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Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 10/31/2009 10:09:58 AM
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teacher1982
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I purchased this book at the recommendation of a post in the "Theophostic Ministry" OP. And I must say that I was shocked from the very beginning.
In the foreward by Ruth Prince, the author's wife, she told of a story where she asked him to pray for her legs that were hurting. He prayed the strangest prayer to her legs thanking them for carrying her wherever she went. The point being that he felt that her pain was caused by a curse put on her legs. She then remembered that one time when she was a teenager she noticed the shapely legs of a girlfriend and made a statement that she hated her legs. So she believed that was the cause of the "curse" put on her legs and the explanation for her pain and problems that she continues to have with her legs. (she hadn't been healed at the time of the writing of the book).
Well! That was enough for me to put the book down. How ridiculous! But I forced myself to read a couple more chapters out of obligation to the original cause of buying the book.
The next chapter described how Mr. Prince inherited pictures from his grandfather that he treasured, but after he hung them in his house, he felt like his ministry was being hindered, also his finances. He took the pictures down and after that things improved greatly to the point of being able to buy a new house. I'm leaving out all the details, but you get my point.
I don't know if I'll continue to read the book or not although it was highly recommended. For Heaven's sake! If we blamed everything that happened to us that wasn't good, or every sickness, or every heartache - on a curse, we would all be saying that we are cursed. This doesn't make any sense.
And the point that I got from Mr. Prince's example with the pictures is that apparently Satan has more power than God because the pictures were of dragons, which in his mind represented Satan. So those pictures had the power to hinder God's Will.
Does anyone believe that???
Supposedly he has a "magic" prayer that he has people pray who have had bad things happen to them in their lives, and then all the "bad luck" ends and they have victory in their lives.
Okay - that's my impression of the book from reading the first few chapters. Has anyone else read this book? Did you get the same impression? Do you agree with what he is saying?
The Bible says to give no place to the devil. If anything, I feel like his book is what I need to get out of my house!
< Message edited by teacher1982 -- 10/31/2009 10:19:23 AM >
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 10/31/2009 4:11:28 PM
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Liveloved
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I am not familiar with that book. However, I had just been reading in a book called The Transformation of the Inner Man by John and Paula Sandford, a similar thought. They call them inner vows.
My sense is that these individuals have taken some biblical thoughts, added some bizarre psychology, and created ways of ministering to hurting people. While the intent might be wellmeaning, I think the twisting of scripture and diminishing of the power of God is disappointing.
I would set it aside. That's what I did with the book I was reading as well.
_____________________________
Liveloved
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/1/2009 9:40:44 AM
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solarflare
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I am the one who recommended the book. Nowhere did Derek Prince EVER in his entire life and ministry
state that satan has more power than God. Anyone who gets that impression has obviously missed
most of what Mr. Prince did in his lifetime.
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/1/2009 9:43:36 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
I don't know if I'll continue to read the book or not although it was highly recommended. For Heaven's sake! If we blamed everything that happened to us that wasn't good, or every sickness, or every heartache - on a curse, we would all be saying that we are cursed. This doesn't make any sense.
No one but you has this impression. I never said that and neither does that book state that.
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/1/2009 10:09:05 AM
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teacher1982
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quote:
Nowhere did Derek Prince EVER in his entire life and ministry state that satan has more power than God
He didn't state that satan has more power over God and I didn't say that he did. But in his example of the pictures he inherited from his grandfather, he clearly gave that as an example of how the pictures hindered God's work in his life and also financially. He took the pictures down and all of a sudden his ministry grew and he was blessed enough financially to be able to buy a new house.
It's in his book.
I'm not arguing about what is written in his book as it's in black and white for anyone to read. Also is the example of him praying for his wife's legs and a belief that she had put a curse on her own legs when she was a teenager and made the statement that "she hated her legs". She still has severe health problems with her legs despite Mr. Prince's prayers and beliefs in "the curse".
I was simply asking if anyone else has read the book and if so, if they agreed with the principles and beliefs as stated by the author.
No need to send me angry PMs. This should be a civil and Christian-like discussion.
Thank you.
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/1/2009 11:00:37 AM
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manda59
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quote:
ORIGINAL: teacher1982
Well! That was enough for me to put the book down. How ridiculous! But I forced myself to read a couple more chapters out of obligation to the original cause of buying the book.
Could I just ask why you found it ridiculous? Words of death spoken over oneself or others *can*, I believe, have spiritual effects.
quote:
The next chapter described how Mr. Prince inherited pictures from his grandfather that he treasured, but after he hung them in his house, he felt like his ministry was being hindered, also his finances. He took the pictures down and after that things improved greatly to the point of being able to buy a new house. I'm leaving out all the details, but you get my point.
I presume that he felt that having his grandfather's things there were overshadowing him, having a negative effect on him, and that removing them had a positive effect, partly symbolic, partly spiritual.
I appreciate that both of these concepts could be taken to an extreme, and then not be helpful, but I don't find the concept wholly unreasonable.
