Freedom from Generational Sin

By John E. Thomas

A friend of mine recently wrote me about a problem. They saw a sin pattern in one of their parents, and now they’re seeing it in their own life.

“How do I deal with this thing?” my friend asked.

What do you do when a pattern of sin keeps creeping up—when you long for freedom, but you find yourself doing the same things over and over again?

The advice I’m about to give you is not just something I’ve read in books, but it’s the process I’ve used personally for more than 25 years. It really works!

When an issue keeps coming to the surface and it seems to be growing, this is actually a good thing—it means God is dealing with it. He is putting His finger on it, so it can be fixed.

Let those words give you hope. This struggle can be resolved.

Steps for Dealing with Generational Sin

Generational sin and what the Bible calls “iniquity” are real issues, but they can be dealt with.

According to Scripture, the sins of the parents can “revisit” the children to the third and fourth generations. However, the Bible also says that when someone breaks out of that pattern, blessing returns to the children for a thousand generations (Ex. 34:6–8; Ezek. 18).

When you find yourself acting out the sin of another generation, here are some steps you can take to deal with the issue:

1. Pause

As soon as you recognize the start of a familiar sin pattern, pause and find God’s presence. Every time you feel the sin, find that place in your spirit where you know He is near. Move on to the rest of this list only after you’ve reached that place, and repeat this first step as often as necessary.

Christians in previous generations talked about “breath prayers” or the “Jesus prayer,” which was a short phrase that helped them remember God is near. It was called a breath prayer because it was short enough to be said in one breath, and it was called the Jesus prayer because sometimes it was just His name. “Jesus.” Some would say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” I often say Jesus’ name or “Come, Father” or even just “Holy.” Something to center my mind and remind my human spirit that He is always near and He’s near right now.

2. Repent

Don’t repent just for your own actions, but identify with the sins of the generations and repent for them like Nehemiah did (chapter 1) and Daniel did (chapter 9). “I and my fathers have sinned in this way…” We don’t blame, point the finger, or judge, but we humble ourselves under the hand of God and ask for mercy. 

3. Forgive

Where previous generations infected us with their sin, we forgive them before God and ask Him to forgive them as well.

4. Renounce

We distance ourselves from the sin. “God, I do not agree with the sin of _______. I want nothing to do with it. I refuse its influence in my life and my soul.” We announce that we have nothing to do with the sin.

5. Break Its Power

Generational sin will often have spirits “attached” to it. Some people call these familiar spirits. The sin gave the spirits a right to be there and to carry the sin’s influence to future generations. Sometimes there isn’t a spirit, but we find ourselves dealing with the spiritual power that comes through our agreement with something that needs to be broken. Physical actions have spiritual repercussions.

Either way, we break the power of that sin (and any spirit attached to it), commanding it to leave us and our generational line. We place the sin (and any attached spirit) on the cross of Jesus Christ, so it dies completely.

6. Receive

First, you receive God’s forgiveness. “Thank You for forgiving me. Thank You that I am forgiven and clean because of Your blood” (1 John 1:9; Isa. 1:18).

Second, ask God about the blessing He placed on your family line that He wants you to receive in place of the sin. What did He intend for your family that the enemy is trying to defile and defeat? Don’t try to figure this out with your mind, but ask God and let Him speak to you. As He reveals the answer, thank Him for it and receive it for yourself, your children, and their children. The Bible says “the things revealed” are an inheritance for our children and their children (Deut. 29:29). Pray that into your bloodline.

7. Don’t Give Up

Sometimes a single prayer finishes an issue. Other times we need to keep praying and not give up (Luke 18:1–6). Whenever you feel tempted to give up or you do give up, remind yourself and the spirit realm that this issue was dealt with. Repent again, and proclaim out loud the blessing God told you to receive in the sin’s place.

“Father, forgive me for this sin: ________. (Be sure to name it: lust, anger, judgementalism, etc.) I repent for this sin that has been in my bloodline. I want nothing to do with it. Thank You for blessing my bloodline with ________ instead. I choose to agree with Your word over my life and my generations.”

A Good and Pleasing Heart

Saying the right words is not that important—but having the right heart is. Keep going after freedom. This issue, whatever it is, must know it’s losing ground or it wouldn’t be fighting you this hard.

As you keep contending, you will find freedom.

Sometimes freedom seems to come slowly, while other times it seems almost instant. Sometimes we look back and realize we’ve been set free from something and we didn’t even notice. Other times something shifts in the spirit, and we can feel the change.

No matter how freedom comes, we keep fighting until we walk in that freedom—for ourselves and for our children. It is for freedom that Christ set us free (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, understand that you are not the only one struggling right now. Many are rediscovering old patterns of sin they thought were dead, or they’re perceiving hidden things they didn’t even realize were there. God is working, putting His finger on the issues of our hearts.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV)

Great freedom is out there, and it’s worth the fight.