When we take a hard look
at our lives, our families, our children, friends, wife, girlfriend, parents, sisters,
brothers, etc.; what type of generational sin is being passed on? What is a
reoccurring theme or event that seems to be carried on from parents – to –
children – to – their children? Before any action can be taken we must be
completely honest, vulnerable, upfront and mature about the junk that is being passed
down throughout our families. Also, we need to be mature enough to break away
from our pride and ask ourselves “Do I have any behaviors that might have a
negative influence on my family or my future family?”As I have been holding my newborn son over the last several days I think about the example that I am already presenting for him even at his young age. I know that I will make some mistakes; however, I want to ensure that the same mistakes are not made with him that I experienced in my life. I deeply respect and admire my own father; however, I have vivid memories of the sinful example that he portrayed early in my life. My father struggled with alcoholism among other things in his life and as anyone who has struggled through this process with a family member it is grueling. My dad had to make a decision at one point in his life; to stop a destructive lifestyle. The next step in breaking a chain of bondage is “the decision.” My father came from a line of men who he deeply respected and admired; however, each one left a legacy that included a sinful example of addiction. Good or bad legacies are broken or changed by a decision; my family if not different, a decision had to be made. My mother took me and my sister one day and we left my father because of his alcoholism and the actions that where a result of the alcohol’s negative impact on his emotion, attitude and impact on relationship with us all. At that very moment my father had a very important decision to make that decision would be the beginning of a generational sin to be broken. My father’s choice to put the alcohol aside for the sake of his marriage and family was instrumental in our family. I still remember the family counseling meetings and how hard it was to go against something that was so widely accepted as normal in my dad and mom’s own families which was alcoholism but sadly it was celebrated as “boys being boys”. When my dad made the decision to not allow a substance to have control over him; he in turn started a ripple effect that would lead me to this very moment.
It starts with a decision – a decision that we all have to make as men to accept the role as leaders in our lives, families, relationships and in all areas of life. In 1 Peter 2:4-10 we are referred to as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life in which we are called to serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. Later in the verses it says that we are chosen by God for the high calling of priestly work, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him. We are men with big roles; however, we are unable to act in this role because we are being held responsible for our father’s sins to the third and even fourth generations. There are major implications to this as it is mentioned in Exodus 20:5, Numbers 14:18 and Deuteronomy 5:9. In Leviticus 26:39-42 Moses told the new generation that was preparing to enter in that they would not enter unless they dealt with their own personal sin and also the sins of their fathers. Now don’t get it twisted and think that we are being punished from God for our parent’s sin; he said in Exodus 34:7 that he visits the sin upon the children and grandchildren. Ultimately this means that the children and grandchildren will repeat many of the same sins.
Generational sin or sometimes referred to as curses, is the sinful behavior (patterns) that can be passed on through the generations. Divorce, addictions, sexual sins, emotional disorders, bitterness, negativity, prejudice, poverty, failure and worry are generational sins. We need to break these generational sins in our lives before it continues to plague our own lives and starts to become our children’s and even grandchildren’s sin. Stop just accepting what has become normal and allowing ignorance to be acceptable of what is taking place in our lives. Every day men allow the same mistakes and sins to be continued and repeated over and over throughout their families. Even though my father had his struggles and dealt with his share of battles with generational sin; he has made monumental decisions that he is still making today that are shaping and changing our generational legacy. We can no longer try and make excuses for our individual responsibility for sin by blaming our fathers because we will die for our own sin, not another’s (Ezekiel 18:3-4).
How does it start, how do we start to break generational sin in our life? First, realize that it’s not your fault that you inherited generational sin, but it is your reasonability to deal with it. Some of us will need to pray like Nehemiah and confess the sins of ourselves, ancestors and whoever else has sinned against God (Nehemiah 1:5-9). There has to be confession and repentance to break generational sins.
To close, me and my father are closer than ever spiritually. We may not get to spend a lot of time together but seeing him grow more and more into a relationship with Christ have resulted in my passion to know God explode. Generational sin of addiction has been broken with me completely; my son will not witness addiction. My son will not experience divorce. Why? It starts with a decision… a decision to recognize the generational curses and to confess them and bring them out.
For questions, comments, pray requests please feel free to contact me at gzgabay@gmail.com.
Image source: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/?qh=§ion=&q=Decision+Road#/d1h4yso
