2 Kings 2:19-22 presents the story of a cursed city, Jericho. The elders of the city came to Elisha and asked for help. What was the problem? They lived in a very attractive city in a beautiful area, but the water was undrinkable. Why?

When Joshua conquered Jericho, he announced the following anathema: “Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates” (Joshua 6:26).

Around the year 530 (ca. 850 B.C.), during the reign of King Ahab, “Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun” (1 Kings. 16:34). Two of his children were sacrificed to build a city! What a relevant story for our modern times.

The moral of this story is, Do not build where God told you not to! Do not launch your life, career, or marriage where God cannot bless it. You may build a citadel for yourself but you may also experience unhappiness, bitterness, and other negative consequences.

Over the years the people of Jericho likely tried everything to improve the water, with no positive results. Even the nearby school of the prophets could not remove the ancient curse. But only God could remove it. How?

Elisha said: “’Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I have healed this water; from it, there shall be no more death or barrenness’” 2 Kings 2:20-21.

How is your life, your marriage, your church, or community? Do you feel any bareness, lack of happiness, or even feeling that you have lost the joy of salvation?

Try God’s recipe of breaking the curse. Take a new bowl, put salt in it and go directly to the source of the problems. Invite the Holy Spirit in your life and let God purify your heart, mind, and body until you experience deliverance and freedom.

Furthermore, let God use you to bring healing and salvation to your community.

“In casting salt into the bitter spring, Elisha taught the same spiritual lesson imparted centuries later by the Savior to His disciples when He declared, ‘Ye are the salt of the earth.’ Matthew 5:13. The salt mingling with the polluted spring purified its waters and brought life and blessing where before had been blighting and death. When God compares His children to salt, He would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others.” Prophets and Kings p. 231

In His service,

Titus Naftanaila, President