And the birthright came with somewhat of a leadership position in the family, a position as the patriarch, someone who inherited the greater share of the wealth, the greater share of the land, the greater share of the influence and so forth. And so the firstborn son would be given this. Now, again, by default, to bless the firstborn son would be to reject the other sons for that blessing. So in a way, it was a form of cursing but an indirect form of cursing. So that's what the birthright was. And of course, the patriarchs had the authority to do this, to give or to withhold. And not only would those birthrights come with material blessing, but God would honor that birthright in that he would speak directly to that patriarch in some instances. So there was some spiritual significance to this, of course, but basically what's happening here is somewhat of a legal transfer, a positioning of one, if you will. Now again, it's important to note that the curse being spoken here was simply something that was declared in the natural realm. And I want you to also note that curses only have creative power when they're spoken by God. Think of all the curses we just went over here. The ones that had the instant manifestation were the ones that were spoken by God himself. But again, we see that at its base form, a curse is simply to speak ill intention against or harm against or to insult someone or to slander someone. So basically to harm them through verbalization, to upset them through words that you speak against them.  By the way, if this lesson is blessing you so far, make sure to leave a like so others can see it. So again, this begs the question, what is the power of a curse? Here's a key thought for you. I want you to write this down. A curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. Say that again. A curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. This is gonna be a main theme for us here as we challenge our beliefs around this subject because there's a lot of misapplication of scripture around the idea of generational curses. There's a lot of confusion and there's a lot of suffering around this subject precisely because there's a lot of misapplication of scripture around this particular topic. And that confusion arises when we reach for explanations that are man-made rather than explanations that are founded upon scripture. So again, remember this, a curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. So for instance, in God's case, when he speaks a curse that has immediate material results, why? Because God himself has creative power. Think about how he spoke all things into existence in the beginning. Now, you and I have creative power only when we speak according to God's will. So we cannot by ourselves decide that we will speak something into material existence. If that were possible, there would be highway lanes that would open up randomly during the rush hour to work. There would be bank accounts that would be filled with extra zeros resulting in inflation and with tank economies if Christians had creative power by their own will. So yes, when we speak, there can be creative power in our words but only when we're speaking what God says to say, that is according to his will and word and only when God backs it with his authority. So if we're not speaking according to God's authority, we're not speaking in alignment with his word, then the words that we speak don't have the same creative power. If you wanna try to argue against that, just speak something into existence. Right now, speak extra zeros into your bank account or speak something to appear materially in your driveway, maybe a vehicle, maybe a bicycle. Now I'm not mocking this idea because there is some truth to it but I wanna at least get you thinking, challenging your thinking in this area. If we had creative power by our own sheer will, on our own, aside from God with none of his authority, then there would be nothing but chaos in this world. Thankfully, you and I do not have creative power outside of speaking according to God's will and word. I'll show it to you. John 14, 13 through 14 says this, you can ask for anything in my name and I will do it so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name and I will do it. What does it mean to speak in his name? Well, to speak in his name is to speak in his authority by his will according to his power and in his stead. And he only gives us that authority again when we are aligned with his word. What about this particular verse that often gets misapplied, Proverbs 18, 21? Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Well, of course, there is power in the tongue. Of course, there is power in our words. What I'm saying is that there is not creative power that exists within our words outside of God's will and authority. So there are many different powers that you have when you speak. You can encourage or discourage. That's a very powerful way to use your speech. You can speak things that bring deception or truth. You can speak accurately or inaccurately. You can speak out of wisdom or out of foolishness. You can speak comfort to someone or affliction to someone. But again, this is not the same thing as creative power. And within charismatic Christianity, by the way, I'm a charismatic Christian. I'm a tongue-talking spirit-filled believer who loves to pray for the sick, cast out devils, prophesy. You name it, I love it. I love the power of the Holy Ghost. But I say this as a charismatic believer, we often develop our own little superstitions. And because those get handed down through tradition, like old wives' tales, we just begin to adopt certain forms of thinking based upon nothing but hearsay. Based upon nothing but repetition.  They'll go, they'll gasp, stop. You're speaking that into existence. Well, that's not what the scripture's talking about in Proverbs 18, 21. Again, Proverbs 18, 21 is simply talking about the consequences of your speech, namely the practical ones, encourage or discourage, deception or truth, accurate or inaccurate, wise or unwise, comfort or affliction, but not creative power. So you as a believer, again, yes, you have power in your words, but you do not have creative power in your words outside of the power and the authority of God only when we speak in his name.  So there we see that the curse that he speaks has an immediate and powerful materialization because of the fact that when God speaks, he has creative power in his words. So again, a key thought, a curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. Here's another example of what happens when God speaks a curse, Matthew chapter 11, verses 12 to 14. The next morning, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry, he noticed a fig tree and full leaf with a little way off. So he went over to see if he could find any figs, but there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, may no one ever eat your fruit again and the disciples heard him say it. The next morning as they passed by the fig tree, he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered that Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, look Rabbi, the fig tree you cursed has withered and died. So there we see that the Lord spoke a curse, the Lord himself and because of the creative power within his words, that tree withered. That's the authority that he had. Now, of course, as you continue to read, you'll see that the scripture very much describes the fact that we could do similar things, but only in his power by his name. Again, not by our own will. We cannot wield that kind of power outside of the leading of the Holy Spirit. So it's not accurate to say that