Vows, Oaths and Covenants

NUMBERS 30:2 (ESV)

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Vow: Solemnly promise to do (or never do) a specified thing

Oath: A solemn promise invoking a divine witness regarding one's future behavior

Covenant: A binding agreement or promise between two or more people

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 5:5 (ESV)
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

James 5:12 (ESV)
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Lesson

No one can drop a bowling ball from the top of a building and make it fly upward on its own. Why? Because of gravity, right? A basic explanation of gravity is that gravity is the force of attraction between two objects. The bowling ball is being pulled towards the earth, not the sky.

Are you familiar with a chemical reaction? It happens when you burn a piece of paper or when iron rusts. A chemical reaction is a process in which something is converted into something else and that process cannot be reversed. The concepts of gravity and chemical reactions are unchangeable laws of science.

What is my point with all these scientific terms? Well, just like there are laws of nature governing the (natural) physical realm, there are laws governing the(supernatural) spiritual realm. God created these laws and He takes them very seriously.

There’s the law of sin and death. When sin happens, death (in the spirit) happens and death (of the guilty) is required to atone for that sin. There are no exceptions. That is why Jesus’ death was so powerful because He took on our sins (as the proxy or substitute) and atoned for all sins for all people for all time.

Another law of the spiritual realm involves vows, oaths, and covenants. To keep things simple, we’ll use the term “vows” to refer to all three. Other than wedding vows, vows are not as common in today’s culture as contracts and promises are.

Vows are different because they are far more serious and binding. Typically, a vow is a lifelong commitment, and sometimes the vow has consequences if it’s not fulfilled. These consequences might even include curses upon a person or their family line (bloodline).

Have you ever made a lifelong commitment? It often comes with its share of challenges; ask a married couple (or a divorced couple). The devil is a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) and he will use anything at all to bring us to ruin, especially our very own words.

Again, God takes all forms of vows very seriously. As mentioned before, there is great power in our words. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind any vows, oaths, or covenants you might have made, or ones that your parents might have made on your behalf.

Please note that I am not referring to marital vows. I’m talking about ungodly vows like pacts or blood pacts you might have made when you were too ignorant to realize what you were doing. Even things as simple as spit swears and pinky promises have roots in a dark history.

There may have been inner vows that we make to ourselves out of pain or in an attempt to protect ourselves. We may have said things like “I will never love again” or “This is going to be the death of me.”

For some, there might not have been any vows made. Thank God. But for others, I have heard stories of people whose parents and grandparents dedicated them to satan. While it was very sad, it eventually became part of their testimony because Jesus Christ came into their lives and set them free. Glory to God!

I have also heard testimonies of people who became born-again believers in Christ after committing to a secret society. Even though Jesus was their Lord and Savior, they and their children were reaping the consequences of breaking an oath that was made in that secret society. At times, these consequences are very dire: health problems, freak accidents, hearing voices, dismemberment, torment by evil spirits.

Ungodly vows, oaths, and covenants are Freedom Blockers that may not be the most common but are still extremely important to address because these commitments are far more binding than we realize. However, thanks to the blood of Jesus, repenting of these ungodly vows can be the key to loosing the chains of spiritual bondage in someone’s life.

Thanks to the blood of Jesus, repenting of ungodly vows can be the key to loosing the chains of spiritual bondage in someone’s life.

What do you do if you’ve participated in ungodly vows? It’s a simple but powerful act—repent to the Lord for making a vow without His direction and plead the blood of Jesus over yourself.

Recommended Reading
♢ Ecclesiastes 5:2-7
♢ Matthew 5:33-37
♢ Deuteronomy 23:21-23

DEAR LORD,

I repent of all ungodly vows, oaths, and covenants I have ever made. I also repent of ones that have been made on my behalf. I renounce the lie that I need to protect myself with vows. I receive Your grace to let my ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and my ‘no’ be ‘no’ instead of making promises. I receive Your grace to live according to Your will and not my own. Thank You, Jesus, for Your precious blood that covers for all my mistakes. I plead the blood of Jesus over myself, my loved ones, where I live, and all my belongings.

Amen.

About the Author

Michelle is passionate about helping others walk in freedom and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. She combines her skills in teaching, coaching, and creative expression to empower individuals to grow spiritually and personally. Michelle enjoys listening to sermons, exploring world cultures, and swing dancing in her free time.