Reclaiming Cursed Ground
by David Cross
A Christian member of parliament was recently ridiculed by the media for suggesting that the winter flooding in the UK was connected with decisions made by government with regard to the redefining of marriage. I do not know if he believed that God had particularly spoken to him about these issues but, bearing in mind the complexity of spiritual cause and effect, it is probably unwise to make such specific links, unless God has made it very clear. However, this should not distract us from the teaching of the Bible that the physical condition of ground is hugely affected by the obedience or disobedience of man towards his Maker.
From the moment of man`s fall in the Garden of Eden, the earth has been under a curse (Genesis 3:17), suffering the spiritual rule of Satan (Luke 4:6). Man`s disobedience defiles not only his own life but the ground that he occupies. This causes the ground, or the buildings, affected by man`s sin, to be spiritually hostile to the occupants (Leviticus 18:24-25). Indeed, we sometimes recognise that certain buildings or places carry an unseen but noticeable darkness, such as an accident black-spot on a road, where there has been an unexplained frequency of mishaps.
Similar spiritual darkness can affect our homes and communities through previous sin, but when those who carry legitimate responsibility for particular ground choose to confess the sin that has defiled the place, and forgive those who have been the cause of this in the past, they can seek God for cleansing of the land.
King Hezekiah reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem, to be once again a place of God`s presence, by directing the people to walk in obedience to God`s statutes and by removing all the idols that had been erected inside (2 Chronicles 29:5).
Much later, Jesus overturned the tables which had given licence to the enemy to defile the temple precincts. He was seeking to reclaim the ground for His Father`s true purposes (Matthew 21:12-13). When we get right with God concerning our sinful practices on land or in buildings, we bring blessing both into our own lives and on to any ground that we rightfully possess.
Prayer: Father God, You made this world to be a blessing to its occupants but, through sin, we have defiled our own lives and even the land that we inhabit. Please give us clear conviction and direction for how we can truly know Your cleansing of our homes, our communities and our nation, in Jesus` name. Amen.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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