Generational Curses and Spiritual Oppression in Christians

[JStates]

Some Christians whose work I have read and whom I greatly respect have described generational curses and hereditary spiritual oppression in Christians (Bible-believing, born again Christ followers). My mother knew a Christian young woman with a history of demonic oppression who tragically ended up taking her own life. Evil spiritual powers are certainly trying to destroy believers, and the Bible is very clear about this.

In this thread, I would like for us to discuss specifically the phenomenon of generational spiritual oppression/curses in Christians. I have seen significant evidence that demonic entities can plague unsaved/unbelieving families and follow the children through their lives. I would like for us to explore the following questions in an orderly and Scriptural manner:

Can generational curses or generational/family spiritual oppression affect Christians, even if they themselves have not intentionally opened those doors?

If so, what can/should the Christian do to free themselves from the influence of generational curses/spiritual oppression? (behaviors, prayers, etc.)



PLEASE ADHERE TO THESE RULES OF DISCUSSION:

(1) Support your statements with Scripture. Sharing specific examples or theories is fine but if not substantiated by Scripture, these are unreliable.

(2) Please use the King James Version of the Bible. This may seem like an arbitrary rule, but I am hoping to get something out of this discussion and there are 900+ English language "bibles" that say very different things. I would like us to be on the same page here.

* There have been a couple other similar threads but I haven't found them helpful overall due to the lack of Scriptural foundation for many ideas presented. This thread should bring something new to the table if the rules can be adhered to. I do have some thoughts on the subject but also a lot of questions, so I will refrain from posting for a while (except to clarify anything in this opening post) and just consider what is put forth.

Thanks!

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Ezekiel 18 is the "Man Taking Responsibility" chapter. It is the transition between children being held responsible for their father's sins and no longer being responsible for their father's sins. Now it is the "soul that sins is the soul that will die. The soul that obeys is the soul that will live." - (Note that this concept is repeated in Eze 33:12-20.)

 

[Dino246]

(1) Support your statements with Scripture. Sharing specific examples or theories is fine but if not substantiated by Scripture, these are unreliable.

Generational curses have a basis in Scripture...

1 Kings 2:33a May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever.

1 Kings 11:39 "I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

2 Kings 5:27 "Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever."

Jeremiah 29:32 this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion against me.

Malachi 2:3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.

(2) Please use the King James Version of the Bible. This may seem like an arbitrary rule, but I am hoping to get something out of this discussion and there are 900+ English language "bibles" that say very different things. I would like us to be on the same page here.

No. Deal with it.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

lol

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Sorry, I didn't see that the KJV was a fine requirement of this thread. Fine, I say!

Ezekiel 18:4 KJV - "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."

And as noted in my first response, here is the text of Eze 33:12-20. It outlines that if one lives without iniquity, "he shall surely live." Thus, this would defy the generational curse concept. (At least, that's the way it seems to me.)

Ezekiel 33:12-20 KJV - "Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his [righteousness] in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. 17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways."

Notice how the Jews rebelled against this idea in verse 17? They stated that it wasn't fair! haha

 

[Oblio]

I went to a ministry retreat. We watched a video called, "Release From The Curse," by Derek Prince. Later, in my room, I broke generational curses, as instructed, on my father's side, and then on my mother's side. The end result was that I received the gift of tongues.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

I went to a ministry retreat. We watched a video called, "Release From The Curse," by Derek Prince. Later, in my room, I broke generational curses, as instructed, on my father's side, and then on my mother's side. The end result was that I received the gift of tongues.

What was the curse that [you] broke? Who applied it?

 

[Oblio]

What was the curse that [you] broke? Who applied it?

I prayed back through 4 generations on each side of my parents' family. I repented for their sin. It sounds like an oddball thing, but it powerful for me.
My father, then my father's mother, then my father's father. And so on... I had a piece of paper with the generations drawn out as a guide. It seems like a lot of mechanics, but it actually worked because it was grounded in scripture. I'd tried many different ministries for years...this worked for me.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

I prayed back through 4 generations on each side of my parents' family. I repented for their sin. It sounds like an oddball thing, but it powerful for me.
My father, then my father's mother, then my father's father. And so on... I had a piece of paper with the generations drawn out as a guide. It seems like a lot of mechanics, but it actually worked because it was grounded in scripture. I'd tried many different ministries for years...this worked for me.