we in and of ourselves have creative power in our speech. And again, I know that's a popular idea, but as you begin to compare that thought with scripture, you find that there's a contradiction. And whenever there's a contradiction between what you believe and what the scripture clearly teaches, you have to reject what you've been taught and instead embrace what the scripture says. And this is part of the struggle of throwing off overbearing religious mindsets because overbearing religious mindsets are based in fear, whereas the scripture gives us truth that fuels our faith. So again, what is the power of a curse? Well, the curse's power is just as powerful as the individual who speaks it. So let's recap where we are so far. What is a curse? Simply put, in its most basic form, a curse is to speak against someone, to speak evil of someone, to slander someone, to gossip about someone, to wish harm upon someone. What is the power of that curse? Well, the power only goes so far as that individual has. So if God speaks a curse, as you read throughout scripture, there's this immediate materialization of that curse. When you and I speak a curse outside of God's will, we may hurt somebody emotionally or we may manipulate them into being afraid because of what they heard us say, but ultimately that's not gonna have the same materialization. In fact, it's not gonna have any materialization at all unless God himself backs it. So again, a curse in its basic form is to speak against. That curse only has as much power as the individual who's speaking it. And we're showing this all through scripture. I'm contrasting for you. When someone else speaks a curse, and I showed you, for example, the patriarchs, I showed you, for example, the children who speak against the parents. And in those particular portions of scripture, we saw that there was a very practical element to the words that they spoke. Whereas by contrast, when you see God speaking a curse, there is that supernatural power that comes because he has, by his own will, the supernatural power of creativity. Now, notice that the curses that had creative power were always the ones that were spoken by God. So the power of a curse, again, key thought, a curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. Conclusion, watch this now. The power of a curse is only as strong as the authority in which one speaks it. I'm gonna say that again. The power of a curse is only as strong as the authority in which one speaks it. So from where do we get this idea? Now that we've talked about curse in its basic form, let's get a little more specific and now delve into this idea of generational curse where a spirit maybe has a legal right through the generations, or somebody speaks something over a family and now that family suddenly experiences generations of alcoholism or drug addiction and so forth. Let's begin to delve into this topic, but just a quick recap again to curses to speak against and that curse has as much power as the individual who speaks it and there's only as much authority as they speak it in. Now, from where does this idea come? Where do we get this idea that believers can have hexes placed on them through generations and unless they do the ancestral research, identify the demon, renounce their ancestor's sins that they're not going to be free. Well, first of all, God does not hide our freedom behind demonic mysteries. You don't need a membership to ancestry.com in order to be free and this notion that you have to go back generations to find some demonic hidden mystery before God can free you is insulting to the power of the Holy Spirit. I mean, can you imagine the Holy Spirit coming with the force of his being in his might and then looking at you and saying, I'm sorry, I'm powerless to do anything unless you uncover that secret that was hidden in your family's generations and until you do that, my hands are tied. I'm sorry, I have to leave you in bondage. Where is that in the Bible? Guys, where do we get this stuff? I tell you, it's not from the scripture. We reverse engineer the teachings from the occult and then we apply them as supposed deliverance doctrines and this is where we have to get our deliverance doctrines right. Look, you all know I love the deliverance ministry. You all know I practice deliverance. You all know I love the drive out demons and you see it in the services. Of course, we're all on the same page there but if we're going to see the Holy Spirit's deliverance ministry continue to take ground, we have to make sure we're calibrating our teachings with accuracy that is biblical so that we might see that potency of power begin to increase. So where do we get this idea of generational curses? I mean, really, if you're gonna go back generations, you're gonna have to go all the way back to Adam and Eve because if it's true that five generations ago or seven generations ago, there can be some holdup for your life in the spirit, then it's also true that you're gonna have to go all the way back to Adam and Eve, which again adds this religious burden, this fear-based, tedious approach to spirituality that ultimately brings more bondage and keeps people running in circles because then they go try that, it doesn't work and they wonder why it isn't working in instead of saying, hey, maybe there was nothing to that in the first place, they continue to try that again and again. So again, why do curses sometimes seem to work? We're gonna go over that in a moment. Maybe you even have a possibly have a story or two. Well, the fact of the matter is this. Definitely we know that demons do strategize against families generationally. I'm gonna go over that in a moment. I'm not dismissing that idea. Many of you know my great-great grandfather was a warlock from Zacatecas, Mexico and that caused a lot of warfare in our family for generations, so don't hear what I'm not saying. I'm not saying that demons don't affect people from generation to generation, but what I am specifically talking about is the solution that we think we need to apply to that, namely rituals, specialized prayer, research. Guys, it's not like in the movies where we have to solve the demonic riddle before we can go free. And if you get obsessed with that, then you're gonna create your own form of bondage and then again, it's gonna be a cycle from which you'll never be free.  So here's where the idea comes from in essence and particular portions of scripture like this. It's a misapplication of scriptures like we're about to read. Now for context, God is speaking to the nation of Israel and every time they would go wayward and begin to worship the idols of surrounding nations, God would give them over to those surrounding nations and that was part of his curse against them. Their punishment, if you will, for rejecting the God of the Bible and choosing to follow after their own passions and lust and being enticed, seduced by the surrounding nations idols. And so whenever the nation of Israel would fall into idolatry, they would come under slavery from the surrounding nations. Whenever they would repent and come back to God, God would liberate them from the surrounding nations and they would know a season of peace. With that context in mind, let's read Deuteronomy chapter five verses nine and 10. You must not bow down to them or worship them for I the Lord your God, I'm a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. Now watch this, I lay the sins of the parents upon their children, the entire family is affected, even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, but I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. So again, if you look at this