PROF.
BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
THE BELIEVER AND THE
CURSES OF THE FOREFATHERS
Devotional
Text: Ex. 20:1-6
Introduction:
Generally, a curse is a supernatural hindrance that could come
from God or Satan. This could be manifested in health, education, economic and
other human matters. However, this lesson only seeks to address the curses
invoked on people, as a result of their forefathers being involved in the
worship of strange gods, which Satan heads. In this case, the wrath of God is
in focus against such individuals until they repent and take refuge in Christ,
(Gal. 3:13-14).
GENERAL
REMARKS
(1) Curses of
the Forefathers are as a result of Idol worship by forefathers, (Exo. 20:1-6).
(2) Curses of
the forefathers are for children of the forefathers who hate God, (vs. 5).
(3) Curses of
the forefathers are not for the children of the forefathers (believers) who love
God, (vs 6).
Curses of the forefathers can only be broken through repentance
and submission to Christ, (Gal. 3:13).
EVIDENCES OF CURSES OF FOREFATHERS
Human
beings are often faced with problems they fight to overcome always. Happily, by
means of science and technology and help from God, the human race has been able
to combat certain problems successfully. But, some problems are strange, and
defile every human solution. Such problems are often generational, affecting
members of the generations of certain families unabated. For instance, some
families are affected by untimely death, while some are affected by barrenness,
economic setbacks and more, which drag on and on, in their generations, with no
solution in sight. These cited generational maladies are often signs of the
curses of forefathers, which God says He would bring on third and forth
generations of those who serve idols, (Ex. 20:4-5). Therefore, for one to
escape the curses of forefathers, one must:
(i)
Repent and surrender to Jesus for redemption, (Gal. 3:13).
(ii)
Have nothing to do with sin and idol, (2 Cor. 6:14-18).
(iii)
Understand that Jesus Christ is the only way to freedom from the
curses of forefathers, (John 8:31-36).
CURSES OF
THE FOREFATHERS AND THE IMMUNITY OF THE BELIEVER
Curses
of the forefathers have no grip on believers who are truly in Christ, since God
says in His Word that He would show mercy to thousands of those who love Him
and keep His commandments in any generation, (Ex. 20:6). In other words, the
believer in Christ, who is a lover of God, and keeps His word, is immune from
the curses of the forefathers, even if, the believer is born into a family
where His forefathers were involved in idol worship.
The
above assertion authenticates the fact that no one can be freed from the curses
of forefathers, who is not really in Christ by virtue of new birth, (Titus
3:5). For, it is only Jesus Christ that has the power to redeem us from the
curses of the forefathers, (Gal. 3:13). In this connection, let it be known
that believers in Christ:
(i)
are not part of the curses of the forefathers, by means of
redemption, (Gal. 3:13)
(ii)
enjoy the mercies of God and not curses of the forefathers, (Ex.
20:6)
(iii)
have everything made new for them, by virtue of new birth, (II
Cor. 5:17).
CURSES OF
THE FOREFATHERS AND FALSE LIBERATION PRAYER
Without
mincing words, liberation prayer cannot really serve its purpose of freeing
anyone from the curses of the forefathers, unless one seeking liberation take a
concrete step to repentance and commitment to Christ. This implies that those
who conduct family liberation prayers without the decision to surrender their
lives to Christ only beat about the bush. This is because those whose
forefathers served strange gods share in the covenant of the said ancestors
with Satan and his demons, and accordingly are members of the old creation, who
need to be converted to the new creation, which Jesus Christ is the head, and
so, if they must be set free from such curses, they must enter into a new
covenant with Him, (see II Cor. 5:17).
Furthermore,
liberation prayer, if its objectives must be achieved, must first advocate that
people repent and give their lives to Christ, for the authority for sonship,
(John 1:11-12). For, where this is not done, the seeker of liberation from
curses of the forefathers risks bringing a much more devastating problems to
self and family after the prayer, (see Matt. 12:43-45). Also, liberation prayer
must only enforce biblical principles, as well as shun every contradiction, for
example, making the prayer a money-making venture, (See Matt. 10:8). Therefore,
false liberation prayer is in place, when:
(i)
it does not seek to break up ties and covenant with the gods of
the forefathers, for a new covenant with Christ, (Heb. 8:6; Rom. 11:27)
(ii)
there is no decision to drop the idols of the forefathers, for the
sonship of Christ, (I John 5:21; John 1:12).
(iii)
the objective of the prayer is to make merchandize of the people
who seek liberation from the curses of forefathers, (Matt. 10:8).
In
conclusion,
this work is an effort aimed at sensitizing the people on what constitute the
curses of the forefathers, and how to get out of the problem. It equally shows
vividly that the believers in Christ cannot be associated with the curses, since
they have been redeemed by Him. The work, also, gives biblical steps to freedom
from the curses of the forefathers which must be taken if any prayer for
liberation from such curses must be fruitful. Based on the foregoing, the
reader/student is thereby enjoined to take steps in enforcing this precept for
liberation MAY GOD BLESS YOUR EFFORT.
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