Real Church
11/20/2016. Junk in the Trunk: Generational Curses.
Locations & Times
real church
10447 Refugee Rd SW, Pataskala, OH 43062, USA
Friday 5:00 PM
Has anyone ever heard of the term Generational Curse before? If you have, then you understand that this term generally refers to destructive behavior patterns that often seem to repeat themselves for generations, in many of our families. While there is truth to this, there is also this overarching belief that God is somehow forcing family generations to stay locked in a destructive cycle of sin as payback for the sins of their fathers. That your life is somehow doomed and forever cursed because of those who made sinful decisions before you. The question is, is that really true?
Today through this message I hope to answer two questions:
What actually is a generational curse?
How do I break it off of myself and my family?
First of all, the term Generational Curse is not mentioned anywhere in scripture!
The entire premise for the concept of "Generational Curses" is based on a passage in:
Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV)
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
The context for this concept comes out of the 2nd of the 10 Commandments that God gave Moses on Mt Saint, which clearly stated that the nation of Israel was- Not to create or worship anything other than God himself in their lives!
The passage goes on to state that if they did, they would be punished (Not Cursed) to the 3rd and 4th generations.
First of all, the word Punished in the Hebrew means: To confront, chastise and take action for the purpose of good.
(So the goal of God's punishment here was not to place curses on people, but rather to motivate them to change the course of their life!)
Hebrews 12:6 (NIV)
"because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as his son."
(Just like we do with our own children!)
In addition, At the time of Moses, households commonly extended 3 to 4 generations. So God punishing, "to the 3rd and 4th generation" meant that all those who live in the household would suffer for the disobedience and sin of their family leaders.
While our sin undoubtedly carries with it consequences that negatively effect our families and children, the notion that people are somehow cursed for things they have never chosen to do themselves, seems to be completely contradicted in scripture.
The Bible addresses this in:
Ezekiel 18:14-20 (NIV)
“But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things.15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. 17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. 19 “Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is right and just and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them."
We are accountable for our own actions!
We may be negatively influenced by poor examples, we may be haunted by learned behaviors patterns, and we may forced to overcome a toxic and ungodly environment, but our lives are not condemned or cursed because of another mans decisions.
We get to choose for ourselves what our own blessings and curses will be!
Shortly before they entered the promised land, Moses reminded the Israelites of this in:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Just because someone chose to live an ungodly lifestyle above us, does not mean that we are forced to repeat it! (God has given us the power of choice!!!)
Unfortunately, the reason I think many people embrace the concept of generational curses, is because it creates the opportunity to blame the life we have chosen, on somebody else.
My bible tells me something different in:
Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us..."
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has a gone, the new has come!"
John 8:36 (NIV)
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
So if this is true, then how do you explain the generational patterns that are so often seen in many of our families?
Psychologists tell us that all human behavior happens in a social context and has social meaning. We may have had to live in the consequences of someone else's sin, but we are not cursed because of their sin! (God has gracefully given us all the power of choice!!)
Ephesians 1:3
"Praise be to the God... who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (You are not cursed, you are blessed!)
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
As often as we see people repeat destructive generational behaviors, we also see people who have chosen to rise above them and live completely different lives!
Someone once stated - "Each man lives in the world of his own choosing."
Today I want to close by identifying 3 actions that I believe will help break the destructive generational patterns in our lives:
1. Stop Sinning and Start Living Holy!
(If you are free, then you have a choice!)
The apostle Paul stated in:
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
After Jesus healed the man at the pool he gave him a mandate in:
John 5:14
"See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means!"
2. Stop Following Tradition and Start Following Truth!
(Truth trumps Tradition!)
Isaiah 43:18-20 (NIV)
“19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Regardless of how destructive your background may have been, God can do new thing in your life today!
We have to be willing to choose the truth of our Father over the traditions of our Past.
3. Stop Deteriorating and Start Developing!
(We are either doing one or the other!)