That's an amazing story. I always figured that God would be the one to lift the Curses that He Himself bestows.

 

[JStates]

I prayed back through 4 generations on each side of my parents' family. I repented for their sin. It sounds like an oddball thing, but it powerful for me.
My father, then my father's mother, then my father's father. And so on... I had a piece of paper with the generations drawn out as a guide. It seems like a lot of mechanics, but it actually worked because it was grounded in scripture. I'd tried many different ministries for years...this worked for me.

And this is kind of the point of this thread. I know of other Christians who have done the same and said it made a tremendous difference for them.

And I guess I'm trying to figure out if such a prayer is having more of a psychological effect (which can certainly be beneficial spiritually) or if it's more of a directly Scriptural/spiritual practice/phenomenon.

 

[JStates]

That's an amazing story. I always figured that God would be the one to lift the Curses that He Himself bestows.

That's something else I should have mentioned in the OP for consideration. Obviously God has laid such curses Himself on certain families.

Does being adopted into the family of God as a Christian free one from such things?

And can other entities (demons, practitioners of occult magic) put similar curses on others, whether Christian believers or not? For example, Noah's curse on Canaan in Genesis 9. Was it binding, since Noah was a spiritual patriarch? Or was it more procedural, since as head of the family Noah had the ability to make it a reality in his lifetime? Etc.

 

[TheIndianGirl]

I went to a three day (Friday to Sunday) spiritual healing session a couple of years ago. My friend invited me. Part of the session involved breaking generational curses. There were other parts also too like soul ties, forgiveness, etc. I went there without having any prior knowledge of generational curses whatsoever, and it was all new to me so I went with a more critical approach instead of automatically believing what I was told. Even at the end of the session, even with me wanting to believe the pastor, something just didn't seem right. While there is support for generational curses in the Bible (specifically in the Old Testament), I am persuaded against this belief because it seems contrary to Jesus washing away our sins, being born again, giving us a new beginning, etc. Jesus giving us a new slate BUT still keeping us shackled in heavy chains to generational sins caused by our ancestors seems a bit contrary.

This is a good article:
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/are-generational-curses-real-today.html
"Jesus tells us in John 8:34-36, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” "

 

[A-Sword-Cometh]

The sons will not be punished for the sins of the fathers, nor the fathers for the sins of the sons. It is not that one is punished or cursed for the sins of their parents, but it is that so often the children will learn the evil ways of their parents and then do just like them. It is what they themselves do, not what their parents have done. So, if a child sees his parents' ways that they are wicked, and that child does not follow in their way then he will surely not be punished because he has not sinned. If a child sees his parents' ways and does in the like manner as his parents, then will he be punished because of his own actions though they be learned from his evil parents. Now if a child has good parents and learns their good ways and does them, he has not sinned at all. If a child has good parents and rebels against their good way and does wickedly then will he be punished for his own actions.

Thus, it is for the Four Generations of Shame that the first the Boomers did wickedly having good parents and they rebelled against their good ways. Gen X their brethren saw their brethren's wickedness and they likewise rebelled and did wickedly above them. The Millennials saw their wicked parents' ways and rather than turn aside they did just like them and even did worse above them. Gen Z saw the wickedness of their parents and the wickedness of their brethren, and they did above all even more wickedly. So, it is these Four Shameful Generations are accursed and in this Decade of Decisions they have earned to themselves the Four Sore Judgements of God. The pestilence and plagues, the famines and economic hardships, the natural disasters and the animals and the elements turned against them, and then finally if they will still after all these come to pass upon their faces that they still refuse to acknowledge their ways were evil and acknowledge that the Lord God was correct to judge them severely that Behold A Sword Cometh and they will be quite taken away by the blade. Say not that the Lord's ways are unequal, for it is your ways oh Shameful Generations that are unequal. Surely the Lord Jesus Christ is fair and equal and surely you are unequal and unfair. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for he is the strong God and the avenger of us, praise the Lord Jesus he has heard our cries and counted our tears unnumbered. Praise Lord Jesus for he is the Living God.

