PRAY IT FORWARD

As a counselor, I believe in healing. As a Christian, I believe healing occurs when we allow Jesus to enter the most painful parts of our lives, take us by the hand, and show us the way out. As a mother, I believe healing for my children…and their children…and their children begins with me. When we heal ourselves, we heal the next generation that follows. Pain is passed through the family line until someone is ready to feel it, heal it, and let it go. Is it easy, no; but, is it worth it, yes! 

Several years ago, I was introduced to what is known as ‘generational curses.’ It has long been recognized that patterns of sickness, both physical and mental, descend upon individuals and families from generation to generation. To heal and to break free from these ‘curses,’ we must look at where sin and blessing traveled through our family lines, identify the patterns, and rid ourselves from anything evil that may have been passed down. 

Fortunately for us, God provides the steps to generational healing through scripture. A common theme throughout the Bible is that the sins, as well as the blessings, of our ancestors do get passed down through the generations. Read that again…blessings get passed down, too. At this very moment, we could be benefitting from the prayers of our ancestors! Let’s look at scripture:

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” 

Exodus 34:6-7

If I’m honest, this scripture feels a bit ominous. Why would my sins affect my children, my grandchildren, and their children? This is no arbitrary sentence. We know that the God of the Old Testament is often viewed as a God to be feared. But friends, these words revealed to Moses expose the very heart of God’s nature. They are a sign of His deep and caring love for us, a love that cannot be diminished. After all, this is a God who sent His son to die for us. He can be trusted. Let’s look at His words as a call to action, a crusade if you will, a way to be proactive in furthering His kingdom for those who come after us; and, it starts now!

I invite each of you to join me in the fight against evil. Let’s rise up as a community of believers and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the ways in which we may be living out certain patterns of inherited weakness or sin. This, friends, is where generational healing begins. 

I have prepared a prayerful step-by-step guide for you to follow. Read each step aloud, fill in the blanks with personal examples, and then rest in His presence. This can be done alone or with a trusted companion. Get  comfortable…

1. Jesus, if there is any predisposition in me to __________________ that has come down through my ancestry, I ask you to set me free through Your power. Send Your Holy Spirit and by the power of Your Spirit and by the sword of Your Spirit, cut me free from that disposition. 
2. For any sins I have committed or for those my ancestors have committed, Lord, I ask Your forgiveness. I ask You to forgive me and all my ancestors. In the name of Jesus Christ and by Your precious blood, set me free. 
3. Now, Lord Jesus, in place of this weakness, fill me with the power of Your Spirit; fill me with Your Spirit of ______________ (self-control, courage, sobriety, or any gift that counteracts the weakness you identified). Lord, I ask you also to cut my children, grandchildren, and their children free from any weakness that they may have inherited or will inherit. 
4. For any evil spirits that may be connected with this trait, I command those spirits to leave. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you spirit of _________________ to leave and go to the foot of the cross for the Lord to dispose of you as He will. 

Amen

I feel passionate about helping the generations to come. I want my children to benefit from the prayers I pray for them today. I have two teenagers and I often pray for their future spouses, their children, and their grandchildren. I believe that God will honor those prayers and I believe that if we are willing to start now, to pray it forward, then we, too, will continue to receive His blessings as well as those prayed by our ancestors. 

Change starts with us. 

Friends, I speak the name Jesus over each and every one of you. His name is healing, and it is by His goodness and mercy, and power of His blood that we find freedom. I would love to hear how God has spoken to you about your own journey toward generational healing. Drop me a note at abarrett1614@gmail.com to share what you have experienced. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Be blessed, be encouraged, and be loved by a God who is honored by your love for Him.