More Generational Strongholds

DeAnna Willman Photo by Derek Thomson@unsplash

“We will not hide them from their children but tell it to the coming generation the glorious deeds of YHWH and His might, and the wonders He has done.” Psalm 78:4

I honestly thought that last week’s post would be our last post on this topic. However, is seems that YHWH has other plans. Since the last post regarding generational strongholds, several of you have requested more information or explanation regarding these and demolishing them within your own life. This is good! It means that many of you are taking this seriously and looking not only for healing for yourself, but also to the health of the generations that come after you. HalleluYah! YHWH be praised!

First, it does not matter whether you have children yet, nor does it matter how old they are. You still have the authority to demolish the strongholds within your generations and stop them from going any further in your line. Now, if those strongholds have already been passed down to the next generation, you will need to address that as you repent. The strongholds can be demolished, but the child can obviously choose to receive/submit to that stronghold within his/her own life. So, part of demolishing the generational strongholds is confessing, repenting, educating and being honest with the next generation regarding these matters.

Second, there are no “magic” words or formula for doing this. We have been talking all along about how to eliminate these lies and receive freedom from bondage to them. Acknowledge the lie and its sin. Confess and repent. Expel the spirit from your life and replace it with the truth. The only difference with the generational strongholds is that we repent of the sins of our fathers, as well as our own.

Now, maybe we did not commit the sins of our fathers. Why should we repent? Most importantly, I believe we repent for the sins of our fathers because it is modeled for us in Scripture. Nehemiah, Daniel, and others repented not only for their sins, but also for the sins of their fathers. And these repented for not only the generations immediately connected to them, they repented for the sins of fathers/nation going as far back as the Hebrews who left Egypt. They acknowledged their link to those who came before them, their place within the nation, and the curses that were handed down due to the disobedience of their fathers. We are a product of those who came before us, both good and bad. We acknowledge the stronghold, sin, and the resulting curses that have been passed down to us. And we can break their authority in our generations when we confess and repent them to our Father. It’s as if we are saying, this has been a part of my DNA, but the buck stops here! No more will this be allowed to remain within this line, within me, or my seed.

I found the easiest way for me was to use the model of Nehemiah’s prayer in chapter 9. I personalized it to the strongholds within my generations as far back as I am aware of these strongholds. I also confessed to any actions or beliefs I was aware my forefathers/mothers having that contributed to this stronghold. Now, if your forefathers did not keep the Sabbath or other commandments of God it is fitting to also include those things. God said that His instructions bring life and blessings, disobedience to them brings death and curses. I will give an example with the model being a stronghold of depression.

“You are YHWH, you alone. I bless your glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise. You are the YHWH who fearfully and wonderfully created me. You know everything about me and were with me in the womb. You knew me before you created me, and you knit me together in love and with purpose. You called me to be your daughter (son) and made it possible for me to enter your Family and Kingdom through the blood of Yeshua which was required for my redemption. You then instructed me through your Scriptures how to join in intimate relationship with you and in healthy relationship with others in your Family.

Yet, O YHWH, I did not believe these truths! I believed the enemy when he told me I was unwanted, not good enough, a failure, and not worth your love and attention. I believed that I was perhaps an afterthought whom you tolerated because as God you had to. I believed that I was inferior to all others within your Family and did not believe that I belonged. I believed the enemy was telling me the truth and that your words (truth) were not meant for me.

As a result of this belief I have gossiped, slandered, taken offense, held resentments, been critical and judgmental of others, envied, compared myself to others and their relationship with you, been prideful and boastful, and hurt many while doing all I could to justify my existence out of self-preservation because I did not believe you wanted me to exist. I also hurt you by taking your Name in vain through my words and behavior, by choosing to believe the Liar over you, and by calling what you said is a Masterpiece, nothing more than junk. But not wanting others to know what I believed was the truth about myself.

Father, I realize that this stronghold and this sin of low self esteem can be traced back at least four generations. I see it in the things I know about my great grandmother, and from the relationships I had with my grandmother and have with my mother. I see how the enemy has hindered your daughters in my biological family from being all that you called them to be because he convinced us we were not what you said we are.

Father, I realize also that the generations before me did not walk in all your commands. They believed the lie that those commands were only for a select group of people and that your instructions were burdens too heavy to bear. They acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which you said if a person does them that person will receive life and blessings. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. HalleluYah! Nor did you make an end of me or forsake me in my own sin and failure to obey. Thank you!

Now, Father, in the name of Yeshua I repent of my sin of low self-esteem, of believing the Liar, and for all the thoughts, words, and behaviors that manifested out of my sin and that generational stronghold. I repent for all the harm I did to others, for taking your name in Vain, and for the hurt I must have caused you as my Father while I was living in this sin. I ask for your forgiveness. I am grateful for the cleansing blood of Yeshua which you provided, and I ask you to give me a clean heart. In Yeshua’s name I rebuke and command the spirit of low self-esteem to leave me. I take back the authority I gave it and put Yeshua on the throne in my mind, heart, and life. Guide me daily, Abba, in filling my “house” with truth and submitting only to the authority of Yeshua. Father, in Yeshua’s name I also break all authority the enemy has over my seed due to my sin. You promised that with your word all strongholds will be demolished, so I thank you for the demolition of this stronghold in my life and in the life of my seed. HalleluYah! Amein.”

Now, do not think you have to follow the same pattern I gave. You do not have to make your prayer of confession and repentance long. Nor are there certain words needed in order to begin the destruction of the generational stronghold in your life. I do personally believe confession and repentance of the sins of our fathers/mothers is an important part if you truly want to demolish a generational stronghold, as He told us our sins would visit the third and fourth generation. Yet, He also promised that His love would be shown to a 1000 generations of those who love Him. It is scriptural that those who truly love YHWH and have called upon Yeshua (Jesus) for salvation, but sin unknowingly, will receive the consequences but still receive that amazing love. We are not forsaken nor lost. We still have to deal with the consequences of that sin, part of which is a hinderance of the true intimacy we’re meant to have with our Father.

Continue to move forward in your search for generational strongholds. Continue to seek the counsel of our Father. Continue to take every thought captive. Continue to feast upon the Word (truth) daily that it may shape your brain and bring health to your body as well as your spirit. Yours and the generations after you!

Until next time….

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wonderous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” Psalm 71:17-18