SUNDAY SERMON - There are many people in our midst today, whose destinations and future are as bleak as cursed young men; their doors to future happiness seem to have been locked from inside. This period in time seems to reverse the story; God will open all their closed doors.

When 2007 was about to end, I came across two young men who were very depressed and had lost hope in life because, they said, their parents had pronounced curses over them.

One father said to his son that he (the son) would never obtain a job and would never find a girl to marry. The other father said to his son that he (the son) would never go to school and would never get a job.

It appears that in a fit of anger the two parents had pronounced curses upon their sons. Before we analyse the meaning and effects of such careless pronouncements, I would like to point out an incident in the Bible after Jesus’ resurrection.

According to John 20:19 we read that, "On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came in and stood amongst them and said ‘Peace be with you’” The important words in the above verse are: "with the doors locked.”

The disciples were afraid of the Jews who had crucified Jesus, their master, a few days back. They must have bolted the doors from inside, and re-enforced the locks and bolted the windows to deter any intrusion.

Then something strange happened; they had not anticipated this. ‘Jesus came in and stood among them’. The lives of the two aforementioned young men seemed to be at a dead end. They looked at themselves as useless for the rest of their lives.

In the African context such pronouncements are considered a taboo, and unless reversed, their effects are devastating. It is therefore not a wonder that these two boys felt that way.

There are many young people, both men and women, who have been cursed by their parents for one reason or the other. There are families that have permanently shunned their communities for one reason or the other.

For all such people, there is good news. Even where the doors are locked from inside and there seems to be no way out; even where your community has ostracized your family for one reason or the other; even where you as a girl, have been cursed by your enemies and have said you will never find a husband; even where your girl friend walked away and pronounced that you will never find another one; even in an event where you have walked from one office to the other looking for jobs which never came, I would like to assure you that Jesus will still come in to change the situation. He’ll open all closed doors in your favour.

The careless words of parents, relatives and neighbours have confined many people into mental and emotional anguish and incarceration. People are vulnerable to strong words spoken by elderly relatives especially in the African context where elders are respected.

It does not matter who or what has locked your doors to future happiness; it does not matter what other people may think about you; It does not matter whether your doors to employment have been locked for the past five years; It does not matter whether your doors to a happy marriage have been locked by your enemies; the only personal encourager you need is to call on Jesus and believe in God the Almighty.

Jesus only will come in and pronounce words that will reverse the situation. Jesus is more than able to bring down the heaviest of all doors and pronounce blessings instead.

This is the year when all locked doors will be opened. This is the chance for you to reverse the curses that have been pronounced upon your life by evil people.

You need to agree with what is written in Isaiah 54:17 – "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will prove false every tongue that accuses you” Rise up, take charge of your life and believe that it is possible for God to fulfil His promise, as you wait for the locked doors in your life to come down tumbling.

I wish all of you, my dear readers, a tantalizing and prosperous NEW YEAR!

E-mail: redplan20002001@yahoo.com