COUNSELING
+ A Biblical ministry of encouragement and spiritual enrichment.
+ Spirit-led counseling with a listening ear and a compassionate heart.
+ Majoring on Christ and the cross.
+ Extending God's grace to hurting people.
+ Let us bear your burdens with you.
Our primary counseling is with leaders but occassionally,
as the Lord leads, we do counsel with others.
So, what are leaders saying?
Q & A
THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. It appears that the way things are going in our country we are on a collision course. The solutions our society offers are just empty promises and wishful thinking. Furthermore, the Christians are so shallow. I feel like I am one of the few truly comitted to the Lord. HELP!
A. Your questions about the shallowness of most Christians, the emptiness of society, and the utter absurdity of the collision course our country is on, are very relevant.
The issues you raised present quite a challenge, but they are certainly no match for our all sufficient Lord. I have seen Him take the most selfish of people and transform them into true servants of our Lord. Such a transformation causes people to enter into a new quality of life. It is this dimension that can truly be called "the abundant life."
I'm not referring to some new religious ritual or pious verbiage. No, what I'm referring to is reality! It is a genuine expression of the life of our Lord through personal character and conduct. It is what the Apostle Paul called a "demonstration of the spirit and power." This is not some mere imitation or surface rendering. Rather, it is simply Christ Himself. It is His life being manifested through His people in every area of their daily activities. And that is true living!
But as you have observed, all too many Christians have a pseudo Christianity. It is what the Bible calls a "form of godliness." They are functioning without the life and power of God—a poor replica of the real thing. Of course, they are deceived.
I believe this is what Revelation 3:15-22 is talking about. Lukewarm Christians are nauseating to our Lord. Yuk! And that is part of what you are expressing, Chris. Because you are one with Christ, you are experiencing the same feelings as Christ over the tragic plight of the church today.
Yet, it is because of this pseudo contentment, in which many think they have need of nothing, that people like ourselves must issue a wake-up call from the Lord. Philippians 2:13-18
Perhaps you have the same sentiments as Chris. It is time for those of you who have seen the light to come out from under your bushel basket and let your light shine! The church must awake from its slumber and allow Christ to shine forth. Source Ministries is committed to sounding forth a wake-up call to the body of Christ.
MORE ON SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
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FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Can you give me some insight on Eph 5:18: "Be filled with the Spirit"? It almost sounds as if there is a time when we're not, and I don’t think that’s the case. Thanks!
A. The issue involves what the Apostle Paul refers to as the inner man (your spirit) VS the outer man (your humanity—soul and body). When you received Christ you were born again by the Holy Spirit in your inner man. Your spirit was joined to the Lord by union with Christ and you became one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). At that point you received Him in His fullness in your inner man (John 1:12). So you are full of the Spirit in your inner man.
The outer man however is another story. The filling of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18 refers to the outer man. If you do not yield yourself completely to the Lord (Romans 6) but rather operate in the energy of the flesh and rely on the resources of your outer man, you will be what is referred to in 1 Corinthians 3 as carnal or fleshly. In order for Christ who is your life, to be your life in your practical everyday walk, you must yield yourself to the complete control of the Holy Spirit.
When you do you will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Christ will then be able to live His life through you in the power of the Holy Spirit. May the blessed Holy Spirit shed His illumination on this important matter!
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THE NEGATIVE STUFF
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Do all thoughts and behaviors reflect some part of God? If there is an all-knowing God, then it seems like what we do in our lives must reflect some aspect of who God is. If we like a particular thing, does that mean some part of God likes it too? What about negative stuff? If God didn't make the negative stuff, who did?
A. Wow, deep stuff you're asking. God, by virtue of His name is the creator and sustainer of all things. Therefore He is working in and through all things for our good and His glory. The negative things in life show us our need of Him and the positive things show us His love, care, and provision for us.
Although God is all knowing it does not mean that all thoughts and behaviors originate from Him. It simply means He knows about everything. The source of True Goodness comes from God alone. But the source of evil comes from Satan. The good news is that God is far greater than Satan.
