GENERATIONAL CURSES?

What are they? Do they exist? What can you do about them?

I have been asked my thoughts about this on a couple of occasions and thought thereby to briefly cover the matter. My take is that curses are real, but many so-called generational curses are no more than (negative) faith released into a current situation mimicking a past problem of the family line: something which demons delight in taking advantage of...

But today in many (mostly charismatic) churches counselling, inner healing, 'ministry' exists which is un-balanced or gone overboard. It is needful in balanced measure, but no more. To this end I wrote a few years back Counselling or, What? to help 'speak into' this imbalance. Further, for the churches that are particularly into this to the detriment of the kingdom of God and seeking righteousness first, I recommend also my article Making an Idol?

An example of a 'proper' curse is as follows. After the victory over Jericho Joshua said:

Cursed be the man before the LORD who rises up 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

A few centuries later during the reign of the first kings of Israel and Judah (when Ahab was on the throne in Israel) this is what happened:

. . . Hiel of Bethel built Jericho [i.e. again]. 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

That's the real deal. But a generational curse has more to do with what you could call spiritual genes. But this affects you only forasmuch as you allow it to or, believe in it for yourself. Combined with that is what the enemy does who will work to make people believe they are 'cursed' and 'in need' to instil fear and control, etc…

This is how I understand it to work: Satan rules a kingdom Jesus told us.

. . . if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Matthew 12:26

As such his minions have different roles. There is a measure of hierarchy and organisation. Paul pointed to this when he said:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

So just as there are angels appointed to us:

Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 18:10

So also the enemy has a certain amount of devolved 'responsibility' in his kingdom…

To this end the knowledge of generations is known by evil spirits (demons, fallen angels, unclean spirits: whatever name you wish to give them). This is because they are spirits and live longer than our forebears.

The majority of their 'work' is in accusing and deceiving: Plus the fact that they have their own habits and personal inclinations. So that you get spirits more associated with unclean thoughts and others with fear, etc…

Now, if you are in a family who has had problems with drinking for example, then the associated spirits (irrespective of the truly natural generational influence) will tend to try and make you believe you are an alcoholic too. It is then your own belief that this is so which opens the door to a hold for them in this area of your life. But, it is your will which influences the opening.

The late John Barr (an Elim Minister with a renowned deliverance ministry) used to say: "The enemy cannot cross your will and the Lord won't". I agree. In fact as I mention in my article on counselling, the majority of deliverance (ministry) occurs when good preaching or teaching is received by the hearer and they choose to move on in an area. It is (as Paul also put it) by the renewing of our minds that we are transformed (Romans 12:32): Good choices made and stuck to, close the door to the enemy and kicks him out in areas where he is no longer welcome by demonstrating there is no comfort or hold there anymore. It relinquishes his grip and having no longer a home there due to the resistance, he departs. But sometimes this is helped and it is needful to help someone by ordering the spirit/s in question to leave. Jesus made it clear that it is part of the ministry of His disciples:

. . . cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8

So that, in Jesus' name a disciple has authority over demons (Luke 10:17) and by faith (Mark 11:22-24) over any curse real or imagined in another's life, it can be broken. But in case you come from a church that says this is 1st century stuff and it was only the apostles who did that (and there aren't any more of those, etc) remember Jesus' words:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you . . .

Matthew 28:19-20

And as I already quoted Jesus commanded them to cast out demons. But it is pointless to do any such deliverance ministry if the person concerned is not willing to make good choices and stick with them. If there is no genuine desire for righteousness, it is counter productive: hence Jesus' story of the man who was set free, but then the house being full of inactivity (passivity in his life), the departing spirit returned (Luke 11:24-26).

So my take on generational curses involves spirits attaching to us such that they attempt persuasion in a particular area. One's faith released in that direction opens up the door to them to have hold. The spirit realm hears and responds to faith spoken into any matter. So a pronouncement uttered in faith on behalf of another holds and is implemented. But no such 'work' [of intercession] benefits anyone who deliberately opens (or re-opens) the door to a sin, a spirit, a way of life of evil…

[God will not cross someone's will because He has self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)]

So in the end, if someone comes for counselling and is applying themselves to do right, then a general prayer by the counsellor in the area of generational curses will help to announce to any spirit attaching or wishing to attach himself, to cease.

For reading about discerning spirits I recommend my article entitled Which s/Spirit are you listening to?

For further reading I also recommend my article entitled What is "Binding the Enemy"?