particular portion of scripture, what you are seeing is God punishing the people as a nation. First of all, he's not punishing them as individuals. Second of all, he's not giving some demonic entity power. This is specifically talking about nations that were surrounding them, being able to capture them in the material sense, in the physical world, in the natural realm, they went into captivity. So what's being described here is not God taking demonic entities and attaching it to people and then attaching it to their children and grandchildren. No, what's actually happening here is that because the nation of Israel falls into the waywardness of idolatry, they're being punished by slavery. And that slavery, of course, will affect the next few generations. So this is a very practical effect as a result of a curse that comes from God. This is not a demonic curse. This is not a curse from a witch or a warlock. Neither is this a punishment for individuals. This is the nation as a whole. So to equate this with what is now known as a generational curse would be to misapply this portion of Scripture. And now that we've known the context here, we can do away with that idea that this particular portion of Scripture supports anything close to what it's been used to support. More importantly, we can follow that up with Ezekiel chapter 18, verse 20, where it's very pointed here. If you're looking for something that's very clear on this topic, look at Ezekiel 18, 20, where the Scripture very clearly tells us this.  The child will not be punished for the parent's sins. And the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior. And wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. Notice the difference here. So is this a contradiction by no means? What we ought to do is take the clear teachings of Scripture and use those to interpret these somewhat obscure portions of Scripture with seemingly ambiguous meaning. So Deuteronomy chapter five verses nine through 10, we know the context he's talking specifically to a nation that's coming under, let's say, Babylonian captivity. As opposed to this particular portion of Scripture, Ezekiel 18, 20, where the Bible very clearly tells us that it is not God's intention to punish the child or the grandchild for the parent or grandparent's sinful mistake. In fact, he says that's not what I do at all. So we don't have a contradiction. We have a clear Scripture through which we can interpret the other Scripture. And with the context considered from Deuteronomy chapter five, we can do away with this idea that God attaches demons or allows a legal right to some demonic entity to attach to families because of the sins of the grandparents. Now, having said that, I don't want you to hear what I'm not saying. There is a difference between a demon having a legal right in the life of a believer because of some sin their grandparents committed a hundred years ago or great grandparents committed a hundred years ago versus a demon strategizing against family members and using similar attacks on the children that they did on the parents. Now, this may seem like a subtle distinction or picking the details, but it's important that we make this distinction because if we don't, we're left with that overbearing religious burden of trying to solve something of this magnitude by our own efforts and through, again, doing things like research or renouncing this or renouncing that. Nothing wrong with renouncing things in and of itself, but to teach it, that is what's required before God's power can move. Well, that's just not biblical. So it's a misinterpretation and a misapplication of Deuteronomy chapter five. So after one grants the unbiblical premise that seemingly is supported by Deuteronomy five, they imagine that the concept is validated every time they use or see the word curse. So once you have this framework in your mind based on Deuteronomy five and scriptures like it, once that framework is in your head, every time you see the word curse in the Bible, you're gonna automatically go back to what that interpretation gave you and it becomes the lens to which you see that word curse when what we know is that the word curse, remember, at its basis form is simply to speak evil against, to wish harm upon. And that curse only holds as much power as the one who speaks it. So let's go a little deeper now. So we know this so far. The word curse simply means to speak against. We know that the power of that curse is only as powerful or as strong or as effective as the one who speaks that curse. And then we know that this idea of generational curses is not supported in Deuteronomy chapter five versus nine through 10. Okay, so how do we explain the curses on people then? So this is probably a glaring question just right there staring us down in the face because that might be what you're thinking at this point. Wait a minute, wait a minute. But I know families where alcoholism goes from generation to generation, generation, generation. Guys, my family, I'm telling you, me, David, my family had generations of witchcraft because of the great, great grandfather's decision to be a warlock and open that door. And so we must understand that, yes, demonic entities do strategize against generations. Why? Because the strategies that worked on the father will likely prove effective on the son. The attacks that prove effective on the mother will very likely prove effective on the daughters. Why? Because of tendencies, genetics, upbringing, culture, inclinations. These things are handed down through genetics. These things are handed down through behaviors that were witnessed in the home. And because of that, you have children who are like their parents. And because the children are like their parents, those devils are gonna go, well, they're very similar to one another in nature. So of course they'll be tempted with alcohol if their parents were. And so you see a cycle repeat. So we can go on for stories for days, but let me break this down for you very simply. Really, there are three kinds of what we would call curses or consequences that begin to develop in our lives. And we can point at these things and say, see, there's that devil at work. Because what many people imagine is that there's like a demon waiting in the delivery room. And as that child comes into the world, the demon dives into their body and I have access, I have legal right because of what their grandparents did. Now, this of course is debatable if you're talking about the unbeliever. Maybe yes, maybe no, I don't know. There's nothing in scripture that specifically supports that, but I would be willing to be convinced either way when it comes to the unbeliever. However, if we're talking about the born again believer, who is struggling, who is being attacked, who is dealing with something that their past generations dealt with, we have to make sure that we're being clear on that. Because that born again believer needs to know that freedom is available to them and they don't have to solve a riddle. They don't have to name a demon. They don't have to go back and do research on their family and find it. And by the way, that devil has no legal right. There is no legal right that the demonic entity has just because of what their parents did. That is not biblical. Guys, that is witchcraft. That teaching is witchcraft. We need to stop compromising with teachings that come from the occult, taking them into the church. And if we're talking about purity, we're talking about getting this right, we wanna make sure we're being stabilized on the word of God. We have to stop reverse engineering the teachings of the occult and then applying them to scripture. That is not biblical. Again, we're talking about the unbeliever. I'm willing to be convinced either way on that. But if you're talking about the born again, spirit-filled believer, someone who's received Christ as Lord, no devil has a legal right. I don't care what their grandparents did. That's just not true. So then how do you explain people's experiences, curses? How do you explain this generational because let's just acknowledge it, there are generational attacks. Well, there's a difference between a generational curse and a generational attack. A demon may strategize against family members. Again, the father, the son, or the grandfather, the father, the son, and the demon may attack. But depending upon how that person responds to those attacks and temptations is gonna determine whether or not they get the same results that their grandparents did. My main point here is not that demons don't attack us generationally, they do. The main point here is that you are not powerless. You are not at the mercy of solving some riddle. You are not at the mercy of your grandparents' decisions. