1) We diagnose the problem - by asking the Holy Spirit; and asking the person questions.
2) We talk to the person and we show them how to get free. We explain to them what Christ has done for them. They are redeemed from the curse. God desires to position them for blessing. Galatians 3:13-14. But for this to happen, they need to do some things. So we explain to them what they must do.
These are quite logical steps: the diagnosis of what the problem is; help them understand what Christ has done; help them understand what they need to do; then we tell them what we will do to help them. I will lead you in a prayer, and this is what you will need to do in the prayer.
1) You will need to acknowledge Christ, because it is by identifying with Christ that we are free.
2) You will need to acknowledge the iniquity - for family iniquity, and your own iniquity.
3) You will need to renounce the generational curse. To renounce means to cancel its power. You need to speak words, to break the power of this iniquity and cursing. You need to ask Jesus to forgive you, to cleanse you from this iniquity. You’ll need to release forgiveness – to forgive family members who opened the door for this iniquity; and you’ll need to make a stand of faith, calling on the Lord to deliver you, and holding on to His words.
We’ll go through that again, so we’ve got the pattern of what must happen. It begins with diagnosis – asking the questions and listening to the person and the Holy Spirit. Identifying where this came from, father or mother - through which line? So we’ve done the diagnosis.
Then we need to explain to them what Jesus has done, because it’s faith in Christ that brings freedom. Galatians 3:13-14 are very good verses for this - very clear. So help them understand, that it is by faith in Christ that the remedy comes. Then we explain to them their part in the process; and what our part will be. We will lead them through a prayer to acknowledge Christ. We will lead them through a prayer to acknowledge the generational iniquity, and their own iniquity. To renounce and cancel the cursing, ask forgiveness and cleansing; release forgiveness to family members who open the door; to resist this curse, and reach out to Jesus in faith. So that’s the process.
Then of course, the last thing I found which is helpful, is to teach them to hold the cross of Christ between them and the family line. You are a new person in Christ.
What would the prayer look like? What would a prayer for generational idolatry look like? I’ll go through now, and I’ll put words to what I’ve just said. I’ll go slowly, because you may decide you’d like to write it down. Here’s the thing: don’t be preoccupied trying to get exact wording. Some people get fussed over getting the wording right - which is just the externals. I’d rather get the heart right, and stay in the flow of the Spirit, than be worried about getting every detail right.
Let me just break the prayer down for you, following exactly the steps we said.
1) The confession of faith. It would sound something like this. “Father I come to You in Jesus’ name. I confess Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus. From every curse, every evil spirit, all iniquity, all sin, I am redeemed. I belong to Jesus.” That’s just a confession of faith. It is extremely powerful. It’s really good for you to lead the person in that. You notice it’s just confessing my connection with Christ, and belief in what he’s done - this is the basis of freedom. What sets you free is faith in the blood, not faith in the prayer. What sets a person free is faith in Christ, not faith in the person praying - so you’re directing them towards Christ. Now we’ll go to the next part.
2) “Lord I stand as a representative of my family, and acknowledge our iniquity. I bring our family generational iniquity of idolatry to the cross. I confess I have also been involved in idolatry, so I bring my iniquity to the cross.”
You notice quite clearly that we brought family iniquity or sin to the cross; we brought personal sin to the cross. It may well be that the person has not actually been involved in that iniquity themselves, but most likely they have. You can see that it is important to confess the sin. “I ask you Lord to forgive me, and cleanse me of this iniquity and from all iniquity and sin”. So sin is confessed.
3.) Now speak words to renounce. “In Jesus’ name, I renounce, I cancel, all generational curses, all agreements with evil spirits. I renounce them, and cancel them. I renounce all iniquity in our family line, in Jesus’ name.
Lord I forgive my family; I forgive my parents; and those in my family who opened the door for this iniquity, who opened the door for this curse - I forgive them and bless them.”
It may be helpful at that point to renounce any judgements - “I renounce all judgements I made against my father and mother. I cancel them now.”
Now can you see that just by words - we’re dismantling things. If you can remember just the key things that are involved, it’s quite easy to remember how to pray a prayer to dismantle it - “I renounce all agreements my family members have entered into with evil spirits. I renounce all generational curses - I renounce and cancel their power. I renounce all agreements with evil spirits. I renounce this iniquity in my family line, and I cancel its power.”
Now, here’s where you would put in the cross - “Father I forgive my family, forgive my father and mother; renounce all judgements I’ve made against them. I hold the cross of Christ between me and my family line, and declare this iniquity and curse broken.” You see that the person, by confession, is dismantling this problem. “Now Lord I ask You to set me free”.