A positive attitude does surely affect our outlook, so does the converse not apply too?
_____________________________
"Manda.....you said what I tried to say, just much better"
sharonjef, October 2009
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/1/2009 5:41:07 PM
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teacher1982
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quote:
A positive attitude does surely affect our outlook, so does the converse not apply too? I agree, but my point was - what teenager hasn't said something negative about themselves? That is a very awkward age. I'd say that every kid has said something like "I hate my straight hair" or "I hate my curly hair" or "I hate my fat legs" or "I hate how tall/short/fat/skinny I am". Does that put a curse on us for life in that area?? Hardly. If it did, we would all have a curse on us.
I do agree that there can be things brought into our homes that we shouldn't have, but I also believe that God is far greater than any of those things. Also in his book, Mr. Prince was very close to his grandfather who gave him the pictures and always saw them in his grandfather's house. He thought the world of him and admired his walk with God. He was flattered that the pictures were left to him when his grandfather died.
Now IF Mr. Prince had a bad feeling about the pictures IN HIS OWN MIND, that could easily explain his aversion to them, and why things got better when he removed them. But I refuse to believe that the devil has more power than God has no matter what we innocently carry into our homes. If we bring in something that we shouldn't, I believe that the Holy Spirit will warn us and protect us. Warning us to remove something is a totally different thing than to say that it brought in a "curse".
That was my point.
The story about Mrs. Prince's legs is in the foreward of the book and that put me off to begin with because I do not believe a simple statement like that would cause a person to have a severe and life-threatening illness all of her life in her legs. She has thrombosis - blood clots - and even though Mr. Prince has prayed and prayed for her legs, she still has these problems. Would a simple statement from a teenager cause a curse like that? My opinion is No - not unless the person wants to accept it themselves. Then I guess they would have anything they want - a curse because of every negative statement they have ever made.
I have never been one to read self-help books and the such for spiritual answers. I have always just studied the Bible. I think that is the best thing to do. People are just people and everyone has different experiences, doctrines, beliefs, and so on. So what works for one person might not work for another. So for me to read a book someone writes about their experiences, doesn't mean it is necessarily the gospel for everyone. Know what I mean?
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 8:00:31 AM
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teacher1982
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Apparently no one else has read this "wonderful" book and felt it all-inspiring as the person who recommended it. After reading the foreward and first three chapters, I have thrown it away. It's heresy and has a dangerous doctrine in my opinion. I wouldn't even pass it on to anyone else to read.
I'm sure that if it were a great book and helped people, there would be many posts expounding it's merits.
The lack of response tells me what I need to know - as much as 100 glowing responses would tell me. (235 people have read this OP and only 3 have responded.)
< Message edited by teacher1982 -- 11/3/2009 8:06:43 AM >
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 8:47:22 AM
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solarflare
Posts: 1521
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quote:
He didn't state that satan has more power over God and I didn't say that he did. But in his example of the pictures he inherited from his grandfather, he clearly gave that as an example of how the pictures hindered God's work in his life and also financially. He took the pictures down and all of a sudden his ministry grew and he was blessed enough financially to be able to buy a new house.
Yeah, it is. But not the sarcastic way you have it written down here.
Further, this is a quote from you:
quote:
And the point that I got from Mr. Prince's example with the pictures is that apparently Satan has more power than God because the pictures were of dragons, which in his mind represented Satan. So those pictures had the power to hinder God's Will.
quote:
Does anyone believe that???
Yes. If you don't believe that, does that mean that those who do are wrong? Don't think so. Your opinion is just that. You have badly misquoted Mr. Prince and stated as veracity things he has not written or spoken. I did not recognize you as an international Bible teacher, or a scholar of Greek, which Mr. Prince was, so I really choose not to go by your opinion.
And that, since you asked for it on this thread, is my opinion of your opinion. 
If that is not what you meant, perhaps you would like to share what you did mean? You stated in yr original thread that your friend, who is now old, has searched all her life for answers. [Edited by moderator - TOS 9] FYI, you hold in your hands a book that could really help her.
< Message edited by ta_mosquito -- 11/3/2009 8:57:55 AM >
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 8:56:50 AM
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solarflare
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quote:
Supposedly he has a "magic" prayer that he has people pray who have had bad things happen to them in their lives, and then all the "bad luck" ends and they have victory in their lives.
Magic? That prayer is based on Scripture. And no where in the book does Mr. Prince use the term 'bad luck' as a Christian expression.
I suggest people read the book themself if they want the truth, because reading your review, they will most certainly not get the right idea of what the book is actually about.
Tell me, how do you interpret this verse:
"The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." Prov. 11:9
What knowledge delivers the righteous? What is Scripture saying here? Any ideas?
How about this one:
"There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health." Prov. 12:18
Or this:
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit." Prov. 18:21
And if you think it is only the OT that deals with the words we speak, how about the passage in James?
OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH PROCEED BLESSINGS AND CURSING. Or do you think that was only what peope in
Jesus' time believed because they were superstitious?
