“Then another message came to me from the LORD: “Why do you quote this proverb in the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, you will not say this proverb anymore in Israel. For all people are mine to judge – both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins will be the one who dies”. Ezekiel 18:1-4 (NLT)
It beats my imagination therefore, when a lot of people who are born again keep complaining that the reason they are not progressing is because of the ancestral curses following them. Some accuse such curses as being the reason why they are always sick, barren, retrogressive, poor, struggling, unfortunate, not promoted, etc.
They believe their grand parents did something sacrilegious and were cursed by certain persons or powers; and as a result the curses have now cut across several generations to affect them. They also say that until deliverance is conducted on you by somebody with a higher authority, you would never be free if you are really under such curses, spells, jinxes, misfortunes, etc.
But are you really cursed?
In the Old Testament, there were portions where it was mentioned that the children would suffer for the sins of their parents. One of such is found in the book of Exodus 20:4-6 “Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations”.
The above quotation from Exodus has in itself put a lot of believers in bondage because they keep making reference to it and fail to balance the bible. In Deuteronomy 24:16 God changed His mind and decided instead, that only those who sinned should die – not their children anymore.
However, if a man sinned and attracted a curse upon himself and his family, the curse may be transmitted to the next generations if they follow their father’s footsteps and refuse to accept the LORD Jesus Christ into their lives as their Lord and savior. If you repent and refuse to follow the footsteps of your wicked father, the transmission line is broken. You will not inherit his sins and curses.
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour, His blood washes you clean from all destructive covenants and curses. “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Cor.5:17 (NLT).
Why are we still held in bondage?
It is apparently not the curses of our ancestors that are holding us in captivity. There are other reasons why we are where we are today. Until such issues are decisively dealt with, we may continue to remain there.
1.Ignorance: Living in ignorance is the worst thing that could ever happen to any believer. If you don’t know your right, the devil would keep you in perpetual darkness and captivity. You need to know what the word of God says – that you are no longer under a curse.
2.Our character: The reason some believers fail to make a headway in life is because thy refuse to shed their old character after accepting Christ. You need to confess your past and forsake them. Confession without forsaking your old negative characters would surely keep you under a severe yoke. Your bad character can drive away your potential deliverer, employer, husband, wife, etc.
3.Forces of darkness: One of the reasons why Christians suffer is as a result of attacks from the forces of darkness. This is different from inheriting a curse. The enemies of God’s people keep attacking them to force them into denying God or forsaking their new found faith. 4.Genetic inheritance: This applies to issues like certain illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, sickle cell disease, etc. They are transmitted genetically from parents to their children. But they are not a result of a curse. They are purely scientific issues.
We therefore need to study God’s word and understand it properly to cure our ignorance. We also need to avoid old fables and purge our hearts of doctrines not supported by scriptures. God loves us and has good thought for us.
If you still feel there is a curse in your life that is limiting you, simply ask God to open your understanding to the truth of the Scripture and strengthen your faith. Please take a look at the following scriptural verse: Jer.31:28 – 34
