Generational Blessings and Cursings

(Prov 20:7 NLT) The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.


Here Solomon teaches us about the impact we can have on our children. Quite honestly, whether we know it or not, the decisions we make today can actually impact our grandchildren, whether we are alive or not.
This is the spiritual aspect of this verse. But before we get too deep in the spiritual, let's discuss the practical aspect.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children." Okay, on a practical level, we all know that our children emulate us. Consciously or subconsciously, our children pickup on the things we do. So when we live lives that are godly, upright, with integrity, and striving towards righteousness, we are setting the right example for our children and our example WILL rub off on them. If you don't want you children to do what you are doing, then you probably should not do it, because your actions - even on a practical level - have a way of showing up in theirs.

Now let's get to the spiritual aspect of this verse. In Exodus chapter 20 the Lord, through Moses, when admonishing the Israelites to stay away from idol gods, said: "You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected-even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject Me" (v.5). The Lord said something similar in Ex 34:7, Num 14:18, and Deut 5:9.

This is heavy stuff and it is real. Unbeknownst to me One of my family members committed many transgressions in life that I needed to be delivered from. This was definitely a spiritual thing, because this person has little practical influence on my life. As I grew up I realized that I had a natural inclination to do some of the things I later found out he was prone to doing. It was only after I was Born-Again that I asked my heavenly Father to fully deliver me from any negative spiritual (or otherwise) influences of the past, so that I could fully become the person He desired for me to be. Now, I run into people all the time who say that they don't believe in generational curses, but a failure to believe in something does not negate the fact that is real, and Biblical.

The good news is that while generational curses are real, so are generational blessings. The Lord, trough Solomon's father David, said, "But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear Him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments!" (Ps 103:17,18). The Lord said something similar in Gen 45:10, Prov 13:22, and Eze 37:25. If the decisions we make will affect our children and their children (and they will), why not make the decisions good ones? Just like cursings can be passed down, so can blessings. I have made a conscious choice to live right before God. The Blessing of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus is flowing in my life and it SHALL flow in the lives of my descendants. I made a course correction in my family line that will have ripple effects long after I am gone!

So what does this mean to you ? It means that your decisions are VERY important. Not only do your decisions impact your future, but they will also have an impact on the lives of your born and unborn descendants. So live your life in such a way that you will:
1) be a practical example of righteousness for your children that is worthy of emulation and
2) leave a spiritual inheritance that will positively impact your children's children and beyond.

Father, I thank You for this revelation. I now realize the importance of my decisions and actions. The life that I live will still be impacting my descendants long after I am gone. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that my life will be a life of faith, love, peace, mercy, forgiveness, and divine adventure. I shall leave an inheritance of righteousness for my children and children's children that will give them a Godly advantage in life. They will not have to start where I started. They will have a head start because of the decisions I make and the path I take. The Blessing of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus is on me and it SHALL be on my descendants. In Jesus' name. Amen!