Message
Yesterday, I discussed how a fellow’s sin can bring reproach to the fellow and keep him or her in darkness. Today, I will discuss how the sins of parents can hinder their children and many generations after them from enjoying God’s blessings.
People’s sins can create problems that will flow down their bloodlines. This means that some people are in terrible situations today because of certain sins their parents committed. In today’s Bible reading, Gehazi was the one who allowed greed to lead him to sin, but the man of God pronounced a curse on him and his seed, saying, “The leprosy of Naaman will cleave unto you and your seed forever.” In the olden days, especially in Africa, parents thoroughly investigated the families of people who intended to marry their children before allowing them to get married. For example, they would check if there was a history of diseases and conditions such as epilepsy, leprosy, or madness in those families because they knew that if such conditions existed within the bloodlines, they were likely to show up again.
Sometimes, a fellow’s sin can affect his or her children while the fellow is still alive. Achan is a good example of this in . His greed made him disobey God, but his entire family was stoned to death as a result – his children suffered the consequences of a sin they did not commit. Eli is another man whose carelessness and parental neglect affected his lineage (). Years after his death, the curse God placed on his family came to pass in Abiathar’s life; he was thrust out from being a priest, not because of what he had done particularly, but because of God’s word against Eli, one of his ancestors ().
Apart from negative patterns that can be inherited from a person’s parents or ancestors, every human who has not accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour is under the curse inherited from Adam and Eve, humanity’s first parents. Beloved, I want to let you know that Jesus came to set captives free, and this includes blotting out the handwriting of negative family patterns and curses. If you are contending with generational curses or negative patterns in your bloodline, He will deliver you today, in Jesus’ name. Cry out to Him, and His light will destroy any problems created by the sins of your parents or ancestors.