Therefore when we entrust our life to Him, He will get us through even the most difficult times. Sorta like that new C&W song, Jesus Take the Wheel, by Carrie Underwood. When we give Jesus the control of our life, He becomes our life and guides us in the right direction. And when the Good Lord is in control of our life, it all works out for the best!
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MEDITATION
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. How do you meditate?
A. Meditation is quiet thoughtful reflection upon God and His creation. I meditate as I go (in-between my daily routine, work or other things). Whenever I get a moment my thoughts turn to the Good Lord to see what He wants to show me or do in my life. Of course, it is ideal to block out some unrestricted time in isolation to just sit and contemplate whatever God want to bring to your mind. It could be compared to brainstorming, but at the highest level.
Reading the Holy Bible can help keep you focused on true Christian meditation which is derived from God and not just rambling thoughts. This is especially important when you are first getting started. God definitely wants to communicate with us but we must be willing to take time to listen.
See the chapter on What Is The Bible, in the book, Introducing The New You, for more about Divine meditation.
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DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Someone once told me that Christians can do whatever they want because Jesus died for their sins. Is that true?
A. When a person becomes a Christian, they become a different person with a new nature—the nature of God. With this new nature comes a whole new set of desires. A Christian wants what God wants. Major Ian Thomas once said, “If it pleases you to please God, then you can do what you please.”
Of course there are times in the life of a Christian when we let our human desires over-rule what God wants. But when you do something wrong, which the Bible describes as sin, then a true Christian will immediately feel bad about it and repent. Repent means to change your thinking and thus your actions. So a Christian will immediately acknowledge it as sin, reject it, and receive God's forgiveness. Since Christ died for all of our sins, He thus secured God's forgiveness for us. Therefore, as Christians we are forgiven.
However, this is NOT an excuse to keep on sinning. And as a true Christian you should not want to continue in a life of sin. For additional info you might check out the chapter entitled Your Means of Exchange: The Cross—Forgiveness in the book, Introducing The New You.
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SEXUAL ABUSE
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. As a teenager, I was the victim of sexual abuse by a minister. The church and denominational leaders did not deal with it correctly, so it was never resolved. It is still very painful to me. My faith in God has been greatly inhibited and my self-image has been damaged. I believe something must be done to rectify this atrocity in our churches. Anything you can do to address this situation would be greatly appreciated.
A. I am so sorry that you were abused by a trusted leader in the church. It saddens me very deeply to hear how this hellish experience has marred your Faith. But what you have described that was presented to you, by so-called “ministers” is not true faith, but religious manipulation, distortion and guilt motivation.
I am very sympathetic and understanding of what you are telling me. Satan is the deceiver who takes the TRUTH and corrupts and perverts it. Then he uses it against us. Of course he uses other people to get to us. Satan does appear as an angel of light to deceive, as he tried to do with our Lord when he used Scripture to tempt Him. And yet these same scriptural words of God, in their proper context, when spoken in LOVE can and will bring healing. I know, because God used them in my life! I have shared these truths with many who have been abused over the years and our loving Lord has used them to bring healing and restoration. This is the grace of God at work. What a precious opportunity we have been granted as ministers of reconciliation!
Take comfort in the fact that you are on the road to recovery. From what you said I sense that you genuinely desire to be made whole. Good for you! Please don’t let anything deter you. Give me a call sometime. I mentioned your plight to another victim of child abuse with whom I have ministered named Gary Brown. Gary requested I pass this on to you.
“My name is Gary Brown. Like you, I was abused sexually. It was not by a minister, but a neighbor…I was nine years old. For 20 years I walked in a fog of confusion and darkness. Personal relationships were very difficult for me. Like you, I found no help in my beliefs about God. As a matter of fact, all I got was hurt and rejection from the “People of God.”
Now get this…I have been a pastor for over 29 years. Can you believe it? I am a pastor and yet when I tried to get help from the church all I got was ridicule and rejection. I was on my last “belief in God” leg, when in desperation I went to a pastor’s conference to “pray” about leaving not only the ministry, but also faith in God completely. How could people who claim to know God treat someone (me) so rudely? I had always heard that Christians shoot their wounded, now I was experiencing that “shooting” myself. It was there that I heard of Dr. Lewis Gregory’s ministry.