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a Christian say, you know, I've just been praying that God would break it. I know one day he's gonna break that generational curse over my family. He's like, what are you talking about one day? Do you not believe in the power of the Holy Ghost? Well, then why is my uncle suffering with alcoholism? Because of the decisions that they make. And we'll show that to you here. So, here are three thoughts around the experience of curses that people may experience. How do you explain the experience of curses that come on people? Let's do number one first. Number one, we're gonna look at repeat generational trouble. And then we're gonna look at repeat bad and oppressive feelings. And then we're gonna look at repeat bad situations, okay? So, repeat generational trouble. That's what I'm gonna explain first. Alcoholism, generation to generation, drug addiction, generation to generation, adultery generation to generation. And then we're gonna look at repeat bad and oppressive feelings. That is, you have like this cloud, this weight on you. And every generation has that and you have that. And it's just like this fog in the spirit that you can't quite see through. That is a demonic attack. We're gonna look at that in a moment. And then we're gonna look at bad, repeat bad situations where you feel like you can't catch a break. The marriage failed, the business failed, the car failed, everything, nothing seems to go right ever. And that's just the way it's been in your family for years. So let's take a look at each one of these individually. First, let's take a look at repeat generational trouble. Write this in the comment, comment section. There is a difference between a consequence and a curse. There is a difference between a consequence and a curse. Now, getting back to what I was saying just a moment ago. Demons do strategize generationally. Is this the equivalent of them having a legal right to your life? Absolutely not. That's not biblical. Rather, what's happening is that, again, these demonic entities are saying, this is what worked for the grandparent. This is what worked for the father. I'm gonna try it on the son. Now, depending upon how the son responds to those temptations, depending upon how the son responds to those attacks, that's going to determine what the results are from that demonic attack. So you as a born-again spirit-filled believer, you're not under some bondage because of a sin your dad committed or a sin your grandfather committed. No, if you're in bondage, it's because of decisions that you made. Now, you may not like hearing that. That may sound blunt and to the point, but I'm not here to preach to itching ears. I'm here to see you set free. And until you begin to take responsibility for the decisions that you're making that are contributing to your spiritual defeat, you will always live in spiritual defeat. And I say that because I love you. I say that because I want you to go free. I say that because you're probably not gonna hear at most other places. The reason you're walking in spiritual defeat is because of the decisions that you're making or the things that you're deciding not to do. It is a choice to walk in a spiritual bondage. And I know that's gonna sound insensitive. I know people are gonna say, that's not what I've experienced. What do you mean it's a choice? I don't want this. I understand, so let me explain so that we don't go too far on that point without bringing some clarity. I'm not saying you want the bondage. I'm not saying you're welcoming the bondage. I'm saying that there are some things that the enemy has deceived you into not doing or into doing that's causing it to become worse. So again, demon strategize generationally. What is your prayer life like? How's your devotion to the word? Are you living clean? Are you obeying God's word? Are you just hearing it only? How's your thought life?  Whatsoever is true? Whatsoever is pure? Whatsoever is lovely? Are you choosing that for your thought life?  Are you dwelling on the lies? Are you believing the lies?  Yes, you do have control of your thoughts. The scripture tells us to think on these things. The Bible wouldn't tell us to think on these things if it wasn't possible to control our thoughts. So again, you have the enemy attacking you. How are you responding to those attacks? You have the enemy tempting you. How are you responding to those temptations? It's one thing to fill an attack. It's one thing to experience an attack. It's something else entirely to give in to those attacks of the enemy by the way we choose to live. So this is the difference between a curse and a consequence. How do you explain generations of alcoholism? Generations of poor choices. How do you explain generations of drug addiction? Generations of poor choices. You are not the victim of your parents' decisions. You are not the victim of your grandparents' decisions. You are victorious. You have authority. God has given you the power to live right and you can choose to pick that up again. That's not a message of condemnation. That's a message of encouragement. You do not have to settle for it. So how do you experience different consequences? You make different choices.  Demons contempt you, but they don't run the internet search for you. Demons contempt you, but they don't take the drugs for you. Demons contempt you, but they don't do the cheating for you. You choose to give in to those temptations. Granted, it's not easy to fight these battles because they're perfectly crafted to tempt you. Perfectly crafted to torment you. And you have to be one to say, I'm gonna put on the armor of God, I'm gonna come against the attacks of the enemy and I'm not going to choose to make the same decisions that my parents made. Now let's talk practical consequences here. For example, maybe your grandparents made poor financial decisions. Well, poverty can be inherited, but that doesn't mean you're bound by that. You see, here's why I like to use the word consequence instead of curse. The word curse implies that you're powerless to do anything about it. The word curse implies that you need to find a special prayer to be free of it.  Well, that's just not true. For whom the sun sets free is free indeed. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. So we have to learn the difference between a consequence and a curse. You say, I hear so much talk guys about family bloodlines.  