Generational curses are a phenomenon that many Christians believe in. When someone struggles in life and experiences a lack or resistance and things don’t go according to the will of the person or if someone is tormented in the mind and commits the same sins as the parents or grandparents, many believe the person lives under a generational curse. But do generational curses exist in the New Covenant? Can you inherit generational curses? Or is the doctrine of generational curses a false doctrine, which deceives many believers? Where did Jesus speak about generational curses or where did Jesus break a generational curse? What does the Bible say about generational curses?
Generational curses in the Old Covenant
In the Old Testament, we read a lot about curses in general. But since this blog is about generational curses, only the scriptures that relate to generational curses will be discussed.
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:1-6).
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7).
The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation (Numbers 14:18).
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments (Deuteronomy 5:9-10).
The doctrine of generational curses and breaking generational curses are predominantly based upon these Scriptures. In these Scriptures, God said, those, who were born of the seed of Jacob (Israel) and belonged to the people of God and lived in the covenant and became disobedient to the commandments of God, that God would visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hated God.
If the fathers did things against the will of God, then by their deeds they showed that they didn’t love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, but that they hated God. They didn’t submit to God and didn’t keep His commandments, but they went their own way and lived in rebellion against God.
Their iniquity would pass on to their children (second generation), grandchildren (third generation), and their great-grandchildren (fourth generation).
The children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren had to pay for the behavior of the fathers, whom God hated and didn’t do what God had commanded them to do, and carry their iniquity.
The curses of God
In Deuteronomium 28 and Leviticus 26, we read about the curses, which would come over those, who were born into the covenant, but refused to listen to the voice of the Lord and submit themselves to God and therefore didn’t observe His commandments and statutes, but became disobedient to God.
These curses derived from God and God’s Kingdom and not from the devil and his kingdom. Therefore, no demonic powers were involved, but the angels, who were sent by God.
Confessing their iniquity
Not only do we read in Leviticus 26 about the curses that would be brought upon the people, when they lived in disobedience to God, but we also read about annulling the curse, which would rest upon the children of the people because of the disobedience and iniquity of the fathers.
And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land (Leviticus 26: 39-42)
If they would remember their iniquity and confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their trespass which they trespassed against God and the way they walked contrary to God, God would remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham and remember the land.
The generational curse annulled by God in the Old Covenant
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin (Deuteronomy 24:16)
Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father. But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. (2 Chronicles 25:3-4)
In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge (Jeremiah 31:29-30)
“The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son”
The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.
If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live (Ezekiel 18:1-22).
In these Scriptures, it is written that the son is not responsible for the iniquity of the father and will not bear the iniquity of his father. Therefore there will be no generational curse present in the life of the child.
Everyone would bear his own iniquity by the way the person chose to live.
Is a generational curse stronger than the rebirth in Christ?
Through occult knowledge, the Body of Christ is affected and defiled. Those, who believe in curses and work with spells are occultists (witches, satanists, voodoo practitioners, shamans, etc.). Former occultists, who have repented and joined the church, have infiltrated and defiled the gospel of Jesus Christ and the words of God with their soulish knowledge and experience of the occult spiritual realm (Read also: The occult church and New age in the church).
Through their doctrines, they have defiled the gospel and made the gospel and the power of Jesus’ work at the cross, His resurrection from the dead, and His blood of no effect.
According to them a generational curse is stronger than repentance to God and being born again in Jesus Christ. Therefore many believers, seek help to find out if they live under a generational curse that is responsible for their lack, state, and the oppression they experience in their lives.
However, the real problem is that many believers have not truly repented and are not really born again in Christ.
Many have not laid down their flesh, in which the sinful nature is present, in Christ, but they keep walking after their flesh in disobedience to God. They keep feeding themselves with the things of this world and therefore these unclean evil powers of the kingdom of darkness manifest and remain in their lives.
What did Jesus say about generational curses?
Since we should become and walk as our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, it is important to look at what Jesus said about generational curses and how Jesus broke generational curses.
Hey, that is weird… Jesus didn’t say anything about generational curses. Jesus also didn’t say anything about breaking generational curses.
In fact, when the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him if the blindness of the man, who was born blind, was the result of his sin or the sin of his parents, Jesus said that neither the man had sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God would be manifest in him (John 9:2-3).
Generational curses were part of the Old Covenant and related to fallen man, who was born of the seed of Jacob (Israel) until God annulled the generational curses in the Old Covenant and the children were no longer responsible for the iniquity of their fathers (Leviticus 26: 39-42, Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Chronicles 25:4, Ezekiel 18).
Every person was responsible for his own deeds and his own life.
Where did the apostles break generational curses?
