THE devil can stir up wicked people who will envy you for that precious thing you have and push them to torment you.  Abraham’s wife was taken by a king for a season.  Isaac’s wells were taken by the people who strove constantly with him, Naboth was envied and killed for his vineyard.

Hatred
The case of David who was persecuted by Saul aptly illustrated this.  Saul simply hated David because of David’s rising profile in Israel. Do you know that the devil hates you too because of your rising profile and destiny and he will raise hell against you for this except you fight back.  He will raise wicked people and his demons to afflict you.

Sins of your ancestors and marital partner
Sins and iniquities of our ancestors can make us suffer.  Though we did not commit the sins, but in the spirit realm, it is seen that we were in our ancestors’ loins while they were committing these sins and consequently we carry the burden of the sins with them or even continue to carry it after their death. (Hebrews 7:1,2,9,10)

In the last chapter we read how David cursed Joab’s descendants.  Jepthah made a vow to God (probably when his daughter was not there) that if God would help him procure victory in the war he was going to fight, whatever comes out first from his house he would sacrifice to God.  He won the war quite alright and as he was returning from the battlefield his daughter, his only child emerged first from his house.  He paid his vow.  The poor girl therefore paid the price for what she knew nothing about.

This is a classical case of how negative actions and inactions of parents can affect their innocent children. What do we make of millions of babies all over the world born with AIDS and terminal diseases because of the sexual promiscuity and drinking and smoking habits of their parents?

A certain banker who was highly promiscuous caught HIV/AIDS and did not tell his wife.  He began going for regular medical check ups and took the right drugs so he never looked haggard.  Meanwhile his wife had contracted the disease through him and did not know and so was not receiving treatment like him.

All of a sudden, the woman’s health collapsed, was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.  The woman died while the man is still alive.