Curses are in both the old and new testament. Read the Bible. They are there and proceed from God.
< Message edited by solarflare -- 11/3/2009 9:03:59 AM >
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 8:11:13 PM
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teacher1982
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I know the Bible and I know there are curses. But I also know that a teenager could not put a "curse" on her legs that causes a life-threatening illness well into her adulthood by simply stating that "she hates her legs" because they weren't as shapely as her girlfriend's legs. ALL teenagers hate something about themselves. That is what I found ridiculous.
God has more power than the devil. If anyone brings something into their house by mistake and it carries a curse with it, do you not believe that God can override that curse???? Of course He can.
Those two points are the only points that I made about the book.
I know the book would not help her. It would only scare her and the devil could possibly use the things said in it to even torment her more. She needs help, not condemnation. She needs encouragement, not a book that reads like "The Exorcist".
It's out of my house now. However, if anyone else who has read the book would like to make a comment (without personal criticism of me), I would appreciate it.
edited TOS 9
< Message edited by bootsNspurs_mod -- 11/5/2009 5:52:17 PM >
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 8:44:32 PM
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humbleinspirit
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I read only part of the book many years ago, basically only the first chapter. That one talked about having a mask from Africa in his home that might be hindering prayers. Knowing what I know about what goes on in Africa, I would have to say that was definitely true!
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 9:00:15 PM
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teacher1982
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quote:
I read only part of the book many years ago, basically only the first chapter. That one talked about having a mask from Africa in his home that might be hindering prayers. Knowing what I know about what goes on in Africa, I would have to say that was definitely true!
There is evil everywhere we go. I rest in peace knowing that God is in control and He is greater than any evil the devil may put in our way. No telling what we have in our homes that belonged to an evil person previously. I live in an apartment. Someone could have lived here before me who was a Wiccan, but I don't worry about it. Because I have a Bible in every room (always have done that), and I am protected by the Holy Ghost. I am not afraid.
I wouldn't deliberately bring something into my house that I KNEW was (or could be evil), but we don't know about everything for sure. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT GOD IS GREATER!!
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 9:59:46 PM
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humbleinspirit
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But I am sure [the mask] was used for occultic rituals though.
_____________________________
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/3/2009 10:41:57 PM
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teacher1982
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I understand what you are saying and I wouldn't have one in my house, BUT I don't think we should fear things like this because God will protect us. The devil's power doesn't compare to the power of God.
We are no longer under the curse of our fathers or grandfathers since Jesus died on the cross. And I sure don't believe that we can curse ourselves as in the example by Mr. Prince about his wife's legs.
I hated my straight hair when I was a teenager and my mother hated it because it was red. Does that explain why it has always been unruly and I always had to work with it to make it look nice? And does that explain why it is now white? No. Just because I made that statement when I was a teenager, it didn't make my hair cause me problems.
There can be curses, and I need to study more about them in the Bible for this day and time, but I do not agree that they are "cast" on us as easily as Mr. Prince wants to make them sound. Not for Christians anyway. We have the protection of Jesus, God and the Holy Ghost.
BTW, wonder why he changed his example from pictures of dragons that his grandfather gave him to a mask from Africa (in his book)?
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/18/2009 2:40:55 PM
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DaveW
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quote:
ORIGINAL: solarflare
I am the one who recommended the book. Nowhere did Derek Prince EVER in his entire life and ministry state that satan has more power than God. Anyone who gets that impression has obviously missed most of what Mr. Prince did in his lifetime.
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. I have that book. I knew Dr Prince personally.
Let me assure you he NEVER EVER had the idea that the devil was more powerful than God. That is a WOF twist on his words.
_____________________________
Avatar is my daughter Laura and SIL David on their wedding 9/20/09 ====================================
Our CD is now available here:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dswaggoner
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/18/2009 2:54:26 PM
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DaveW
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I remember someone once asking Derek Prince about those pictures. He explained the bible clearly prohibits idolatry, and that the people who worship idols actually worship demons, according to what Paul wrote. So there are demonic attachments to the idols themselves, and in some cultures dragons are idols. He surmised that either the artist or an owner (perhaps his grandfather) had considered the pictures sacred and thus made them idolatrous. By harboring an idol in his house he was in violation of that command, and God limited Himself because of it.
If you want a biblical example, remember Achan and the conqest of Ai in Joshua 7.
_____________________________
Avatar is my daughter Laura and SIL David on their wedding 9/20/09 ====================================
Our CD is now available here:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dswaggoner
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RE: Blessing or Curse by Derek Prince - 11/18/2009 10:25:35 PM
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solarflare
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I have no problem with Derek Princes' teachng or his books...I fail to see how anyone could read that book, Blessing or Curse, and come up with the conclusion that Mr. Prince thought satan more powerful than God.
Many people seem to think that satan no longer has any power and certainly not over or against a Christian ... even though the Bible never says that anywhere....just one of those doctrines that have sprouted from the mind of man rather than the spirit of God
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