When I got home, I looked him up. At first we just visited and shared over lunch. I wasn’t an easy nut to crack! My bitterness had grown so much that I was literally numb to the touch both physically and emotionally. I finally became a client of Dr. Gregory. As a result of the healing power of God in me, I no longer walk in darkness and I no longer have my hatred of the church. Since then Lewis has become a close personal friend.
It took me four years of counseling with Dr. Gregory before I could trust anybody, much less God and Christians, but learn to trust is what I have learned to do. I would say trust “again,” but to be honest, up until that time I had never truly trusted God before.
I think I understand your intentions in warning people about the bad apples. Personally as a result of what I have gone through, I am now committed to helping protect people from sexual predators of all kinds. My primary way of doing this is my abstinence work with youth. I have become known across America as the nation’s abstinence pastor. God has truly blessed me. Now, He uses the deep hurt caused by my past abuse as an example of His healing power. As a result, 1,000’s of people have been set free.”
Gary Brown (see our Links page for more info)
The sexual abuse of Children/Teens is a growing problem worldwide. We see reports of it almost daily in the news. It is a blight on society. In Matthew 18:2-7 Jesus spoke very strongly about God’s view regarding the mistreatment of children. Please make this gross atrocity a matter of prayer!
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THE END TIMES
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. What’s all the fuss about? Why are some Christians giving so much attention to the end times? There seems to be so many different theories about it. And of course, everyone thinks his or her theory is right. Where did these theories come from? It is all very confusing to me.
A. Depending on what you have heard, it certainly can be confusing. However, it should give us great comfort to know that God has a plan for our world, and it is all coming together according to His Divine purpose. Almighty God, who knows the end from the beginning, will make sure that everything turns out right in the end! First I will give you a little Historical background and then I will offer my personal thoughts on the subject.
Historical Background:
The theories about the end times are sometimes described as Eschatology. Eschatology is the Theological term for the study of the end times or last days. One of the most prevalent theories regarding the end times espoused today is called Dispensationalism. This theory is fairly recent in terms of the span of Christian History. It was not until the late1800’s that it came into prominence by a man named John Nelson Darby. Darby was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, originally associated with the Plymouth Brethren. In 1848, he became involved in a complex dispute among the Plymouth Brethren that resulted in a split between "Open" Brethren and "Exclusive" Brethren. After that time, Darby was recognized as the dominant figure among the Exclusive Brethren. The Exclusive Brethren has been described as a separatist Christian group, a controversial offshoot of the Plymouth Brethren.
John Darby is considered the father of modern Dispensationalism. Its name comes from the fact that dispenationalists see biblical history as best understood in light of a series of dispensations in the Bible. Each dispensation is said to represent a different way in which God deals with man. According to C. I. Scofield, “These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God's method of dealing with mankind, in respect to two questions: of sin, and of man's responsibility”.
John Darby taught, and most subsequent dispensationalists have consistently maintained, that God looks upon the Jews as his chosen people and continues to have a place for them in the dispensational, prophetic scheme of things. While many traditions of Christianity teach that the Jews are a distinct people, dispensationalism is unique in teaching that the Church is a provisional dispensation, until the Jews finally recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah during the trials that dispensationalists envision coming upon the Jews in the Great Tribulation.
Darby also proposed a teaching that he called the “secret rapture”. The term rapture, which means to transport or carry away, is of Latin derivation. The word rapture is not found in the Bible. It is possibly a reference to 1 Thessalonians 4:17 “we shall be caught up.” The rapture is an event in certain systems of Christian Eschatology whereby it is believed that Jesus Christ will return and take all Christians living on the Earth up into Heaven. The term "rapture" is usually applied specifically to the belief that Christians will be taken into heaven prior to the Second Coming of Christ.
Of course there have many many variations on this subject since then. Even from this brief summary, I think you can see that it can easily get rather involved.