When you are born again, you are washed in the blood of Jesus. When you are born again, you are adopted, grafted in, translated into a new family with a new bloodline, with a new inheritance, with a new heritage, you become new. Behold, all things become new. Your past is gone. You've been taken out of that generation. You've been taken out of that bloodline. And now you've established a new heavenly one. So yes, it's true that our family bloodline can affect us in practical ways and of course can invite demonic attack and those enemies strategize against us, yes.  So again, we have to learn the difference between a consequence and a curse. Oh, I'm under a curse of alcoholism. Okay, who did the drinking? Oh, I'm under a curse of adultery. Okay, but who did the cheating?  Okay, but who chose to run the internet search? I'm not saying that those demons aren't strategizing against you. They absolutely are. I'm saying the only power they have is the power you give them. So let's stop calling it generational curse and let's call it generational consequence based on generational choice. Demons strategize generationally, but those attacks only have as much power as you choose to give them. So that's number one, learn the difference between a consequence and a curse and by learning the difference between a consequence and a curse, you can defeat this attack of repeat generational trouble. Next, we see repeat bad and oppressive feelings. So you kind of have like this issue over you. Like, I can't tell you this, I'll tell you this. I've spoken to so many pastors who've come to me and say, David, somebody put a curse on me. David, somebody cast a spell. These are pastors. And I say, are you walking in the spirit? They say, yes. I said, how did they do it then? Well, I don't know. My family legal right. And you see the torment it creates. So to combat this idea, you have to learn the difference between correlation and causation. Just because something correlates doesn't mean it is the cause. I'll tell you what I mean. When I was a kid, I used to play this game with my brother at every intersection, well, not every intersection, but many intersections. We would sit in the car and the light would be red and I would say it's gonna turn green now. it's gonna turn green now. It's gonna turn green now. Like we would try to guess when the light would turn green and we would try to be the one that was right and get it right when it turned green. And so we could say, you know, 15, 20 times it's gonna turn green now. It's gonna turn green now. It's gonna turn green. And then it would turn green and go, there, I knew it. That's how curses work in the mind of the believer. There have been pastors I know, ministers I know, who come under attack even from other preachers. And those preachers will speak evil against them. All their ministry's gonna fail. All everyone's turning on them. All they're this, they slander them. Usually it's out of jealousy or competition. And so they're slandering them. And then here's what happens. People begin to jump on the bandwagon and they'll say things like, you know, something didn't sit right in my spirit with them either. And there are many believers who will dislike a man or woman of God because of some personal issue or an opinion they disagree with or their methodology or the terminology they use, whatever you may have. And the moment they find other believers who share in their disapproval of that minister, now suddenly they feel validated in what they would call their discernment. I know this is a little deep, but hear me out here. So these preachers who come under attack from other preachers, from other Christians, they become inundated with witchcraft. That's witchcraft to slander a man or woman of God, to try to turn people on them. That's witchcraft. That's how the devil operates. And it's always some type of justification that goes along with it. They try to make it seem justified like they're doing it for the sake of righteousness, but usually it's the sake for the sake of jealousy. And so here's what begins to happen. Watch this now. People begin to pile on, oh yeah, something didn't sit right. Oh yeah, I didn't like them either. Oh, I have a story too. And now you have all these people getting together, sharing in their disapproval of that man or woman of God. And because they share in their disapproval of that man or woman of God, somehow they think that they all heard from God. But sharing in your disapproval of someone doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit validated you. It just means you found other people who don't like that person too. But here's what happens. That pile on begins to come. And now that preacher starts to let that get to their head. They let the slander get to their head. They let their curses of the other people get to their head.  Things are gonna take a turn. Your finances are gonna take a hit. Everyone's gonna turn on you. And this is so subtle. Watch this guys. So what begins to happen now is that individual who's being attacked will now begin to see through the lens, through the belief that they're cursed, that it's working. Oh yeah, people are turning on me. So what do they do? They maybe lash out, maybe say some things they shouldn't. And that turns more people. And so it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.  It's not possible. And most people overestimate their influence anyway to think that they can do that to someone else. And it just usually isn't the case. And so what ends up happening, and I've seen this happen, guys, I've seen this happen over and over and over and over again. Past of local churches, someone will leave their church and then they'll curse that pastor. And then others will begin to gossip and slander. And now what begins to happen, watch this, is that pastor begins to develop this complex. I know we're going deep, but I wanna dissect this for you because this is gonna expose how the enemy works. Now that pastor begins to develop this complex. They begin to lose their confidence. Their confidence is shaken now because now they're seeing people turn on them. Others are gossiping. It's affecting their heart. It's affecting their preaching. It's affecting their prayer life. And now they're wearing this lens, like a pair of glasses through which they're seeing everything. So if there's a small dip in the offering, they're gonna go, it's the curse. If they get a flat tire, they're gonna go, it's the curse. If another member leaves the church, they're gonna go, it's the curse. My ministry's failing. It's going downhill. And I can't tell you how many pastures I've spoken to where I tell them, you know, those issues you're facing, you've faced those before. Were you cursed then? I say no. So why now all of a sudden are you attributing that to some bitter ex-church member or some jealous minister who wants to come against you? Why are you even attributing that to a curse? Well, because it's the lens to which they're seeing it. And humans, by their own nature, are pattern seeking. Maybe you left the church. Let's use another analogy to examine this point.    That's a cult, guys. You can just walk away, run away. But here's what happens. The people of God will hear this from abusive manipulative leaders and they'll say, if you leave my church, you're cursed.  And so then they leave the church and now everything that happens to them that's bad, they attribute to that supposed curse.  