HOW TO BREAK FREE FROM GENERATIONAL PATTERNS and STRONGHOLDS
“You are just like your dad/mom?!” Have you heard those statements before? Today, I will be focusing on the generational patterns and strongholds that has been passed down to us and our children.
It was not until I became a wife and mom that I realized I am so much like my parents and relatives- some traits I did not like at all.
The Bible says that “parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin. Deut 24:16
What are generational Patterns and strongholds?
Generational patterns enter our lives through genes and by imitating our parents. We may notice these patterns as we lead respective roles of a spouse, parent, professional jobs, or church ministry. Any behavioral traits that is imitated just like a family member.
A habitual weakness that is repetitive and hurtful to God and others.
An addiction that is out-of-control or a sinful fortress that has been passed on from one generation to another.
Identifying generational patterns from the Bible between parents and children :
–David battled with lust, Solomon his son had 700 wives. David never punishes his son for raping his daughter , Tamar. Absalom, another son ends up killing Amnon. He was an absent father.
–Jacob cheated his father, his sons lied and cheated Jacob from his favorite son, Joseph.
–Rebekah showed favoritism with Jacob, and Jacob showed partiality by favoring only one son over the remaining 11.
–Eli spent more time in the sanctuary and did not correct his two sons when they were young. The sons chose wickedness and were killed.
–Hannah disciplined herself and sought the Lord for a child. Her son Samuel became a great prophet of God.
–Mordecai raised Esther to love her people and God. Esther never forgot her values even when she was a Queen in a gentile land.
Zachariah, the priest raised his son along with his wife, Elizabeth with much prayer. They prayed even before they had a son together. John, the Baptist was the voice in the wilderness.
A categorical pattern of strongholds:
–Is dinner time focused on discussing about the faults of relatives, friends, and Church members? Have you noticed a pattern of being on the phone interested in listening or spreading rumors?
–Father has been a workaholic whether in the church ministry, or secular job. Have you been an overachiever, and felt the need to prove yourself?
–Husband who repeatedly abuses (verbally, sexually, emotionally) his wife and children pave for a dangerous pattern to be followed by his sons.
–Dad abandoned his responsibilities and left home, and daughter is afraid of commitment issues.
–You were sexually abused as a child and you are either addicted to porn or feel the disturbing urge to abuse another child.
–Grandparents have been too controlling and intrusive. Parents have followed the same pattern by meddling in their children’s lives.
–Uncontrollable Anger: Throwing stuff on others, breaking expensive items or using sharp objects to punish kids or anyone who angers you.
–The habit of hoarding items for years or the boastful pride that one’s race is better than another.
–Gluttony, alcohol and use of medication pills for comfort and to forget pain.
Criteria for punishment from the Lord:
For New Testament believers, the one standard we are held upon by the Lord is if we are His children and have been saved. God forgives the iniquities of everyone who repents with a broken heart.
God does not punish us for our parent’s sins. As adults we must make wise, Biblical choices and stop blaming our lineage for the messes caused.
But God is the Lord of Justice and will punish anyone who is continuing to live a sinful life hurting others.
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God..
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
5 ways to break free from generational patterns and strongholds :
1.RECOGNIZE DESTRUCTIVE HABITUAL BEHAVIOR:
Note down your personal struggles, any patterns that seems destructive.
There is an immediate need to acknowledge the presence of Lord Jesus, for He alone can break these strongholds. Every man is conceived in sin and must be transformed by the Gospel to be a new creation.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me Psalm 51:10 ,NASB
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” Proverbs 28:13,KJV
2. BE A STUDENT OF GOD’S WORD:
What does the Bible say about this problem that I am facing? Be prepared to face the Devil. These strongholds are how the Devil wants to keep us as his prisoners.
Through the Powerful Name of Jesus, we can resist the Enemy and set ourselves free. The Word of God will convict you of your hurtful behaviors and generational patterns.
You can overcome through the ONE who overcame the power of dark forces.
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. Psalm 24:4
And the Holy Spirit comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; John 16:8
3. STEP UP AND PRAY :
Pray that the next generation will not struggle with the issues you are facing right now.
Job woke up early morning to pray and offer sacrifices on behalf of his children every single day.
Make a conscious effort to eradicate any sinful patterns that you notice through prayers and supplications.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. Ephesians 2:10
And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God. Psalm 78:8
Step up to pray for a generation that chooses to love and be faithful.
4. SURRENDER THE DESIRES AND CONFESS THE SINS
Face the truth about the issues that have caused lot of agony to your family and the Lord. Submit yourself completely to the Lord and resist the temptations.
Remember, the Lord has won the battles for us.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corin 10:4,5
5. SEEK COUNSEL :
Many addictions need thorough healing and it is wise to seek godly counsel from your local church or even certified counselors. Here is a link for counseling center by email or by phone : Focus on the Family
Please do seek professional help if you notice a terrible pattern forming in you or with someone you love.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16, Esv
Reflection:
— Have you struggled with any of these strongholds?