Personal thoughts:
When I studied Christian Eschatology in Seminary we examined various theories regarding the end times. I was introduced to the Pre, Mid, and Post Tribulation theories. I could best relate to the Pan theory that my professor also mentioned. As he said, according to the Pan theory, it will all pan out. And I agree! I am by no means being facetious. I am confident that the Lord God Almighty is in complete control, and it will all pan out in the end! This may be a simplistic approach, but I do believe it is at least an honest one. Only God knows the real outcome of this old world and there is nothing we can do about it.
I adhere to the philosophy of the Apostle John, author of Revelation, presented in 1 John 3:2,3. “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
Let us concentrate on our present life and walk in the Lord, and do as Jesus instructed by taking no thought for tomorrow. We must seek God and His kingdom and let Him take care of the details (Mathew 6:33). The future is God’s responsibility, and He does all things well! As new creations in Christ we are the new Israel (Romans 9:6-8, Galatians 6:16). Therefore, our primary emphasis should be on the spiritual kingdom of Heaven (which is eternal) rather than the earthly kingdom of God (which is temporal). “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God” (Romans 2:28,29).
Also, since the promise was given by God to Abraham and his seed (singular) “which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16), it behooves us to be sure that we are in Christ. This means we must receive Jesus Christ into our lives as our Lord and Savior, so that we can be brought into vital union with Christ. Thus by virtue of the fact that we are made one with Christ “we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).
Well so much more could be said. Suffice it to say that the kingdom God has for us is not of this world, because the kingdom of God is within us, where King Jesus has come to rule and reign in our heart. God has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that is sheer GRACE! So because of the grace of God that has been imparted to us through Christ, we need not be fearful of such things nor consumed by them. Therefore, we simply must not give in to curiosity, vain imaginations, and speculations regarding the end times.
The only time we’ve got is now! So we should redeem the time, living now, by faith instead of sight. This is how the Apostle Paul lived, “the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). May God grant you the grace to live accordingly!
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A FIXED DEPENDENCY
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Thanks for the Monday encouragement of your TGIM GOOD NEWS! Sometimes it seems to me that the hardest part is leaning to rely totally and completely upon Him for my life. Things seem to be a bit of a wreck lately, and right now it seems that’s what I need to do first and foremost. I pray that I will learn to lean not on my own understanding, but on Jesus.
A. Yes, the challenge is to be mindful of the Lord as we go through each day. Actually it is more of a fixed dependency, somewhat like setting the cruise control on a car. It stays fixed exactly where you set it, unless you put on the brakes or step on the accelerator pedal. But first you must fix your faith on Him. It is not learning to do it, so much as just doing it. You simply tell the Lord you give up and trust Him totally with your life. You ask Him to take control and then thank Him for doing just that! Next you step out with a settled confidence that He is living His life through you. The cruise control is set! He will let you know if anything changes.
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DRINKING PROBLEM
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Hello! I'm going to ask for your help with something, which I have not told anyone. I have an addiction: wine. I only drink at night and it is the only thing I have found that kills the pain of my illness. I am not a "drunk", meaning, I do not drink in the daytime. My drinking does not negatively impact others. I refuse to drive after drinking and I don’t get angry, violent, or confrontational when I drink.
Now I've found out that my liver is in serious trouble. Here is my huge problem; I do not want to quit drinking! I don't know how to find the desire to quit. My husband told me that he is worried that I am going to die from my bad liver. That hurt me to my very core. Yet, I still cannot find any motivation to quit drinking. Furthermore, I am terrified of "rehab". I don't know what to do. So, that is why I am desperately seeking your help. I completely trust you and I just need someone to help me so bad! Thanks for all your kindness, patience, and support!
A. I am so sorry to hear about your illness, as well as your drinking problem and serious liver condition! But the drinking problem you mentioned is only a symptom. Your problem is living "after the flesh" (fleshly dependency-living in dependency on your human strength, talents and abilities). See Romans 8:5-8. The flesh is the devil's playground, and as long as we live after the flesh, we will always be subject to his dominance Ephesians 5:16-26. The reason you cannot stop is because you have "given place to the devil" Ephesians 4:27 by yielding your members to unrighteousness Romans 6:16. What you once were able to control is now out of your control! Please read Ephesians 6:12 (our conflict is with spiritual forces of darkness) and 2 Corinthians 10:4 (the devil can have a stronghold in our life). My book, INTRODUCING THE NEW YOU, addresses the root problem at length in numerous ways. It especially provides you with God's solution.
