Generational curses? No way!!

[Jim B]

Is there such a thing a “generational curses”? I say, No way.

I have been in pastoral ministry for more than 35 years and it was not until a decade or so ago that I every heard of generational curses. It was only found in Charismatic writings and seemed to give some people (I have a friend in mind) to blame all of their weaknesses on their parents and grandparents.

To me the whole generational curses thing sounded like some sort of sanctified superstition. The books I read on the subject were heavy on anecdotes and light on scripture. The ones that were always advanced were the Old Testament passages that warned that the sins of parents were passed down to subsequent generations. God refuted the belief that I am cursed because of my parents/grandparents sin when he told us in Jeremiah 31 29 "In those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' 30 Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes-his own teeth will be set on edge. 31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD , "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers

Most, if not all of the scriptures I am quoted in support of the theory of generational curses comes from the Old Testament. But Jeremiah, in the context of the superstitious belief in such curses, predicted a “new covenant” that “will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers.”

The New Testament (Covenant) teaches us that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3.13.

Generational curses … No way!

What do you say?

~Jim

 

[TheScottsMen]

Great topic Jim! Looking forward to seeing what everyone has to says as I have not really studied much on this subject myself, love to see subjects I learn from!)))

 

[oneshot012]

I know that most of the scripture to support this comes from the Old Testament but for those who are not saved they would be subjesct to generational curses would they not be? My understanding is that someone who has not recieved the free gift of Christ is still under the law until he is set free. But i also thought that he has know of his freedom from these curses and then once he does he is from there bondage someone please correct me if i am wrong but usually when people talk about generational curses on of the most common things they use is achohalism and in Power Healing by John Wimber (sorry i just returned the book due to a mix up at school so i can't give the page number and reference) he backs up genereation curses with the statistic that if you have alcoholic parents you have a 70% chance of having it also. So i can defineately see a trend there he also uses other examples but i can't think of them right now.

 

[Jim B]

Interesting point, oneshot. I am anxious to read some responses to this.

I am a Vineyardian myself (see Are you Vineyard? thread in this forum) and don’t recall the generational curses teaching of John Wimber. Would you mind quoting his statement(s) in this thread? I would be interested. Sorry, I don’t have a copy of Power Healing.

~Jim

 

[kdet]

I personally look at generational curses the same way as doctors look to illnesses that are passed down through families. Alcoholism is one,child abuse is another. My son right now is dealing with some of these. I believe that God can break these curses and heal families if we allow him to do so.

 

[Jim B]

sweetkitty wrote:

I personally look at generational curses the same way as doctors look to illnesses that are passed down through families. Alcoholism is one,child abuse is another. My son right now is dealing with some of these. I believe that God can break these curses and heal families if we allow him to do so.

Could this be just a way of spiritualizing or adding a P/C spin to something that is perfectly natural? Of course there are things we inherit from our parents through our genes and there are behavioral traits instilled in us from our upbringing. But these are not necessarily “curses” in the biblical sense (even though we feel we might be cursed by them! )

~Jim

 

[kdet]

sweetkitty wrote:



Could this be just a way of spiritualizing or adding a P/C spin to something that is perfectly natural? Of course there are things we inherit from our parents through our genes and there are behavioral traits instilled in us from our upbringing. But these are not necessarily “curses” in the biblical sense (even though we feel we might be cursed by them! )

~Jim

Alcoholism and or child abuse is not natural. But they are things that can be passed down though generations.

 

[Lottedah]

yes way, generation curses are demonic in nature. My sister and I both had a generation curse of witchcraft among other things broken off of us this summer by a prophet and she no longer blacks out or has fits- and can rebuke the demons herself when it happens.
I never had the problems she did in sanity, but I have seen a one hundred percent improvement in her no longer getting in trouble at school.
So kitty be happy.. and keep praying and rebuking the curses off of your family.

 

[Jim B]

sweetkitty saith ...

Alcoholism and or child abuse is not natural. But they are things that can be passed down though generations.

Oh, contrare, sweetkitty. They are both perfectly natural. There are people who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism as any authority on the subject will tell you. Furthermore, both alcoholism and child abuse can be learned traits from a dysfunctional home. Child abuse can be demonic (if there is one sin that has all the earmarks of demonism it is child abuse!!) or simply a mental disorder.

These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions.

~Jim

 

[kdet]

sweetkitty saith ...



Oh, contrare, sweetkitty. They are both perfectly natural. There are people who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism as any authority on the subject will tell you. Furthermore, both alcoholism and child abuse can be learned traits from a dysfunctional home. Child abuse can be demonic (if there is one sin that has all the earmarks of demonism it is child abuse!!) or simply a mental disorder.

These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions.

~Jim

I'm in no way saying that a person should blame their parents for their actions or use thir childhood experiences to not take responsibilities. But that doesn not say that there isn't generational curses that affect our families. The reason alcoholism is genetically predisposed is because of those curses on that family.
If a child is abused he is more likely to be an abuser..another curse.
Here is some information.

http://www.oldtowncoc.com/sys-tmpl/generationalcurses/
THREE WAYS WE REAP BLESSINGS AND CURSES THROUGH OUR FOREFATHERS

1. Through genetic inheritance (DNA). We are physically and chemically a part of our forefathers, inheriting physical traits and illnesses that are passed through the genes.

2. Through the modeling examples of our parents.

3. Through the law of "sowing and reaping." When we choose not to repent, thereby not letting Jesus take our sin to the cross, we deny Him access, and condemn future generations to reap what we have sown.

Some would contend that generational sins don't seem fair and that sins from our ancestors cannot curse us. But the laws of God operating in the universe are neither personal or punitive, they simply state how things work. Gal. 6:7 explains the law of "sowing and reaping" and how it allows for good as well as evil.

