GENERATIONS

1. Understand Generations

Acts 16:31 (NIV) – “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’”

Acts 16:32 (NIV) – “Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”

Acts 16:33 (NIV) – “At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.”

Deuteronomy 11:26 (NLT) – “Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse!”

Exodus 20:5b (NLT) – “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.”

Exodus 20:6 (NLT) – “But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love Me and obey My commands.”

2. Stop Generational Curses

“Nothing is ruined beyond God’s ability to restore.” – Jack Hayford

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Nehemiah 1:4 (NLT) – “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah 1:5 (NLT) – “Then I said, ‘O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of unfailing love with those who love Him and obey His commands,’”

Nehemiah 1:6 (NLT) – “‘Listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for Your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against You. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!’”

Nehemiah 1:7 (NLT) – “‘We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that You gave us through Your servant Moses.’”

Proverbs 16:6 (KJV) – “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.”

Gates are repaired by families.

Nehemiah 9:1 (NLT) – “On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.”

Nehemiah 9:2 (NLT) – “Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.”

Nehemiah 9:3 (NLT) – “They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.”

Nehemiah 3:3 (NLT) – “The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.”

Nehemiah 3:4 (NLT) – “Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana.”

Nehemiah 3:35 (NLT) – “Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.”

Nehemiah 4:10 (NLT) – “Then the people of Judah began to complain, ‘The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.’”

Nehemiah 4:11 (NLT) – “Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, ‘Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.’”

Nehemiah 4:12 (NLT) – “The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, ‘They will come from all directions and attack us!’”

Nehemiah 4:13 (NLT) – “So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.”

Nehemiah 4:14 (NLT) – “Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!’”

Nehemiah 6:15 (NLT) – “So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun.”

Nehemiah 6:16 (NLT) – “When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.”

3. Build Generational Blessings!

Colossians 3:1 (NLT) – “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”

Colossians 3:2 (NLT) – “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”

Colossians 3:3 (NLT) – “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:4 (NLT) – “And when Christ, who is your Life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory.”

Colossians 3:5 (NLT) – “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.”

Colossians 3:6 (NLT) – “Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.”

Psalms 145:4 (NLT) – “Let each generation tell its children of Your mighty acts; let them proclaim Your power.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Share one generational stronghold you have witnessed in your family or someone else’s.

2. Share one generational blessing you can identify in your family, and take time to give thanks to God and honor those that started/passed that down. (Exodus 20:12 [NLT] – “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”)

3. What is something you can do/say to release blessing and empower success in future generations?

4. What are the keys to halting generational curses?

5. Share a generational issue that you need to address in your own life.

6. Take time to pray with a family member or close friend to experience breakthrough in an area of personal generational bondage.