If their child gets injured, it's because I left the church. If they lose their job, it's because I left the church. Not realizing that's correlation, not causation. So that produces in them these feelings. And now they develop this complex, this fear. They lose their confidence in their relationship with God. They lose their confidence in who they are in Christ. And it brings this heaviness and that heaviness that they feel, they don't realize is coming because they're believing in the curse in the first place. In other words, the only power that thing has over you is your belief in it. But now you're seeing everything through this lens. You're seeing everything through that perspective and no matter what happens, you're gonna attribute to that so that it produces these bad feelings in you. So it's belief in the curse that gives it its power. That's correlation versus causation. So far we reviewed how to explain these generations of trouble. So alcoholism, drug addiction. Yes, it's a demonic attack. I wanna say that over and over again so nobody misunderstands me. Yes, demons do attack generationally. But that can only affect you if you disobey God or you choose to sin. And in that case, that wouldn't be a curse that would be a consequence of a choice that you made. So you're not a victim of your parents and grandparents decision. So that's number one, consequence versus curse. Next, we looked at correlation versus causation. Are these bad things coming because someone spoke something over me or are these bad things coming? Because that's just life and it happens to correlate at a time where I thought I was under this and that can produce that feeling. I remember I was talking to a couple, they were an evangelistic couple and I told them, you know, your belief in that is what's causing all these feelings of angst. And the moment they accepted that truth, oh, wouldn't you know it, the burdens lifted, the joy came back, the peace came back and all of a sudden they had their confidence back again and guess what, their ministry began to thrive again. Why? Because they just realized this is nonsense, that you can't curse who God has blessed. And finally, number three and guys, this is so important, this is so important. This is so important. Chaos versus curse. So we looked at consequence versus curse, correlation versus causation and now we're looking at chaos versus curse. You may find and this has to do with repeat bad situation. So the first one was like an ancestral problem. The second one was that feeling, that oppressiveness. How do you explain that? I just told you how we explain that. The third is you may feel like one thing after another.  These are trials of life and some might attribute that to a curse.  I'm thinking that's not even biblical. The fact that you think you could get stuck under some curse for decades because you don't find the right cure. It's just guys, that is the very essence of legalism. And that's why many are tormented under that belief system. I know people who've wanted to end their lives because they've adopted this type of thinking and it's just not biblical. It's not truthful thinking. And so one thing after another happens and this is what I wanna say to you and I don't wanna come across as insensitive. A lot of this can come across as insensitive because we're dissecting the thought process behind these struggles that we have. But let me say this. Don't you realize that terrible things happen to believers on a regular basis? So look at what the Bible says. John 16 33, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. Take heart because I have overcome the world. Here Jesus is saying you will have many trials and sorrows. Well, did the early church think that they were cursed because they faced the trials of persecution? Look at this, Psalm 3419. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Romans chapter eight verses 35 to 37. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Please hear this now. Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity or are persecuted or hungry or destitute or in danger or threatened with death? As the scriptures say, for your sake we are killed every day. We are being slaughtered like sheep. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. So when we face these trials, we can either throw up our hands and say, I'm cursed, God's abandoned me, this has to have something to do with some ancestral problem or we can say, even in this trial, I'm more than a conqueror. Maybe, and this isn't for everyone, maybe you're repeating the trial because you haven't passed the test of that trial and instead of developing the character that God wants you to develop, instead of learning to trust God even in the midst of the storm, you're trying to get yourself out of the test. You're trying to escape. Well, let God process you. Even in the midst of the trials, we are overwhelmingly victorious. Why? Because he loves us. Does it mean we're cursed if we go through issues? Does it mean we're cursed if we face one bad thing after another? Look at Paul the apostle. 2 Corinthians 11, 23 to 30. Look at what Paul went through. Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman but I have served him far more. I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and the day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts and on the seas. I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long and during many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold without enough clothing to keep me warm. And besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who has led astray and I do not burn with anger? If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. Paul was shipwrecked three times. I know some believers who will think they're cursed if they get in one car accident. If they face one trial, one issue, maybe instead of throwing up our hands and saying, I'm cursed, God's abandoned me, we begin to stand on the word and say, Lord, even in the trials I am blessed, in fact, write that in the comment section.  No, your trials are not proof that you're cursed. No, your trials are not proof that God has abandoned you. Your trials are opportunities for growth. James 1, 2, through 4, dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow.  So be truly glad, 1 Peter 1-6. There is wonderful joy ahead even though we must endure many trials for a little while. This isn't a message of defeat. This is a message of victory, even in the midst of the storm. One more point I wanna make, and I think it'll really just drive this home, and then I wanna give you a three simple keys to breaking the power of your belief in these curses. Let's just recap. What is a curse? A curse is simply to speak evil against. What power does that curse have? That curse only has as much power as the one who is speaking that curse. From where does this idea of curses come? Namely this idea that we have to break something our parents did in order to be free. That comes from Deuteronomy chapter five and verses like it, but upon closer examination, we see that doesn't have to do with what we would traditionally call a generational curse. How do you explain people who experience curses as born again believers? Well, for repeat generational trouble like alcoholism, drug abuse, that has to do with the consequences of choices that are made by generations.  Well, that has to do with correlation versus causation. If you're just gonna see every single thing that you go through as proof that what they said came to pass, and you're gonna be very oppressed, and you're gonna have that feeling of heaviness. Next we see chaos versus curse.  