–Which of these verses convict you today?
Set free in Christ
Diana
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Moriah Simonowich
January 18, 2018 at 11:45 pmExcellent! Thank you! 🙂
Susan Evans
January 18, 2018 at 11:59 pmWe need to ask God to change us in areas of sin that were passed down through our parents because of imitation. I myself noticed some things that I was repeating as a parent and asked God to break those chains, and He did!
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:46 amSusan, you are so right! As a parent myself I repeated some details that just alarmed me . Had to know that I needed to crucify my selfish interest and pattern
Donna Miller
January 19, 2018 at 12:44 amMy hubby and I have been praying the blood line of Christ drawn in the sand. Both of our families were very broken. But one thing that I think I did was, while not repeating what was hurtful etc, I swung in the total opposite direction and caused new problems. I am praying for us all to welcome God into our families and give Him the invitation to change what needs changed and also to bring healing. Praying for all our parents too who have (hopefully) done their best. Thank you for your heart touching post. Blessings to you … Donna
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:44 amBrokenness is what we see all around us. These patterns passed on from generations can be so hard. It breaks families everywhere if we are watchful and prayerful. I will be saying a prayer for you as well. May the Lord give you all the wisdom
Lureta
January 19, 2018 at 1:37 amThis is a fantastic post and so needed. Often times believers are not taught these truths but there is in deed healing from general strongholds. Thanks for this share Diana
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:45 amI was compelled by the Holy Spirit to write this post. Something I never learned growing up myself , but some patterns within me begin to question my relationship with Christ. We need to hear this topic as soon as possible
Christina
January 19, 2018 at 5:35 am“Whom the Son sets free He is free indeed!!”
Awesome Word!
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:42 amI love that verse. We are free in Christ indeed. But it must be a daily surrendered walk otherwise our past experiences can steal our joy
Elisheba
January 19, 2018 at 6:29 amAwesome thought. Always used to think over this matter about which behaviour have I received from my generation..many…and the fact is only prayer and seeking utmost help from our creator can only bring a complete change in us…thank you so much for writing this blog…may many more receive blessings from this comforting words which you have pen down….God bless you abundantly…
Sarah Geringer
January 19, 2018 at 7:09 amExcellent post, Diana! You pull out great biblical examples of this truth. Sharing on Pinterest and Twitter. Blessings to you, friend!
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:40 amThank you ,Sarah for commenting and sharing 🙂 I cannot base my blog without the foundation of God’s Word. Still so much to learn
Esther | Chosen & Cherished
January 19, 2018 at 7:40 amPowerfully pertinent to our current world! So many walk around in the shadow of what their parents did. Unless it’s broken, it’s like a snowball that gains momentum picking up all the grass and twigs along the way. Thank you for sharing, Diana!
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 7:41 amYes, I too walked in this shadow for the longest time. But there is freedom in Christ and it is free salvation. Jesus paid the price for our burdens and sins.
Melanie Redd
January 19, 2018 at 11:34 amWhat a powerful and informative post, Diana!
I can tell you spent much time preparing and writing this one. Thank you for sharing such great truth!
I’m going to share this one all around!
Blessings to you,
Melanie
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 11:39 amThank you Melanie for your thoughtful comment . Yes, it took me weeks to have my thoughts out together , then read the Word to make sure I am in sync with what the BIBLE teaches about this topic . Thank you for sharing as well. Blessing upon you and your generation
iz
January 19, 2018 at 8:00 pmThanks for sharing this and bringing this issue up! It’s a good reminder to me to be aware of the generational strongholds in my family and how to break free from them <3
Diana
January 19, 2018 at 8:02 pmThank you Iz for stopping by. I am so encouraged to know that this post made you aware of the patterns . I pray the Lord will strengthen you to break free from everything that has held u down
Lois Flowers
January 20, 2018 at 4:07 pmThis is such an important topic, Diana. I appreciate how you point out that good and wholesome attributes and habits can be passed down along with the harmful ones. I’ve also noticed that certain strongholds aren’t really as noticeable when everything is going well, but then during times of high stress and crisis, they can really rear their ugly heads! I often pray that my girls will not inherit or succumb to the strongholds that have affected previous generations. So glad I stopped by from #FaithonFire this week. 🙂
Diana
January 20, 2018 at 8:06 pmHey Lois, so glad you stopped by 🙂 These topics are not taught in many places and we continue to hold on to these patterns and pass it on to our children. Will say a prayer for you and your girls
Diana
January 20, 2018 at 8:07 pmI am so proud of the fact that you recognized the brokenness that alcohol brings. I have never tasted alcohol in my life as well. Not even wine .
bethany mcilrath
January 22, 2018 at 8:32 amSo much you’ve covered here, Diana!