 

[Oblio]

My dad's side was into the Orange Order, which is largely Freemason. Secret societies are forbidden by the Lord.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

Does being adopted into the family of God as a Christian free one from such things?

If you haven't noticed, I'm all about Colossians 2:9-15. There is SOOO much to be gleaned from and through it.

Verse 10 explains verse 9. Verse 10 then goes on to explain the rest of Colossians 2:9-15.

Colossians 2:9-10 KJV - "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power . . ."

It is the Circumcision of Christ that makes us "complete in Him." That Spiritual Circumcision, as said, is noted in verse 11, and also in 13. Here they are:

Colossians 2:11, 13 KJV - 11 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:" ... 13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses . . ."

My point is . . . how can anyone remain "cursed" if Jesus has lifted the Curse of the Lord, thus rendering us "complete?" If we are in Christ just as Christ is in the Father, and if there is no corruption within the Father, then there can be no corruption within His Holy Elect.

It is impossible for the Elect, or the True Body of Christ to be cursed, for if they are, then curses are within Christ just as Christ is within the Father. Thus, curses would be within the Father, and that is utterly and fundamentally impossible. I will say it again . . . it is impossible.

1 John 3:5 KJV - "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

For example, Noah's curse on Canaan in Genesis 9. Was it binding, since Noah was a spiritual patriarch? Or was it more procedural, since as head of the family Noah had the ability to make it a reality in his lifetime?

Wise. What Power did Noah have to establish a curse? This is not a teaching that I see in the Bible, thus it might, MIGHT simply be something equated to "damning" someone to hell . . . something I said and did as an ignorant dork. Obviously, I can't damn anyone to hell, but I can say the words. Further, what source of Power would I ever have to place a curse upon someone? Nothing is done without the consent of the Lord. Not one thing.

 

[Oblio]

I don't have all the answers, I just know it worked for me. The teachings that week were from "The Divine Plumb Line," by Dr. Bruce Thompson, University For The Nations, "Release From The Curse," and "Basics Of Deliverance," by Derek Prince, "The Root And Fruit Of Pride," by Floyd McClung, and by Howard Ellis, CEO of Jacob's Well Ministries Inc. Ontario, and Reverend with the Missionary Alliance church.
What impressed me about the week was the way the Holy Spirit manifested Himself to me! I was in a desperate time in my life and our Lord met me powerfully! I even had a vision of Jesus!
This is my story...make of it what you will.

 

[Oblio]

I love this Psalm! It's been 24 years since I left the Vineyard church, but the music has always remained with me. I love this Psalm!

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

I don't have all the answers, I just know it worked for me. The teachings that week were from "The Divine Plumb Line," by Dr. Bruce Thompson, University For The Nations, "Release From The Curse," and "Basics Of Deliverance," by Derek Prince, "The Root And Fruit Of Pride," by Floyd McClung, and by Howard Ellis, CEO of Jacob's Well Ministries Inc. Ontario, and Reverend with the Missionary Alliance church.
What impressed me about the week was the way the Holy Spirit manifested Himself to me! I was in a desperate time in my life and our Lord met me powerfully! I even had a vision of Jesus!
This is my story...make of it what you will.

I hesitate to say this, but I am concerned that you are bypassing the Spiritual Circumcision of Christ and stating that you did it yourself. The entire point of the Bible is for Christ to Circumcise our unregenerate hearts from the Adamic Curse of the Lord. I respect you, Oblio, but no one can redeem themselves apart from the Work of Christ.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

I may be taking the following verse out of context, but the "B" part of the verse is compelling, which is that no one can redeem themselves.

[Eze 7:13 KJV] "For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life."

[Eze 7:13 NET] "The customer will no longer pay the seller while both parties are alive, for the vision against their whole crowd will not be revoked. Each person, for his iniquity, will fail to preserve his life."