 

[Lottedah]

Kitty there are generational curses.. I think he has another agenda here.. im feelign something.. just by this line that conveys a veiled hostility
These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions-jimb
So dont be discouraged and you rebuke those spirits. and pray for Gods mercy on your son.

 

[kdet]

Kitty there are generational curses.. I think he has another agenda here.. im feelign something.. just by this line that conveys a veiled hostility
These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions-jimb
So dont be discouraged and you rebuke those spirits. and pray for Gods mercy on your son.

Thank You!

 

[Jim B]

Lottedah casts the first stone,

Kitty there are generational curses.. I think he has another agenda here.. im feelign something.. just by this line that conveys a veiled hostility
These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions

Oh my!! Now we have to deal with people who can read between the lines. You might consider getting your feeler fixed, Lot.

FYI, No hidden motive here, Lot. I said up front that I do not believe in generational curses and would like to be proven wrong, if, in fact I am wrong. Casting aspersions does not help nor does it foster understanding.

Sweetkitty, I have copied and printed the study link you gave me above. Thanks for sharing. I’ll get back to you on it.

~Jim

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

sweetkitty wrote:



Could this be just a way of spiritualizing or adding a P/C spin to something that is perfectly natural? Of course there are things we inherit from our parents through our genes and there are behavioral traits instilled in us from our upbringing. But these are not necessarily “curses” in the biblical sense (even though we feel we might be cursed by them! )

~Jim

Natural according to "who" Jim? Us or God? Is there any inherited "bad thing" that is natural and is "from God"?

I'm reminded of a song titled "On My Father's Side". Unfortionately I don't remember it word for word but the jist of the first verse was Jesus sitting in the Temple, debating with the scribes. They were amazed at His Wisdom and asked Him where He was from and the response is "on my mother's side I'm just a lowly Nazarine but on my Father's side I'm the Alpha and Omega, on My Father's side the Beginning and the End. . .

I believe that those who come to Christ who continue to walk as unto the flesh instead of the Spirit will continue to reap what the flesh sows. If the ancestors sowed it and reaped it then the following generations will tend to sow and reap it too. That's why it's so important to be crucified with Christ so that it's no longer I that lives but Christ in me.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

sweetkitty saith ...



Oh, contrare, sweetkitty. They are both perfectly natural. There are people who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism as any authority on the subject will tell you. Furthermore, both alcoholism and child abuse can be learned traits from a dysfunctional home. Child abuse can be demonic (if there is one sin that has all the earmarks of demonism it is child abuse!!) or simply a mental disorder.

These are not "curses", they are more in the realm of sin. We can't blame mommy and daddy for our actions.

~Jim

I don't remember what it was in particular that I was battling with one day many years ago, but I remember specifically hearing the Lord say, "Barbara, you're the adult now. . .you've got to let Me take this from you."

Growing up abused I had tended to blame that parent for the reason I felt and did this and/or that and I found my own personality becoming just like her's. It frightened so much that I ran to the Lord with it. . .and the statement above is what He said to me. Whether it was learned, inherited, or whatever. . .the Lord delivered me and I'm free.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

*MOD HAT*

OK. . .NO STONE THROWING.

 

[Heinrich]

If a mother were to take her young child to a witchdoctor to be "blessed" so to speak..
Then that child will offcourse suffer some consequences because of that and it's not his/her fault now is it?

If a mother has AIDS the child is likely to be born with AIDS... is this the child fault?

If the person that owned the house before you practiced witchcraft there is it your fault when you get nightmares and other weird deseases and stuff?

These are all reletively short term.. like in within 1 generation.

What about if your mother and farther breakup.. you grow up in a broken household.. and statistics clearly shows that kids from these backgrounds seem to also have marraige problems later in life.. generational curse? maybe not but it seem so hey?

There some sicknesses which is known to run in family's.. Like your father grandfather and his grandfather died of heart attacks.. makes you wonder what is going to happen to you? Yes it might be DNA related if you take it scientifically maybe. But are you just going to say "O well this is ok I'll just die and get is over with" or do you think God can release you from this?

Generational curses... yes I think they exist.. Are they exstremely common.. no I don't think so.. do we blame alot of thing on them that's not it? YES
Do we often misunderstand and misdiagnose them YES

 

[oneshot012]

Generational curses... yes I think they exist.. Are they exstremely common.. no I don't think so.. do we blame alot of thing on them that's not it? YES
Do we often misunderstand and misdiagnose them YES

I think that that is it right there. They do exsist but we misinturpret them and misdiagnose them. Good post Heinrich.

 

[Jim B]

If generational (familial, family) curses exist, where do you find the teaching in the New Testament?

In the light of the popular teaching on the subject, which seems to be limited to Old Testament passages, how do you interpret Jeremiah 31. 29 "In those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' 30 Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes-his own teeth will be set on edge. 31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD , "when I will make a new covenant."

and how do you interpret

Galatians 3.13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.

So far, very little clear scriptural foundation, especially NT, has been given for the subject of curses. Your subjective personal anecdotes, experiences, and feelings are interesting but not very helpful (nor convincing).

Some Bible please.

~Jim

 

[Svt4Him]

sweetkitty wrote:



Could this be just a way of spiritualizing or adding a P/C spin to something that is perfectly natural? Of course there are things we inherit from our parents through our genes and there are behavioral traits instilled in us from our upbringing. But these are not necessarily “curses” in the biblical sense (even though we feel we might be cursed by them! )

~Jim

Sure it could be, but now it seems you are calling things perfectly natural that aren't natural.