From the book of Acts until the Book of Revelations, we don’t read anything about generational curses. We don’t read anything about the apostles digging into the past of the lives of people, searching for generational curses, which entered their lives through their parents or ancestors. And when they had found a generational curse after many consults, digging, and searching, they broke the generational curse through prayer, and suddenly the people were happy and continued their happy lives without any lack, resistance, and problems and only experienced prosperity.
No, this is a myth, which is created by people but is nowhere written in the Bible. It is the image, which many churches have created of a carefree life as a Christian.
But the truth is, that as soon as you get born again in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you have become an enemy of the devil and his kingdom and you shall experience resistance and persecution of the world and the people, who possess the spirit of the world and walk after the flesh in rebellion towards God.
They have persecuted Me, they shall persecute you
Jesus didn’t say, the slave is above his lord. They have persecuted Me, but they shall not persecute you.
No, Jesus said, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20)
It is written, that you are blessed when man shall revile and persecute you because of Christ’s sake and righteousness’ sake (Matthew 5:10-12). But nowadays believers immediately think that a person lives under a generational curse when things don’t go according to the will of the person.
If generational curses would exist, then …
If generational curses would exist, then every person would suffer from generational curses instead of some. Because not every child of an addicted parent is addicted. Not every child, who is abused by his parent shall abuse his child. Not every child, who is raised in a poor family still lives in poverty. And not every child, whose parent lived a loose life and frequently committed adultery, have the same spirit and live the same life.
Only those, who live in rebellion against God and have the same mind, character, and behavior as their parents, shall experience the same demonic powers. Because of the same mindset, and the same way of speaking and acting, they invite demons to enter their lives to accomplish their evil destroying work.
But again, this has nothing to do with generational curses that are preached. Since the generational curses, which are written in the Bible derived from God and not from the devil.
A lack of knowledge of God’s Word gives way to false doctrines
Through ignorance of people and the lack of knowledge of God’s Word, this false doctrine of generational curses has entered and up to today is still believed by many believers and preached in many churches.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple and the power of God. But because of the soulish carnal knowledge of people and earthly wisdom, many have made the gospel difficult, incomprehensible and powerless. Many people are often more interested in the devil and have more faith in his works than in the greatness and power of God.
Believers should be focused on Jesus and fill themselves with the Word. So that the Word becomes alive and shapes the lives of born-again believers. Through the Word, they will be able to discern the lies and the works of the devil from the truth of God and destroy these lies and works of the devil instead of bringing them into the church.
The devil establishes his thrown through his lies
The devil doesn’t enter a life announced and doesn’t say “hello! Here I am, the devil and I take your life captive through my lies and establish my throne in your life and you shall listen to me and serve me.”
No! The devil is a thief and he enters like a thief. The devil sneaks in through the ignorance of people and what people engage themselves with. As soon as he enters a life through his lies, he deceives the person more and more with his lies, so that eventually the person leaves God’s way and walks on his way.
As long as you feed yourself with the things of this world, your mind shall stay carnal and unrenewed and the lies and the spirits of this world shall reign in your life.
Submit to God and resist the devil
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7)
The Bible doesn’t say anything about digging into the past and searching for generational curses. The Bible speaks about dying to the flesh and putting off the old man.
Putting off the old man is something that you have to do with the help of the Word and the Holy Spirit. You have to put off the old man and put on the new man. No one else can do it for you, not even God (Read also: Put off the old man and Put on the new man)
A prayer to break a generational curse?
It doesn’t matter how many times you let people pray for you and lay hands on you to break a generational curse, as long as you keep living after the flesh and allow the lusts and desires of your flesh to dictate your life and fill your mind with the unclean things of this world, which derive from the unclean powers of the kingdom of darkness, you shall never be freed from unclean thoughts, which cause unclean feelings and actions, that go against the will of God and therefore you shall keep walking in darkness.
Freedom in Christ
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2)
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Galatians 3:13)
Those, who believe in generational curses in the lives of Christians, don’t believe in the perfect work of redemption of Jesus Christ. They don’t believe in the Word in which it is written, that Jesus Christ bore our iniquity and sin and redeemed us from the curse of the law and that everyone, who believes in Him and becomes born again in Christ has become a new creation. Therefore old things have passed away and all things have become new (Isaiah 53:4-6, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Because otherwise, they wouldn’t dig into the past of the old man, who is crucified with Christ and no longer lives (Read also: Don’t fall into the hole of your past).
When a person truly repents and becomes born again and renews his mind with the words of God and submits himself to God and His Word and walks in obedience to God, His Word, and His will, instead of walking after the carnal mind, feelings, emotions and the lusts and desires of the flesh, the person shall not live in the bondage of the unclean spirit of the kingdom of darkness, but shall be free and live in the freedom of Christ.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