Jesus told the man that he healed in, John 5:14 that if he didn't make some positive changes, "something worse may happen."
The reality is, things will change for the worse in our lives, if we don't choose to make them change for the better! (We are either progressing or regressing in life!)
That's why Paul said in:
Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
It's not good enough to just leave our past. We must also go after what is ahead!
Today through this message I hope to answer two questions:
What actually is a generational curse?
How do I break it off of myself and my family?
First of all, the term Generational Curse is not mentioned anywhere in scripture!
The entire premise for the concept of "Generational Curses" is based on a passage in:
Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV)
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
The context for this concept comes out of the 2nd of the 10 Commandments that God gave Moses on Mt Saint, which clearly stated that the nation of Israel was- Not to create or worship anything other than God himself in their lives!
The passage goes on to state that if they did, they would be punished (Not Cursed) to the 3rd and 4th generations.
First of all, the word Punished in the Hebrew means: To confront, chastise and take action for the purpose of good.
(So the goal of God's punishment here was not to place curses on people, but rather to motivate them to change the course of their life!)
Hebrews 12:6 (NIV)
"because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as his son."
(Just like we do with our own children!)
In addition, At the time of Moses, households commonly extended 3 to 4 generations. So God punishing, "to the 3rd and 4th generation" meant that all those who live in the household would suffer for the disobedience and sin of their family leaders.
While our sin undoubtedly carries with it consequences that negatively effect our families and children, the notion that people are somehow cursed for things they have never chosen to do themselves, seems to be completely contradicted in scripture.
The Bible addresses this in:
Ezekiel 18:14-20 (NIV)
“But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things.15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife. 16 He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. 17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. 19 “Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is right and just and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them."
We are accountable for our own actions!
We may be negatively influenced by poor examples, we may be haunted by learned behaviors patterns, and we may forced to overcome a toxic and ungodly environment, but our lives are not condemned or cursed because of another mans decisions.
We get to choose for ourselves what our own blessings and curses will be!
Shortly before they entered the promised land, Moses reminded the Israelites of this in:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Just because someone chose to live an ungodly lifestyle above us, does not mean that we are forced to repeat it! (God has given us the power of choice!!!)
Unfortunately, the reason I think many people embrace the concept of generational curses, is because it creates the opportunity to blame the life we have chosen, on somebody else.
My bible tells me something different in:
Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us..."
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has a gone, the new has come!"
John 8:36 (NIV)
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
So if this is true, then how do you explain the generational patterns that are so often seen in many of our families?
Psychologists tell us that all human behavior happens in a social context and has social meaning. We may have had to live in the consequences of someone else's sin, but we are not cursed because of their sin! (God has gracefully given us all the power of choice!!)
Ephesians 1:3
"Praise be to the God... who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (You are not cursed, you are blessed!)
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
As often as we see people repeat destructive generational behaviors, we also see people who have chosen to rise above them and live completely different lives!
Someone once stated - "Each man lives in the world of his own choosing."
Today I want to close by identifying 3 actions that I believe will help break the destructive generational patterns in our lives:
1. Stop Sinning and Start Living Holy!
(If you are free, then you have a choice!)
The apostle Paul stated in:
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
After Jesus healed the man at the pool he gave him a mandate in:
John 5:14
"See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means!"
2. Stop Following Tradition and Start Following Truth!
(Truth trumps Tradition!)
Isaiah 43:18-20 (NIV)
“19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Regardless of how destructive your background may have been, God can do new thing in your life today!
We have to be willing to choose the truth of our Father over the traditions of our Past.
3. Stop Deteriorating and Start Developing!
(We are either doing one or the other!)
Jesus told the man that he healed in, John 5:14 that if he didn't make some positive changes, "something worse may happen."
The reality is, things will change for the worse in our lives, if we don't choose to make them change for the better! (We are either progressing or regressing in life!)
That's why Paul said in:
Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
It's not good enough to just leave our past. We must also go after what is ahead!