Now I wanna drive this point home and then I wanna share with you how to break this attack. I want you to remember, you cannot curse the one that God has blessed. So can we be cursed today? What about this concept of legal right? Well, let's take a look at your legal standing according to scripture. Romans chapter three, verse 22, we are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes no matter who we are. So the righteousness of Christ has been imputed on you because of your faith in him. So what is your legal standing? Legally, you are standing in righteousness, okay? Let's read Romans 4-3. For the scriptures tell us, Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. So Abraham believes now he's been given righteousness. That's the gift of righteousness given to us. How do we get that? We believe on Jesus, he says, okay, now your legal standing is righteous. Romans 3-24, yet God in his grace freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. Guys, that's very pointed there. Let me read that again. He has God in his grace, freely made us right in his sight. In other words, according to God's opinion, your legal standing is righteousness. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. Okay, so is the scripture saying that there's no consequence for wrongdoing? By no means. I just went over in my last point how the choices that you make will bear consequences, but instead of calling those consequences curses, just get your life right, repent, walk in the power of the Holy Ghost and if any trials come your way, rejoice in those and say, I'm blessed even in the trial. I'm not cursed in a trial. So no, I'm not saying that you can go on sinning and that there are no consequences, but the scripture makes it clear that you've been redeemed from the curse of the law. Watch this, Galatians 3.13. But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law when he was hung on the cross. He took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. Guys, it's right here in the Bible. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing for it is written in the scriptures. Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. So what is that curse? What is the curse of the law? Very plainly told to us in Romans 9.3. Romans 9.3 very plainly tells us what the curse of the law is. Watch this, for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters, I would be willing to be forever cursed, cut off from Christ if that would save them. So biblically speaking, to be cursed is to be cut off from Christ. That's God's curse. So as a born-again believer, God does not curse you because of the gift of righteousness given to you. Now this is not to say that you won't experience material and practical consequences for foolish and sinful decisions. Indeed in this world, you will bear the consequences of the choices that you make, but this does not mean that you're cut off from Christ because that curse was placed on the one who hung on a tree. So let me ask you this. What curses remain if some witch doctor should speak a curse over you? Well, a curse only has so much power as the one who speaks it. Does that witch doctor have any power over the believer? Some might interject, well, maybe there's a legal right. Some were in their generations. We just saw that's not biblically true. Well, maybe if the believer sins, they're gonna bear consequence for that sin.   But can that witch, can that warlock speak some curse? Oh, brother David, I knew a pastor and the warlocks were cursing, cursing, cursing him. And six months later, he committed adultery. The light's gonna turn green now. The light's gonna turn green now. The light's gonna turn green now. The light's gonna turn green now. Ah, there it is. I'm gonna curse that pastor. I'm gonna curse that pastor. I'm gonna curse that pastor. Oh, he commits adultery. There's proof of my curse. Guys, correlation is not causation. And in fact, I would say that that was the pastor's decision to fall into adultery, not some witch doctor's decision. So again, you may have these stories, but that's the difference between correlation and causation. Now, if God speaks a curse, who can undo it? So can a witch doctor curse a born again believer? No, is there some legal right? No, why? Because we're standing in the righteousness of Christ. So can some demon pronounce a curse? Well, if God calls you blessed, how can they curse you? Okay, well, will God speak a curse?  And by the way, when we talk about those Old Testament generational curses, that's a curse from God. That's not a curse from some demon. That's a curse from God. And who among us is powerful enough to undo that curse, only Christ Jesus? Which is why when we are born again, we are redeemed from the curse of that law, okay? So additionally, others who curse you don't have the power to undo what God has spoken. Here's an example of a curse, Galatians 1, 8 through 9. Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of good news than the one we preach to you. I say again, what we have said before, if anyone preaches any other good news than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. But that's God's curse. What is that curse? To be cut off from Christ for preaching a false gospel. You can't bless who God has cursed.  Nobody's words are that powerful. Nobody's words are that powerful. I mean, imagine a witch doctor coming against you, a spirit-filled believer walking with the Lord, loving Jesus, doing as you should, and God goes, sorry, my hands are tied. Your great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother was involved in something very wicked, and now I have no power to set you free until you, A, find that discovery in your family lineage, B, enact a bunch of rituals to undo that, and then, C, specifically speak out against that particular thing. Guys, this is why we gotta get back to scripture. This is why so many believers are tormented. This is why so many people are not free. Look, any believer I've seen who comes out from that type of thinking walks in freedom. Any believer I've seen who rejects the truth here of what's being said and goes back to that continues to walk in that bondage. So, you can't curse who God has blessed. You can't bless who God has cursed. Here's a perfect example of when someone tried to curse God's people without God's backing. Numbers 2241, the next morning, Baeluk took Baelum up to B'moth Bael. From there, he could see some of the people of Israel spread out below him. Chapter 23, verses one through 12. Then Baelum, the prophet, said to King Baeluk, build me seven altars here and prepare seven young bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice. Verse two, Baeluk followed his instructions and the two of them sacrificed the young bull in a ram on each altar. Then Baelum said to Baeluk, stand here by your burnt offerings and I will go to see if the Lord will respond to me. Then I will tell you whatever he reveals to me. So Baelum went alone to the top of a bare hill and God met him there. Baelum said to him, this is the prophet speaking now to the Lord, I have prepared seven altars and have sacrificed a young bull and a ram on each altar. The Lord gave Baelum a message for King Baeluk King Baeluk is trying to curse God's people. Then he said, go back to Baeluk and give him my message. So Baelum returned and found the king standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. So he's waiting, okay, what did God say? Verse seven, this was the message Baelum delivered. Baeluk summoned me to come from a ram. The king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. Come, he said, curse Jacob for me. Come and announce Israel's doom. But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? See, not even a prophet. Guys, are Christian superstitions, are charismatic superstitions? Again, I'm charismatic. I love the prophetic. I love deliverance. I love speaking in tongues. I love all of that. But we have these charismatic superstitions like this old wives tale. You know as a prophet, you gotta be very careful what you say because you can do things in the spirit realm. And that's true to some degree because prophets have credibility and authority. And again, they can encourage or discourage, speak deception or truth. They can speak something that drives someone closer to God or pulls them away. They can speak something that causes someone to be bold or fearful, right? So we know that that has some power but this creative power, guys, Baelum couldn't do it. Baelum was a prophet and he couldn't do it. So this is what the Bible says. How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? In other words, it's not in the prophet's power. How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned? I see them from the cliff tops. I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves set apart from other nations. Who can count Jacob's descendants as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel's people?  