This drinking problem and the liver condition, both underscore your need for spiritual counseling by someone who understands the ways of God and the power of God. You need someone who can minister the grace of God to you without guilt or condemnation. It is imperative that you get a counselor who not only knows about deliverance and inner healing, but also understands the full work of the cross. You need someone who can help you tap into the real Source of strength and find your true identity in Christ. Be sure you keep in contact with your medical doctor and follow his instructions. Also, please read my article on DEALING WITH THE DEMONIC for a further explanation of demonic influence.
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"THE GOLDEN COMPASS"
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. There has been lots of press about the new movie “The Golden Compass”. Could you possibly put out a blog or bulletin with your thoughts?? Thanks, God Bless!
A. I am not a movie critic and certainly not an expert on this particular movie. However, I did read about it and watched several clips from it. I don't normally pay much attention to such things. Here’s why. The important thing for me is to see God in everything (Romans 11:36). Then, just rest assured that He is working all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). As Joseph said in Genesis 50.20, “You thought evil against me, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD!” Hopefully the Good Lord will use the movie, “The Golden Compass”, to motivate people to begin thinking about spiritual things and seek to know the truth, which ultimately is Christ Himself!
This seems to be what Phiip Pullman, the author of The Golden Compass, is sadly lacking, even by his own admission. In his Arbuthnot Lecture, Philip described his writing as "coming to terms with an absence—the absence of God—because I cannot believe in the God who is described by churches and in holy books.... So, I'm conscious of God only as an absence...." His comments are quite typical of the struggles many people are having with the existence and/or relevance of God in our World today.
Therefore, in the post Christian era that we live in (sad to say), it behooves us, as Christians, to help our family and friends filter out the distortions and learn the truth about every situation. Christians are the light of the World. “You are the light of the World” (Matthew 5:14). The Source of that light is Jesus Christ the Lord. “I am the light of the World” (John 8:12). Christians are to walk in The Light—Jesus Christ Himself. Light always dispels darkness. So rather than trying to fight the darkness, our privilege, as Christians, is simply to let our light shine. Tragically all too many Christians have quenched the Spirit, thus inhibiting The Light from shinning through us. There is too much religion based on the doctrines and traditions of men rather than the heart of God, derived from the Word of God, based on the grace of God.
Movies such as this can help expose the fallacy of religion. We must filter everything that comes into our lives by the Spirit of God, in accordance with the Word of God. Therefore, always remain vigilant regarding your own life. But also take advantage of this opportunity to let your light shine, so that others can see Jesus in you and discover the truth.
Check out these sites I came across that might be helpful in evaluating the movie.
- http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/golden-compass.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman
- http://www.tyndale.com/products/details.asp?isbn=978-1-4143-1564-5
Of course my book, INTRODUCING THE NEW YOU, would be a big help in counteracting religion with a living, vibrant, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ the Lord. It offers a simple practical approach to Christian living.
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GENERATIONAL CURSES
Dr. Lewis Gregory
Q. Can things that happened to our ancestors have a bearing on our lives today? I've heard people refer to such things as a "generational curse." Is that correct? What are general curses? How do they affect us, and what can we do about it?
A. When people struggle with habitual problems similar to their parents or grandparents, it may mean that they are under a generational curse. The Bible speaks of such a generational curse in Exodus 34:7b: “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” Iniquity is a deviation from the proper path. It's a reference to deviant behavior descriptive of a sinful lifestyle. Iniquity is a deviation from God's righteous standard of life to an alternate lifestyle, which God calls evil. Thus, God warns that the sinful habits of one generation will be perpetuated by subsequent generations. So, until the cycle of sin is broken, a generational curse is in effect.
Curses and blessings are described in Deuteronomy chapters 27-30. Both curses and blessings have consequences. Curses produce death in us, while blessings result in life. It is clearly a case of reaping what you sow. When you respond in faithful obedience to God you will reap life, but if not, death is the outcome.
