Doxa Deo Wilgeheuwel

As a child I was convinced that there were monsters living under my bed. So at night I was so scared that I didn’t want my feet to stick out from underneath the blanket because the monsters would grab it. I was caught up in this lie because my brothers told me that monsters lurk under your bed at night. It got so bad that my mom had to place an open bible on the bed stand so that I could fall asleep. One night I couldn’t take it anymore and I decided to confront my monsters. Hesitantly I crawled underneath my bed but the worst thing I discovered there was an old smelly pair of socks. The good news is that from that day on wards I was never scared again to go to sleep. The truth had set me free.

We all have something in our lives that someone told us that was a lie but we believed it.
Some of those lies may not have been so scary as the monsters under your bed, but others had the same effect as the monsters and they have probably become a stronghold in your life. Lies that has stolen your joy and your freedom.
We’re starting a sermon series called “Lie to me” and it’s based on the television series about a guy that has the ability to expose the truth behind the lies by studying peoples facial expressions.

Joh. 8 verse 44 says that the devil is the Father of lies, lies that he uses to deceive and constrict you. a Few verses before this Jesus says: If you abide in my word; you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. In this sermon series we won’t look at facial expressions to expose the truth but we will look at Gods word.
The purpose of this series is to show you how to use the bible to get to the truth. Today we will start with the idea of bloodline curses. Many people believe that if your Grandfather was a Freemason for example, that there is a curse on your life that binds you and that’s why so many things go wrong in your life.

Here’s the scripture that people often use when they refer to bloodline curses:
… I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations...
(Exo 20:5)

In other words if my grandfather sinned, and got involved with something like the Freemasons, I will reap the fruit of his sins and so I need to get deliverance from this stronghold in my life so that the bloodline curse that’s upon me can be broken.

The question is, is this really true? Or could it be part of Satan’s strategy to keep me occupied so that I don’t focus on God’s plan for my life.

Let’s see what the Word says:
Now when you’re working with Gods word, there are two critical principals you must understand:

1. What was the context of the scripture?
To who was it written and for what reason?

2. Scripture explains scripture.
In other words; what else does the bible say about the matter?

So let’s look at Exodus 20:5 again

1. Context:

Verse 5 is part of the 10 commandments that God gave to Israel because He wanted to set them apart from the heathen nations. But there was another reason why God gave them the law. The law revealed the need for a Savior. The law was proof that man cannot save himself through good works.

And the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. (Jam 2:10)

That’s why Jesus had to die for our sins.

Now Romans says:
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
(Rom 6:15 NKJV)

We are no longer under the law of Moses but that doesn’t mean that we can now do as we please and sin because the principles behind the Old Testament laws are still valid.
To understand these principles we need to study God’s word.


2. Scripture explains scripture:

"Why do you quote this proverb in the land of Israel: 'the parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste'? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not say this proverb anymore in Israel. For all people are mine to judge-both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies.
(Eze 18:2-4 NLT)


"But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father's wickedness but decides against that kind of life… Such a person will not die because of his father's sins; he will surely live. (Eze 18:14-17 NLT)


Back to Exodus 20

You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. (Exo 20:5)


But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations. (Exo 20:6)
Now let’s look at what the New Testament says:
He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name." (Act 10:43)


Not by braking a curse or keeping a law, it’s through the name of Jesus.

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." (Gal 3:13 NLT)

Here’s another scripture:
Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight. (Rom 5:19)


Your bloodline has shifted:
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! (2Co 5:17)

What is the Old Testament principle here?
If my parents lived in sin, it means that I grew up in an environment that promotes a lifestyle of sin. It’s so easy for me to pick up on the bad habits of my parents. If I then choose that lifestyle I will bear the same fruit not because my bloodline was cursed but because I chose it.

Example: Alcoholic
So there can be a stronghold over my life in this area but it’s because I chose it.

What’s the Bible’s answer to this?
Commit your life to Jesus. Choose life, even if it’s difficult keep making good decisions. You can because Christ came to set you free.
Here’s the problem with bloodline curses: Misdirection. It’s a lie that keeps you stuck in the past.

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead (Phi 3:12-13)

The reason why I had the guts to crawl underneath my bed and face my biggest fear was because of that open bible.

Maybe it’s time for you to confront your fears, confront your struggles in life, confront your sins. You won’t succeed if you go digging around in your past looking to see if your bloodline is cursed. But if you come to Jesus, you will discover that He is the truth that will set you free.