This seems like an odd topic to explore, but when I'm reading my Bible, I often become curious about odd things. If you have ever thought about worldviews, there might be something interesting here.
Have you ever heard Christians use the term "breaking curses"? The terminology is actually not really in the Bible. The language "breaking curses" is actually borrowed from the worldview of witchcraft. Witches believe they can wield power over unseen things. They seek to manipulate the spiritual to accomplish their own purposes. Some aspects of witchcraft focuses on curses placed on us or those we care about, and there are spells and rituals to set us free. You may not even be aware you are living daily under a curse, but if a witch breaks it, then you have a new degree of freedom. In the worldview of witchcraft, you might make an appeal to a spiritual power, but you are seeking to control that power, more than submit to it.
By the way, the Bible forbids witchcraft. In Deuteronomy 18:10-11, we are told, "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead." These were the practices of the pagan cultures around them. It's interesting to me that the Bible doesn't say that these things are empty and don't work. In fact, when Saul got frustrated as King of Israel, he had a witch raise up the spirit of Samuel, who had helped him in the past. She did it (1 Samuel 28). Move over, Harry Potter. I think that messing with spiritual powers is very dangerous and real--a good reason to stay clear.
Now zoom over to Christianity. In the Old Testament, God announced blessings and curses on His people for obeying or breaking His law. If you found yourself living under His curse (and Israel often did), there was no prescription to "break the curse." Instead, the people simply repented and obeyed the law. They changed their behavior; they did not need a ritual. There were all sorts of prescribed rituals in the OT: hyssop brushes & holy water, libations, sprinkling blood. It sounds very "witchy," but it's always picturing atonement, which is a central concept in Scripture. We have sinned; we must atone. Not "we have curses on us and we must break them." When the people discovered they were living under a curse, they began to obey the Law. They repented and cried out to God. Their repentance would draw God's mercy, and He would save them. On their own, they had no power to "lift a curse"--it wasn't even the language they would use. Their focus was always on behavior, on their God.
Furthermore, God cursed the people for their good...to make them aware of their behavior (breaking the Law). When you saw signs of the curse being played out (poor harvests, invaders, wild animals), you repented. You didn't live "cursed" and just go about your business--not if you were a God-follower.
We know that God blesses and curses, but so do people. The blessing of a father is very significant, and individuals would speak blessings to each other. Likewise, they would speak curses, but this was often disastrous. The book of Judges notes several people cursing, and Saul cursed his army if they ate honey (1 Samuel 14)...these acts were foolish, and demonstrated a separation from God, a life in contrast to a life of faith. So when people curse it is shown to be foolish; it is not summoning a spiritual power. When Shimei cursed King David as he was fleeing his son Absalom, his men wanted to punish the man. But David said to leave him alone, that God would do what He wanted (2 Samuel 16:12). There was no spiritual threat that David responded to--his heart was turned to God alone. Balaam is another example: he was paid to curse God's people, but it had no effect, because God's intention was to bless them. Proverbs 26:2 says, "Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest."
The New Testament is simply a fulfillment of the Law. Jesus became the curse for us, as it says in Galatians 3:13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'" There is no curse we must break that He has not broken for us in the cross. He holds all spiritual power and authority; we come to Him, and receive His protection.
Zoom with me one more time. If you come to the Bible with an idea in your head, and you want to find a text to support what you think, you can almost always do so. For example, if I think Christians should be breaking curses and I search the word "break," I find that the prophets often spoke about breaking the yoke of the oppressor. Ha! There it is! A proof-text for what I'm wanting to teach! It is far better to let the Scripture instruct you, instead of grabbing from it what you want.
The Bible teaches us about atonement: repenting of our sin and seeking the righteousness of God, all of which is won for us in the cross. The prescription in the New Testament when we are struggling is to change our behavior--the exact same prescription in the Old Testament. The NT does not teach us any rituals for grasping the power of the cross. In fact, there were people in Acts who saw the power of God at work in the lives of the apostles, and they wanted that same power. Simon, one of these examples, was a known sorcerer (Acts 8:9-25). It is witchcraft that seeks to control spiritual powers; Simon had a great reputation in Samaria, a place of confused religious understanding, and he was nicknamed "The Great Power of God." We believers submit ourselves to God, and like King David, look to His hand for anything we need, willing to endure suffering if we must. We must exercise our will.
You do not have to live in fear. We're just sheep; stay close to the Shepherd. He who bought you with His blood is able to keep you safe.
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