I appreciate that you highlight that God doesn’t punish us for someone else’s sins- although the natural consequences of their sin may still affect us. Thank you also for the list of Bible stories highlighting both positive and negative generational patterns. May we break generational sin in pursuit of Christ and create generational worship!
Diana
January 22, 2018 at 8:34 amYes, may we stand in the gap and pray against these generational sins . I love how you mentioned “creating generational worship” Praise the Lord.
Kate | A Hundred Affections
January 22, 2018 at 9:38 amThanks, Diana! I really appreciate the part about Job praying for his children. We have some generational stuff in our family, and I’m so encouraged to know that it does not have to passed down to our kids! Great post! Thank you so much. Super-important topic that’s not talked about enough! 🙂
Donna Reidland
January 22, 2018 at 10:14 amWe all have sinful bents and habits learned from those around us, don’t we! Thank God who can and will cause us to triumph over them if we turn to Him in faith and repentance. There are many certified biblical counselors around the country (and many other countries) who can help. Most without charge. If someone is interested they can go to http://www.biblicalcounseling.com.
Diana
January 22, 2018 at 10:24 amI will be adding this link onto the website as well. Thank you so much Donna for stopping , your comments are a delight to read. Much blessings to you
Beth
January 22, 2018 at 10:56 amI did a women’s retreat on this subject years ago, Diana. I focused in on the sins of David and how it impacted the generations that followed him. And I agree, this is not a punishment from God. It’s so easy to pick up bad habits and thought patterns when we live with our parents and love who they are in total. That love somehow gets twisted and tangled in with the good and bad of how they act, and then we end up, unknowingly, loving and adopting both the good and the bad in our own lives. Thanks for giving us perspective on this from the Bible too. Loved your approach here, my friend!
Diana
January 22, 2018 at 12:33 pmWow , I wish I had attended that women’s retreat . This topic is so needed today . I am so glad you stopped by here today.
Carmen Brown
January 23, 2018 at 1:06 amAbsolutely beautiful and well said. Love the scripture from Deuteronomy you used. There is so much misconception, even in the church, that what goes around comes around. I thank God ALL the time for so many generational curses that has broken because I refuse to believe that lie. I believe I can be the change by not following into those once curses of the generations before me. I proclaim freedom for myself and my children, my grandchildren, great grandchildren, …..
Diana
January 23, 2018 at 1:24 pmI am so very happy that you visited me today, Carmen! God has broken all our generational curses and we do not live under those shadows anymore. Amen to your proclamation for your generations
Sherry Stahl
January 23, 2018 at 8:54 amDiana,
These are wise words. I was your neigbour at Arabah’s on Friday and just got to read today. Praying God continues to help you break FREE!
~Sherry Stahl
xoxo
Diana
January 23, 2018 at 9:01 amThank you Sherry for stopping by and for your blessings ) May we be blessed vessels in the hands of God
Gretchen Fleming
January 23, 2018 at 12:41 pmReally enjoyed you connecting the generational sins in the Bible. The clarity was striking. Loved how you showed the negative and the positive family traits from the Word. This is a topic near and dear to my heart that I will write more about one day. Great job Diana😉👍
Diana
January 23, 2018 at 1:22 pmHey Gretchen so glad you visited me today:) please do let me know when you write about this topic one day. This topic has been very close to my heart as well. Blessings
sue
January 23, 2018 at 2:38 pmMirror Mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all! Some of the best parts, and some of the non-best parts. It’s great when God shows me in the mirror of His word what to do w/ all my propensities that aren’t pleasing to Him.
Diana
January 23, 2018 at 4:15 pmSue, I would love to sit around the table and just hear you talk some day😀 So glad you stopped by, fellow mama. God’s Word is the best mirror of all
Aimee Imbeau
January 25, 2018 at 12:40 pmThank you for sharing this post on Grace and Truth, Diana. My husband and I made the decision to allow Jesus to change the behavioral patterns that were set in motion through generations of wickedness in both of our families. We can’t let what our ‘forefathers’ have done dictate our own behavior. Because then it just becomes an excuse. I have written a couple of blog posts on generational curses, too, since we need a clear and biblical foundation for these things. Jesus paid the price for sin – all of it. But it is our choice to accept the new life and make the changes necessary or to use past generations as an excuse to indulge in sin. I enjoyed your post!
Diana
January 26, 2018 at 12:02 amIt is indeed our choice to accept a new life in a Christ . The patterns are eye openers to understand how we ought to walk and act as a child of God
Create With Joy
January 25, 2018 at 3:09 pmHi Diana,
I’m visiting from Mary’s blog -LMM Linkup – what a great post! I look forward to exploring more of your blog.
Would love for you to share this with our Inspire Me Monday and Friendship Friday communities at Create With Joy! :–)
Diana
January 26, 2018 at 12:03 amI didn’t know about the two communities. I will visit the one tomorrow. Please do come back and visit my blog 🙂 thanks a ton
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