Are Generational Curses A Real Thing?

“When we acquire a sinful habitat belief that negatively affects our lives or those around us, this is known as a generational curse. It is the shadow side of behavior passed down through the generations.” ~ Hank Hanegraaff

There is a controversy in the body of Christ on the subject of generational curses. Many Christians think that generational curses are a myth or aren’t true. From personal experience, I believe generational curses are a real thing. Your prayers can cancel and break off generational curses from your family line.

But what is a generational curse? I love the way Clarence L. Haynes Jr. explains it:

“To begin with I want to redefine the term because what people often describe as generational curses are really generational consequences. What I mean is that what is passed down is not a “curse” in the sense that God is cursing the family line. What is passed down is the consequence of sinful actions and behavior. Thus, a generational curse is really a function of sowing and reaping passed down from one generation to the next. Consider Galatians 6:8.

The generational curse is a passing down of sinful behavior that gets replicated in the next generation. A parent doesn’t just pass down physical attributes but also spiritual and emotional attributes as well. These attributes can be seen as a curse and in some respects they are. However, they are not a curse from God, meaning he put them on you, they are a result of sin and sinful behavior.”

I agree completely with Mr. Haynes. I believe generational curses are a real thing and I wonder if more people would believe in them if they understood what a generational curse is. It might be the word “curse” that confuses people, causing them to think of curses like witches cast. This is why it’s important to understand that generational curses are not a curse from God, but rather a passing on of sinful behavior, habits and of certain diseases or ailments.

Have you noticed similar traits in yourself and your mother or father?

For example, my dear mother struggled with worry. She worried about every little thing. Her mother, my grandmother, was a worrier too. Well, guess what? I have struggled with worry for my whole life…until recently when I prayed in the name of Jesus to break off the generational curse of worry over myself and my future lineage. This is only one examples of many of how the Lord has changed my family lineage through my prayers.

In Numbers 14:18 we are alerted to the fact that the sins in a family lineage are passed on from generation to generation; “The Lord is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.”

Most repetitive bad habits (addictions) can be generational. This means they are passed on from our parents onto us and will most likely be passed on to our children. For example, my father was an alcoholic, and I too became an alcoholic (praise the Lord, we both were able to overcome this addiction). In recovery groups, addictions are often referred to as a “family disease.” While this can be true and there are behaviors we learn that are passed on from generation to generation, we can break our family dysfunctions, or “curses.”

It takes one person to change the lineage of what I call a generational curse.

The enemy has been around since the beginning of creation. He’s had thousands of years to practice weaving destruction into families and trying to win man over to his side. He gets a foothold in a family through not only addictions, but other destructive ways such as divorce, a critical spirit, anger, financial struggles/poverty, health issues (mental and physical), relationship challenges, dysfunctional patterns of behavior, negative thought patterns, unforgiveness, bitterness, generational sin of family secrets, and I’m sure there are many more that I’m not thinking of.

For 22 years (when I first got saved) I have carried a notecard on which I have listed the specific generational curses for my family. These are some of the characteristics that I have noticed in my husband and my history that I don’t like. Many of these generational curses have been cancelled and prayed off of our children. It’s so beautiful to witness. We must never give up and keep praying for God to move on our behalf. God is so faithful!

Below is a list of some of the things on my personal list:

• Addictions (alcohol, sexual, work, codependency)
• Lying, dishonesty
• Financial poverty
• Worry, fear and anxiety
• Rejection
• Lack of patience/anger
• A snarly/rude way of speaking (sharp tongue)
• Critical spirit
• Forgetfulness/absent mindedness
• Apathy
• Lack of compassion
• Pride
• Health issues (Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Stroke, Cancer, Alzheimer, Mental health)
• Jealousy and envy

I was the first in my family to commit my life to Jesus Christ and, therefore, the first to start praying off generational curses off my family line.

It’s important to be born again in order to pray off generational curses. This is because it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that you will have the power and authority to do so (Luke 9:1). Once you give your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. You can click here to read a synopsis of my testimony. I pray my testimony will encourage you, and that if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you would take care of this critical matter immediately.

In Deuteronomy 30:19 God says, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!“

God gives us a choice to end generational curses.

God wants to help you to live a blessed life. He created you and He adores you. He loves you so much that He wants you to be free from the weight of oppression. Idolatry and addictions are oppressive. Often these have been passed on from your ancestors and need to be cancelled and broken off so that you and your children (for generations to come) can enjoy the abundant life that Jesus died for you to live.

In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Satan takes away; Jesus gives. So why do we hesitate to acknowledge our generational curses? Because Satan is brilliant at deceiving us. He steers us away from the truth and from God.

Generational curses are broken through your faithful prayers.

Generational curses don’t just go away. In fact, they are passed on from generation to generation. It takes only one person in a family line to seek change for their lineage. I am so grateful that I chose to do this for our children and our future grandchildren.

How about you make that choice today too? Simply sit down and write down a list, like I have, of all the sinful, destructive dysfunctional behaviors you notice in your family. Then take your list to the Lord and pray in the power and authority you have been given by Jesus to cancel and break off these generational curses. I have seen so much change in my children’s lives. They don’t struggle with worry like I, my mother and grandmother did. That generational curse of worry has been severed by the power of Christ, in me and my children. All glory to God!

It’s up to you-do you want to believe that generational curses are a myth, and do nothing about them? Or do you want to believe generational curses are true and need to be broken off through prayer? It’s your choice. My thinking is, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by believing that generational curses are a real thing.

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.“~ Mark 11:24

Photo by Ryunosuke Kikuno and Luana Azevedo on Unsplash