If you’re visiting this post, you may be wondering if your family is under a generational curse.
Maybe there is a pattern in your lineage of substance abuse, divorce or infidelity. Perhaps you’ve seen how your grandmother suffered from inferiority or perfectionism, which was passed down your mother, and you recognize those same traits in yourself.
But you don’t have to suffer one more day.
And neither do your children.
Neither of my parents grew up in Christian homes.
On one side. there was repeated divorce and remarriage and on both sides there was alcoholism. My father was sexually abused as a child and was addicted to pornography.
Both were saved in high school, met years later, and as young 20-somethings entered into full-time ministry.
They realized something very important: While they grew up in dysfunction, and while the sins of the fathers are visited to the third and fourth generation (Ex. 34:7), for those who fear the Lord, He will show mercy to a thousand generations.
God’s mercy is far greater than the power of sin!
His mercy breaks the chains of generational curses in our family lineage.
Together they prayed, and it was if an ax was wielded at the root of all that sin from their families, and a new root of righteousness began to grow.
But what makes this possible?
Was it because my parents had this incredible faith to believe that their marriage could be different from what they’d seen growing up?
Or that substance abuse wouldn’t be an issue in our home?
This Is What Breaks the Power of a Generational Curse
What made it possible for them to break the chains of the generational curse and sins in our family was simple and powerful.
It was an exchange that happened millennia ago: and my dad—who blogs at Foundational—wrote about it in his post “You Have a New Identity In Christ.”
In his post, he says, “Your past and present circumstances do not have to determine your future or your identity.”
And this is true for you, my friend. No matter what you’ve done in your past, no matter if you see the vices, behavioral patterns or weaknesses of generations past repeated in your own life, no matter if you’ve failed greatly and you fear you will pass your failures on to your children, you can grab hold of this truth today.
These things do not identify you any longer! You are a new creation in Jesus Christ.
Not only does He give you a new identity, but He breaks the chains of the past and set you free. And your children free. And your grandchildren free.
And His mercy flows through your bloodline to a thousand generations. {eoa}
Rosilind Jukic, a Pacific Northwest native, is a missionary who is married to her Bosnian hero. Together, they live with their two active boys in Croatia, where she enjoys fruity candles, good coffee and a hot cup of herbal tea on a blustery fall evening. Her passion for writing led her to author her best-selling book The Missional Handbook. At A Little R & R, she encourages women to find contentment in what God created them to be. You can also find her at Missional Call where she shares her passion for local and global missions. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google +.
This article originally appeared at rosilindjukic.com.