Then King Baelum demanded of Baelum, what have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them. But Baelum replied, I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth.  Listen, if God didn't give them the authority to pronounce that curse, there's no curse that will work against you. I rebuke that in Jesus' mighty name. That is witchcraft. That manipulation, fear and intimidation, trying to get you to believe in their so-called power when they have no power to do it. So this idea that, oh, well, if you're a prophet, you can do it. Guys, Baelum couldn't do it. And that prophet who tried to intimidate you, those prophets who are trying to manipulate you, guys, you don't have to be afraid of that. You don't have to be afraid of that because if God didn't give them that word, then they don't have the power to do it. And so as long as you're walking with the Lord, my goodness, what do you have to fear? So if a prophet couldn't do it, oh, please hear me, saints of God. If a prophet of the most high God filled with the Spirit who had power and authority from heaven could not by their own will bring a curse on God's people, what on earth makes you think a witch doctor can? Let me say that again. Type amen in the comments if you're receiving this. If a prophet of God who walks with the Lord, who's filled with the Holy Spirit, cannot by his or her own will pronounce a curse on God's people, what on earth do you think a witch doctor can do who's operating in a way lower level of power? But the stories, guys, we've already went over it. Consequence versus curse, correlation versus causation, chaos versus curse. Once you learn those, you begin to see it very clearly. No, they have no power, not over the children of the most high. Deuteronomy 23, four and five puts it very plainly. These nations did not welcome you with food and water when you came out of Egypt.  Verse five, I love this. But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the Lord your God loves you. In other words, Balaam couldn't do it without God's, not even a prophet can curse you without God's approval. And so this begs the question, well, what if God gives the approval? We just read your redeem from the curse of the law. Well, what if God gives a legal right because of something your parents did? We just read in scripture. He does not visit the sins of the father on the son. We read it in Ezekiel, very clearly. Ezekiel 1820, for those of you who want to go back in reference. Remember, a curse is to speak against insult to wish evil upon. When God speaks the curse, it happens. When we speak a curse, the effects can only go so far. And you know, for the most part, the damage I've seen done by people who speak curses, that damage comes from the psychological torment that comes upon the individual because they believe in their power. I'm serious. The damage comes because of the psychological torment. They're afraid, oh my goodness, they cursed me. And now they're walking in that fear. So how do you break the power of this specific attack? Number one, believe the truth. Stop believing things that are not founded in scripture, especially about the spiritual realm. Especially things that contradict the word. Believe the truth and allow yourself to humble yourself before the word and say, man's religious traditional teachings present this fear-based reality, but God's truth by the Holy Spirit present this reality and then choose to believe the word. Guys, I'm telling you right now, many of you are beginning to sense peace. Many of you are having aha moments. Others are going, I don't know, this sounds different and different is good because if different worked, if you're different worked, you would have been free by now. So try something now that's biblical. Try something now that's balanced. Try something now that's spirit led. That truth is setting you free. If only you let it, some of you are arguing against your deliverance right now. Not all of you, very small minority, but still I care about you too where you're listening to it going, no, this is different than what I've taught, so I'm rejecting it. So you're going to embrace the ideology that keeps you bound. You're going to embrace the ideology that puts the payment for your freedom on you. People of God, be free. That's number one, believe the truth. So choose to believe the truth. Number two, live right, stop messing around. Get in the word, get in the prayer, worship the Lord, live clean. You do that and the consequences that you call a curse will vanish. You'll still face trials, but again, that's chaos versus curse. We all face trials just because you go through a trial doesn't mean your curse. You're blessed even in the trials. And number three, draw near to God. Draw near to God. That is so key. Just walk with him. Demons cannot swim in the depths of God. You walk in the Holy Spirit and you're going to experience levels of freedom you've never known. We're so focused on darkness, aren't we? Darkness, darkness, darkness, darkness, darkness, darkness this, darkness that. Darkness is coming through our music. Darkness is coming through the TV. Darkness is coming for your children. Darkness is coming in your dreams. What about the light? Why don't we talk about the light of the spirit?  There's a freedom, a sense of hope that's now beginning to develop. That's the presence of the precious Holy Spirit. That's what happens when you stand on the word. Truth is setting you free. Holy Spirit, help them do it. Help them to embrace this truth. Remind them of who they are in you, precious Lord. Remind them that they are blessed. They are favored. They are victorious. That they are loved. I come against every generational attack of the enemy that would seek to do them harm. We rebuke those attacks now in Jesus' name. And I pray you would give them wisdom and courage and revelation that they might continue to walk in freedom. Lord, break the power of those cravings of that addiction. Break the power of the cravings of that alcoholism. Break the power of the cravings of that pornography addiction. Break the power of that lust over them in Jesus. And Lord, by your delivering hand, break that bondage. And help them to walk in freedom by believing the truth. That's the power of God flowing right now. That is the power of God flowing right now. Receive it now. In Jesus' name we pray. I want you to say it because you believe it. Say amen and type in the comment section, I am free. If you enjoyed this message and you think others need to hear it, share it. Don't forget to leave a like just by leaving a like, you're helping to spread the teaching. 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