God's preference is that through His goodness, He might lead us to repentance. However, if we don't repent He will bring His severity upon us (Romans 2:4; 11:22). His intention is for us to depart from that which is destroying our lives and defiling His Holy temple
(II Corinthians 6:17-7:1). We truly have a loving Heavenly Father who wants the best for His children. However, He will spare us no pain or adversity, if necessary, to bring it about. This, too, is part of God's faithfulness. Once you really understand this, you can say with King David, Your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).
It is important to note that God desires to invoke His blessings upon us. However, if we neglect to live according to His word, we will inevitably experience curses instead.
One result of curses might be a sinful lifestyle characterized by destructive habits. Sometimes curses become so entrenched in people's lives that sinful habits are passed on for several generations. Such sinful habits are much more than just incorrect behavior patterns. That is why merely attempting to modify a person's behavior cannot possibly produce a lasting solution. Furthermore, addictive/compulsive behavior is far more than just a physical addiction. That in itself is part of the problem. Until the person realizes that there is more to the problem than just a physical addiction, the problem will persist. Sinful habits have a spiritual root. People involved in sinful habits eventually reach a point where they have little, if any, real control over them. They find themselves driven, compelled and literally consumed by these sinful habits.
What is happening to them? What is driving them to engage in such undesirable behavior? When a person finds himself consumed with a sinful habit that he cannot break, then that person is in bondage. God describes such bondage as a stronghold (II Corinthians 10:4). Strongholds develop when a person repeatedly gives place to the devil (Eph. 4:27) by engaging in the same sinful practice. Each time a person repeats the same sin, the demonic hold over that area of his life gets stronger, until it finally develops into a stronghold.
As detrimental as strongholds can be to the individual, it does not always stop there. One of the long-term effects of such demonic strongholds is they are sometimes passed down to one's ancestors. Hence the name generational curses. This becomes evident when children, and/or grandchildren develop the same or similar sinful practices. For instance, the alcoholic father whose addictive/compulsive behavior is repeated in his son. However, since the son despises alcohol he becomes a workaholic instead. Both have the same addictive/compulsive behavior problems, just in a different form. This wretched cycle must cease!
But is it really possible for the cycle to be broken? After counseling, one man gave this glorious testimony attesting that it can. "Praise God the chain is broken! I am truly free and, by the grace of God, these generational habits of sin have ended with me." Yes, sinful habits that have developed into demonic strongholds can be broken. But only by the power of God! All things are possible with God. He's the Almighty!
The good news is that through Christ's death on the cross, God solved the problem of generational curses forever. When Christ died on the cross, He took our place. Since every one of us was cursed by sin and death, Christ became a curse for us. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree" (Gal. 3:13). Christ's death broke the curse and severed Satan's dominion over mankind.
Jesus Christ came to liberate the captives. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). Christ is the only one who can make us free from our bondage to sin and its destructive consequences. Through the cross, Jesus Christ has made us free indeed!
What is necessary to experience this freedom? You can start by repenting of the specific sins that resulted from your particular generational curse. First, confess any sins that have occurred in your life which have given place to the devil. Next, reject them in Jesus’ name. Acknowledge any known sins among your ancestors. Then reject those sinful habits in the name of Jesus (Daniel 9:3-19).
As a result of your union with Christ, God has given you the keys to the Kingdom of God. These keys are symbolic of your authority in Christ. When you exercise this God-given authority wisely, then the gates of hell (the forces of evil) shall not prevail against you. You can take authority through Christ, and bind the strong man (Satan and his demons) from you and/or your children (Matthew 12:29).
How do you exercise this authority in binding the strong man? Ask the Lord to show you what the strongholds are. Then call the evil spirits by name and command them to leave you and/or your children and never return again. Pray that Satan's blinders would be removed and that the light of the gospel would shine upon your hearts. Dedicate yourself, your home, your possessions, and your children to the Lord.
When you submit to God in such a manner, then the devil must flee from you. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Once you are completely submitted to the Lord's authority that leaves no place for the devil. Praise God, when the Son makes you free, you are free indeed!
Also, please read my article on DEALING WITH THE DEMONIC for a further explanation of demonic influence.

DEALING WITH THE DEMONIC
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