Victoria Boyson:

The Enemy's Curses Bring the Blessings of God

     He'd been traveling for some time. Having left his home in haste, he was running for his life. Someone was after him. He had been chased before, but this time it was different. It broke his heart, because this time it was his son.

     He'd been told back at the palace that his son had declared himself king in his place. Quickly gathering what provisions he could carry, he ran away with his very large household.

      His heart was overwhelmed with the shock and pain of the betrayal and deceit. He loved his son. They had had their battles, but he loved him and always would. Now, he was running from him, desperately trying to outmaneuver him and save the rest of his family.

      King David's son, Absalom, had garnered support from some of David's most loyal friends and advisors (see 2 Samuel 15:31) and had cemented his disgrace by sleeping with his father's concubines. David was caught so unaware by his son's betrayal he nearly lost his life (see 2 Samuel 17:2).

Leaving Jerusalem, David wept with his head covered and his feet bare as a sign of mourning in the company of all those with him as they escaped together (see 2 Samuel 15:30).

       As David reached Buhurim, he struggled to keep himself and his family alive, to keep his emotions from betraying him as he tried desperately to wrap his mind around such agonizing betrayal and to find deliverance. In this aggrieved state, he came upon a man named Shimei (see 2 Samuel 16:5-13).

        Shimei was a member of the family of Saul and wanted revenge for what he perceived as David's assault against his family and Saul's throne. He was a bitter and hateful man.

       With utter contempt and disdain for David's position as king, Shimei threw rocks at him and screamed, "Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!...The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul's clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!" (2 Samuel 16:7-8).

        David's men jumped to his defense, "'Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?' Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. 'Let me go over and cut off his head!'" (2 Samuel 16:9).

David At a Crossroads

        David was down and needed help. He needed mercy and knew of no other help for himself but God. As unjust as Shimei's accusations against him were, his only thought was not for reprisal but blessing. He saw Shimei's slander as an opportunity for his own deliverance.

       "No!" the king said. "Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?" 2 Samuel 16:10

       David knew God's nature and His great love for him, and he believed God would stick up for him. He put his faith in a just God and wanted His blessing. So, David humbled himself and refused to retaliate against Shimei, wanting God's blessing more than to strike back.

       Then David said to all his servants, "Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today" (2 Samuel 16:11-12).

      In a split second, David had to decide how he would react to Shimei's curses. Would he retaliate and have him killed? No, he saw right away how Shimei's curses could make him a target for God's blessings.

       I can't tell you how many times I have been in a similar situation as David's. I've been kicked when I was down – who hasn't? It hurts a great deal, but it is also an opportunity for blessing to be released to us when we need it.

        David knew the power of mercy, and he saw this as an opportunity to release the power of God's heart to his life when he truly needed it.

"Leave him alone," David said. And even as they continued their journey, Shimei followed them and persisted in his frustrating accusations against the king (see 2 Samuel 16:13).

      His wonder-less curses were salt poured in David's open wounds. As though he were not the king, Shimei treated David with no more respect than a dog.

Unrighteous Judgment

       God's plan and will for Jesus was the Cross, and for our sake He embraced it. He died to become the door of our salvation (see John 10:9). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us. He was the only One worthy of judging us, yet He chose to die for us instead.

Many in the Body of Christ today think their calling is to judge others. We do need righteous judges, but you can only rightly judge what you are willing to die for. If you are willing to die for what you love, then the love of God is in you. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"(John 15:13).

       Too many are judging what they do not love and their judgments are at best a distortion of the truth. They have been deceived by or submitted themselves to an angel of light (see 2 Corinthians 11:14), possessing an element of the truth without the grace to enable others to receive it.

       What we have to keep in mind and what God seeks to remind us of is that He seeks out the broken and wants to be close to them (see Psalm 34:18). When someone is down and others try to take advantage of them, His heart becomes engaged and enraged and He comes to their defense. He defends them with His blessing.

       I know there have been times I've received blessings from the Father solely due to the treatment I've endured from others. I've been blessed by God because they chose to curse me.

       Your Heavenly Father sees how you've been treated even more clearly than you do. And He sees your heart and retaliates against their antagonism by pouring out His blessings on you.

America At a Crossroads

       God has been shaking America and He's been shaking His Church – He is stripping His Church from what holds it in bondage. As a nation we've experienced God's shaking and discipline, and there have been those who have tried to take advantage of our weakened position. Instead of standing by us in our time of need, they have become an agent for our adversary.

Persecution must come, Christ promised us it would, but woe to those from whom it comes (see Matthew 18:7). The Lord has heard their curses and is preparing to bless us because of their hate-filled plans for this nation.

Indeed, winds of sweeping change are coming to America!

       The Lord says, "In government, in the Church, in the media, in Hollywood, and especially in the area of FINANCES, I will bring sweeping change."

      He said, "Many have said, concerning America, 'It is nothing – we will bring it down!' They have said, 'Destruction will come to America and it will never rise again!' But I, the Lord, am the One and only One who decides the fate of nations. I and I alone determine the heartbeat of the nation of America, and I have determined in My heart I will fill America with a deep, strong, and passionate heartbeat."

       God will bless America because of the curses of our enemies – the more they curse us, the more determined He is to bless us. Truly, He has shaken us, and as He restores us to Himself, He will bless those who have trusted in His faithfulness. For He says,"What you sow into this nation, you will mightily reap."

       You see, the Lord has not lost hope for this nation, and that fact alone should be enough to encourage us. He knows, much more than we do, who our true enemies are and what they are planning against us. Indeed, He knows and already has a plan to save us.

      As a nation and as God's people around the world, He hears the curses and accusations brought against you. Get ready...the blessings are on their way.

Victoria Boyson
Speaking Life Ministries